FLOOD (1976)

Mildly interesting, mid-70's, made-for-TV disaster movie about the small town of Brownsville, who's entire economy depends on the fishing tourism dollar.  And what's the best way the get a lot of fishermen to spend money in your town?  Have a big ass body of water full of fish!  Unfortunately, Brownsville's big ass body of water full of fish is about to overflow the dam that's holding it back.  And if that happens...bye, bye Brownsville!

For an Irwin Allen production, I was hoping for a lot of excitement, but while the build-up was alright, the actual disaster itself was pretty lame.  The dam conveniently doesn't bust until nighttime, so the viewer really can't see much, just some lame miniature with water rushing over it.  Following that, there's only a few unexciting scenes of people splashing around in waist high water.  Whoopee!

Good cast, passable story that could have used more tension, lots of helicopter footage, 1970's vehicles and fashions, pretty scenery, Leif Garrett, runtime padded with stock footage of real life floods.  If you're into older disaster movies, then FLOOD is worth checking out, but most other people will probably be unimpressed.  My number one biggest gripe is Roddy McDowall's appearance was just a cameo!  That really pissed me off.

I've read that network publicity at the time said this film cost $2.5 million dollars.  Producer Irwin Allen and legendary TV director Earl Bellamy teamed up again the next year to make the much improved FIRE starring Ernest Borgnine, Vera Miles and Lloyd Nolan.

THE 'BURBS (1989)

"Satan is good. Satan is our pal."

Some nosy neighbors on a cul-de-sac have absolutely nothing better to do all day and night than spy on their new neighbors...and with good reason: these fuckers are weird as fuck!  You wouldn't want them living next to you, that's for sure.  As the film opens, it's late at night and Tom Hanks is investigating some strange noises coming from the neighbor's basement.  The next day his other neighbors dare him to go knock on the creepy neighbor's door.  He does, but with bad results.  Things just escalate and escalate from there until the street looks like a war zone.

THE 'BURBS was an alright ride.  I knew the basic premise of the story beforehand and was hoping that it was going to be balls to the wall crazy.  But unfortunately it was pretty tame.  Still I got a few chuckles out of it.  Plus, I finally discovered where that sample from the song "Carnage Castle" by Blood Freak came from!

Nowhere near as dark as it should have been, Corey Feldman acting cool, zero gore, zero blood, zero nudity, great cast, Tom Hanks freaking out, multiple references to Satan, various horror movies on televisions.  Worth an occasional viewing.  I'd love to see a dark remake.