Protraph
Lack of good storyline.
ShangLuda
Admirable film.
Limerculer
A waste of 90 minutes of my life
Michael_Elliott
Bikini Beach (1964) ** 1/2 (out of 4) The third film in the BEACH PARTY series has Frankie (Frankie Avalon) and Dee Dee (Annette Funicello) having to deal with a millionaire (Keenan Wynn) trying to prove that teenagers are beyond dumb and getting dumber by the day. This is because he believes his pet chimp is smarter than your average teenager, which leads to a wide range of events including a drag race.BIKINI BEACH is often considered one of the best of the series and for the most part I thought it was fairly entertaining and at least on par with the previous two. The "highlight" of this film is the fact that the title actually delivers during the opening credits as they have some fun showing off some female bodies in those new bikinis. The film also changes things up a bit by taking the kids away from the beach.This film is probably best remembered for Avalon playing a second role, that of a rock star from Britain, which was obviously a joke on The Beatles. I actually thought Avalon did a very good job in both of his roles and certainly helped make this film more entertaining. Funicello is also given more to do here as her character certainly developed a bit more from the previous films. Wynn is extremely entertaining as the researcher and we've got Don Rickles and Harvey Lembeck back as well. There's also a nice cameo but I won't ruin who it is.As with the previous two films in the AIP series, this certainly isn't a masterpiece or even what you'd consider a good movie but it is slightly entertaining as a product of its period.
utgard14
British superstar Potato Bug shows up and causes friction between Frankie and Annette. Meanwhile Keenan Wynn and his pet chimp try to put a stop to teens on the beach so he can build an old folks' home there. This is a fun movie with a terrific dual performance by Frankie Avalon. Annette Funicello looks beautiful and sings a couple of nice ballads. I'm not the biggest fan of the Beach Party series but some of them are good fun. This is the second best, I think, behind Beach Blanket Bingo. It's got everything you could want from a beach movie. Girls in bikinis, nice songs, goofy comedy, a guy in a chimp suit, and a great cameo by Boris Karloff. If you like simple, fun, innocent movies then you'll like this a lot.
tavm
This movie, Bikini Beach, is the first time I've actually seen these Frankie Avalon-Annette Funicello Beach movies in their entirety. Avalon is highly amusing in playing another role as Potato Bug, a British rock singer obviously inspired by The Beatles' invasion of America as evident by Bug's two numbers that spoof many of the Fab Four's early hits with the "oooohs" especially noticeable. There's also some amusing stuff from blond dancer Candy Johnson and Harvey Lembeck as Eric Von Zipper. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for Keenan Wynn as a crusading newspaper publisher (and why is the paper called Bikini Bugle, why ask why?) or especially Don Rickles as a painter/bar owner/drag racing announcer as they have no real punchlines. I also didn't find the gorilla stuff or the chase at the climax amusing either. I did like the songs and instrumentals, the latter of which was provided by a guitar band called The Pyramids. Frankie and Annette have a nice duet at the beach while Ms. Funicello provides a nice solo. Brunette teen Donna Loren also sings an enjoyably catchy song at the beginning here and then there's Little Stevie Wonder providing his number at the end which, while not memorable, is all right. Like I said, the comedy mostly falls flat after about 30 minutes but that said, Bikini Beach remains mostly harmless fun as an introduction to me of the series. Trivia: the director's wife, Elizabeth Montgomery, provides the voice of Lady Bug. Oh, and there's a cameo by a famous horror star near the end...
Bob-45
We red-blooded males who followed Annette Funicello's career from the time she was a nubile Mousketeer will be especially enamored of "Bikini Beach," a superior entry in the, admittedly, mediocre "Beach Party" series. For once, Annette gets to play smart, sexy and slightly dangerous, possessing more than a passing interest in sex. Gone, thank goodness, is her usual "Doris Day with mild PMS" persona. I have a strong suspicion this is closer to the "real" Annette, here. I certainly hope so. Even Annette's singing is very good. I wish AIP would've sprung for the bucks to give "Bikini" better choreography. Annette, a trained dancer would have impressed even more. Annette's swimsuit is even more revealing than usual, about as close to a bikini as "Papa Disney" would allow her to wear.While the script, as usual, plays as if it were cribbed from the back of a cereal box, the gentle ribbing of British rock stars, modern art and drag racing are a welcome change from the usual "Beach Party" dross. Martha Hyer is along and provides some classy, mature-sexy glamor. "Bikini" even has a cameo by a very young Stevie Wonder. While Frankie Avalon won't win any acting awards, his alter-ego, "Potato Bug" is certainly a less annoying character than Mike Meyers' execrable "Austin Powers". Even Don Rickles is along, playing a character named "Big Drag," a gentle pun on Don "Big Daddy" Garlits, a well-known drag racer and auto customizer of the era. Too bad, Rickles doesn't get to cut lose with his usual wise guy humor. Guess AIP was too cheap to spring for that.While no work of art, "Bikini Beach" is more than just watchable. It's actually, at times, enjoyable. I give "Bikini Beach" a weak "6".
