The Beach Boys Harmonize While Kookie Stays in Orbit! Here

With its Beach front Party series thriving at the box office in 1964, American Worldwide Images (AIP) was nervous to make a film with surf music's supergroup: The Beach Boys. Brian Wilson, working with songwriting partners Roger Christian and Gary Usher, had previously contributed 6 tunes to Frankie and Annette's Muscle mass Seaside Social gathering (1964). Nevertheless, according to Marshall Crenshaw's Hollywood Rock: A Information to Rock 'n' Roll in the Videos, the Seashore Boys' AIP film offer fell apart when the studio insisted on retaining the soundtrack rights.


The Seashore Boys.

While the Seaside Boys never headlined their own film, Paramount did characteristic them later that calendar year in The Women on the Seaside. The title track, created by Wilson and done by the Seaside Boys, appeared on their sixth studio album All Summer Extended. The team also appeared in the movie, but only long enough to sing "Small Honda."

The focus on The Women on the Beach front is the Beatles--and they in no way appear in the motion picture! The premise has a trio of ladies attempting to raise $ 10,000 to help save their sorority residence. Immediately after numerous futile fundraising efforts (e.g., a bake sale, a attractiveness contest), they meet up with three guys who--trying to sound extraordinary--promises to know Paul, John, George, and Ringo. The women make a decision that a Beatles live performance is a surefire way to preserve the Alpha Beta Residence!

It's a silly plot, to be sure, but the cast is likable and the songs excellent. In addition to the Beach front Boys, Leslie Gore and the Crickets (who continued immediately after Buddy Holly's loss of life) complete jaunty tunes. Carol Connors dubs for actress Noreen Corcoran on a couple of of tunes, including the marvelously-titled "We Wanna Marry a Beatle." Connors was formerly direct singer of the Teddy Bears, who scored a enormous pop hit with "To Know Him Is To Love Him." A long time later, she co-wrote "Gonna Fly Now" from Rocky.

Kincaid and close friends.

Among the forged, the most recognizable performers are Ahna Capri, Lana Wood (Natalie's sister), and Aron Kincaid. Ahna Capri would go to gamble John Saxon's temporary enjoy fascination in Enter the Dragon. Lana Wood's most popular movie look was as A lot O'Toole in Diamonds Are Without end. Kincaid, a beach film veteran, would look in two AIP films, The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (with Deborah Walley) and  Ski Celebration (his greatest role as a campus coronary heart-throb who falls for Dwayne Hickman dressed as a girl), and Paramount's Seaside Ball.

The second fifty percent of TCM's "Spring Break" double-feature tonight, Beach front Ball stars Edd Byrnes--permanently acknowledged as Kookie from the Tv sequence 77 Sunset Strip. Significantly less charming than The Ladies on the Seashore, Beach Ball is ideal acknowledged for its outstanding musical line-up: Diana Ross and Supremes, The Four Seasons (who sing "Dawn"), the Righteous Brothers, the Hondells, and the Walker Brothers.

In between the musical figures, there's a plot about Byrnes striving to get a grant (!) so his band, The Wigglers, would not have to return to their instruments to the audio store. The greatest issue about Seashore Ball is that the plot doesn't get in the way of the songs. As well as, it's exciting viewing Byrnes striving to act tremendous cool. When a lady asks him to depart the dance ground so they can chat, he quips: "Don't bug me, little one. I'm in orbit."

Neither of these two Paramount forays into the 1960s surf musicals compares favorably with AIP's Seashore Party series (no Annette, no Eric Von Zipper!). Nonetheless, they are entertaining in a silly way and, if you happen to be a enthusiast of nineteen sixties rock-and-pop songs, it is a uncommon possibility to view some of the decade's most significant functions.