B-Movie Gazette: TOMMY'S 13th ANNUAL PICK-FIVE GREAT SUMMER MOVIES - #5 - ON A WEDNESDAY IN 1976 AT AGE 13, I DITCHED SCHOOL TO GO SEE "LIFEGUARD" (1976)

B-MOVIE OF THE MONTH - LENA'S HOLIDAY (1991)

Felicity Waterman plays Lena, a German girl who, after the wall comes down, decides to move to Hollywood. Upon arrival she is thrown into a comic caper when her bags are switched. The second half of the movie morphs into rom-com as she gets involved with a cab driver (Chris Lemmon.) Waterman is excellent in her first picture as she's in every scene, it's a respectable performance in one of Crown International's last pictures. Lemmon, who looks so much like his dad it freaks me out is good here but lacks his dad's charm and sparkle. We have good ole Michael Sarrazin as a cop. Locations and the soundtrack are awesome and Waterman really does a great job carrying the whole picture. I say, give this one a chance if you can find it. Very rare, VHS about $35 and DVD $200. However, if you really want to see it, putchase the B-Movie Blast set of 50 movies from Millcreek which will set you back about $25 and you'll have a bunch of other movies. Enjoy. 2.75 stars/2.75

Sunday, June 2, 2024

TOMMY'S 13th ANNUAL PICK-FIVE GREAT SUMMER MOVIES - #5 - ON A WEDNESDAY IN 1976 AT AGE 13, I DITCHED SCHOOL TO GO SEE "LIFEGUARD" (1976)

Back in 1976, I was living in New York with my dad because I was impossible to handle so my mom sent me from Hollywood there. I abhorred my new school, a fancy schmancy deal where you had to wear a blazer with their emblem and the whole nine yards. I would ditch any time I got the chance. Movies used to actually premiere on Wednesdays back then and I was so desperate for a taste of my old West Coast diggs, I couldn't wait til this came out...and so off to Flushing Meadows I went!

Lifeguard is both a rom-com and a character study. It's about a man who loves lifeguarding but has reached that age where everyone kind of questions why he's still doing it. To the point where he's questioning himself. It's also about two women simultaneously in love with him - the just-about-to-turn- 18 girl that visits his shack (Kathleen Quinlan) and a woman his age (Ann Archer) that he's reconnected with.

This was Sam Elliot's breakout role and deservedly so, his charismatic presence takes up every scene he's in. The film itself is now a wonderful 1976 time capsule of Santa Monica and LA, however, it is melodramatic and plays a bit like a TV movie. It's still a fun watch and obviously one that is close to my heart.

Acting wise - Quinlan probably gets top honors here, she's quite good considering she was 21 but this was not the first rodeo for the American Graffiti (1974) star. She obviously enjoyed this role as well.

Lifeguard streams on Paramount +, Fubo, or VOD. 3.0 stars/5