1h 24min | Comedy, Musical | August 1961 | b/w, fs
Director: Lawrence Doheny
Stars: Jimmy Clanton, Rocky Graziano, Zasu Pitts, Jackie Wilson, Chubby Checker, Dion DiMucci.
Watched online; ok print.
19 songs in the Soundtracks.
Yet another rocksploitation film. I've listed above the 3 acts that I recognize.
1st of 18 film credits for song Let's Twist Again by CC. This year is the first TV credit for this song too.
In 1 scene, when the show kids dancing to CC's other twist song, the girls with wide skirts actually wear what looks like multi-layer petticoats so their skirts stand out and twirl very nicely.
2nd film credit for songwriter Berry Gordy (for Show Me and Oh Mary); the first was during Go, Johnny, Go! ('59, for "DON'T BE AFRAID TO LOVE ME"). Motown Records was founded in '59.
Silly gimmick: they tinted the musical "performances", the inserts where we watch performers lip sync their rock songs (mostly ballads) while they're being played on record/radio within the story. Since this is b/w, it's really, really like old silent films that had tinted scenes. I believe green was reserved for the song (Green Light) performed by JC (b. '40), who is not just a performer, but is acting the title role.
We've seen JC before in Go, Johnny, Go! ('59). That and this are his only 2 acting credits.
distr. UA, dir. Doheny; 5+
