The Continental Twist

This movie was very enjoyable even if the acting and plot were subpar. The plot is only a vehicle for the music scenes with Louis Prima and Sam Butera who can really light up a room. I also loved the way Prima and Butera conversed with each other in their hip cat talk. June Wilkinson is very attractive as Prima's love interest. I checked her IMDB biography and she's a former Playboy playmate who's nickname is "The Body". I assure you she's much better looking than Jesse Ventura.

Was this a humorous musical or a musical comedy? Maybe geriatric twist? A small club proprietor(Louis Prima)and his jazz band, led by Sam Butera are having a hard time making a go of their night spot. They turn to the popular new dance craze,the Twist,in hopes of success. Along the way, Prima spoils an art theft scheme.

Also in this little film are Gertrude Michael, Ty Perry and June Wilkinson, whose claim to fame is being a former Playboy magazine Playmate. She at one time was married to pro football player Dan Pastorini.

You can't say that the music in this movie was ever a real hit, but did resemble Lawrence Welk trying to play Hip-Hop.

This flick is an absolute howl! Louis Prima's club scene is being muscled out by a mercenary TWISTING GANG. Yes. The gang is being paid to come to his shows and NOT TWIST. They're paid to sit at the tables and look bored, and are not allowed to buy drinks. What's driving this youth gang to such extremes? They want the money so they can buy matching "Twist Club" jackets. Seriously. You can see how the plot would naturally progress right into international art theft and a United Nations Twist Party at a wealthy socialite ball, with Prima supplying the live band. Having trouble making that leap? Here's what you need to know: Louis Prima is primarily a pop star. He used jazz, big band swing, rock and anything else he could get his paws on to provide entertainment and stay current with the trends in music. The twist craze was being jumped on by everybody at the time, and Prima was a natural. Highlights of this flick are actual live performances done by Prima and the band--lots of them. June Wilkinson as his romantic interest is hot, although she was never actually a Playboy playmate--she just appeared in the magazine several times. Google her images and you'll come across at least two huge reasons to see this film (wink). I love Sam Butera, but his nearly whiteface (yes he's white but you'll see what I mean) rendering of Chantilly Lace is perhaps the most painful musical interlude in film history. I really wish Louis had done a flick with the Bowery Boys in a haunted house setting, because this film suggests the potential of such a pairing. This flick will make you Twist all Night, one way or another. Me? I love this film.

I'm happy with my basic cable service of 70 or so channels, a good conventional TV, and a reasonable supply of tapes and DVD's.

But I have a friend, a real audiophile, who has a home theater and more electronic equipment than the average commercial recording studio. He had transferred a copy of this film, along with the excellent 1-hour biographical program from PBS, which detailed Prima's life and music, to a single DVD. Prima's associates, who commented during the PBS program, covered his addressing the twist in this film as adapting to what was the trend at that time.

Whatever -- when musicians, like the Dorseys, Harry James, and even Glen Miller, have appeared on-film, whether in "biopics" or supposedly "dramatic" stories, there is one unfailing result: they confirm with certainty they are musicians, NOT actors.

Actually, Louis Prima does far better than most, as well as his long-time cohort, Butera. This was obviously due to the fact that both engaged in more patter, audience interaction, etc., during their shows, than average musician.

The cast is engaging, the plot so cornball it reminds one of Marx Brothers' presentations long ago, or, say, Steve Martin's more recently -- only sans acting talent.

But Prima and Butera's music is outstanding, and always was. And watching June Wilkinson doing the twist is akin to seeing one of those displays of the solar system in a museum, with the planets moving in multiple orbits.

Mark this film for its nostalgia, music, and cornball fun -- not on basis of the "thespians'" aptitude or plot intricacy.

This z-grade Twist musical stars (and was made by the production company of) the great trumpeter/vocalist/band-leader/personality Louis Prima, backed by the equally great Sam Butera and the Witnesses. In fact, Butera gets a lot of screen time here.

The old "small club is about to lose its lease but people who believe in the music band together to keep the club open and in the meantime win everyone over to their music" plot is trotted out once again-- it was used in the mid-50s rock'n'roll movies and in early 40s swing movies too, and it works well here. But then, you are watching a movie like this because you like the Twist and/or Louis Prima's music, and on that level it delivers the goods. Legendary Playboy model June Wilkinson looks beautiful as Prima's girlfriend, the music is hot, and as a vehicle for Prima's antics the film is a complete success. Some people complain that Prima--who made his recording debut in the early-mid 1930s!--is much too old to do the twist, but he is one of the fathers of rock'n'roll (especially those "jive" artists such as Jimmy Cavallo, Charlie Gracie, Mike Pedicin, etc.)and since his act is based on self-parody anyway and he never takes himself seriously, I can't see anyone having a problem with that.

Unless you like Prima and the Twist, though, you'd probably hate the film. It's shot on two minimal sets, basically, and is as static as a Barry Mahon film. However, for me that only adds to the charm (who needs complex camera work when you are basically seeing Prima do his show and do some light comedy?). Perhaps someone will release this on DVD?