Surfs Up in this third film in the AIP Beach
Party films. The boys and girls are back for more frolicking in and out of
the waves. These films only had two ways to go from the previous two efforts
- give it more of a serious plot or just go for the silly. They go for the
silly by adding an ape, a wolfman, a pool hall with pictures of Hitler and
Mussolini on the wall and introducing another fad at the time - drag racing.
I found myself a little bored this third time around, but I could see how
an eleven year old back in 1964 would have thought this was a riot. But I
don't recall seeing it back then. Would the sight of a woman's bottom in
a bikini walking down the beach have done much for me? I would probably be
wondering why all the men in the film were falling down. My hormones didn't
kick in for a few years though I do recall that Ursula Andress coming out
of the water in Dr. No did give them a nudge.
One of the themes that runs through the
series is home and hearth versus freedom. Annette being a good Italian girl
wants to get married to Frankie, have a home and a few children. He on the
other hand loves his life of no responsibility, no job and hanging out with
friends and riding the tall ones. So far this argument has not been settled.
Annette in real life got married in the following year - not to Frankie -
and that must have broken a few hearts. Frankie was actually already married
and on his way to having eight children. Avalon actually impresses in the
film - his voice sounds great in a couple songs and he does a nice bit taking
on a second role with a British accent.
The kids just want to have fun - a number
of the actors go from film to film as the same characters - Jody McCrea (son
of you know who), Candy Johnson, the dancer with oomph, John Ashley, Don
Rickles is back from the previous film and Harvey Lembeck the head of the
Rats is back from the first film. Musical acts are Donna Loren again singing
one song and two surf groups - The Pyramids and The Exciters. Then at the
very end Little Stevie Wonder shows up for a song.
It has one of those adult's don't approve
of the kids and try to stop them - in the form of Keenan Wynn who accuses
the group of only thinking about sex to which they heartily agree. Martha
Hyer tries to convert him. He has an ape named Clyde (the inspiration for
Clint Eastwood?) who drives his car. An English pop star shows up - named
Potato Bug - who sings a very lame Beatlesque song - also played by Avelon.
A lot of idiocy follows ending with a Mad Mad Mad World car chase and a frenetic
bust up between the surfers and the Rats in a bar. And Boris Karloff shows
up for a cameo. All in good fun.
