As a kid, quicksand scared the shit out of me. Afternoon movies showed the stuff was everywhere-the jungle, the forest, backyards of houses of evil, some poorly maintained bathrooms- literally everywhere.
Just the idea of being slowly pulled under something disgusting, knowing that at some point, you'd either suffocate or drown (depending on its viscosity) was a living nightmare to me as a young boy.
Seriously, I dreamed of this shite. A lot. I even thought my Kenosha backyard on Lichter Road may have some, especially after it rained. I would tread softly.
So, early in the afternoon of a fall summer 1981 day, Spectrum aired Blood Beach, a film about people disappearing under the sand on a California beach. Producers were given the right to use the tagline, "Just When You Thought it Was Safe to Go Back to the Water, You Can't Get To it!". (aping the Jaws 2 slogan) They probably thought they'd sell tickets on that broo-ha-ha alone.
As a 10 year old, due to this quicksand silliness, this movie bugged me a bit. The adults in the room laughed their asses off at both the movie and my reaction to it. Despite the heroic presences of Burt Young and John Saxon. The former was Rocky Balboa's irritating brother-in-law Paulie, the latter fought the corruption of Han's Island alongside Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon. (He was also in the Joe Don Baker MST3K victim Mitchell and a detective in both Black Christmas as well as Nightmare on Elm Street).
So, they gotta win, right?
Well, you'd find it wasn't quicksand under Blood Beach, but a mutant creature pulling people through the sand from underground. So my mind could be taken off the quicksand, but it was quickly concerned that there may be a Kenosha creature under my house, just planning to pull me and my family under to our dooms.
Run to the driveway, don't walk, guys!
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