Themes: Generation Gap, Life in the Arts, Love Triangles
Main Cast: Boris Karloff, Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Martha Hyer, Keenan Wynn, Harvey Lembeck
Release Year: 1964
Country: US
Run Time: 100 minutes
Plot
The Beach Party gang is back in this third episode. This time out, the gang is visited by the handsome British pop star Potato Bug (Frankie Avalon in a dual role) who has come to CA for a little r&r. When Potato Bug sees the perky Dee Dee (Annette Funicello), he falls head over heels. This doesn't set well with her boyfriend, Frankie. Later the kids all join forces to keep aged developer Harvey Huntington Honeywagon from buying their beach and using it to build a senior citizen's resort. Honeywagon is assisted by Brandoesque biker Eric Von Zipper while the kids are helped out by the adolescent supporter Big Drag. Songs include: "Bikini Drag", "Love's a Secret Weapon", and "Because You're You". Special guest artists include Little Stevie Wonder, the Exciters and the Pyramids. Boris Karloff has an un-credited cameo. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Daniel Haller - Art Director, Anthony Carras - Co-producer, William Asher - Director, Fred R. Feitshans, Jr. - Editor, Les Baxter - Composer (Music Score), Al Simms - Composer (Music Score), Red Gilson - Songwriter, Guy Hemric - Songwriter, Jack Merrill - Songwriter, Jerry Styner - Songwriter, Gary Usher - Songwriter, Roger Christian - Songwriter, Floyd D.Crosby - Cinematographer, Samuel Z. Arkoff - Producer, James H. Nicholson - Producer, William Asher - Screenwriter, Leo Townsend - Screenwriter, Robert Dillon - Screenwriter
In a FILMFAXplus (April/June 2004) interview, director William Asher revealed that the script was originally written for The Beatles. The group had agreed to act in the film but later dropped out as their rapidly growing fame (especially after their 1964 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show) caused their fee to exceed the film's budget. Asher was forced to rework the script. Frankie Avalon's dual role as an English singer named "The Potato Bug" was created to replace the four Beatles in the story.
Pop singer Donna Loren appears here and in Muscle Beach Party, Pajama Party and Beach Blanket Bingo. She typically sang at least one solo in each movie.
School is out and the teenagers head for the beach. All is well until millionaire Harvey Huntington Honeywagon III (Wynn) comes around, convinced that the beachgoers are so senselessly obsessed with sex that their mentality is below that of a primate – especially Honeywagon's wunderkind pet chimp Clyde, who can surf, drive, and watusi better than anyone on the beach. With the teenagers demoralized and discredited, Honeywagon plans to turn Bikini Beach into a senior citizensretirement home.
Meanwhile, foppish British rocker and dragster, The Potato Bug (played by Frankie Avalon in a dual role), has taken up residence on Bikini Beach. Annoyed by Frankie's reluctance to start their relationship towards marriage, Dee Dee becomes receptive to Potato Bug's advances. In a jealous rage, Frankie challenges The Potato Bug to a drag race, in hopes of winning Dee Dee back.
The Potato Bug name is a sly reference to The Beatles. The character is a permutation of John Lennon, albeit with a persona based on British stereotypes as perceived by Americans.
The Rat Pack motorcycle gang is largely a parody of The Wild One (1953); Harvey Lembeck's "Eric Von Zipper" spoofs Marlon Brando's performance as the leader of the gang.
The 1996 film That Thing You Do features a parody of 1960s beach movies such as Bikini Beach. In the film, a fictional singing group called The Wonders star as Cap'n Geech and The Shrimpshack Shooters. The movie within the movie is titled Weekend at Party Pier and features characters similar to Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello.
In the Drag Racing scenes (shot at Pomona Raceway), the dragsters used in the scenes were very popular - and successful - at the time. They include: the Greer, Black and Prudhomme fuel dragster - driven by Don Prudhomme, 'TV' Tommy Ivo's fuel dragster and 'TV' Tommy Ivo's four-Buick-engined "Showboat" dragster; that was the one Clyde drove to a new speed record.
