The first knock off of Beach Party didn't come from AIP but API, the company of Robert Lippert which had a deal with Fox to make ultra low budget films.
It isn't bad at all, though it is in black and white. There are some chirpy songs and it has some star power in the form of Bobbie Vinton (the dude who sang "Blue Velvet") and Jackie De Shannon. The writer, Harry Spalding, has at least done some research with a surfer to get the slang.
There are three main problems.
Firstly, the film has a promising set up -three girls go to Malibu to track down the brother of one of them and learn how to surf. That's a good solid set up. But then Spaling and company promptly dump this and the film becomes about the problems of three men the women are interested in - the brother is a kept man (this is the most shocking thing in the world according to this melodramatic treatment), a young surfer wants to be part of the cool group, and Bobbie Vinton is harassed by a local police officer who doesn't want surfers around. I guess this is all alright but honestly I wanted the focus to be on the women.
Secondly while the women are bright and energetic the men are bad. Vinton is an unconvincing surfer though gets a pass because he was a singing star. He's old, so is the guy who plays the brother and mostly of all Kenny Miller who plays the young surfer - he looks like an old Nick Adams, and it's really off putting.
Thirdly it is melodramatic and heavy rather than colourful and cheerful. I guess there's no reason a beach party movie can't have some seriousness but this is a downer.
Worth seeing as a curio but not among the best beach party knock offs.
No comments:
Post a Comment