Muscle Beach Party | Rotten Tomatoes

Muscle Beach Party

Released Mar 25, 1964

1 hr. 34 min.

Musical

Comedy

List

Reviews

39%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

Suntanned surfer Frankie (Frankie Avalon) and his beach baby, Dee Dee (Annette Funicello), are all set for another summer of dancing, music and fun -- until their favorite surfing spot is invaded by a slew of buff bodybuilders, led by trainer Jack Fanny (Don Rickles). When spoiled contessa Julie (Luciana Paluzzi) arrives to meet a muscle man, she spots Frankie and sets her sights on winning him instead, infuriating Dee Dee and leading to an all-out rumble between surfers and iron-pumpers.

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Audience Member

The scenes with the muscle men get tedious quickly. (Though I can't say the title didn't warn me of their presence.) And I miss the Von Zipper character (this is the only Beach Party movie he wasn't in). Everything else is a lot of fun, though. There's a running theme in the Beach Party formula whereby Frankie and Annette's characters MUST have their relationship tested. It always results in one or both of them ending up (however briefly) with someone else, while the other gets jealous. Well, THIS movie does that particular aspect of the story better than any other in the franchise. So take that for what it's worth. I especially enjoy Luciana Paluzzi in her role. (She's the sexy villainess from Thunderball.) She plays a rival for Annette and she makes even the tedious scenes watchable.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It's just as wild as all of the other beach movies with Annette funicello and Frankie Avalon. If you watch this movie, you are in for a good time and a few laughs. Every aspect of this movie screams the 60's. Buddy Hackett and Don Rickles only add to the already wild, crazy, and fun plot. I think that the songs Annette and Frankie sing in this movie are slight plagiarisms of songs like "A Boy Without A Girl" and "O Did Mio" (hit songs that Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello sang earlier in their music careers). Therefore I do not appreciate the songs that Frankie and Annette sing in this movie. However, this movie features the legendary surf rock group Dick Dale and The Del-Tones! Their music is a perfect addition to the fun atmosphere of this movie and it also makes up for the disappointing songs that Frankie and Annette sing in this movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Teen Beach Movie was one of the guiltiest pleasures I've watched so far this year, and I can definitely understand why the main character was such a fanatic of the Beach Party movies after seeing this. It's just plain dumb fun, a live-action cartoon. Not only do you have Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello being highly charismatic people having fun in the sun, it's loaded with starpower. There's a future Bond Girl, Buddy Hackett, Don Rickles, the band behind the Pulp Fiction riff, lots of beautiful people, and L'il Stevie Wonder! I will say this though. I always wondered about that dancing girl in Teen Beach Movie, and now that I've seen Candy... yeah, that's a horrifyingly iconic role. I think Elaine Benes picked up her dance moves from her. That was terrifying.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I wanted to walk out of this movie it was so bad but it was outdoors and free so just kept drinking and it didn't get better. Sometimes it's fun to see if a movie holds up to modern times, even in a campy, politically incorrect manner, this one doesn't.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

Audience Member

***Due to the recent RT changes that have basically ruined my past reviews, I am mostly only giving a rating rather than a full review.***

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Don't miss the Stevie Wonder performance, and also watch the closing credits which show Stevie again, playing bongos.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

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William Asher

Director

Frankie Avalon

Frankie

Annette Funicello

Dee Dee

Don Rickles

Jack Fanny

Luciana Paluzzi

Julie

John Ashley

Johnny

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Tim Brayton

Antagony & Ecstasy

Whatever charms Beach Party has, they are not possessed by its first sequel.

Rated: 5/10

Jul 6, 2013

Full Review

David Cornelius

Popcornworld

A good film stuck between a couple great entries in the series.

Apr 3, 2013

Full Review

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Synopsis

Suntanned surfer Frankie (Frankie Avalon) and his beach baby, Dee Dee (Annette Funicello), are all set for another summer of dancing, music and fun -- until their favorite surfing spot is invaded by a slew of buff bodybuilders, led by trainer Jack Fanny (Don Rickles). When spoiled contessa Julie (Luciana Paluzzi) arrives to meet a muscle man, she spots Frankie and sets her sights on winning him instead, infuriating Dee Dee and leading to an all-out rumble between surfers and iron-pumpers.

Director: William Asher
Executive Producer: Samuel Z. Arkoff
Screenwriter: Robert Dillon
Distributor: American International Pictures
Production Co: American Internat'l Pics
Genre: Musical, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 25, 1964, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 4, 2016

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