Ski Party

A friend of mine came over last night and we were both feeling kind of run down after the holidays, so we wanted something "light". He brought three "Frankie and Annette" films over (this, plus MUSCLE BEACH PARTY and BIKINI BEACH) and I figured they had to be fun, and with some cute chicks and all.... but oh, brother! Since it's winter we decided to watch this first, even though it comes later in this series, and Annette Funicello isn't in it except for a really quick cameo where she plays a teacher at the beginning. The thing plays like another version of SOME LIKE IT HOT, with Frankie Avalon and Dwayne Hickman as two buddies who go on a skiing trip and wind up dressing in drag while they try to make time with Yvonne Craig and Deborah Walley. Hell, they even mention SOME LIKE IT HOT in the movie! This film doesn't have much to recommend in it, and I figured going in that it had to be the least of the three movies we'd watch... but who knew it would turn out to be the "best"? At least this film had a story, even if it's clichéd. My favorite moment involved Lesley Gore popping up on the bus trip to sing her big hit "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows", and then later on getting to enjoy James Brown belt out "I Got You (I Feel Good)". These two musical performances were the shining light. ** out of ****

The only difference between the usual AIP beach movie fluff and this film is that it's colder and they've put on dry clothes. Other than that, it's Frankie, Debbie, Dwayne, and a pre-"Batgirl" Yvonne Craig up to the usual shenanigans. The only plus here is rare film appearances by James Brown, doing the classic "I Feel Good," and Leslie Gore, with what proved to be one of her last big hits, the Marvin Hamlisch composition "Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows." It's for this last reason alone, I think, that this movie used to be frequently aired on AMC's "American Pop" series, often in letterbox to show off the Squaw Valley scenery. Incidentally, at the end of the movie, there's an invitation to watch for the whole crew again in "Cruise Party." As far as I can determine, that film was never made, probably because they finally figured out that, in the wake of the so-called "British Invasion," the beach blanket bimbo genre had finally run its course.

Just like the rest with snow substituted for surf, Avalon and Hickman don drag to infiltrate a female only ski lodge in a misguided attempt to better understand just what women really want. Walley and Craig are their frigid girlfriends who decide it's better to let boys be boys and meet in the middle than hold a grudge.

Kincaid is a pushy Casanova smitten with Hickman's alter ego, Bobbi Shaw and her cheekbones a seductive Swedish siren, and Lesley Gore makes a quick cameo riding the bus long enough to belt out a signature tune. If you persist, screaming' James Brown & the Famous Flames awaits to warm things up with an impromptu badly lip-synced 'I Got You'.

Endless sight gags punctuated by musical numbers and cheesy dialogue (e.g. Avalon manages to liken a feathery pillow fight with the allies WWII triumph) ends up where it started back at the beach for signature butt-wiggling shenanigans.

Ultra-light and inoffensive, Avalon and Hickman make a likeable duo of girl-obsessed youths but despite the promise of a reunion in the closing credits, 'Cruise Party' seems to never have eventuated, which is a shame (although they would team up again in 'Dr Goldfoot & the Bikini Machine'). An easy-going escapade worth a look for even the casual beach party fan.

"Todd Armstrong" (Frankie Avalon) and "Craig Gamble" (Dwayne Hickman) are two college roommates who aren't having any luck with two girls they like named "Linda Hughes" (Deborah Walley) and "Barbara Norris" (Yvonne Craig) respectively. So, they decide to go on a ski trip in order to stay close to them. Unfortunately, they continue to strike out and--unable to figure out why--they decide to shift gears and put a new plan into motion. Now, rather than reveal any more of the story and risk ruining the film for those who haven't seen it, I will just say that this film has a direct relationship to the beach movies of this particular time. That said, people who weren't alive during this time or haven't seen any of the beach movies produced in the early 60's, probably won't appreciate the music or the comedy. But make no mistake, the music was pretty good, and I thought some of the scenes were quite funny as well. Likewise, I thought both Bobbi Shaw (as "Nita Elksberg") and the aforementioned Yvonne Craig certainly helped in the scenery department. In any case, I enjoyed this film and rate it as slightly above average.

Annette Funicello has a brief cameo as a professor, and Dwayne Hickman was added to the beach gang in a futile attempt to keep the series fresh. Really lame take off of "Some Like It Hot". Aron Kincaid plays his usual big-man-on-campus pretty blond boy routine. There are only two reasons to watch this movie. Leslie Gore singing on the bus on the way to the ski resort, and James Brown doing a split in the snow the end of "I Feel Good".