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The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell

A look at the rebuilding of a post-apocalyptic America, dark and edgy, hip and twisted, with a dry wit that keeps you watching. The next great cult film? Quite possibly!!!
Starring: Kevin Wheatley, Jamie Bullock, Bill English, Ted Schneider
Rating: 9/10
Directed By: Jonny Gillette
Runtime: 97 minutes

The year is 2097. Two decades ago, The United States was destroyed in a nuclear holacaust.

And one survivor emerges from his bunker, intent on reuniting this nation. Enter Tex Kennedy (yes, of those Kennedys).

But wait - it's really many decades later, and we're actually watching a bizarre future "History Channel" style documentary on the Founding Fathers of New America.

I walked into this movie with very little idea of what to expect. The name sounded like something from the Troma studios, so I figured I'd check it out. Well, it's nothing like a
Troma film . . . but even I'm not sure how to describe it. There's a little Peter

Fonda/Dennis Hopper rebel film-maker vibe, a little Raising Arizona era Cohen Brothers, and on later reflection, more than a taste of Trey Parker/Matt Stone (think Cannibal: The Musical).

But really, ultimately, this movie stands alone. You can see influences all over it, but the team behind it (Threshold Productions) has crafted something unique. This is the kind of film that cult-film enthusiasts love to discover.

If you really want a run-down of the plot, you can check out The Beach Party at the Treshold of Hell website. Why should I do all the work for you? Here's what you need to know . . . this movie is just flat-out fun. I've seen 19 movies in the last 5 days. I've seen better made films, better written films, better shot films . . . but I haven't seen anything that was this much fun.

Watching this film, I picked up two distinct things from the cast - first, they were really hot, really dirty, and really tired throughout the shoot, and two - they were having a blast! So many movies these days feel like they were developed in committee, rooms full of suits trying to decide what people want to see, pandering to the lowest common denominator. "Beach Party" feels exactly like what it is - a group of people coming together to make the film they want to see, and knowing that there are a lot of us out there just like them. This is what independent film is all about!

The movie was written by Kevin Wheatley, who also stars as Tex Kennedy, self appointed Vice-King of New America. Kevin takes the center stage, and commands it with an almost Kennedy-esque charisma, but actually underplays the role, which I really liked. It could have easily been hammed up, but he wisely leaves the over-the-top stuff to the rest of the cast, who deliver some classic character performances. There are far too many to list, but I do have
to say a few words about Ted Schneider, who plays Marcellus St. Joan, right hand man to Mr. Jackle, who considers himself the rightful heir to the throne. In a role that is never fully explained (not an omission, it's a plot point), Ted does some really cool character work that is as much about his facial expressions as his rather unique vocal delivery.

One of the standouts of the film, however, is Jamie Bullock. Although her primary role on the film was as Producer (and after meeting her, there's no question she was instrumental in bringing this to fruition), she also takes a role as the almost mythical character "Cannibal Sue". I'm not exaggerating when I say that she owns the screen everytime she's on it. She has a wide eyed exuberance that makes it impossible to take your eyes off of her, even when she has few if any lines of dialogue.

You can also see small roles from Daniel (when you can't afford Alec) Baldwin, Richard Riehle (Office Space), Tony Hale (Buster from Arrested Development), and yes, that really is Dr. Quinn (Jane Seymour)!

And while earlier I said I've seen better shot films, don't get me wrong. The visuals here are incredible. The cinematography is far better than you would expect from a small budgeted independent. Cameron Pearce really makes some amazing things happen working within the limitations of a small budget and tight schedule.

Keep your eyes on this review, I'll update it as I find out about future screenings, and hopefully a distribution deal! And keep your fingers crossed - Kevin already has the story
for two more additions to his "The History of New America", of which he assures us "Beach Party" is merely Part One.

To quote Vice-King Tex Kennedy, "The world's about to get a shitload brighter..."

==================================


Well, we have an update for this awesome little flick . . .

National Lampoon has acquired theatrical and home video rights to The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell and has set a release date of October 19th. I don't expect this to be a huge release, but you might watch for it if you're in a big city or have a cool theater near you. Otherwise, watch for the DVD release some time in the first quarter of 2008.

I can't say enough how much I dug this film when I saw it last year. I'll definitely see it again! It's a great piece of "What-The-Fuck" cinema, it's funny as hell . . . it could become a cult classic if enough people get turned on to it.

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