It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals. In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals. This week’s musical: Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) – Musical #277
Studio:
American International Pictures
Director:
William Asher
Starring:
Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Deborah Walley, Linda Evans, John Ashley, Jody McCrea, Michael Nader, Donna Loren, Paul Lynde, Buster Keaton, Don Rickles, Marta Kristen, Donna Michelle, Bobbi Shaw, Mary Hughes, Linda Bent, Salli Sachse, Patti Chandler, Timothy Carey
Themselves: Earl Wilson, The Hondells
Plot:
Singer Sugar Kane (Evans) sky dives on to the beach for a publicity stunt — via her a stunt double Bonnie (Walley) — the female surfers worry that their boyfriends are paying too much attention to her. Dee Dee (Funicello) is especially concerned about Frankie (Avalon), who suddenly is interested in sky diving. When Frankie starts jumping, Dee Dee proves that girls can skydive too. Skydive instructor Bonnie also has a crush on Frankie, much to the chagrin of her boyfriend Steve (Ashley). Meanwhile, biker gang leader Eric Von Zipper (Lembeck) decides he adores Sugar Kane and Bonehead (McCrea) falls in love with a mysterious, beautiful woman of the sea.
It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals. In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.
This week’s musical:
Bikini Beach (1964) – Musical #278
Studio:
American International Pictures
Director:
William Asher
Starring:
Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Martha Hyer, Keenan Wynn, Don Rickles, Harvey Lembeck, John Ashley, Jody McCrea, Candy Johnson, Donna Loren, Danielle Aubry, Michael Nader, Boris Karloff, Ned Wynn, Janos Prohaska
Themselves: The Pyramids, The Exciters Band, Stevie Wonder (as Little Stevie Wonder)
Plot:
Harvey Huntington Honeywagon III (Wynn) tries to prove that the mental capacity of Amerian teenagers as devolved to that of his chimp, Clyde the Chimp (Prohaska). Schoolteacher Vivien Clements (Hyer) tries to prove Honeywagon wrong. Meanwhile, during summer vacation on the beach, boyfriend and girlfriend Frankie (Avalon) and Dee Dee (Funicello) disagree – she feels he should settle down and get a job and he wants to live fast. Frankie finds competition in a visiting English rock star, Potato Bug (also Avalon).
It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals. In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 500. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.
This week’s musical:
“Beach Party” (1964)– Musical #288
Studio:
American International Pictures (AIP)
Director:
William Asher
Starring:
Annette Funicello, Frankie Avalon, Robert Cummings, Dorothy Malone, Morey Amsterdam, Vincent Price, Harvey Lembeck, John Ashley, Jody McCrea, Meredith MacRae, Candy Johnson, Michael Nader, Mickey Dora, Eva Six Themselves: Dick Dale and the Del Tones
Plot:
Professor Sutwell (Cummings) is an anthropologist observing the teenage surfing subculture with his assistant Marianne (Malone). One couple he observes in the mix of dancing, surfing and kissing teenagers are Frankie (Avalon) and his girlfriend Dolores (Funicello) head to the beach where Frankie hoped to have romantic alone time with Dolores. However, Dolores invited the whole gang of friends because she “doesn’t trust herself” to be alone with Frankie. This causes a rift between the two and each tries to make the other jealous, and Dolores uses Professor Sutwell.
Robert Cummings as the anthropologist observing the surfing subculture
Trivia:
-The first of the American International Pictures surfing films.
-Walt Disney’s request to have his contract player Annette Funicello to not wear a bikini that shows her naval is true, according to her autobiography “A DREAM IS A WISH YOUR HEART MAKES: MY STORY.” Funicello was in compliance with Disney, which angered the American International Producers. However, she held her ground to not wearing sexier clothing, also because she said she didn’t feel like a sex symbol.
-Filmed in three weeks for $300,000, according to Annette Funicello’s autobiography
-“Beach Party” is Annette’s favorite of the beach films, she wrote in her autobiography.
-Real life surfers Mickey Dora, Johnny Fain, Mike Nadar, Ed Garner did the surfing scenes.
-AIP producers originally wanted singer Fabian for the lead role, and singer Bobby Vinton’s agent was trying to get him the part, before Frankie Avalon was cast, according to Hollywood Surf and Beach Movies: The First Wave, 1959-1969 by Thomas Lisanti
Highlights:
-Robert Cummings’ beard
-Goofy scenes like a guy playing a recorder and a girl coming out of the sand like a snake.
-“Hang on to the picture rights, American International will snap it in a minute” -Dorothy Malone referencing the producers of the film while discussing Robert Cummings’ research.
-Robert Cummings comparing the teenage dancing to rituals such as the Simonian Puberty Dance and the mating dance of the whooping crane
-Candy Johnson’s go-go dancing
Notable Songs:
-Beach Party performed by Frankie and Annette
-Don’t Stop Now performed by Frankie Avalon
-Secret Surfin’ Spot performed by Dick Dale
-Swingin’ and a-Surfin’ performed by Dick Dale
My review:
Annette Funicello says this was her favorite of the beach films and it is mine as well.
While “Beach Blanket Bingo” is probably the most memorable and famous of the AIP films, “Beach Party” has the best plot, songs and stars.
All of the beach films are nonsense, but “Beach Party” seems like it made some sort of attempt to have a coherent (though goofy) plot line. I feel like this largely has to do with the roles and casting of Dorothy Malone and Robert Cummings. “Beach Party” has legitimate laugh-out-loud moments, mostly due to Robert Cummings as the “square” anthropologist, where the others don’t, at least for me. I thought it was hilarious when Cummings, using his knowledge of anthropology, is comparing teenage dancing to “the mating dance of the whooping crane” or “the Simonian puberty dance,” and then performs a math problem in order to accurately surf.
In other beach films, Keenan Wynn has an evil gorilla, Deborah Walley skydives or Frankie Avalon plays a dual role as British singer, “Potato Bug.” That’s just dumb. I also personally have never been a big fan of Harvey Lembeck’s beach film role of motorcyclist “Erik Von Zipper,” who thankfully has a minimal part in “Beach Party.” This isn’t the case in other beach films.
Of the adult special guest stars that were featured in these movies–Mickey Rooney (How to Stuff a Wild Bikini), Keenan Wynn (Bikini Beach), Dorothy Lamour (Pajama Party), Don Rickles (Bikini Beach, Muscle Beach Party), Brian Donlevy (How to Stuff a Wild Bikini)–Robert Cummings and Dorothy Malone play key roles in the film and seem to not be absolutely insane. I left Buster Keaton off this list, simply because his roles in the beach films are very minor and he seldom speaks.
Another selling point for me is that Annette Funicello gets the most screen time in “Beach Party” than in any of the other beach films. While she is a star in the other five films, those movies mainly revolve around Frankie Avalon and up and coming stars, like Linda Evans in “Beach Blanket Bingo.”
“Beach Party” also has some awesome music, including music from Dick Dale and the theme “Beach Party,” which is my favorite song from all of the beach films.
Aside from colorful sets and attractive teens, “Beach Party” is rather important. While “Gidget” (1959) started the beach film craze and lead to “Beach Party,” this 1963 hit also began what everyone now knows as “Frankie and Annette beach films.”
“Beach Party” is colorful nonsense, but it’s a lot of fun and has laugh-out-loud funny moments. Give it a shot before turning up your nose to all beach films.
Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon in their first beach film, “Beach Party.”
It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals. In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 500. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.
Starring:
Annette Funicello, Frankie Avalon, John Ashley, Don Rickles, Jody McCrea (son of Joel McCrea and Frances Dee), Dick Dale, Donna Loren, Candy Johnson, Morey Amsterdam, Stevie Wonder, Buddy Hackett, Peter Lorre, Luciana Paluzzi, Peter Lupus
Plot:
Frankie (Avalon) and Dee Dee (Funicello) head to the beach for Easter vacation with their friends to surf, dance and have fun. Once they get to the beach they meet Jack Fanny (Rickles) and his group of muscle bound body builders. When Contessa Julie (Paluzzi) can’t woo Flex (Lupus), she tries to steal Frankie from Dee Dee.
Cheesy gags, music and dancing are sprinkled throughout the plot line.
Trivia:
-Stevie Wonder was 13 when he appeared in this film and was billed as “Little Stevie Wonder.”
-“Muscle Beach Party” cost $300,000 to make and grossed $12 million, according to The Encyclopedia of Surfing by Matt Warshaw
-The second beach movie directed by William Asher, following “Beach Party” (1964). This film was followed by “Bikini Beach” (1964), “Beach Blanket Bingo” (1965) and “How to Stuff a Wild Bikini ” (1965), all directed by Asher.
-The only beach movie that doesn’t feature Eric Von Zipper and his gang.
-Larry Scott, the body builder who played Rock, was an actual bodybuilder and was the first Mr. Olympia.
Muscle men in “Muscle Beach Party” (Comet Over Hollywood/Screen capped by Jessica P)
-Peter Lorre died two days before “Muscle Beach Party” premiered on March 25.
-In all of the beach movies, Annette Funicello wore more conservative bathing suits. That was out of her respect to Walt Disney who asked her to keep up a clean image, Funicello said in an interview.
-Donna Loren was signed to a multi-picture deal. The heads of American International were impressed with her duet with Dick Dale, Drive-In Dream Girls: A Galaxy of B-Movie Starlets of the Sixties by Tom Lisanti.
-During one scene, Peter Lorre and Frankie Avalon say the other looks familiar. This is a joke referencing their previous film they made together, “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea” (1961).
-Most of the beach films only took two weeks to make, according to Beyond the Stars 2: Plot Conventions in American Popular Film edited by Paul Loukides, Linda K. Fuller
Frankie and Annette “surfing” in “Muscle Beach Party” (Comet Over Hollywood/Screen capped by Jessica P.)
Highlights:
-Cartoon opening credits
-Surfing footage, especially when we are supposed to believe the stars are surfing.
-Candy Johnson’s 1960s dancing in her tasseled outfits
-Guitarist Dick Dale performing
-Cheesy humor like a cartoon cupid playing a harp beside Luciana Paluzzi as she’s looking at the bodybuilders.
Credits with Candy Johnson dancing and Stevie Wonder dancing:
Notable Songs:
-Muscle Bustle performed by Donna Loren and Dick Dale
-Happy Street performed by Stevie Wonder
-A Boy Needs a Girl sung by Annette Funicello (I noted this because it’s Annette’s only solo. It’s not her best song ever and ends abruptly, but worth noting). Reprised later by Frankie Avalon
-Muscle Beach Party sung by Dick Dale and the Del Tones
-Runnin’ Wild sung by Frankie Avalon
Jody McCrea (Joel McCrea’s son), Dick Dale, John Ashley, Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello in “Muscle Beach Party”
My Review:
I’m always surprised how Frankie and Annette end up together at the end of each film when she has to win him back from another girl.
So obviously none of the beach films have a serious, ground breaking plot and “Muscle Beach Party” isn’t excluded. All the silly plots also all occasionally blend together.
However, they are a great deal of fun. The outfits are great, the music is awesome and the dancing sequences on the beach are my favorite (especially if it involves Candy Johnson and Donna Loren). It’s a great snapshot of culture in the early 1960s. And Annette is one of my favorites so I can’t hate any of her films.
Compared to several of the films, I would say “Muscle Beach Party,” “Beach Party” and “Beach Blanket Bingo” are my three favorites.
So if you are looking for brainless, RIDICULOUS, hair-brained fun, check out this film…or any other beach movie.
This week’s musical:
Comet Over Hollywood 