If you're looking for high cinematic art in the vein of 'The Godfather' - then don't bother. But if you're interested in a forgotten 'time capsule' classic that really captures the vibe of sleepy 70's west coast beach life - this is the ticket.It's funny and dramatic and corny and sad. It's well paced and accurately portrays the insular bubble that we beach lifestylers live(d) in. It also provides an over-the-top example of 'the new kook in town' that will surely be subject to the harshness of the local gauntlet. The surfers are friggin' 70's prototypes to the max - even if you don't agree with them or like them. A guarded, immature bunch in our youth...Bonus: this movie somehow magically captures the pot-addled haze and vibe of a mid 70's California beach town. Not sure how they accomplished it - but it's the best representation on film that I have seen. For those not there - it was a special time. Kudos for showing the women running on a FOGGY morning beach, with surfers paddling out - like it is in reality as opposed to the typical 'always sunny afternoon'. Also, the surf movie scene: total authenticity circa mid-seventies! The surfing isn't that good - but it's an accurate portrayal of Cali's waves. At least they didn't add stock footage of Hawaiian waves - that's always lame!

I've been looking for the title of this movie since San Luis Obispo County made Unocal clean up funky little Avila Beach. It seems a pipeline under the street from their oil terminal was leaking oil under the stand. This led to Unocal buying up most of the downtown and then selling or trading properties.Back to how I found it. It played last year on one of the premium channels, but I couldn't recall the title. Then last week I saw Seymour Cassel co-starring in TV's new "HEIST" show on one of the networks. I recognized his face, but not his silver hair. It was blonde in California Dreaming, so I checked his bio and found the film.I agree, I thought it was an early seventies film, not 1979. But then the old central coast town of Avila was timeless. Small beach, volleyball court sloped to the ocean, unpainted building on the corner where he lived was an abandoned property owned by an eccentric who held on to everything he owned.All of the old Avila Beach is torn down now. Even the only historic building in town--the Custom House. The name now exists as a new restaurant down the street at the foot of the pier.For those who want to see what a small California beach town once looked like, rent or buy "California Dreaming". It's all that's left of the once funky town of Avila, where no one has ever drowned playing in the local surf. Reason? There is very little undertow. The waves crash and take you back to the beach. Board surfing is non-existent.

"The 'Citizen Kane' of Beach Movies." Keith Kuramoto, Cinema Graduate, San Francisco State University "This film was the template for all the teen-sex, coming-of-age, boys-and-boobs films of the 80's and 90's - From 'Porky's' to 'American Pie.'" Brian MacGregor, Cinema Graduate, San Francisco State University This definitive Southern California sun-and-surf cult film is sacred in Japan!Where's the DVD for this film?Vestron Video!Are you listening? MGM: Where's the SEQUEL? California Dreamt!

According to George Carlin, the term "Extremely not bad" should be used more often ... as in, "Gosh, this turnip casserole is extremely not bad."California Dreaming follows the trials and tribulations of TT (Dennis Christopher) as he arrives in California with some recordings of his recently-deceased brother's jazz music. The idea is to play the music near the ocean, because his brother loved the ocean. While in California, TT stays with an old surfer (Wynn, in probably the best role he's ever had ... should be, though, because he wrote the script), who offers TT a place to live. TT becomes a surfer, woos his landlord's daughter, gropes gratuitously-displayed breasts; so far, it's pretty standard surf-movie fare.Near the end, though, there was an actual plot twist; the plot had been so thin up until that point that I didn't even notice it coming. I'm not as easily manipulated now as I did when I first saw this movie (when I was about 15), but I was so blindsided by this development that it actually gave the ending a strong emotional impact, for me.Great cinema, it ain't, but Glynnis O'Connor and Tonya Roberts were both hotties, the surfing scenes are pretty cool, and the acting is convincing, if not outstanding.