Muscle Beach Party (1964)

49% of users liked it
(257 ratings)

The Beach Party Gang meets a coterie of muscle-men who try to take over their spot on the beach in Muscle Beach Party. Surfing sensations Frankie (Frankie Avalon) and Dee Dee (Annette Funicello) have their security threatened when Flex Martian (Rock Stevens) and a collection of well-oiled… More The Beach Party Gang meets a coterie of muscle-men who try to take over their spot on the beach in Muscle Beach Party. Surfing sensations Frankie (Frankie Avalon) and Dee Dee (Annette Funicello) have their security threatened when Flex Martian (Rock Stevens) and a collection of well-oiled weight-lifters invade their turf. While tensions heat up on the beach, wealthy contessa Julie (Luciana Paluzzi) arranges for her business manager S.Z. Matts (Buddy Hackett) to entice Flex into becoming the latest in her long line of boyfriends. Julie's feelings change when she meets Frankie, who, honored by Julie's amorous attentions, returns her affections, causing a rift not only between Dee Dee and himself, but a further collapse in relations between the surfers and the body-builders, which is assuaged only by the music of Dick Dale and the Del Tones and Little Stevie Wonder. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 34 min.
Directed By: William Asher
Genres: Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Mar 25, 1964 Wide
On DVD: Jul 10, 2007
Studio: MGM

No Critic Reviews Found…

Featured Audience Ratings

Byron B

I remember watching all of these with my parents when I was younger. This is the second in the series. Now I find it totally awful! The only reason I gave it a star more than the worst rating possible is because of Buddy Hackett, Luciana to a lesser extent, and Little Stevie… More
I remember watching all of these with my parents when I was younger. This is the second in the series. Now I find it totally awful! The only reason I gave it a star more than the worst rating possible is because of Buddy Hackett, Luciana to a lesser extent, and Little Stevie Wonder. Most of the characters, especially Don Rickles, were beyond annoying. At the opening of the movie Buddy Hackett appears to be a rich business magnate, but with his voice I just couldn't accept that. Then we find out he's an assistant to Luciana as a rich Italian Contessa, and that I can believe. I really think Buddy was the best thing about this movie! Actually I don't know why Frankie didn't go away with the Contessa instead of staying with Annette (Dee Dee). It was obvious Annette had heavy effects on her voice when she sang to make her voice bigger than it is, the audio was horribly dubbed for most of the group songs, and the Del Tones are lame. Little Stevie Wonder gives a great performance, but the camera isn't on him enough. So I recommend just watching the closing credits where Stevie performs again with early signs of his multi-instrumentalist talent, and Candy (the girl with magical powers in her hips) shakes away to the appropriate shattering conclusion.
Leo L

Hilarious!

Cast

            Frankie Avalon as Frankie

            Annette Funicello as Dee Dee

            Luciana Paluzzi as Julie

            John Ashley as Johnny

            Don Rickles as Jack Fanny

            Jody McCrea as Deadhead

            Peter Turgeon as Theodore

            Dick Dale as Himself

            Candy Johnson as Candy

            Morey Amsterdam as Cappy

            Buddy Hackett as S.Z. Matts The Rich Business Manager

            Dolores Wells as Sniffles

            Donna Loren as Donna

            Valora Noland as Animal

            Alberta Nelson as Lisa Muscle Girl

            Amedee Chabot as Floe

            Dan Haggerty as Muscle Man

            Chester Yorton as Sulk Muscle Man

            Duane Ament as Beach Boy

            The Del Tones
            
            Ed Garner as Surfer Boy

            Don Haggerty as Riff

            Luree Holmes as Beach Girl

            Mary Beth Hughes as Surfer Girl

            Darlene Lucht as Beach Girl

            Peter Lupus as Flex Martian

            Maureen O'Connor as Beach Girl

            Salli Sachse as Surfer Girl

            Larry B. Scott as Muscle Man

            Bill Graham as Surfer Boy

            Guy Hemric as Beach Boy

            Peter Lorre as Mr. Strangdour

            Mike Nader as Surfer Boy

            Gary Usher as Beach Boy

            Stevie Wonder as Himself

            Larry Shaw as Surfer Boy

            Mickey Dora as Surfer Boy

            John Fain
            
            Laura Nicholson
            
            Roger Christian as Beach Boy
See full cast