In 1963 American International Pictures (AIP) released the first of the Beach Party movies that would launch a whole new kooky teen genre of drive-in pleasure. Gidget starring Sandra Dee (1959) of course pre-dates Beach Party, but Gidget also pre-dates the surf music craze. You might say Gidget is to Frankie & Annette as Iggy Pop is to the Ramones. In other words, it's all good.
In elementary school "Danger Island" from The Banana Splits brought me home on time, but it was the beach party films playing all week on mid 70's afternoon TV that made me quickly dodge the junior high school cholos of Highland Park, California, in order to slide into homebase fast enough not to miss Dick Dale slappin bongos and givin vocals at Big Daddy's.
Yeah, Dick and crew's ongoing luau helped keep us latch-key kids zoned out until the parents showed up. Annette was another reason. Even though our older brothers had already fallen in love with Annette's tight sweaters on the Mickey Mouse Club, there was a whole 'nother generation appreciating her soft face and killer smile in those beach re-runs.
I know, it's goofy, but hey, there just ain't nothin' like it nowadays. The whole beach party gig was a California fantasy, much like the Beach Boys' songs are as much myth as reality. Even if you live in Southern California--you'd really have to go out of your way to try and create that type of innocent fun in the sun. You have to fight fat cats and spoiled rich kids littered all over the best shorelines. Anyways ... I'd rather listen to Frankie Avalon get his groove on singing "Don't Stop Now"--than say, well, any modern teen pop star or "boy" band for that matter. It's just good kooky fun.
Every summer I go back in time to that California malt-shop mentality. So don't stop now ... Check out the Double Feature review of Bikini Beach and Muscle Beach Party!
MYSTERY ISLAND RETRO REVIEW: MUSCLE BEACH PARTY & BIKINI BEACH (1964)
Today on Mystery Island we revisited the second and third installments in the Beach Party franchise: Muscle Beach Party and Bikini Beach, reviewed by Bradley Mason Hamlin.
A great thing about Muscle Beach Party is that it makes fun of all the “muscle heads” that used to hangout on Venice Beach, even though of course our beloved beach party gang always hangs out on the much more exclusive and almost mythical Malibu Beach. I remember seeing those muscle guys standing in a roped-off arena next to the Venice boardwalk, flexing, and staring at their own muscles (and each other's muscles).
The leader of the muscle-bound gang in Muscle Beach Party is of course Jack Fanny aka Don Rickles.
Not his funniest role …
Anyway, Muscle Beach Party is a worthy sequel, right up there with The Empire Strikes Back in terms of character development and continuity. Well, maybe that’s debatable, but it’s good fun in the sun! Who could not love a movie with great lines such as:
Countesses [to Frankie]: “You’re cute.”
Frankie: “It’s the way I comb my hair.”
Holy guacamole, that’s good stuff. The only thing missing from Muscle Beach Party is Eric Von Zipper’s Ratz and Mice, but they do return for Bikini Beach.
The first beach film benefited from songs written by Brian Wilson collaborators: Gary Usher and Roger Christian, but in this second feature Brian helps out with the music as well and “Little” Stevie Wonder makes his first on screen appearance and even jams with Dick Dale and His Del Tones.
Dick Dale is back in full force in this sequel with talking parts and funny “surfing” scenes, too, a true member of the Beach Party gang, but for some reason did not (or could not) appear in Bikini Beach.
The Pyramids and The Exciters Band, two early southern California surf bands step in to fill out the surf music in Bikini Beach. The Pyramids are especially fun to watch as they first appear with Beatles wigs, then the wigs are pulled off with strings to reveal the whole band sporting bald heads.
Frankie Avalon does a great Beatles parody in Bikini Beach in the form of “Potato Bug.” Anyone who has ever questioned Avalon’s acting ability need only see his awesome Potato Bug portrayal and you’ll be a lifetime fan.
But the true star of Bikini Beach is Annette Funicello’s fishnet bikini. I don’t know, maybe it’s because she’s a little older in this film, but Annette never looked better to me—a true beach bunny of the highest quality.
Don Rickles returns in Bikini Beach and gives the film many insider Rat Pack jokes in the form of birds & Clydes. There is even a surfing ape named Clyde! How could anyone not love that? Oh, and Bikini Beach is the first in the series to crossover with the Hot-Rod/Dragster genre/craze!
Bottom line: Beach movies are totally hootin'! So let your spirit jump inside the classic Woody -- you always wanted -- and roll along with us to the secret surfin' luau drive in ... Get your favorite island cocktail ready and paddle out into the lineup with one of these great beach/hot-rod/JD/surf/party-themed movies:
The Official 7 Beach Party movies:
Beach Party (1963)
Muscle Beach Party (1964)
Bikini Beach (1964)
Pajama Party (1964)
Beach Blanket Bingo (1965)
How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965)
The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966)
Keep a-movin' & a-groovin', don't stop now ...
Hot-Rod Gang (1958)
Gidget (1959)
The Ghost of Dragstrip Hallow (1959)
A Summer Place (1959)
Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961)
Beat Girl (1961)
West Side Story (1961)
Gidget Goes to Rome (1963)
Ride the Wild Surf (1964)
Surf Party (1964)
The Girls on the Beach (1965)
Ski Party (1965)
Sergeant Dead Head (1965)
Dr. Goldfoot and His Bikini Machine (1965)
A Swingin' Summer (1965)
Fireball 500 (1966)
Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs (1966)
Thunder Alley (1967)
The Endless Summer (1968)
Big Wednesday (1978)
Grease (1978)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
Back to the Beach (1987)
The Endless Summer 2 (1994)
Psycho Beach Party (2000)
