Muscle Beach Party (1964)

User Rating:

3.5/10   

Director:

William Asher

Writers:

William Asher (story)
Robert Dillon (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

25 March 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

Hear 8 new swim hits!

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Beach | Muscle | Party | Bodybuilder | Beach Party

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

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)
Buddy Hackett	...	S.Z. Matts
Bob Seven	...	Rock - Muscle Man
Larry Scott	...	Riff - Muscle Man
Steve Merjanian	...	Tug - Muscle Man
Chester Yorton	...	Sulk - Muscle Man
Dan Haggerty	...	Biff - Muscle Man
Gene Shuey	...	Mash - Muscle Man
Gordon Case	...	Clod - Muscle Man
Alberta Nelson	...	Lisa - Muscle Girl
Amadee Chabot	...	Flo - Muscle Girl
Duane Ament	...	Beach Boy
Gary Usher	...	Beach Boy
Guy Hemric	...	Beach Boy
Roger Christian	...	Beach Boy
Laura Lynn	...	Beach Girl
Luree Holmes	...	Beach Girl
Lorrie Summers	...	Beach Girl (as Lorie Summers)
Darlene Lucht	...	Beach Girl
Maureen O'Connor	...	Beach Girl
Mike Diffenderfer	...	Surfer Boy
Michael Nader	...	Surfer Boy (as Mike Nader)
Ed Garner	...	Surfer Boy
Charles Hasley	...	Surfer Boy
Mickey Dora	...	Surfer Boy
Johnny Fain	...	Surfer Boy (as John Fain)
Bill Graham	...	Surfer Boy
Larry Shaw	...	Surfer Boy
Duane King	...	Surfer Boy
Charles Van Artsdalen	...	Surfer Boy
Linda Opie	...	Surfer Girl
Salli Sachse	...	Surfer Girl
Patricia Rane	...	Surfer Girl
Kathy Kessler	...	Surfer Girl
Mary Hughes	...	Surfer Girl
Linda Benson	...	Surfer Girl
Peter Lorre	...	Mr. Strangdour

Directed by
William Asher

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
William Asher		story
Robert Dillon		screenplay
Robert Dillon		story

Produced by
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	executive producer
Robert Dillon	....	producer
James H. Nicholson	....	producer

Original Music by
Les Baxter

Cinematography by
Harold E. Wellman		(as Harold Wellman)

Film Editing by
Fred R. Feitshans Jr.		(as Fred Feitshans)
Eve Newman

Art Direction by
Lucius O. Croxton

Set Decoration by
Harry Reif

Costume Design by
Marjorie Corso

Makeup Department
Ted Coodley	....	makeup artist
Betty Pedretti	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Joe Wonder	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anthony Carras	....	second unit director
Clark L. Paylow	....	assistant director (as Clark Paylow)

Art Department
Karl Brainard	....	property master
Ross Hahn	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Kay Rose	....	sound editor
Don Rush	....	sound

Special Effects by
Pat Dinga	....	special effects

Stunts
Linda Benson	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Ronnie Dayton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Dora	....	stunts (uncredited)
Johnny Fain	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Jacobsen	....	electrician (uncredited)

Music Department
Al Simms	....	music coordinator
Lloyd Young	....	music editor

Other crew
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	presenter
Jack W. Cash	....	production assistant (as Jack Cash)
John Monte	....	choreographer
James H. Nicholson	....	presenter
Rose Marie Reid	....	swim suits

Production Companies

• Alta Vista Productions

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:K-8

Filming Locations:

Paradise Cove - 28128 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California, USA

Company:

Alta Vista Productions

Trivia:

Mary Hughes's film debut.

Goofs:

Continuity: A helicopter is hovering over the beach. It is shown equipped with pontoons but its shadow clearly and repeatedly shows a helicopter with metal rails for landing gear.

Quotes:

[watches the climatic rumble betweent the beach bums and muscle maniacs]
Cappy: Oh no! They're not gonna wreck my place again?
[a beach bum is flung over a table, breaking it]
Cappy: [depressed tone] Oh, yes they are.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Drive-in Movie Memories (2001)

Soundtrack:

Happy Street

10,000 biceps meet 5,000 bikinis...

Despite lots of musclemen in the supporting cast, "Muscle Beach Party" could maybe use some steroids. The first follow-up to "Beach Party" is somewhat lackluster and talky, and the pacing drags. Frankie (Frankie Avalon) and Dee Dee (Annette Funicello, no longer 'Dolores') feud over another woman who's out to snare the cocky surfer-boy (when Annette tells Frankie how selfish he is and that all he ever does is 'take', the film touches on some surprisingly prickly teen emotions). But the witty lines and funny repartee of "Beach Party" have mostly been replaced by wan slapstick and too many characters (and too much of Don Rickles). Candy Johnson does her version of dancing ("man, she's really got the power!"), "Little" Stevie Wonder sings "Clap Your Hands", and the surfing footage is fun, but Harvey Lembeck's Eric Von Zipper is AWOL (there wasn't room for him, what with Luciana Paluzzi as a millionairess, Buddy Hackett as her manager, and a dozen musclemen lining the beach). Annette is lovely singing forlornly as Frankie paddles out to sea, but she's far too patient with him (in one scene alone, he makes up with her, then drops her, then makes up again!). Not the strongest entry in the series, but still not bad. **1/2 from ****