The Ghost in the Invisible 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.

First, I should clear up any confusion that may have arisen from the title: not only is the ghost's bikini invisible, but what's underneath her bikini is also invisible. Now, I must ask: how was Boris Karloff reduced to starring in a "beach party" movie? "The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini" is basically a cross between beach party movies and the old-style horror movies. Karloff plays Hiram Stokely, a corpse who must accomplish a good deed within 24 hours. Fortunately for him, the title character (Susan Hart) has the answer: he can protect a bevy of teens who are descending on his estate for a party. Tommy Kirk plays the main youngster.

Overall, the movie is pretty much an excuse for everyone to party as they would on the beach, except that they're doing it in what appears to be an English castle. I couldn't tell whether the movie was supposed to happen in California or England. I guess that this movie is better than most beach movies, just because it stars Boris Karloff. Oh, and the title character is pretty hot. But other than that, it's just another beach party movie.

Sorta fun and at the same time sorta boring. I find myself inexplicably drawn to it. Nancy Sinatra sings "Geronimo". A somewhat pleasant time filler you can talk through.

I realize that most people who have seen The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini will look at my rating and decide I need to have my head examined. I readily admit that it's one of the stupidest movies I've seen recently. I am perfectly capable of seeing all of the same problems in the movie that all of the other reviews or comments point out. Yes, the beach movie was on its last leg when The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini was made. Yes, there is no plot. Yes, most of the comedy is incredibly lame. Yes, Tommy Kirk is beyond terrible. Yes, Harvey Lembeck was way too old to play a rebellious motorcycle leader. Yes, Benny Rubin's Chicken Feather character is offensive. Yes, Deborah Walley is no Annette Funicello. Yes, Boris Karloff has little more than an extended cameo that almost appears to have been an afterthought. Yes, I see all these problems and more in The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini, but for whatever reason, the movie is still a lot of fun. I had a blast watching Nancy Sinatra sing "Geronimo". She's just so cool. I also enjoyed watching Basil Rathbone in one of his final performances. He seemed to really be enjoying the chance to ham it up. As goofy as it may sound, I love the fact that The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini takes many of the traditional beach movie trappings and transports them to a big, old haunted house. A swinging 60s style beach party set in Karloff's over-the-top torture chamber is an awesome idea. Finally, I've got to give the movie a bonus point for having a completely unnecessary gorilla. It adds a surreal touch to everything.

So, despite the many, many weaknesses and problems in The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini. I still had a great time watching it. I'll continue to say that the entertainment I get out of a movie is more important to me than anything else. And with that in mind, the 6/10 rating I've given The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini seems about right to me.

This film proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the "Beach Party" genre was dead. After the previous film with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, American International thought they could pull the two of them back for one final picture. However, by the time the plans were announced Avalon was more interested in other roles and Funicello was busy raising her family. Instead we get Tommy Kirk and Deborah Walley who, unfortunately, don't have the chemistry that Frankie and Annette had together. The "Beach Party" series was one of the most enduring in film history. Too bad it had to go out with a whimper instead of a bang.