The Girls on the Beach

I saw this one recently on AMC and all I can say is this: If you can wade through the insipid plot, even by Beach Movie standards, and worse acting, you'll actually get some pretty good performances by the Beach Boys, Leslie Gore, and the original Crickets, Buddy Holly's backup group. Alas, you have to put up with the one to get at the other. Musically, I give "Girls on the Beach" a 10, otherwise one half of one! It's hard to believe a major studio like Paramount could have gone the AIP route with this one.

There have been some good comments on the film The Girls On The Beach. Some have been quite critical, and that is sad. Fans of AIP(American International Pictures) will surely love this film. Following the format Paramount gave AIP the ultimate compliment. Yes, much slicker than AIP, just as corn ball, this is an innocent teen movie of the time. Those who may be interested should also take the approach as the studio did. You went to see this movie for the music,good looking people, and the acting really didn't matter much. I have seen this movie available on DVD, a bit steep for one disc at $29.00 new, or VHS for $25.00. A rare movie indeed, and certainly about life and music of the 1960's generation surely to bring a smile.

I don't know where you grew up but NY, PA and OH: Yes, girls had boufants and ratted hairdos, boys had short hair and sport coats in 1965. In fact in 1968, there was only one guy with long hair (over ears) in my whole school. Unfortunately, we didn't have any surfboarding either in suburban NY. Lame movie... good soundtrack.

This movie is a must-see for the Beach Boys at the top of their early form and for Lesley Gore. It doesn't have the fantasy elements of the Eric Von Zipper movies, but being from a female point of view wins points. Especially lovely are the beach beauties, and watch for the sister of Natalie Wood, Lana. They don't come sweeter!

Forget those AIP Hollywood Beach movies with Annette and her girl friends wearing those Mother Hubbard swimsuits along with Frankie Avalon who somehow never came across as a true hodad, try as he might.

Trust a major studio like Paramount Pictures (yeah, go figure) to deliver a teen beach movie that rocks. Not only does this movie deliver less swimsuit per girl per frame, but the music scores as well.

Featuring The Beach Boys during their initial crest atop the surf/custom car sound (complete with a handsome,tanned and confident Brian Wilson at the helm), they provide the theme song as well as a casual lip-sync to their breezy 'Little Honda' lifting this movie genre beyond the usual Hollywood Tin Pan Alley vs.America's teenagers.

Lesley Gore(the perfect singing role model in handling teen angst) captures the mood of this movie which clearly represents the feminine point of view through a group of bubbly, buxom girls who need to raise money for their sorority. Sure, familiar plot but it glides past the viewer like the swirl on Noreen Corcoran's bottled blond bouffant styled hair. No longer John Forsythe's niece to his 'Uncle Bentley', Noreen fills her role as a California college cutie in this flick as well as she fills her bikini. Not to be outdone, Lori Saunders(credited as Linda Saunders,soon to be the prim and proper Bobbie Jo Bradly on 'Petticoat Junction')delivers a bumpin' bikini belly dance in a beauty contest judged by a group of hot and bothered middle-aged men. Well, no wonder those poor judges are working up a sweat, wearing dark suits and ties on the beach. Anyway, that scene is worth its weight in woodies.

Add the constantly peeved Dick Miller performing yeoman duty as a bartender at the beach hangout and Sonny Curtis revving up the house band(the original 'Crickets'no less),well, you won't find any gremmies on this stretch of sand.

Surf's Up!