Product Details

• Actors: Annette Funicello, Dwayne Hickman, Brian Donlevy, Harvey Lembeck, Beverly Adams
• Directors: William Asher
• Writers: William Asher, Leo Townsend
• Producers: Anthony Carras, James H. Nicholson, Samuel Z. Arkoff
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• VHS Release Date: March 7, 2000
• Run Time: 93 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0792843940
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #221,040 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

"It ain't nothin' without the stuffin'!" That's what all the groovy beach partyers say when a phantom bikini appears out of nowhere, and suddenly fills out its two-piece form with the voluptuous body of Cassandra (Beverly Adams), who soon has all the beach-hunks drooling. Along comes Madison Avenue adman "Peachy" Keane (Mickey Rooney) to recruit Cassandra for his "Girl Next Door" ad campaign, while his assistant Ricky (Dwayne Hickman) gets all googly-eyed for Dee Dee (Annette Funicello), who's not as easy as the other sand 'n' surf chickie-babies. And where's Frankie (Avalon)? He's on a tropical island with the navy reserve, sampling the comely native fauna and bribing the local medicine man Bwana (played by... Buster Keaton?!) with generous doses of alcoholic "torpedo juice" in return for a failsafe love potion. Oh, and did we mention the cross-country cycle race that will determine who's the fairest young couple in the land?

The sixth installment of the seemingly endless Beach Party series, How to Stuff a Wild Bikini is a minor step up from Gilligan's Island, but you've got to love a movie that includes a mischievous pelican, an appearance by the Kingsmen (of "Louie Louie" fame), and a half-dozen forgettable pop songs that virtually define the beach-party genre. Comedy purists may lament the downward spiral of Buster Keaton's career, but he's just having good, dumb fun like everyone else, and geographic distance doesn't stop Frankie and Annette from crooning a split-screen duet. And dig those clay-animated opening credits by Gumby creator Art Clokey! Let's face it, these movies are perfect time capsules of juvenile entertainment, and if you can't enjoy them in all their cheesy glory, you're nothin' but a square! --Jeff Shannon

From the back cover

"Young bodies splash and frolic against a background of fun and fantasy" (The Film Daily) in this wet and wild, bikini-bulging, '60s bash! Stuffed with equal amounts of Hollywood hoopla and bodacious babes, this ultimate beach party movie is a real rip curl, mixing magic, mayhem, and pre-metal rock music with an all-star cast that includes Annette Funicello, Frankie Avalon, Dwayne Hickman, Buster Keaton, and Mickey Rooney.

While Frankie (Avalon) is off in the Navy, he enlists the help of a witch doctor (Keaton) to conjure up a wild, bikini-clad vixen to distract Ricky (Hickman) from zeroing in on his girl, Dee Dee (Funicello). If voodoo doesn't do you, wait until the music starts, because once this plot is set into motion, it's one non-stop shindig, full of "excitement, romance, and side-splitting comedy" (Box Office).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars so-so entry into the series, September 27, 2002

By 

Byron Kolln (the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (DVD)

HOW TO STUFF A WILD BIKINI was one of the last 'Beach Party' films to be released (and it was Annette Funicello's last appearance as Dee Dee). The fatigue is evident in this average - but no less enjoyable - outing.

Frankie (Frankie Avalon) is serving his time in the Navy, and worried that some guy back home will steal Dee Dee (Annette Funicello) away from him. A grumpy old witchdoctor (Buster Keaton) conjures up the stunning red-headed Cassandra (Beverly Adams) to distract every self-respecting male on the Malibu Beach! However, down-to-earth Ricky (Dwayne Hickman) is immune to Cassandra's charms, and slowly starts courting Dee Dee...

Then, the dumb-as-sticks Eric Von Zipper (Harvey Lembeck) and his "Rats" come back into town, to teach the others a thing or two...

There are great cameo roles by Mickey Rooney, Brian Donlevy and Bobbi Shaw (repeating her role as Buster Keaton's dizzy sidekick).

Annette Funicello was heavily pregnant with her first child at the time of making what was to be her last 'Beach Party' film. She wears obviously-baggy ponchos and blouses to cover up. You will also notice that she NEVER wears an actual swimsuit on the beach!!

Also starring John Ashley, Jody McCrea, Patti Chandler and Mary Hughes.

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

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Come on, February 20, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (DVD)

I loved this movie.It was hillarous and great.Meet the characters-DeeDee,Frankie,the witch doctor and meet his daughter,Eric Bon Zipper,his gang,Peachy,Casondra,and the big beach party gang.Watch it and enjoy it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Frankie And Annette And Samantha from Bewitched, June 29, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (DVD)

The Best scenes are Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello singing a song together and there is a good scene with Elizabeth Montgomery in her role of Samantha from Bewitched sending Frankie home to Annette who plays Dee Dee and also Annette singing songs.Although Frankie isn't in many scenes with Annette since his character is away he is in the story and Frankie does come home to Annette.If you like Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello and Elizabeth Montgomery and Bewitched then you would enjoy this.The scene with Elizabeth Montgomery in her role of Samantha from Bewitched makes this film more fun.Frankie and Annette are always good together and though they don't have many scenes together in the film it is a good film and they do have scenes together later in the film.