Beach Blanket Bingo 1965

It's the game that separates the girls and the boys...into groups of two!

6.2 / 10   30 vote(s)
NR
Music Comedy

In the fourth of the highly successful Frankie and Annette beach party movies, a motorcycle gang led by Eric Von Zipper kidnaps singing star Sugar Kane managed by Bullets, who hires sky-diving surfers Steve and Bonnie from Big Drop for a publicity stunt. With the usual gang of kids and a mermaid named Lorelei.

Release Date 1965-04-14
Runtime 1h 38m
Directors William Asher, Floyd Crosby, Dale Hutchinson
Producers Anthony Carras, Samuel Z. Arkoff, James H. Nicholson
Writers William Asher, Leo Townsend

Silly 60’s amusement on the beaches of Malibu

Frankie, Dee Dee (Frankie Avalon & Annette Funicello) and their gang encounter an up-and-coming singer (Linda Evans) and her sly promoter (Paul Lynde), which inspires them to try their hand at skydiving. Don Rickles plays the school’s manager with Deborah Walley on hand as one of the instructors. Meanwhile Harvey Lembeck leads the “menacing” black-clad motorcycle gang.

"Beach Blanket Bingo” (1965) is the fifth beach party film by American International Pictures that released a whopping twelve such movies in less than four years from 1963-1967. I’ve only seen one other, “Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine” (1965) featuring Vincent Price, and didn’t like it. This one’s more entertaining if you’re in the mood for some innocuous 60’s beach-oriented fun that’s silly with a capital ‘S.’

The best parts are Lynde’s droll humor, the touching subplot featuring Bonehead and a mermaid (Jody McCrea & Marta Kristen), the scenic Malibu locations and the attractive female cast, highlighted by Bobbie Shaw Chance as the lass in a fur bikini and Donna Michelle as ‘Animal.’

For the real deal in SoCal beach flicks, check out the original “Gidget,” released in 1959 (I’m not talking about the two sequels or the TV series with Sally Field). “Gidget” is worthy of its iconic status as the first beach flick with surprising mindfood and no goofiness. No kidding.

The film runs 1 hour, 38 minutes, and was shot in Malibu at Surfrider Beach, Paradise Cove and Leo Carrillo State Beach.

GRADE: B-

Wuchak