By 1963, American International had established itself as one of the major studios, and no film better illustrates that position than BEACH PARTY. The film spawned an entire genre that many still think of in fond reflection of the 60's. I caught these pictures on television as I was entering teenhood, and I loved them to pieces. I still love them, and it's a series packed with so much fun that I think I'd have to be a miserable grouch not to love them!
In this first outing, Frankie, Annette, and the gang are being used as case studies by anthropologist Bob Cummings -who intends to prove that 20th Century teen culture has reverted to the same level as primitive jungle cultures! The film was a smash, and AIP quickly churned out a follow-up, MUSCLE BEACH PARTY. Another hit, the gang (including director William Asher) was reunited for BIKINI BEACH. AIP then experimented with variations of the themes established in this original trilogy. SKI PARTY took things to snow banks, while PAJAMA PARTY spoofed science fiction. SERGEANT DEADHEAD took the act into the service comedy, while DR. GOLDFOOT AND THE BIKINI MACHINE spoofed international espionage. BEACH BLANKET BINGO returned to the original scene, and proved one of the most popular entries. It was followed by HOW TO STUFF A WILD BIKINI, the last one to star Frankie and Annette. GHOST IN THE INVISIBLE BIKINI, a haunted house spoof, starred Tommy Kirk and Deborah Walley. And of course, there were tons of cash-ins and knock-offs produced by other studios (THE GIRLS ON THE BEACH, IT'S A BIKINI WORLD, BEACH BALL, etc). On the small screen was Gidget, a series (based on the feature films) frequently directed by William Asher. Frankie and Annette would send up the entire 60's beach scene when they went BACK TO THE BEACH in 1986.
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