Have you heard about the psycho fisherman who terrorizes residents in Slaughter Beach with a bloody hook?
That's the plot of a campy, '80s-themed slasher movie by filmmaker Dan Davis of Newark. The project is humorously inspired by the eerie name of the same beloved beach in Sussex County.
The Clockout Films production "Slaughter Beach" aims to make waves on the big screen when it hits Theatre N in Wilmington for a special showing Friday, June 28.
Earlier this year, "Slaughter Beach" landed on the popular and free streaming platform Tubi, which has tens of millions of subscribers. The film is also available on Amazon Prime, DVD and Blu-ray through a distribution deal with SRS Cinema.
Davis, who wrote and directed "Slaughter Beach," told Delaware Online/The News Journal in a previous article that the motivation to create the movie started with a silly idea.
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"It was kind of a joke idea that we laughed off," Davis said about the concept behind his horror film. "I think [Tubi is] the perfect home for it because you see a whole bunch of B-movie, sci-fi horror movies, like a whole [library] of them through Tubi."
What is 'Slaughter Beach' about?
The tagline for the feature-length film is "Life's a beach, then you die." The movie "Slaughter Beach" follows beach bums Ralph and Barry (Jon Mckoy and Ethan Han) as they struggle to find jobs.
The boys (including Barry, who wears a cape) are thrown into harm's way when they choose to go after a psycho fisherman, Fish Man Sam (Jim Cannatelli), who is haunting their coastal town. Can these amateur crime fighters reel in the crazy fisherman, or will their town become fish bait?
'Slaughter Beach' splashes onto Tubi
"Slaughter Beach" is available on Tubi, a platform that announced last year it surpassed over 74 million subscribers. The streaming service offers TV shows and movies of various genres.
Tubi, known for its B-rated content, is famous for streaming low-budget-quality titles that are so ridiculous they're comical.
Despite Tubi's reputation for low-budget titles, the director of "Slaughter Beach" said he's happy his movie is on the hot platform, and his film students at John Dickinson High School are impressed, too.
"I'm actually kind of the cool teacher now because they're like, 'Whoa, Mr. Davis has movies on Tubi. That's so cool,'" Davis explained. "Regardless of what they think of the quality, I think just the idea of it is cool."
Why does the real Slaughter Beach sound evil?
When asked about the backstory of the actual Slaughter Beach near Milford, Davis hopped on Wikipedia and highlighted two rumors he previously found on the site before discovering a third.
One Wiki rumor claims the beach's name is based on horseshoe crabs that die there annually. "That's why there's a horseshoe crab theme within the film," Davis explained.
Another claim, which is the most controversial, is there was a man named Brabant, who in the mid-18th century, "slaughtered" many indigenous inhabitants by cannon to prevent an impending massacre.
"So, there is a murderous backstory to it," said Davis, clearly surprised. "Wow, I never read that one."
A third claim on Wiki states the beach was named after a local postmaster named William "Slaughter," which is a story the filmmaker has heard before, and he assumed the tale to be true.
The town's website says it "has been debated over the years" how the beach got its name, and all three Wiki rumors appear to be similar to the tales referenced at slaughterbeach.delaware.gov. But the town's website doesn't state the official origin of the name.
Denise Clemons, archivist for Lewes Historical Society, said she believes the name behind Slaughter Beach "comes from a family named Slaughter, based on research in ancestry."
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How much are tickets to see ‘Slaughter Beach’?
The film screens at Theatre N (221 W. 10th St., Nemours Building, Wilmington) at 7 p.m. Friday, June 28. Tickets are $7-$10. Visit theatren.com or call (302) 600-1923.
If you have an interesting story idea, email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters.
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