1h 35min | Comedy, Musical | 25 March 1964 | Color, WS
Director: William Asher
Stars: Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Luciana Paluzzi, Don Rickles, Peter Lupus (as Rock Stevens), Buddy Hackett.
John Monte ... choreographer
Watched online, mediocre print.
9 songs in the Soundtracks. The song by (Little) Stevie Wonder was repeated as the lengthy backdrop to the end credits, with Candy Johnson again dancing in a fringe outfit. This is only the 2nd time I remember long end credits. (I should have noted the other. It was a big roadshow film.) 1st of 4 film (actor/self) credits for SW.
1st film credit for PL. He has 5 credits as Rock Stevens, 19 total. Strange that his TV credits for the same time period do not show the pseudonym.
I can't tell if I'm just getting used to these dull teen films, or if this was better than the last one. I was tempted to shrug this to a 6.
No Eric von Zipper this time. Instead we get Buddy Hackett as the Italian rich girl's business manager, and Don Rickles as the trainer to the body builders. Peter Lorre is the surprise silent partner of DR, instead of Vincent Price being the surprise cameo in the first film.
I was struck by one of AF's bikini tops, that maybe it was more revealing than usual, with fishnet covering the exposed cleavage.
This is totally skippable. Other than the stock footage of surfing, and the lineup of bodybuilders (wearing either hot pink or dark lavender swim trunks), the music is standard for the time, and the choreography is unimpressive.
BTW, Asher is already married ('63) to E.Montgomery, and Bewitched doesn't start until '64.
AIP, dir. Asher; 5+
