Shake, Rattle & Rock!

Although not a blockbuster,shake rattle and rock is an interesting and fun 1950's movie about the older generation trying to stop rock and roll dancing teens.a short movie and made by the great American international pictures,which is why i wanted to check it out.touch(mike)Conner's who made numerous aip pictures like voodoo woman,swamp women and later on TVs mannix plays a TV disc jockey announcer,the plot is very simple a group of older people led by margerat Dumont try to stop the rock and roll lifestyle,claiming it leads to juvenile crime.yeah we all heard that before.then there's the beautiful and cute Lisa Gaye as the love interest of the TV DJ.who happens to be Dumont's daughter.then there's some great performances by the legendary fats domino,playing himself.aip was wise to cash in on the rock and roll trend of the 1950s,this proved big money at the drive in box office and led to many more.and this was one of the first aip movies,it is a fun movie and its well worth watching.kudos to Samuel z arkoff,James Nicholson,Lou rusoff,and American international pictures for this little gem.8 out of 10

Well, I bought the DVD so I have to say that I like it. Solely because it's got Big Joe Turner in it along with Fats Domino. They're miming to what appear to be new versions of some of their own tracks. Just watching Big Joe "singing" is enough to get my vote. They're so little of him in his prime that I'm really grateful for anything I can get. Has an amusing call and response section with the young white teenage audience. And then he "appears" on TV. Fats Domino is his usual impeccable self. The plot and acting is all very silly but worth it for the brief performances. Has Margaret Dumont in as well with a wimpish husband although "the worm turns" by the end.

The characters in this film are all caricatures, exaggerations of contemporary archetypes. With its juvenile sense of humor, it's a common characteristic of many drive-in B-movies of its day--like the silly beach films that would soon follow---but this film is a very amateurish production, in part due to its extremely low budget.

The music in the film deserves a better showcase.

The story is about a teen hangout called the Black Eagle Club, where troubled youths can channel their time into wholesome pursuits. The guys who run it also promote a local TV dance show where the kids listen to early rock and roll and swing dance.

A group of older adults mobilizes to stop the dancing and the music on grounds that such teenage activities lead to bad behavior. Of course the jitterbug has already been around since the thirties, so the issue is a little dated, but some adults really were concerned about the influence of Elvis, who had already been on the national scene for a few years. Fats Domino, and Big Joe Turner (who had also been around since the thirties), are featured in the film, though they are already somewhat passé by 1956.

The best moments of the film are the upbeat musical sections, like the boogie woogie, and the talented dancing. Petticoats fly as Rosie and Carlos, especially, take to the floor. But most of the music is not presented in its best light.

The worst aspects of the film are the canned laughter and the ridiculous portrayal by Sterling Holloway, who is supposed to be a jive-talking hipster. The dialogue he is given is embarrassing and annoying. There is also another actor doing an impersonation of Sheldon Leonard in a performance that adds nothing to the story.

In the end, the film features an on-air showdown between the blue-nosed adults and the teens that is supposed to be an actual legal procedure to determine which side is justified.

A more accurate title might be Sterling Holloway Showcase. In fact, it's his silly mug and goofy shenanigans that get the most screentime. On the other hand, viewers expecting a Fats Domino showcase may be disappointed in his brief screen time, limited to two of his most popular song hits. The flick's got more plot than expected as various public factions battle over R&R's moral acceptability, a lively issue at the time (1956). Critics allege that the uninhibited sounds lead to immoral conduct, while defenders show how it provides an avenue into constructive activities when dances are organized into do-gooder clubs. This last unfortunately comes across as a stab at respectable contrivance. After all, why is R&R any more disreputable than the equally lively jitterbug of the 40's.

Whatever the entertainment value, the cast is full of familiar faces from the 40's- the gnome-like Percy Helton, Groucho Marx's favorite foil Margaret Dumont, arch-villain Douglas Dumbrille, and a few others. In that sense, the flick's a sort of odd blending of old and new.

Anyway, as someone coming of age during that period, I really enjoyed seeing pretty girls in swishy skirts twirling across the dance floor. And how well I remember R&R exploding on the teen scene, it's hedonistic bent a welcome contrast to years of war and needed conformity (WWII, Korea, and the ongoing Cold War). But as a showcase of hit music from the era the movie's limited at best, despite the title.

Before he was "Mannix" Mike Conners was billed as 'Touch' Conners and did this little 50s exploitation flick, that he would probably love to forget. It's the old saw about the older generation trying to put a halt to R&R, and the kids proving that it is just good, clean fun, as the jitterbug, black-bottom, etc. Somehow Sterling Hollaway (Waldo from "The Life of Riley") just doesn't measure up as the jive talking, smooth hipster, done so well in the 50s by Edd (Kookie) Byrnes. Fats and a few other groups that have since passed into obscurity perform some prehistoric tunes and the acting is sophomoric at best. A good one to watch-only if you are in the midst of a tremendous battle with your significant other or suffering a severe tooth-ache.