It's a Bikini World
Encyclopedia
It's a Bikini World is an American
musical
comedy film
released in 1967 starring Tommy Kirk
, Deborah Walley
and Bobby "Boris" Pickett of "Monster Mash
" fame. The film features cameos by the music groups The Gentrys
, The Animals
, Pat & Lolly Vegas, The Castaways
and R&B girl group The Toys
. Featuring a pro-feminist
plotline, this film also has the distinction of being the only movie in the beach party genre
to be directed by a woman.
This film, along with Catalina Caper
(which also starred Tommy Kirk), is among the very last of the Beach Party films. The mainstay of the once-popular genre was the series of films by American International Pictures
(AIP), starting with the surprise hit Beach Party
in 1963 and ending with The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini
(a box-office flop) in 1966.
Although AIP picked up the distribution of this film, it was not an AIP film. It was actually produced and originally distributed by Trans American Films under the title, The Girl in Daddy's Bikini. A new 35mm print with this title was screened at the American Cinematheque in Hollywood on August 1, 2009.
In the meantime, publisher Harvey Pulp (Jack Bernardi) plans to start a new magazine called “Teen Scream” and joins forces with “Daddy” (Sid Haig), car, surfboard, skateboard, etc. customizer - and the owner of the local music club, The Dungeon - to publicize the venture. Pulp and Daddy organize a series of contests, and Delilah competes against "Mike" with the encouragement of "Herbert" in various events and loses each time. However, Mike finds that he is falling in love with her. Eventually, Delilah finds out about the deception and soon the two of them compete in a final race using various vehicles.
Although unsuccessful, Trans American made an effort to copy AIP's style - both Tommy Kirk and Deborah Walley had appeared in previous AIP films - Kirk in Pajama Party
, and Walley in both Beach Blanket Bingo
and Ski Party
(both would eventually star together in an AIP film when they appeared in The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini); Bobby Pickett's character, Woody, with his goofy hats and dim wit, is a riff on the character Deadhead/Bonehead that Jody McCrea
portrayed in several of the AIP beach party films; Sid Haig
's character, Daddy, with his Kustom Kulture
design merchandise empire, is a take-off on Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, whose designs were tied to the AIP films as well (for example, Roth's trademark hat, - aka Hillbilly Crash Helmet - was worn by McCrea in a couple AIP films and Roth's Surfite custom car appears in AIP's Beach Blanket Bingo
).
The location used for Daddy's "Dungeon" in the film is the notorious Hollywood Boulevard club, “The Haunted House,” notable for its bizarre stage in the shape of a mouth of a giant fanged monster. (The club also appears as the setting for Ted V. Mikels
’ Go-Go exploitation film, Girl in Gold Boots
released a year later in 1968).
Surfboards used in the film were provided by Hobie.
," and teen garage punks The Castaways perform their hit "Liar, Liar." The Toys perform "Attack," The Gentrys (who had a hit with "Keep on Dancing") perform "Spread It On Thick", and Pat & Lolly Vegas perform "Walk On (Right Out of My Life)."
The soundtrack is by Mike Curb
and features an early Moog synthesizer
cut. The kinetic surf instrumental used over the opening and closing credits, and as a signature throughout the film, is by Bob Summers.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musical
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
released in 1967 starring Tommy Kirk
Tommy Kirk
Thomas Lee "Tommy" Kirk is a former American actor, and later a businessman.-Disney years:Kirk was discovered by talent agents at the age of thirteen in a production of Eugene O'Neill's Ah, Wilderness! at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, California...
, Deborah Walley
Deborah Walley
Deborah Walley was an American actress.-Biographical Information:Deborah Walley was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Ice Capades skating stars and choreographers Nathan and Edith Walley. She attended Central High School in Bridgeport. At fourteen she was playing summer-stock theatre. She...
and Bobby "Boris" Pickett of "Monster Mash
Monster Mash
"Monster Mash" is a 1962 novelty song and the best-known song by Bobby "Boris" Pickett. The song was released as a single on Gary S. Paxton's Garpax Records label in August 1962 along with a full-length LP called The Original Monster Mash, which contained several other monster-themed tunes...
" fame. The film features cameos by the music groups The Gentrys
The Gentrys
The Gentrys were an American band of the 1960s and early 1970s best known for their 1965 hit "Keep on Dancing"...
, The Animals
The Animals
The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London...
, Pat & Lolly Vegas, The Castaways
The Castaways
The Castaways are an American garage rock band from the Twin Cities in Minnesota.Their first and only hit single was "Liar, Liar". Written by band leader James Donna and Denny Craswell, produced by Timothy D. Kehr and released by Soma Records, it reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in...
and R&B girl group The Toys
The Toys
The Toys were an American pop girl group from Jamaica, New York, which was formed in 1961 and disbanded in 1968.-Members:The trio consisted of:* Barbara Harris sang lead most of the time....
. Featuring a pro-feminist
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
plotline, this film also has the distinction of being the only movie in the beach party genre
Beach Party film
Beach party movies were an American 1960s genre of feature films created by American International Pictures with their surprise 1963 hit, Beach Party, and copied by virtually every other studio...
to be directed by a woman.
This film, along with Catalina Caper
Catalina Caper
Catalina Caper is a 1967 comedy musical mystery film starring Tommy Kirk. It is one of the last in the beach party film genre. This entry blends the beach format with a standard crime-caper comedy...
(which also starred Tommy Kirk), is among the very last of the Beach Party films. The mainstay of the once-popular genre was the series of films by American International Pictures
American International Pictures
American International Pictures was a film production company formed in April 1956 from American Releasing Corporation by James H. Nicholson, former Sales Manager of Realart Pictures, and Samuel Z. Arkoff, an entertainment lawyer...
(AIP), starting with the surprise hit Beach Party
Beach Party
Beach Party was the first of several beach party films from American International Pictures aimed at a teen audience. It was directed by William Asher and written by Lou Rusoff. The main actors included Robert Cummings, Dorothy Malone, Frankie Avalon, and Annette Funicello...
in 1963 and ending with The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini
The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini
The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini is the seventh of the American International Pictures beach party films and was released in 1966. The entire film takes place in and around a haunted house with no beach in sight, with the teenage gang instead cavorting in and around it and the adjacent swimming...
(a box-office flop) in 1966.
Although AIP picked up the distribution of this film, it was not an AIP film. It was actually produced and originally distributed by Trans American Films under the title, The Girl in Daddy's Bikini. A new 35mm print with this title was screened at the American Cinematheque in Hollywood on August 1, 2009.
Plot
Young surfer Mike Samson (Kirk), the local beach jock, is quite the ladies man until he meets Delilah Dawes (Walley). At first, he tries to add her to his harem, but she rejects him because she finds him chauvinistic and shallow; so he disguises himself as a nerdy twin brother "Herbert".In the meantime, publisher Harvey Pulp (Jack Bernardi) plans to start a new magazine called “Teen Scream” and joins forces with “Daddy” (Sid Haig), car, surfboard, skateboard, etc. customizer - and the owner of the local music club, The Dungeon - to publicize the venture. Pulp and Daddy organize a series of contests, and Delilah competes against "Mike" with the encouragement of "Herbert" in various events and loses each time. However, Mike finds that he is falling in love with her. Eventually, Delilah finds out about the deception and soon the two of them compete in a final race using various vehicles.
Production
It's a Bikini World was shot in the Winter of 1965, but not released until Spring of 1967. That the film was shot off-season (when the beaches were less crowded, which was typical for beach party films) is noticeable from the autumn foliage and the Hollywood Boulevard Christmas decorations appearing onscreen.Although unsuccessful, Trans American made an effort to copy AIP's style - both Tommy Kirk and Deborah Walley had appeared in previous AIP films - Kirk in Pajama Party
Pajama Party
Pajama party or Sleepover may refer to:*Sleepover, an overnight party*Pajama Party, a 1964 film*Sleepover, a 2004 film*Pajama Party , an episode of Pee-wee's Playhouse...
, and Walley in both Beach Blanket Bingo
Beach Blanket Bingo
Beach Blanket Bingo is an American International Pictures beach party film, released in 1965 and was directed by William Asher. It is the fifth film in the beach party film series...
and Ski Party
Ski Party
Ski Party is a B-movie, directed by Alan Rafkin, and released in 1965 by American International Pictures. Ski Party is part of the 1960s Beach Party film genre, with a change of setting from the beach to the slopes - although the final scene places everyone back at the beach...
(both would eventually star together in an AIP film when they appeared in The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini); Bobby Pickett's character, Woody, with his goofy hats and dim wit, is a riff on the character Deadhead/Bonehead that Jody McCrea
Jody McCrea
Joel Dee "Jody" McCrea was an American film and television actor; son of veteran film actors Joel McCrea and Frances Dee, who were married from 1933 until Joel McCrea's death in 1990. The eldest of three, his brothers are David McCrea and Peter McCrea.-Career:Jody McCrea served in the United...
portrayed in several of the AIP beach party films; Sid Haig
Sid Haig
Sid Haig is a American actor. His roles have included acting in Jack Hill's blaxploitation films of the 1970s as well as his role as Captain Spaulding in Rob Zombie's horror films House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects...
's character, Daddy, with his Kustom Kulture
Kustom Kulture
"Kustom Kulture" is an American neologism used to describe the artworks, vehicles, hairstyles, and fashions of those who drove and built custom cars and motorcycles in the United States of America from the 1950s through today....
design merchandise empire, is a take-off on Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, whose designs were tied to the AIP films as well (for example, Roth's trademark hat, - aka Hillbilly Crash Helmet - was worn by McCrea in a couple AIP films and Roth's Surfite custom car appears in AIP's Beach Blanket Bingo
Beach Blanket Bingo
Beach Blanket Bingo is an American International Pictures beach party film, released in 1965 and was directed by William Asher. It is the fifth film in the beach party film series...
).
The location used for Daddy's "Dungeon" in the film is the notorious Hollywood Boulevard club, “The Haunted House,” notable for its bizarre stage in the shape of a mouth of a giant fanged monster. (The club also appears as the setting for Ted V. Mikels
Ted V. Mikels
Ted V. Mikels is an American filmmaker of independent cult films. Mikels was also known for his home life, as he once lived with a harem in a Glendale, California castle that contained secret passageways....
’ Go-Go exploitation film, Girl in Gold Boots
Girl in Gold Boots
Girl in Gold Boots is a 1968 crime/drama film about the seedy underworld of Go-Go dancing, directed by Ted V. Mikels, who also directed The Astro-Zombies.- Summary :...
released a year later in 1968).
Surfboards used in the film were provided by Hobie.
Music
The Animals perform their hit "We Gotta Get out of This PlaceWe Gotta Get out of This Place
"We Gotta Get out of This Place", occasionally written "We've Gotta Get out of This Place", is a rock song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and recorded as a 1965 hit single by The Animals...
," and teen garage punks The Castaways perform their hit "Liar, Liar." The Toys perform "Attack," The Gentrys (who had a hit with "Keep on Dancing") perform "Spread It On Thick", and Pat & Lolly Vegas perform "Walk On (Right Out of My Life)."
The soundtrack is by Mike Curb
Mike Curb
Michael Curb is an American musician, record company executive, NASCAR and IRL race car owner. A Republican, he served as the 42nd Lieutenant Governor of California from 1979-1983 under Democratic Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr...
and features an early Moog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
cut. The kinetic surf instrumental used over the opening and closing credits, and as a signature throughout the film, is by Bob Summers.