On to the second
of the AIP Beach films. The first one titled simply Beach Party had
tickled the fancy of enough teenagers with the music, girls and surfing to
begin a fad. For most teenagers in America these were complete fantasies
- no one was surfing, singing or getting laid - but it was nice to think
it was within reach. AIP was to produce seven of these plus a few similar
styled films that left the beach, but other studios soon jumped into the
fray. They were cheap to make and at least for a few years had an audience.
Obviously, watching these sixty years later
and well past the age that they were meant for, it is hard to see them through
the eyes of a horny teenager in the early 1960s. And this film comes across
as corny, idiotic and regressive, but there are still small pleasures to
be had. Frankie and Annette are iconic and cute. They basically play the
same characters through the series and sing some ok songs. Frankie Avalon
was a pop star at the time and Annette released a number of albums during
this period.
There is also the King of Surf music, Dick
Dale and the Del-Tones. Like the first film though for some reason, they
never let him go with his electric guitar. Were they worried it would get
the kids too excited? Donna Loren who I am sure no one remembers but
I had her album at some point in my life sings one song. But the big song
comes from Little Stevie Wonder at 13 years. He is fucking great. Blows Frankie
away.
Another pleasure to me is the cast. These
beach movies included stars from yesteryear. No idea why. The kids probably
had no idea who they were. In the last film it was Vincent Price popping
in and this time it is Peter Lorre who also announces that he will be in
the next film. He didn't make it sadly. Passed away before shooting began.
The other thread comes in the form of the beautiful Luciana Paluzzi, a year
before Thunderball. Here she plays a widowed Countess with flowing money
and over heated hormones. She is a man eater and wants Rock. Her manager
is Buddy Hackett. Later she hears Frankie sing and steals him away from Annette!
The bastard! But she takes him back because that is how it was in 1964. Morey
Amsterdam is here as well and Candy Johnson is the manic dancer, known in
her career as Miss Perpetual Motion.
