Bikini Beach (1964)

Copyright 22 July 1964 by American International. New York opening at The Palace and other cinemas as a support to The Masque of The Red Death: 16 September 1964. U.S. release: 16 September 1964. U.K. release through Warner-Pathé/Anglo Amalgamated: 25 July 1965. Australian release through Paramount: 27 August 1965. 8,923 feet. 99 minutes. SYNOPSIS: Frankie, Dee Dee and their gang arrive at Bikini Beach for a surfing holiday. Next morning they find on the beach a large Oriental tent, headquarters of the Potato Bug, a British recording star, and his pretty bodyguard, Lady Bug, who is a specialist in French foot-fighting. Since the Potato Bug shows signs of wanting to compete with Frankie for the attentions of Dee Dee, Frankie determines to compete with the Potato Bug at the latter's sport of drag racing. NOTES: A box-office sequel to "Beach Party".COMMENT: "Bikini Beach" has four things going for it: Frankie Avalon's remarkable performance in a dual role in which he delightfully spoofs an English pop singer; Harvey Lembeck in a very amusing take-off at the expense of "The Wild One" and Marlon Brando; a smashing free-for-all at the climax; Boris Karloff in a guest spot with inside dialogue ("I must tell Vincent Price about this place!"). Incidentally, many magazines published tributes to Karloff after his death with extensive filmographies, but I don't recall this film being mentioned in any of them . The special effects work involving Frankie Avalon is so skilled I didn't notice it at all (in fact, I didn't even realize until the credits at the end of the film that Frankie was playing a dual role), but other work from that department including the clumsy back projection when Clyde is riding the surfboard has less to commend it. Some poorly matched stock shots and the use of a very obvious double when Frankie is in the surf also militate against the film. But worst of all is the gross and unfunny over-acting by some members of the cast, particularly Jody McCrea and Don Rickles, and the efficient, but tediously dull direction of William Asher to whom may also be sheeted home those laborious sections of the script dealing with the clean-living beach boys and the efforts of a misguided oldie to suppress them.

Bikini Beach (1964) ** 1/2 (out of 4) The third film in the BEACH PARTY series has Frankie (Frankie Avalon) and Dee Dee (Annette Funicello) having to deal with a millionaire (Keenan Wynn) trying to prove that teenagers are beyond dumb and getting dumber by the day. This is because he believes his pet chimp is smarter than your average teenager, which leads to a wide range of events including a drag race.BIKINI BEACH is often considered one of the best of the series and for the most part I thought it was fairly entertaining and at least on par with the previous two. The "highlight" of this film is the fact that the title actually delivers during the opening credits as they have some fun showing off some female bodies in those new bikinis. The film also changes things up a bit by taking the kids away from the beach.This film is probably best remembered for Avalon playing a second role, that of a rock star from Britain, which was obviously a joke on The Beatles. I actually thought Avalon did a very good job in both of his roles and certainly helped make this film more entertaining. Funicello is also given more to do here as her character certainly developed a bit more from the previous films. Wynn is extremely entertaining as the researcher and we've got Don Rickles and Harvey Lembeck back as well. There's also a nice cameo but I won't ruin who it is.As with the previous two films in the AIP series, this certainly isn't a masterpiece or even what you'd consider a good movie but it is slightly entertaining as a product of its period.

More of the same crapola from MUSCLE BEACH PARTY, with a lot of the same performers. Frankie and Annette are back, though I truthfully had no idea they were so inconsequential in these beach blanket bingo flicks. Don Rickles has given up working with muscle men, and now his character is into drag strip racing (he wears a shirt throughout the movie which pronounces "Big Drag", which sums everything up nicely). Yeah, drag racing and bikinis seem to go hand in hand in these things, though there is precious little of the latter on tap (don't let the title fool you). Things get dopier than ever as we see a prominent man-in-a-suit ape character driving race cars, surfing waves, and whatever else. There's a gang of leathernecks lead by one stupid Eric Von Zipper (a recurring character played by Harvey Lembeck), and ummm... what else? Oh yes, Candy Johnson again wearing her usual unrevealing outfit (was she afraid to show skin, or something?) , and a welcome return song and dance visit by the talented Little Stevie Wonder, who luckily couldn't see what kind of messy melange he was featured in. Last time we had Peter Lorre making a special appearance, so this time it's horror legend Boris Karloff with a brief walk-on. John Ashley's in here somewhere too. No more of these, please. *1/2 out of ****

This is probably the best of the "Beach Party" films. The series pretty much hit its peak here and after this it was all downhill. Annette Funicello is her level headed best and Frankie Avalon is still her lunkheaded boyfriend who only can think about surfing. The thing I think is a little ironic about this film is the fact that Avalon in his portrayal of Potato Bug takes a swipe at The Beatles. Many forget that Avalon was one of the hottest singers in America until the "Fab Four" arrived the same year this film was released. After that it was downhill from there. The other shining moment in this film has to belong to Harvey Lembeck as the perpetually dimwitted leader Eric Von Zipper. This was his defining role and this film was his funniest yet.