The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini

I have a special affection for this little trifle. I saw it at our post theater twice when I was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. It was a time when we were killing time, just waiting to be discharged, and this film conjures up a time of innocence when I was dying to re-start my civilian life. But most of all, I was (and still am) a tremendous fan of Miss Nancy Sinatra, especially all through my Army days, and it was thrilling fun to go see her movies at the post theater. She also did "The Wild Angels" and "The Last of the Secret Agents." All the other commentators are right. No classic, but mindless, harmless fun ! Oh, Nancy ! We were so young, and it was a different world !

Representing the (somewhat fatigued) tail-end of the "Beach Party" saga, minus Frankie and Annette, this haunted house comedy has some style in the live-action cartoon vein, but is hurt overall by an unenthusiastic cast and too much chatter. Sleepy Tommy Kirk and distracted Deborah Walley are involved in the reading of a will in a spooky mansion; Susan Hart is a sexy apparition (wearing a dopey-looking blonde wig for F/X purposes); Boris Karloff saunters through, tossing off droll comic lines in a debonair manner; Harvey Lembeck returns as Eric Von Zipper (although he doesn't look happy about it); and Nancy Sinatra is one of the teens there for a slumber party (she sings "Geronimo" poolside in the film's best sequence). Not terribly witty or lively; most of the kids on display are artificially frantic and 'nutty', waving their arms about. The movie desperately needs more music and more special effects. It relies too much on the talk-heavy plot, which is its weakest link. ** from ****

Obviously one shouldn't take this film very seriously at all if one plans on enjoying it in the slightest. If you can loosen up quite a bit, this film does have some fun silly bits. Plus can any film with both Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone possibly be all bad? I don't feel so...both fine actors try hard to keep their dignity in this Scooby Doo-like (without Scooby Doo) Beach Party entry.

Anyone expecting to see nudity in this film, be forewarned! It's the GHOST that's invisible and not the bikini!

This film was the largest budgeted of the "beach" pictures. But it became a box-office failure and was the last of the genre American International produced. The inane script...is not only tired but borrows from such other sources as the curtain line of Some Like It Hot... This year's crop of boys in this film isn't up to the earlier "beach" cavaliers.ll KARLOFF and the other veterans are only along for the ride....Stanley Cortez's camera...makes good use...in exploring some...fasinating sets evidently left over from the Poe period..a good try but short on script and inspiration.