Beach-front frivolities

Press, 26 January 1988, Page 30

Beach-front frivolities

Three 1965 films that reflect the era’s preoccupation with beach-front frivolity are on release from R.C.A.-Columbia-Hoyts. Orion Pictures has dusted off these titles from the days of Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, who have both returned to the public eye with the film by Australian director Lyndall Hobbs, "Back to the Beach.” The films are all light on story, simply vehicles for fun. Avalon was 26 when these films were made. “Sergeant Deadhead” stars Avalon as an acci-dent-prone soldier posted to a sensitive missile base, where he manages to accidentally explode a rocket. Even when he is thrown into the guardhouse he is still capable of causing havoc. A kidnapping sees the hapless sergeant take refuge inside a missile. When he gets himself launched into orbit, a dramatic personality change takes place. “Sergeant Deadhead” also stars Cesar Romero, Gale Gordon and Buster Keaton in a guest role.

“How to Stuff a Wild Bikini” stars Avalon as well as Annette Funicello, then 23, one of the best remembered stars of the Disney studio’s “Mickey Mouse Club” television show. Buster Keaton and Mickey Rooney make appearances among the young stars. The story concerns the Beach Party Gang being enlisted to help in a farcical advertising stunt. The stunt is foiled by the evil Eric Von Zipper, and a mysterious girl, Cassandra, somehow turns into a witchdoctor (Keaton). Avalon and Dwayne Hickman are joined by the horror-movie veteran Vincent Price in “Dr Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine.” Price plays the evil and inventive doctor, who has a plan for acquiring a vast fortune by ensnaring a dozen of the world’s wealthiest men in traps baited with beautiful, lifelike women robots manufactured in his laboratory. Let’s face it, that scenario is only as implausible as horror classics such as “Frankenstein.” And they take themselves seriously. . —D.C.