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Beach Party

Play trailer Poster for Beach Party 1963 1h 41m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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57% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 41% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Dolores (Annette Funicello) and Frankie (Frankie Avalon), attractive young surfers in Southern California, are just out for a good time. Their relaxed lifestyle fascinates Professor Sutwell (Bob Cummings), an anthropologist who decides to study the social lives of teens. A series of beach-themed films would follow the blueprint set by this one, which hinges on romantic rivalries, rugged motorcyclists, an attempted crime and plenty of handsome people.
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Beach Party

Critics Reviews

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Vincent Canby Variety 03/26/2009
Beach Party is a bouncy bit of lightweight fluff, attractively cast, beautifully set (Malibu Beach), and scored throughout with a big twist beat. It has a kind of direct, simple-minded cheeriness. Go to Full Review
Renee Schonfeld Common Sense Media 01/13/2015
2/5
Silly '60s surf musical with stereotypes, sexual situations. Go to Full Review
David Cornelius Popcornworld 03/25/2013
a barrage of live-action cartoon madness aimed at the in-the-moment entertainment atmosphere of, well, a party. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 07/07/2005
2/5
Linda Cook Quad City Times (Davenport, IA) 08/11/2002
4/5
Ken Hanke Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) 08/07/2002
3/5
First of the long-running series. Not that bad and good nostalgia Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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David K Jan 26 It's not that bad if you love the history of film and this movie's place in a time capsule of the early 60's. Scrubbed squeaky clean with some silly slapstick thrown in for good measure. It's a good way to fill a lazy night at home when you don't want to be thinking about...anything, really. See more alan g @agenser 10/26/2024 Very cute and dated. Was risque at the time. Now even toddlers can watch. Very attractive cast. Nice scenery See more David D 05/21/2024 Sludge that got thicker and more robust with the passing of decades. . See more joel h 08/01/2022 As a movie, Beach Party is fairly ridiculous. As a time capsule for youth culture of the early 60s, however, it's pretty fascinating. I felt like Professor Sutwell as I watched it, trying to understand why the "kids" acted the way they did. Coincidentally, I also found Sutwell to be one of the most entertaining characters in this picture. As strange and simple as it is, I can see why Beach Party launched a franchise. See more dave s 04/12/2022 Beach Party was the first and probably the best, which isn't really saying much, of American International's beach movies from the early to mid-60s. The threadbare story, which involves anthropologist Professor Sutwell's (Bob Cummings) investigation into the mating habits of American teens, serves only as a device to show off scantily clad young ones as they surf, dance, sing, throw pies, and make out. All of the regulars, including Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, are along for the ride. For the most part, it lacks the consistent silliness of the later efforts in the series, but it's still pretty mindless. On the bright side, Cummings has some decent lines and, considering the overacting surrounding him, gives a surprisingly subdued performance. See more 08/24/2021 The odd thing about the Beach Party movies with Frankie and Annette is that none of them are perfect films. They ALL have their many flaws. Yet, for some weird reason, I keep watching them. I especially enjoy watching them when the weather gets COLD. What makes me want to enjoy a beach movie when it's snowing outside? I don't know. Anyway, these movies are corny, no doubt about it. Sometimes they are VERY corny. But if you're like me and think Gilligan's Island is a fun TV show, then you might forgive the corniness here. You might even start to enjoy it! It's like Frankie and Annette's characters live in some alternate universe. They not only succeed in making me nostalgic for a time when I wasn't even born yet; but they make me long for a time that never even existed! That's quite an achievement. See more Read all reviews
Beach Party

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Movie Info

Synopsis Dolores (Annette Funicello) and Frankie (Frankie Avalon), attractive young surfers in Southern California, are just out for a good time. Their relaxed lifestyle fascinates Professor Sutwell (Bob Cummings), an anthropologist who decides to study the social lives of teens. A series of beach-themed films would follow the blueprint set by this one, which hinges on romantic rivalries, rugged motorcyclists, an attempted crime and plenty of handsome people.
Director
William Asher
Producer
James H. Nicholson, Lou Rusoff
Screenwriter
Lou Rusoff
Production Co
Alta Films Productions, American International Pictures (AIP)
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 14, 1963, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 10, 2016
Runtime
1h 41m
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