How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965)

User Rating:

3.3/10   

Director:

William Asher

Writers:

William Asher (writer)
Leo Townsend (writer)

Release Date:

14 July 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

FOR BEGINNERS AND EXPERTS... an interesting course in THE BIRDS... THE BEES and BIKINIS

Plot:

Frankie, on naval-reserve duty in Tahiti, doesn't trust Dee Dee to stay faithful, so he hires Bwana...

Plot Keywords:

Advertising | Witch Doctor | Bikini | Witch | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Annette Funicello	...	Dee Dee (formerly Dolores)
Dwayne Hickman	...	Ricky
Brian Donlevy	...	B.D. MacPherson aka Big Deal
Harvey Lembeck	...	Eric Von Zipper
Beverly Adams	...	Cassandra
John Ashley	...	Johnny
Jody McCrea	...	Bonehead
Marianne Gaba	...	Animal
Len Lesser	...	North Dakota Pete
Irene Tsu	...	Native Girl
Arthur Julian	...	Dr. Melamed
Bobbi Shaw	...	Khola Koku
Buster Keaton	...	Bwana
The Kingsmen	...	Themselves
Alberta Nelson	...	Puss
Andy Romano	...	J.D.
Jerry Brutsche	...	Rat Pack Member (Jerome)
Bob Harvey	...	Rat Pack Member (Bobby)
John Macchia	...	Rat Pack Member (Joey)
Myrna Ross	...	Rat Pack Member (Boots)
Allen Fife	...	Rat Pack Member (Beard)
Sig Frohlich	...	Ad Man
Tom Quine	...	Ad Man
Hollis Morrison	...	Ad Man
Guy Hemric	...	Ad Man
George Boyce	...	Ad Man
Charlie Reed	...	Ad Man
Patti Chandler	...	Patti
Michael Nader	...	Mike
Salli Sachse	...	Bookend #2
Luree Holmes	...	Beach Girl
Marianne Gordon	...	Chickie
Sheila MacRae	...	Secretary (as Sheila Stephenson)
Rosemary Williams	...	English Girl
Jo Collins	...	Beach Girl
Mary Hughes	...	Beach Girl
Ed Garner	...	Beach Boy
Sue Hamilton	...	Peanuts (as Sue Williams)
Tonia Van Deter	...	Italian Girl
Uta Stone	...	German Girl
Johnny Fain	...	Beach Boy (as John Fain)
Mickey Dora	...	Beach Boy
Brian Wilson	...	Beach Boy
Bruce Baker	...	Beach Boy
Ned Wynn	...	Beach Boy
Kerry Berry	...	Beach Boy
Rick Jones	...	Beach Boy
Ray Atkinson	...	Beach Boy
Linda Bent	...	Bookend #1 (as Linda Opie Bent)
Ronnie Dayton	...	Beach Boy
Stephanie Nader	...	Beach Girl
Jeannine White	...	Beach Girl
Janice Levinson	...	Beach Girl
Toni Harper	...	Barbarette
Michelle Barton	...	Manicurist
Victoria Carroll	...	Shoeshine Girl
Mickey Rooney	...	J. Peachmont 'Peachy' Keane
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frankie Avalon	...	Frankie (uncredited)
Michele Carey	...	Michele (uncredited)
Elizabeth Montgomery	...	Bwana's Daughter, The Witches Witch (uncredited)
Christopher Riordan	...	Beach boy (uncredited)

Directed by
William Asher

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
William Asher		writer
Leo Townsend		writer

Produced by
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	producer
Anthony Carras	....	co-producer
James H. Nicholson	....	producer

Original Music by
Les Baxter

Cinematography by
Floyd Crosby

Film Editing by
Fred R. Feitshans Jr.
Eve Newman

Art Direction by
Howard Campbell

Set Decoration by
George R. Nelson

Costume Design by
Richard Bruno

Makeup Department
Ted Coodley	....	makeup artist
Ray Forman	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Jack Bohrer	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dale Hutchinson	....	assistant director

Art Department
Karl Brainard	....	properties
Ross Hahn	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Gene Corso	....	sound editor
James Nelson	....	sound editor
Don Rush	....	sound

Special Effects by
Bill Ferrier	....	special effects
Roger George	....	special effects

Stunts
Ronnie Dayton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Dora	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bud Ekins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Johnny Fain	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Beckett	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laurie Riley	....	costumer (uncredited)

Music Department
Al Simms	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Jack Baker	....	choreographer
Jack W. Cash	....	production assistant
Art Clokey	....	title designer
George Dockstader	....	motorcycle coordinator
Christopher Riordan	....	assistant choreographer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• American International Pictures (AIP)

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1965) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1969) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (VHS) (widescreen)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

Annette Funicello was pregnant during filming and was mostly shot from the waist up.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the race scene, Harvey Lembeck is riding motorcycle #13 when he wipes out in the grease he's riding #21 and then a few seconds later he's back on #13.

Quotes:

North Dakota Pete: Old Pete's got ideas... and those that ain't vile, are foul.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mama's Family: Mama on Jeopardy! (#4.19)" (1988)

Soundtrack:

If It's Gonna Happen

Weak entry, but some minor interest

This was the last of American-International's beach musicals that starred Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello (although they'd try to continue for a few films without these two). Frankie and Annette are barely together even in the film--Frankie is more of a cameo than a major character in the plot.

Intriguingly, this musical is filled with "book numbers"--where the characters sing when they should be talking. Usually, the beach party movies just had people asking Frankie or Annette to sing at a party or at a nightclub. So, that's a change. The problem is that the songs aren't anything to write home about.

Further, the film betrays why the beach movies were losing their popularity: the surfing fad was being supplanted by a renewed interest in motorcycle culture. Only a year or two later, American-International would be making films like "The Wild Angels." This is a problem for a series where the stock antagonist, Eric Von Zipper, is a parody of Marlon Brando's biker hood in "The Wild One" (1954). The film shows a renewed interest in cycles--Annette's romantic interest, Harvey Lembeck, is an avid motorcyclist. The film tries to deal with this by transforming Von Zipper from a biker into the stereotypical 60s junior executive (a la "How to Succeed in Business"). But, you can see the structure starting to fall apart here.

There are fun moments though--particularly the opening credits (clay animation done by Art Cloakey, the creator of Gumby), and the wacky motorcycle race at the end of the film. Lastly, there's a fun cameo at the very end of the film by producer William Asher's wife...