Muscle Beach Party (1964)

Local beach-goers find that their beach has been taken over by a businessman training a stable of body builders.

Director:

William Asher

Writers:

William Asher (story), Robert Dillon (screenplay)

Stars:

Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Luciana Paluzzi

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Frankie Avalon	...	Frankie
Annette Funicello	...	Dee Dee
Luciana Paluzzi	...	Julie
John Ashley	...	Johnny
Don Rickles	...	Jack Fanny
Peter Turgeon	...	Theodore
Jody McCrea	...	Deadhead
Dick Dale	...	Himself
Candy Johnson	...	Candy
Peter Lupus	...	Flex Martian (as Rock Stevens)
Valora Noland	...	Animal
Delores Wells	...	Sniffles
Donna Loren	...	Donna
Morey Amsterdam	...	Cappy
Stevie Wonder	...	Himself (as Little Stevie Wonder)

Storyline

Julie, a wealthy contessa managed by S.Z. Matts, wants muscle-man Flex Martin, trained by Jack Fanny, for her own - until she meets Frankie. Frankie's girl Dee Dee gets rightfully jealous and plans to avenge the Frankie-stealing contessa. Mr. Strangdour appears briefly as the king of the strongmen.

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Plot Keywords:

beach | muscle | party | surfing | bodybuilder | 

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Taglines:

When 10,000 Biceps go around 5,000 Bikinis... you KNOW what's gonna happen!

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 March 1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bikinis e músculos

Filming Locations:

Mae West's beach house, Paradise Cove

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alta Vista Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is the debut of music prodigy "Little" Stevie Wonder, who receives an "introducing" credit.

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Goofs

In the opening scene when Frankie and Annette are driving to the beach in their hot rod it shows Frankie singing with no windshield wiper on the car in the close-ups, but in the wide angle shots it clearly shows the windshield wiper sitting at the top of the windshield.

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Quotes

Julie: We'll be good for each other, Frankie.
Frankie: Would we Julie?
Julie: Oh, Frankie, I can show you so much. I can open the world for you. You'll see Tangiers in October and we'll cruise the Greek islands in the summer and Paris when the streets are wet with rain.
Frankie: And an 80 foot wave?
Julie: It's even higher than that.
Frankie: How far does it ride?
Julie: As far as you want.

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Crazy Credits

Candy does her 'Whammy' on the end credits.

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Connections

References La Dolce Vita (1960)

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Soundtracks

Happy Street
Lyrics and Music by Guy Hemric and Jerry Styner
Performed by Stevie Wonder

User Reviews

"Leisurely" pace, and an actual story

This Beach movie actually tells a story, asking the question - would Frankie be happier surfing all over the world as the singing protégé of a rich woman who wasn't Dee-Dee? But don't worry - it's conveyed in short snatches of hipster-y dialog ("Solid-gold surf boards don't float too well!") between songs, hijinx, and some well-edited surfing footage.

Enjoy the "leisurely" pace - footage of the kids' cars arriving at the beach, establishing shots of the beach at night, even the kids settling in for a night of sleeping and no hanky-panky... (Frankie doesn't believe it, either.) Annette gets another good slow song - which, unfortunately, Frankie also decides to sing later on. Frankie's fast song is better,and Stevie Wonder sings a joyful "Happy Street". (And then sings it again in the closing credits.) I just wish Dick Dale had done a guitar solo instead of singing..

Buddy Hackett is a lot of fun, but also gets a poignant point-making monologue at the end. Peter Lorre does one of the better end-of-the-movie cameos as "the Boss," and there's the usual turns by Don Rickles and Morey Amsterdam. For the ladies, there's a line of genuine California beach muscle-men, including future "Grizzly Adams" star Dan Haggerty. (He jiggles his chest muscles and whistles!)

And I think Annette is actually wearing a two-piece!