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Beach Party? - Yes Please!

Guilty pleasure alert, tonight I watched 1963's Beach Party on TCM. If you've never heard of it I'm happy to give a you a crash course, 'cause it isn't summer unless Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello have entered the room!


Credit: IMDb

I wasn't even born when this movie came out - but I do remember when I was a teen, these types of movies would be on TV on Saturday afternoons and I loved them!


Cheesy, fun, and great music - they still make me smile whenever they come on - if you get a chance I highly recommend you take the time and just enjoy!


We are bombarded with so much negativity these days a little cotton candy is a welcome treat.



Some Fun Facts about the movie*

  • Part of AIP's policy was "mass entertainment on a frankly escapist level"

  • In July 1962 it was announced Avalon would play the lead- originally they wanted Fabian to play the part

  • Annette Funicello was always first choice for the female lead, though there was concern she couldn't do it because she was under contract to Walt Disney

  • Walt Disney was concerned about Annette's image

  • Annette Funicello said she had constant pressure to show her navel. She refused and later argued she felt audiences responded positively to her character because they could sense her determination

  • The film was shot over three weeks starting in March 1963

  • Filming locations included Newport, Balboa, Laguna and Malibu Beach

  • Beach Party was the highest-grossing film AIP had made to that date, earning more during its opening weekend than any of its competition

  • Annette Funicello says this film was her personal favorite of the beach movie series she starred in

  • William Asher said that "the key to these pictures is lots of flesh but no sex. It's all good clean fun. No hearts are broken and virginity prevails"

  • The Rat Pack motorcycle gang is largely a parody of 1953 The Wild One.

  • This film, created a new sub-genre for AIP– the beach party film


Dick Dale was featured in the movie and played this song



Ronnie Swais

Publisher A Beautiful Life Magazine








*Fun facts from Wikipedia



 
 
 

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