Main Cast: Vincent Price, Frankie Avalon, Dwayne Hickman, Susan Hart, Jack Mullaney
Release Year: 1965
Country: US
Run Time: 88 minutes
Plot
The great Vincent Price obviously had fun with his characterization of Dr. Goldfoot in this campy spy spoof directed by Norman Taurog. With his henchman Igor (Jack Mullaney), the demented doctor builds a machine that mass-produces an army bikini-clad babes. Goldfoot programs his vixens to seduce the wealthiest men alive and convince them to sign their fortunes over to him - thus enabling the fiendish doctor to amass tremendous wealth and take over the world. Frankie Avalon co-stars as Secret Agent Craig Gamble, who sets out to destroy the women and bring Goldfoot's plan to a screeching halt. Annette Funicello and Harvey Lembeck provide cameo appearances. Strictly for fans who loved those 1960s drive-in quickies. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
Review
Something of an ancestor of the Austin Powers movies, Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine is best appreciated by those who enjoy laughing at rather than with a movie. While it is far from the worst movie ever made, its spoof of 1960's "hipsterdom" (as filtered through the lens of a way-over-40 director), James Bond and Roger Corman movies makes it a strange bird indeed. Director Norman Taurog's decision to film this as if it were just another Jerry Lewis comedy makes a certain amount of sense when one considers that the humor in the script never rises to a higher level -- but it also makes the spoof elements of the film seem grafted on. Nevertheless, there's a certain lunatic charm to the proceedings; one can't help but smile, even when smiting one's head at how corny so much of it is. Vincent Price is in high camp form, seeming to relish the absurdity of just being involved in such a film, and enjoying the chance to poke fun at his villainous image. Dwayne Hickman and Frankie Avalon are less inspired, but Susan Hart is a delight as the lead fembot. The Supremes sound great on the ridiculous title track, and the bargain-basement fashions are extremely enjoyable. Most viewers will lose patience with Goldfoot long before it is over -- and rightfully so - but cult movie fans will want to experience it at least once. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Fred Clark - D.J. Pevney; Alberta Nelson - Reject No. 12; Milton Frome - Motorcyle Policeman; Hal Riddle - News Vendor; Kaye Elhardt - Girl in Night Club; William Baskin - Guard; Patti Chandler - Robot; Salli Sachse - Robots; Marianne Gaba - Robot; Pamela Rodgers - Robots; Sally Frei - Robot; Jan Watson - Robots; Mary Hughes - Robot; Luree Holmes - Robot; Laura Nicholson - Robot; China Lee - Robot; Deanna Lund - Robot; Leslie Summers - Robot; Arlene Charles - Robot; Vince Barnett - Janitor; Suzanna Hamilton; Aron Kincaid - Sports-Car Driver; Carey Loftin; Joe Ploski - Cook
Credit
Daniel Haller - Art Director, Jack Baker - Choreography, Norman Taurog - Director, Eve Newman - Editor, Ronald Sinclair - Editor, Les Baxter - Composer (Music Score), Al Simms - Musical Direction/Supervision, Guy Hemric - Songwriter, Jerry Styner - Songwriter, Ted Coodley - Makeup, Sam Leavitt - Cinematographer, Samuel Z. Arkoff - Producer, James H. Nicholson - Producer, Clarence I. Steensen - Set Designer, Roger George - Special Effects, Robert Kaufman - Screenwriter, Elwood Ullman - Screenwriter, James Hartford - Short Story Author
One of Goldfoot's bikini-clad female robots is played by Deanna Lund, three years before joining the cast of Irwin Allen's science fiction series Land of the Giants.
Price plays the titular mad scientist who, with the questionable assistance of his resurrected flunky Mullaney, builds a gang of female robots who are then dispatched to seduce and rob wealthy men. (Goldfoot's name reflects his and his robots' choice in footwear.) Avalon and Hickman play the bumbling heroes who attempt to thwart Goldfoot's scheme. The film's climax is an extended car–bike–cable car–boat-on-wheels chase through the streets of San Francisco.
Production
Despite its low production values, the film has achieved a certain cult status for the appearance of Price and other AIP Beach Party film alumni, its in-jokes and over-the-top sexism, the claymation title sequence designed by Art Clokey, and a title song performed by The Supremes. (The original title was "Dr. Goldfoot and His Bikini Machine", and while the title was changed to "the" rather than "his", the song still reflects the original title.)
Vincent Price stated in a 1987 interview with David Del Valle that the original script was a campmusical, comparing it to Little Shop of Horrors. Price stated, "It could have been fun, but they cut all the music out," though he is not clear whether the footage was actually shot or the idea was abandoned during production. An AIP Television special that appeared on Shindig! in November 1965 called The Wild Weird World of Dr. Goldfoot featured many songs that may have been cut from the cinema release. The title of the television show may have been inspired by the November 1965 The Incredible World of James Bond designed to give publicity to the upcoming release of Thunderball.
The film is notable for its scenic photography of San Francisco, California. The cablecar scene is filmed at the famous West Portal tunnel.
