Beach Ball

I only tuned into this film for a few minutes, but it was worth it...to see the Supremes (from Detroit's Motown label) singing surfing songs. Anyone who knows the geography of Detroit and the color of the Supremes knows why this is so fascinating.

Of particular splendor is Diana Ross' hairdo -- a beehive with what I can only guess is supposed to be a "wave" on one side.

I don't know what I'm more angry at - frittering away an hour of my life watching a chunk of this stinker or that it was released by Paramount Pictures. What were they thinking? Yeah... yeah. We're the oldest studio in Hollywood. Know what? Let's chuck all that and put out a retarded beach movie.

When you see Edd "Kookie" Byrnes on any credit crawl, you know you're deep in the Bay of Crap. He's the leader of a surf band - right! - and they must raise a grand to keep their instruments out of hock. That's it. That's the movie. And there's skydiving, race-car driving, surfing and bikini waxing. ...All at the pace of glacier retreat at the end of the last Ice Age. There are four very lovely young gals who are uptight, neurotic Sybils until some bongo thumping gets them to unwind and uncork the cocoa butter. I hung around until I saw them in some rather tame bikinis and then hung it up.

This should be a drinking game. Everyone can knock one back every time someone in the cast says "daddio". Then, relax wait for those DTs to kick in. Oh... and vomit your guts out.

Best part of movie outside the rock cameos is the cars. Two featured: Bill Cushenberry's Silhouette which later became an AMT model and one of the original HotWheels miniatures. Typical early Sixties custom with open hood, bubble top and tuck and roll interior.

The movie also featured a car show that included Bob Urquhart's 1927 Model T Roadster which appeared on the cover of the October 1962 Hot Rod magazine and numerous other magazines through 1964. Car was powered by a 1954 DeSoto hemi and also featured a Cadillac transmission and Corvette rearend. Car is iconic of the "custom rod" era and is currently owned by Jim Gilliam of Des Moines and is being restored to original condition.

Because of Edd Byrnes, anyone in this movie rates a "3" on the Kevin Bacon scale.

This film essentially begins with a college dropout by the name of "Dick Martin" (Edd Byrnes) receiving a telegram telling him that, unless he pays for some musical instruments he rented for his struggling rock-and-roll band, they will be confiscated within a day or two. Needless to say, this news completely devastates him as neither he nor the other members of the band can scrounge up $1000 in so short a period of time. That being said, when their pleas for more time fall on deaf ears, Dick decides to go to the local college finance committee treasurer named "Susan" (Chris Noel) and plead for a grant under the false pretense of needing it for tuition. Quite surprisingly, after listening to his story, she agrees to his request. However, when she discovers the truth of the matter a few hours later, she immediately changes her mind. Not long afterward, however, she reconsiders and--with the help of the other three female members of the committee--decides to infiltrate his circle of friends to see if they can somehow convince them to return to college. In the meantime, Dick and his band have come up with several different plans to get the money--but what they don't count on is the of the music store owner who demands his merchandise immediately. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an okay "Beach Party" movie which basically followed the standard formula for films of this type during this particular period of time. Naturally, it also featured several attractive actresses with Mikki Jamison (as "Augusta"), Anna Lavelle ("Polly") and the aforementioned Chris Noel standing out the most, in my opinion. Be that as it may, while this may not be the best movie of its type, I enjoyed it for the most part and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

All teen beach or period flicks deserve their own catagory stars and all should be a 3 or better....if one gets the point.Sadly too many 60's fans either missed the entire scene, were born after it was even current or too young to actually be "in the teen scene" and are just bitter. These are not Academy Award projects nor did they ever attempt to be. All 60's teen films had a positive message entwined within the absolute silliness of the wrap around scenes that glue it together. Look where the Monkees TV show was developed from; the original Batman TV show; most slapstick comedies of the future are all pulled and revamped from these (and others) 60's teen flick's cherrys.....or cherry bombs. It is a good chance to see great bands do songs that they might not have performed (some thankfully) at all. But remember the point of all of these teen berach flicks, this gem included: To have fun, escape into someplace totally or close to unreal and with a happy or comical ending. Beach Ball is a great,a typical 60's teen flick and is as good as any other "beach" flicks of the era. To analyze this or these types of films with the slashing of a "Freddy" movie is missing the point. Beach Ball is total nostalgia from sets, dialogue, scenery, cars, bands, girls and guys. Grab some popcorn, put your feet up, whack it on the TV and just enjoy a period that many wish was still around. Beach Ball still has plenty of smile bits to remind us of our potential to just enjoy these teen era flicks without dissecting it like a stiff lab frog.