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How to Stuff a Wild Bikini

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How to Stuff a Wild Bikini
Directed byWilliam Asher
Written by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyFloyd D. Crosby
Edited byEve Newman
Music byLes Baxter
Production
company
American International Pictures
Distributed byAmerican International Pictures
Release date
  • July 14, 1965 (1965-07-14)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$150,000[1]

How to Stuff a Wild Bikini is a 1965 Pathécolor beach party film from American International Pictures. The sixth entry in a seven-film series, the movie was directed by William Asher and features Mickey Rooney, Annette Funicello, Dwayne Hickman, Brian Donlevy, and Beverly Adams.[2] It was written by Asher and Leo Townsend. The film features a brief appearance by Frankie Avalon and includes Buster Keaton in one of his last roles.

Plot

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Frankie goes to Tahiti on Naval Reserve duty. While cavorting with local girls, Frankie realizes that Dee Dee might be unfaithful to him. When Frankie seeks help from a witch doctor, the witch doctor sends a sea beauty, Cassandra, to lure Ricky, an advertising executive, away from Dee Dee.

Upon Cassandra's arrival, the beach turns upside down, as all the surfers fall for her, an executive wants to make her a model, and Eric Von Zipper and his motorcycle gang add to the trouble.

Cast

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Production

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How to Stuff a Wild Bikini was the last "beach party" film to feature Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello. Avalon appeared on-screen for about six minutes and interacted only very briefly with Funicello. His small role was attributed to the fact that he was filming another AIP production, 1965's Sergeant Deadhead.[3]

Dwayne Hickman played the male lead, a man trying to woo Funicello's character away from her absent boyfriend. Tommy Kirk was originally announced as the male lead,[4] but shortly before filming, he was arrested for possession of marijuana, so he was dropped and replaced by Hickman. Mickey Rooney agreed to play a supporting role at $5,000 for one week's work to pay off some tax debts.[5]

Filming started April 12, 1965, and took 15 days.[6] It was the only film in the series where John Ashley sang lead male vocals.[7]

Funicello was pregnant during shooting and was shot mostly wearing blousy tunics or with a prop in front of her (e.g., a bowl of popcorn, a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken).[8] She wrote in her memoirs that her pregnancy and Avalon's absence made this one of her least-favorite beach-party movies.[9] The film featured the only big-screen appearance by The Kingsmen, who performed "Give Her Lovin'".[8]

Len Lesser was cast as North Dakota Pete. He recalled, "I just threw caution to the wind with the role. I went crazy — kind of like I was acting in high school. It wasn’t serious stuff and Bill [Asher] insisted we have fun with it. Mickey Rooney and the great Buster Keaton were also in the movie, which was an added bonus. All of us had a blast, sitting on the beach, watching pretty girls in bikinis — singing and dancing. And we got paid very well."[10]

Elizabeth Montgomery, who at the time was married to the film's director, William Asher, made a cameo appearance in the closing scenes as the witch doctor's daughter, a woman with her own magical powers. Montgomery was instantly recognizable during this period as the star of the hit TV sitcom Bewitched, also directed by Asher, so this small film role was a parody of her TV role.[8]

The opening credits were done using clay animation done by Art Clokey, the creator of Gumby.[8]

Reception

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Variety called it a "lightweight affair lacking the breeziness and substance of earlier entries."[11] The critic from the Los Angeles Times called the movie a "breezy number".[12] The New York Times said it was "the answer to a moron's prayer."[13] Filmink argued the movie " has become legendary in its way, mostly due to its title, some hilariously obvious KFC product placement, and the fact that Annette Funicello is so clearly pregnant."[14]

In December 1965, Sam Arkoff said, "the bikini beach style has had it. We've had some real bombs lately."[15]

Soundtrack

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How To Stuff A Wild Bikini
Soundtrack album
Released14 July 1965
Recorded1965
GenreBeach party
Length23:58
LabelWand 671
ProducerAmerican International
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[16]

How To Stuff A Wild Bikini, the soundtrack for the film, was released in 1965. Most of the songs are performed by various cast members, with two numbers by The Kingsmen.[17] The album was released in both mono (WDM 671) and stereo (WDS 671) versions, with the latter being very scarce. The stereo release was reissued on CD by Real Gone Music in July 2014.

Track listing

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All songs written by Guy Hemric & Jerry Styner except "Give Her Lovin'" by Lynn Easton. Songs are in slightly different order from the movie.

No.TitlePerformerLength
1."How To Stuff A Wild Bikini"Cast2:04
2."That's What I Call A Healthy Girl"Cast1:56
3."If It's Gonna Happen"Lou Ann Simms[18]2:00
4."How About Us"Mickey Rooney & Girls2:00
5."The Boy Next Door"Harvey Lembeck & Cast1:55
6."After The Party"Cast2:12
7."Better Be Ready"Annette Funicello[19]1:55
8."Follow Your Leader"Harvey Lembeck & Cast[20]1:34
9."The Perfect Boy"Annette & Girls2:30
10."Madison Avenue"Mickey Rooney & Brian Donlevy2:15
11."Give Her Lovin' "The Kingsmen[21]1:44
12."How To Stuff A Wild Bikini"The Kingsmen[22]1:53

Production credits

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  • Producer: American International
  • Publisher: DiJon Music
  • Liner notes: Joe Bogart and Frank Costa (WMCA Music Department)

Home media

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In 2001, How to Stuff a Wild Bikini was released by MGM on Region 1 DVD.[23] Since its initial DVD release, the film has been included in two box sets, Frankie & Annette MGM Movie Legends Collection and Midnite Movies Double Feature, along with selected Beach Party films.[24][25]

Olive Films released a Blu-Ray of How to Stuff a Wild Bikini on June 25, 2019.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Lamont, John (1990). "The John Ashley Filmography". Trash Compactor (Volume 2 No. 5 ed.). p. 26.
  2. ^ "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini". American Film Institute Catalog. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  3. ^ Lisanti, Thomas Hollywood Surf and Beach Movies: The First Wave, 1959–1969 McFarland
  4. ^ Betty Martin (Apr 10, 1965). "MOVIE CALL SHEET: 'ROUGE' HEADS FOR BROADWAY". Los Angeles Times. p. 19.
  5. ^ Richard Harland Smith. "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  6. ^ Martin, Betty (Apr 17, 1965). "An Article on 2 April says Kirk was still cast at that date – MOVIE CALL SHEET: Tony Franciosa Set for Suspense Film". Los Angeles Times. p. B9.
  7. ^ Vagg, Stephen (December 2019). "A Hell of a Life: The Nine Lives of John Ashley". Diabolique Magazine.[permanent dead link‍]
  8. ^ a b c d Eder, Bruce. "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini". AllMovie. Retrieved 2007-12-19.[permanent dead link‍]
  9. ^ Funicello, Annette; Bashe, Patricia Romanowski (1994). A dream is a wish your heart makes: my story. Hyperion. p. 143.
  10. ^ Lesser, Leon (2011). Wheres The Watch And Other Tales A Memoir From Seinfelds Uncle Leo. p. 90.
  11. ^ "1965 Review". Variety. Archived from the original on 2009-04-23. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
  12. ^ John L. (Aug 6, 1965). "'Bikini' a Breezy Number Scott". Los Angeles Times. p. C10.
  13. ^ "The Screen: 'Wild Bikini' Appearing in Neighborhoods". New York Times. Jan 12, 1967. p. 48.
  14. ^ Vagg, Stephen (13 December 2024). "Beach Party Movies Part Three: Over exposure". Filmink. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  15. ^ "Beach pictures are out". The Times-Transcript. 11 December 1965. p. 15.
  16. ^ "How To Stuff A Wild Bikini". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  17. ^ The LP was issued with a blue or yellow sticker at the top of the record jacket with text "The Kingsmen In Their First Motion Picture Soundtrack Album".
  18. ^ Actually Lu Ann Simms, a well known 50s singer and performer on The Arthur Godfrey Show. In the film, "If It's Gonna Happen" is sung by four female cast members with Lu Ann Simms doing voiceover for Irene Tsu. Her original test dub for the song was included on the album instead of the movie version, and was subsequently released as a single on Wand 196 in 1965 with b-side "After The Party", another song from the movie.
  19. ^ The Kingsmen back up Annette (visually) in the movie. Lynn Easton, the group's lead singer, has a line of dialogue introducing the song.
  20. ^ Another song, "I Am My Ideal", is performed by Harvey Lembeck and cast in the movie but is not included on the soundtrack.
  21. ^ Released as a single on Wand 189 in 1965 as a b-side to "Little Annie Fanny".
  22. ^ This track is not performed in the movie. The song has never been released in any other format other than the original soundtrack release and the 2014 CD reissue.
  23. ^ How to Stuff a Wild Bikini DVD release info. ISBN 0792844025.
  24. ^ "Frankie & Annette MGM Movie Legends Collection DVD release info". Amazon. 10 July 2007. Archived from the original on 2021-05-26. Retrieved 2017-08-31.
  25. ^ "Beach Blanket Bingo/How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (Midnite Movies Double Feature) DVD release info". Amazon. 15 February 2005. Archived from the original on 2021-05-26. Retrieved 2017-08-31.
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