Rating: 
Summary: SEE THE WHOLE EPIC "BEACH" TRILOGY
Review: "Bikini Beach," "Beach Blanket Bingo" and "Beach Party." Most people when asked to name a beach movie, immediately refer to this Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello '60s trilogy ( I don't include the offshoot "Muscle Beach" flick as part of this authentic ouvre).In 1963's "Beach Party" Annette went by the name Doris (an homage to Doris Day?). The plots, I use the term loosely, were almost interchangeable -- mostly surf, sand, rock 'n roll and sex -- well, mostly innocent tease really. But what's most remembered is the hope -- false as it turned out -- that the voluptuous Annette would reveal a tad more skin. And then there's Bob Cummings in a patently false beard, Harvey Lembeck as the hyper and astonishingly old juvenile delinquent Eric Von Zipper. And of course the tassled Candy Johnson shaking her bikini'd booty over, or is it under, the credits. In "Bikini Beach" Annette is now Dee Dee (must be an homage to Sandra Dee) and Frankie stretches his chops by playing two roles. He is his standard sex-crazed surfer guy and also the gap toothed (a nod toward Terry Thomas?) Brit singer potato Bug -- apparently a spoof on the Beatles (remember, this is 1964). A drag race is part of the action and there's an ape that surfs. "Beach Blanket Bingo" what a great title) is probably the best of the bunch. The dialogue is almost witty. And of course there's the great stone faced silent clown Buster keaton doing his timeless bits of busines. (A burned out alcoholic's sad, haunting and poignant farewell to the genius of his youth.) Don Rickles gets a major break with a part that sealed his antagonistic comic persona. Annette show a little more flesh and Frankie has a tan. The rear projection surf shots are still laughable but the over-all photography is much better. Les Baxter's score is full of energy and the title tune is actually memorable and fun.
Rating:
Summary: SEE THE WHOLE EPIC "BEACH" TRILOGY
Review: "Bikini Beach," "Beach Blanket Bingo" and "Beach Party." Most people when asked to name a beach movie, immediately refer to this Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello '60s trilogy ( I don't include the offshoot "Muscle Beach" flick as part of this authentic ouvre). In 1963's "Beach Party" Annette went by the name Doris (an homage to Doris Day?). The plots, I use the term loosely, were almost interchangeable -- mostly surf, sand, rock 'n roll and sex -- well, mostly innocent tease really. But what's most remembered is the hope -- false as it turned out -- that the voluptuous Annette would reveal a tad more skin. And then there's Bob Cummings in a patently false beard, Harvey Lembeck as the hyper and astonishingly old juvenile delinquent Eric Von Zipper. And of course the tassled Candy Johnson shaking her bikini'd booty over, or is it under, the credits. In "Bikini Beach" Annette is now Dee Dee (must be an homage to Sandra Dee) and Frankie stretches his chops by playing two roles. He is his standard sex-crazed surfer guy and also the gap toothed (a nod toward Terry Thomas?) Brit singer potato Bug -- apparently a spoof on the Beatles (remember, this is 1964). A drag race is part of the action and there's an ape that surfs. "Beach Blanket Bingo" what a great title) is probably the best of the bunch. The dialogue is almost witty. And of course there's the great stone faced silent clown Buster keaton doing his timeless bits of busines. (A burned out alcoholic's sad, haunting and poignant farewell to the genius of his youth.) Don Rickles gets a major break with a part that sealed his antagonistic comic persona. Annette show a little more flesh and Frankie has a tan. The rear projection surf shots are still laughable but the over-all photography is much better. Les Baxter's score is full of energy and the title tune is actually memorable and fun.
Rating: 
Summary: First in a series
Review: As with most firsts the first film is the best as it has the fresh idea and is not rehashed. I may seem a little sophomoric these days but it filled a gap and reflected the music and culture of the time.
Frankie (Frankie Avalon) assumes he is going to spend the summer alone with Dolores (Annette Funicello). Boy is he in for a surprise. There are surfers, bikers, air planes, and Morey Amsterdam.
Robert Cummings adds a good balance to this movie as a researcher of the California beach tribe. He must keep his objectivity as he is interacting with their culture. Will he be able to or not?
We are all waiting for the word from Big Daddy.
Rating:
Summary: the film that started it all.....
Review: BEACH PARTY was the movie that defined a generation....the California beach scene that was the epitome of cool in the sunny 60's. Dolores (Annette Funicello) and Frankie (Frankie Avalon) head down to the coast for a summer of swingin' and surfin', only to have their romantic getaway spoiled by Frankie's loud-mouthed friends who have decided to tag along. When a stuffy, whiskered anthropologist (Bob Cummings - LUCKY ME) and his curvy assistant Marianne (Dorothy Malone) decide to study the teens' partying habits, they end up with more than they bargained for when Professor Sutwell becomes a pawn in Dolores' game to get Frankie jealous and propose to her! There are fantastic cameos from Eva Six, Morey Amsterdam and even Vincent Price (in a shameless promotional grab for AIP's "The Pit and the Pendulum"). See the gorgeous Candy Johnson shake her moneymaker! Hear the delightful Annette sing the tender ballad "Treat Him Nicely", and roar with laughter at the antics of Eric Von Zipper (Harvey Lembeck) and his "Rats"! Followed by numerous sequels including "Bikini Beach", "Pajama Party", "Beach Blanket Bingo", "Muscle Beach Party" and "How To Stuff a Wild Bikini". The DVD includes both full-frame and widescreen versions of the film as well as the trailer. (Double-sided, single-layer disc).
Rating:
Summary: Frankie Avalon in a fun movie
Review: Frankie Avalon stars in this fun movie.The movie has alot of fun and fun scenes.Frankie Avalon sings the theme song with Annette in the 1st scene of the movie.Frankie Avalon mentioned in a interview this was his favorite movie he starred.If you like Frankie and Annette then you will like the movie.Frankie and Annette were called the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers of their generation and were a good team in movies.
Rating: 
Summary: Classic 'n Crazy, Baby!
Review: The quintessential fun-in-the-sun flick, "Beach Party" is an absolute must for every videobuff's collection. Winter getting ya down? Pop this little ditty into your entertainment center and it's instant summer. The crew's all here: Annette, Frankie, Morey Amsterdam as the owner of the sandgang's favorite surf hangout, Vincent Price in quite the curious cameo role, beatnik chicks, the Rats 'n Mice, heck, even that boss chick who's in every beach movie, dancing in the fringe dresses..you just gotta get this one! Opening to a lush rendition of the title tune, we find our hero and heroine in a terrific little rod rushing to their cozy little beach hut for a quiet weekend tete a tete. Frankie's got Annette on his mind and Annette, well, she's just not that sort of girl (bless her!). It's just laffs and gaffs from there on out, as the kids find themselves the subject of a wild scholarly type sporting a really gas set of whiskers and who's interested in learning about their "tribal" ways. We're gonna have a party. We're gonna have a ball. We're gonna ride the surf and that's not all! Make it a Beach Party tonight! It's a crazy scene!
Rating:
Summary: Frankie, Annette, and Dick Dale!
Review: This first in the series of "Beach" movies made by AIP back in the 60's is my personal favorite of the lot. Bob Cummings is delightful as the bewhiskered professor studying the strange and primitive tribal rituals of the beach dwellers. Frankie is "cool" when he sings in a finger-snapping Bobby Darin kind of way. Annette is voluptuous and just as sweet as ever. Eric Von Zipper (Harvey Lembeck) is hilarious as he deals with his gang (The Rats & The Mice-a bunch of stupids) and gives himself the finger. Most important is the appearance of the King Of The Surf Guitar, Dick Dale with his Del-Tones. You want real California surfer/beach scene authenticity? Just watch the sun-tanned, earring-wearing Dale playing his left-handed, upside-down strung, reverb-drenched Fender Strat and wailing about jumpin' in his woodie and hot-doggin' on his board at his "Secret Surfin' Spot" where the "gremmies and the hodads never go". Priceless. Dated? Of course. Entertaining? You betcha! You like Dick Dale? Get this film. The fact that Frankie and Annette were hip to him moves them up a few notches on the "cool-ometer". Hooting!!
Rating:
Summary: Frankie, Annette, and Dick Dale!
Review: This first in the series of "Beach" movies made by AIP back in the 60's is my personal favorite of the lot. Bob Cummings is delightful as the bewhiskered professor studying the strange and primitive tribal rituals of the beach dwellers. Frankie is "cool" when he sings in a finger-snapping Bobby Darin kind of way. Annette is voluptuous and just as sweet as ever. Eric Von Zipper (Harvey Lembeck) is hilarious as he deals with his gang (The Rats & The Mice-a bunch of stupids) and gives himself the finger. Most important is the appearance of the King Of The Surf Guitar, Dick Dale with his Del-Tones. You want real California surfer/beach scene authenticity? Just watch the sun-tanned, earring-wearing Dale playing his left-handed, upside-down strung, reverb-drenched Fender Strat and wailing about jumpin' in his woodie and hot-doggin' on his board at his "Secret Surfin' Spot" where the "gremmies and the hodads never go". Priceless. Dated? Of course. Entertaining? You betcha! You like Dick Dale? Get this film. The fact that Frankie and Annette were hip to him moves them up a few notches on the "cool-ometer". Hooting!!
Rating:
Summary: Good
Review: This is the first and the greatest of the Beach Films. Dolores (Annette Funicello), and Frankie (Frankie Avalon) go to the beach for some summer fun. Frankie has planned some fun with Dolores, but Dolores doesn't trust herself a lone with him so she invites the whole gang to the beach shack. Well when they get to the beach shack, Frankie finds out the whole gang is there. Then Frankie gets interested in this beautiful Blonde Bombshell who is old enough to be his mother lol, and Dolores gets interested in a Professor (Played magnificently by Robert Cummings), and then The Professors Girl Friend (Dorothy Malone) thinks theres something going on between the Professor, and Dolores and she skips town. Then Dolores, and Frankie get back together and the movie ends well. This movie also was the first appearance of the ever popular and silly Eric Von Zipper and his RATS! Great movie for the whole family.
Rating:
Summary: I've waited 30 years for this DVD
Review: This is the movie that launched a genre. This movie introduces Frankie and Dee Dee, Bonehead/Deadhead, Candy, Animal, all the beach gang, and the one and only Eric Von Zipper. If you have seen any movie in the series you need this one, this is home plate. The video and sound quality on this DVD are incredible. This DVD also plays full screen (1.33:1 aspect ratio) on one side for people like me who hate 'letterbox' format AND it plays widesreen on the other side. I can watch it now on my little 19" TV in full screen mode and in 5 to 10 years from now when I can afford one of those 16:9 High Definition Wide Screen TV's it will play on that too, with amazing picture clarity. Now anytime on a cold dreary winter day, "nothing could be finer than the sand and surf that's out there", this movie brings sunshine and instant Summer fun. Thank You MGM!
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