Customer Reviews

Bikini Beach [VHS]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon are back for a second dose of beach frivolity in this sequel to the smash-hit BEACH PARTY, the aptly-titled BIKINI BEACH.

Dee Dee (Annette Funicello) and Frankie (Frankie Avalon) are about to settle into a romantic summer when the beach that they occupy comes under the scrutiny of a stuffy retirement-villa owner (Keenan Wynn). There is also the arrival of the new British pop-superstar Potato Bug (played as a cameo by Frankie Avalon), and the ever-annoying Eric Von Zipper (Harvey Lembeck) to contend with!

Soon, Dee Dee finds herself being romanced by both Frankie AND Potato Bug, while Von Zipper challenges Potato Bug to the drag race to end all drag races!

Featuring great guest appearances by Martha Hyer, Don Rickles and Boris Karloff in his walk-on bit as the art collector. There are also great musical numbers performed by Stevie Wonder (under his original name of "Little Stevie Wonder") and Donna Loren.

With Candy Johnson, John Ashley and Jody McCrea.

The DVD includes both full-frame and widescreen versions of the film, as well as the trailer. (Double-sided, single-layer disc).

I purchased the DVD version of this movie and would like to inform other 'Beach Party' movie lovers that MGM has done a great job on the video and sound. I have in the past had to suffer through very low quality VHS copies of the Beach Party movies, where I wound up throwing away the tape and putting a VHS tape that I recorded off TV into the box. That won't be the case here! (even if I could record a DVD). These MGM DVD's have the clearest, sharpest picture and sound I have ever seen in 'Beach Party' movies. This DVD is also double-sided, one side plays the full screen version (I hate wide screen format where the top third and bottom third of the screen is blacked out), the other side plays the widescreen version (Some people hate missing out on the side action and would rather watch movies in the widescreen format), This DVD is clearly meant to satisfy everyone. As for the movie ... Well, if you found this review you probably already know about the movie. This is good 'Beach Party' fun, though not my personal favorite of the series it is very good. If you love the Beach Party genre of movies you'll love this DVD.

Folks, this is another one of those "leave your brains at the door" movies where the message is simply to LAUGH and HAVE FUN! Loads of celluoid stupidity and shamelss corniness put this in the "so bad it's DAMN good" category. This is perhaps best remembered for the "Potato Bug," the faux British rock star who was so incredibly over-the-top that it was enough to make the Brits bring back the red coats! The stupid wannabe gangster Erich Von Zipper and the Rats are back with the infamous "finger trick." Additional hilarity comes with the boorish snob and his pet "Chimp" Clyde (the purpose, get this, is to show the similarity between the teenagers and the ape!)Best of all at the end, Little Stevie Wonder gets to boogie with Candy Johnson (I'm sure Bull Connor and George Wallace would have LOVED this at the time)! Does any of this sound like it makes sense? HELL NO! So if you're having a rough day, SEE this madness and laugh your (lower anatomy) off. COWABUNGA dude!

Almost all reviewers list "Beach Blanket Bingo" as their favorite movie in the beach movie series. I have to give a slight edge to "Bikini Beach" for my personal favorite. Frankie Avalon does double duty very well, playing the English rock star known as Potato Bug, as well as his familiar Frankie character. Potato Bug is a very British caricature, and his maniacal laugh is infectious. Keenan Wynn makes for a formidable villain, decrying the surfers' lack of moral values in the local newspaper he publishes. Clyde, his pet ape, drives his car, surfs, and even drag races like a champion! He gives Candy Johnson a run for her money as a dance partner. I swear, at one point it looks like the ape is break dancing! Don Rickles is very funny playing Big Drag, the owner of the local drag strip. To win the affections of Dee Dee, Potato Bug challenges Frankie to a drag race. The night before the big race, Eric Von Zipper and his Rat Pack decide to sabotage Potato Bug's dragster, so everyone will think that Frankie cheated. The only problem is that they end up sabotaging Frankie's car instead! The big race is a dead heat until Frankie crashes his dragster. Amazingly, he emerges from the wreck unhurt. When they discover that Eric Von Zipper is the cause of the crash, a comical chase ensues. They all end up engaging in a pie fight at the local nightclub. Even Keenan Wynn is won over by the surfers and decides to join their side! This is the silliest and funniest beach movie in the whole series, in my humble opinion!

"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 affshoot "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.

You really can't go wrong with Keenan Wynn owning a surfing monkey. Or for that matter, Frankie Avalon cashing in on the British invasion by playing a pop sensation named after a crop-destroying insect--the accent alone is worth the price of admission. Don Rickles is no Morey Amsterdam, but hey, who is? Check out the guest appearance by "little" Stevie Wonder (was he ever really that thin?). Overall a must-see for A.I.P. fans and lovers of fine American schlock.

I like the fact they make fun of the Beatles/British Musician in this case,I can't stand musicals though but it was worth watching for Tommy "Tv"Ivo and the Drag Racing action as well as the Dean Jeffries MantaRay Custom car. There is a cameo by Boris Karloff but the best is the cars in my opinion,despite brief moments of the vehicles it was worth watching,Thanks NetflixInstant!

Frankie Avalon plays more than one role in this movie.He plays Frankie and he plays an English singer so good that it is hard for some people to know that he plays both roles.Frankie is a Great actor and singer and this movie gives him a chance to show his acting talents with playing more than one role.The best scene is Frankie singing the romantic song "Because You're You" with Annette in the movie.

BIKINI BEACH is the second best of the series, with BEACH BLANKET BINGO taking the top honors. The wide screen is filled with lovably idiotic characters doing lovably idiotic things. I love these films. Bring on Von Zipper!

it is great watching some of the old movies you grew up with,sure they are low tech and low budget but still fun to watch