Annette Funicello

Frankie & Annette MGM Movie Legends Collection (Beach Blanket Bingo / How to Stuff a Wild Bikini / Beach Party / Bikini Beach / Fireball 500 / Thunder Alley / Muscle Beach Party / Ski Party)

Average customer rating:

Midnite Movies boxed up
Annette!!!

Frankie & Annette MGM Movie Legends Collection (Beach Blanket Bingo / How to Stuff a Wild Bikini / Beach Party / Bikini Beach / Fireball 500 / Thunder Alley / Muscle Beach Party / Ski Party)
Starring: Frankie Avalon , and Annette Funicello
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Esther Williams Collection (Bathing Beauty / Easy to Wed / On an Island with You / Neptune's Daughter / Dangerous When Wet)
Cult Camp Classics 1 - Sci-Fi Thrillers (Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman 1958 / Giant Behemoth / Queen of Outer Space)
Cult Camp Classics 4 - Historical Epics (The Colossus of Rhodes / Land of the Pharaohs / The Prodigal)
Lucille Ball Film Collection (Dance Girl Dance / The Big Street / Du Barry Was a Lady / Critic's Choice / Mame)
Gunsmoke - The First Season

ASIN: B000PMFRXS
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Customer Reviews:

Midnite Movies boxed up.......2007-05-26

These are the 4 Midnite Movie Double Features of AIP Beach Party films that were released a few years back. I enjoy being able to sit back and watch the surf nonsense. Eric Von Zipper is king. Shame they don't run these as afternoon flicks in the summer on WLVI in Boston. Also a shame they didn't create a double feature of Pajama Party and Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine.

The only question is if MGM ever fixed How to Stuff a Wild Bikini. The orignal release claimed it was an anamophic version of the Scope transfer, but it turned out to be the pan and scan.

Annette!!!.......2007-04-26

What can I say. I had a big crush on Annette growing up. I will definitely want this collection. Annette in a bikini!! Enough said.

Average customer rating:

absolutely necessary!
Toyland Uber Alles
Fantasy is better than what some people hope . . . MMC Presents
LOVE THIS MOVIE
Fun for the whole family!

Babes in Toyland
Starring: Ray Bolger , Tommy Sands , Annette Funicello , Ed Wynn , and Tommy Kirk
Director: Jack Donohue
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Fantasy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video

All Disney Titles | Disney Home Entertainment | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

March of the Wooden Soldiers
Darby O'Gill and the Little People
Bedknobs and Broomsticks (30th Anniversary Edition)
Summer Magic
The Gnome-Mobile

ASIN: B000065V3X
Release Date: 2002-09-03

Description

Enjoy a happy excursion into the world of Mother Goose in Walt Disney's first musical production! All roads lead to magical, merry Toyland as Mary Contrary and Tom Piper prepare for their wedding! But villainous Barnaby wants Mary for himself, so he kidnaps Tom, setting off a series of comic chases, searches, and double-crosses! The "March Of The Wooden Soldiers" helps put Barnaby in his place, and ensures a "happily ever after" for Tom and Mary! This joyful musical fantasy is a delightful experience for the whole family!

Customer Reviews:

absolutely necessary!.......2007-06-08

As a child I couldn't get enough of this film. When I learned it was availabe on dvd the first thing i did was buy it. The second thing i did was call my mother. No film could ever be as worthy of dvd status as this one! If you have children please show it to them. It is something that i hope is an essential part of childhood.

Toyland Uber Alles.......2007-05-29

If this 1961 Disney musical reminds you a bit of 1939's WIZARD OF OZ, that's hardly surprising. You got your fairy tale villages (well, Mother Goose,actually, but who's counting?): you've got spooky forests with trees that come alive and scare innocent children : and you've got Ray Bolger (this time as a bad guy, but still dancing up a storm when given a chance). There's even an Ed Wynn connection, sort of, since the lovable comedian, seen in here in a fairly small role, reportedly once rejected the title role in the '39 classic because it was "way too small." I guess, 22 years on, he had learned his lesson.

Apparently, both this version of BABES IN TOYLAND and the earlier Laurel and Hardy adaptation, took considerable liberties with the Victor Herbert stage play--to the point where you could say they were only loosely adapted on same. Since the source work is not really considered a classic itself, such revisions probably shouldn't matter much. Hollywood-izing (or "Disney-izing") classic fairy tales or children's literature is one thing, submitting a turn-of-the-century operetta to the the same treatment should not upset purists too much.

It is interesting to note, however, that by 1961, the thrust of the storyline had switched from a scheming uncle trying to rob children of their inheritance, to a Snidely Whiplash type villain out to force the beautiful, innocent young Mary (who despite her name and her cockle-shell full garden is anything but "contrary"--in general anyway , although she lets her contempt for the villain, Barnaby, show) into marriage so that he rob her of HER inheritance (and presumably other things as well). Of course to do so, he must dispatch her handsome young fiance, Tom Piper, which proves to be no easy task, after all, especially when the sole help this arch-villain can enlist are a couple of bumbling refugees from the old ZORRO TV series.

The fact that the Disney folks were thinking that older-teen style mushiness played better than little kid adventure may have been indicative of a change in the cinematic Zeitgeist--we're on the verge of the swingin' 60s after all--or maybe it just had to do with the fact that Annette was a hot Disney property at the time and they needed a plotline that would focus on her and NOT on the cute little kids (all supposed to be her younger siblings, it would appear). In fact the screen emphasis on Annette and beau Tom Piper (Tommy Sands) is so great that aside from Ann Jillian (billed here as "Ann Jilliann") as Bo Peep, it's not even clear who the other kids are supposed to be. Perennial Disney favorite, Kevin Corcoran, is listed as Boy Blue in the credits. Who knew? He doesn't even get to blow his horn.

So it's a kids' movie in which the actual kid actors get short shrift and little screen time. Well, of course, Judy Garland was already an adolescent herself by the time she played Dorothy. Annette is a bit older than that: I believe she's about 20 here, and while she in no way possesses the vocal power and acting chops of a young Garland, she certainly projects the girl-next-door charm that had become her trademark by this time. Tommy Sands actually does have the smooth good looks and even smoother vocal style of a potential musical star, but he was born a bit too late for that genre's heyday. This was to be his sole musical, unfortunately for him: and his regular job as a teenage idol endured about as long as his real-life marriage to Nancy Sinatra. All in all, kind of a shame.

I was fascinated to learn (from a previous reviewer) that Disney himself had wanted to make a quality musical and was actually quite unsatisfied with this film. He did manage to achieve that goal just four years later with MARY POPPINS. As for BABES IN TOYLAND itself, it ain't half bad. The musical numbers, many of which really were from the Victor Herbert operetta, are entertaining. The choreography is pretty good (although the dance numbers could have been SHOT better). The stop motion animation is pretty effective in the toy soldier battle scenes. And the cast is quite good (and let me throw in a mention for Tommy Kirk as well, another appealing Disney regular of the era, who would soon be blackballed by the company for proving to be relatively uncloseted in his personal life).

Kids, who aren't too jaded by contemporary special-effects-laden fare, should enjoy the film. The dialog and some of the lyrics are just sophisticated enough to give the adults something to savor as well (yes, they did that back then too: they just didn't have to ANNOUNCE it by giving all the wisecracks to a hip comedian like Robin Williams or Eddie Murphy). All in all, not bad.

Fantasy is better than what some people hope . . . MMC Presents.......2007-05-14

Growing up is a difficult thing to do for some of us. And we all understand love in different ways. Mother Goose introduces this film, and I am reminded that I was in the minds of those who made the movie as well as everyone else. Tom and Mary "loves" us all. And so we find out who is the boss after all, hee hee. Babes in Toyland is a wonderful movie. It does not go stale over the years because of the vast array of characters who we can identify with over the years. I saw this film when it first was released. The only thing I remembered was the talking trees. This act happened when my mother gave me an ice cream sandwich. The second time I saw the film was when Walt Disney presented it on The Wonderful World of Disney. The Disney presentation has so many extras from the vault . . . At Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party; the march of the wooden army men brought back joyful memories. And then I saw the DVD this year, 2007. To me, I heard the words, and my eyes opened to a new understanding of this expanded and entertaining version of a Mickey Mouse Club presentation.

LOVE THIS MOVIE.......2007-04-16

I remember watching this movie when I was going up I love it. Its a Disney movie and I love all old Disney movies.

Fun for the whole family!.......2007-01-30

This movie is a wholesome delight! Where good triumphs over evil. Where lessons are taught and morals are learned. The beautiful music and the enchanting costumes will keep you and your family pleasently entertained. This movie is a true classic one that should be enjoyed by familys for many years to come.

Walt Disney Treasures - The Mickey Mouse Club Featuring the Hardy Boys

Average customer rating:

Making Memories After 50 Years
The Hardy Boys at their best!!!
Back to the good old days
Hardy Boys DVD
A Quintessential piece of 50's Americana

Walt Disney Treasures - The Mickey Mouse Club Featuring the Hardy Boys
Starring: Margene Storey , Sharon Baird , Judy Harriet , Darlene Gillespie , and Ruth Carrell
Director: Sidney Miller , and Charles F. Haas
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

All Disney Titles | Disney Home Entertainment | Stores | DVD | Video

Walt Disney Treasures | Disney Home Entertainment | Stores | DVD | Video

( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Children's Music | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Walt Disney Treasures - Your Host, Walt Disney
Walt Disney Treasures - The Complete Pluto, Volume Two
Walt Disney Treasures - More Silly Symphonies (1929-1938)
Walt Disney Legacy Collection - True Life Adventures, Vol. 1
Walt Disney Legacy Collection - True Life Adventures, Vol. 2

ASIN: B000ICM5S0
Release Date: 2006-12-19

Amazon.com

From the moment Thurl Ravenscroft intoned, "Gold doubloons and pieces of eight/ Handed down to Applegate," "The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure" became one of the best-loved serials on the The Mickey Mouse Club, second only to "The Adventures of Spin and Marty." Gifted young actors Tim Considine and Tommy Kirk make a believable pair of adolescent sleuths: Frank and Joe Hardy want to follow in the footsteps of their father, private detective Fenton Hardy. Summer vacation in the little town of Bayport seems boring until Frank and Joe run into Perry Robinson, a new kid in their neighborhood, who them leads into the search for the long-lost pirate treasure of local eccentric Silas Applegate. There's plenty of low-key daring-do, suitably sinister villains, misread clues, and wholesome comedy to keep young children (or grandchildren) occupied while Baby Boomers delight in recalling how they enjoyed the adventure in the mid-'50s.

The extras include the entire Mickey Mouse Club show from Oct. 1, 1956, when Considine and Kirk presented a preview of the new serial, and a short feature on how the Disney crew adapted the popular boys' books to television. Host Leonard Maltin conducts an agreeable interview with a disconcertingly aged Considine and Kirk. This Disney Treasure is a must-have for viewers who grew up during the '50s--or younger audiences who want discover the answer to the question, "Now where are those gold doubloons and pieces of eight?" (Rated G, suitable for ages 5 and older: mild violence) --Charles Solomon

Description

THE MICKEY MOUSE CLUB'S magical mix of entertainment was so captivating to television's first generation of children, watching it became a daily ritual. And so the first day of the show's second season, millions thrilled to the debut of a new adventure series, THE HARDY BOYS: THE MYSTERY OF THE APPLEGATE Treasure. All the cliff-hanging suspense unfolds right here, including the entire MICKEY MOUSE CLUB episode that introduced the series. Plus, you'll get clued in to the truth behind the novels' author Franklin W. Dixon, and you'll witness the reunion of Tim Considine (Frank Hardy) and Tommy Kirk (Joe Hardy) at the scene of the crime -- Stage 2 at the Disney Studio.

Customer Reviews:

Making Memories After 50 Years.......2007-06-21

My two sons and I just finished watching my Father's Day gift - Disney's Hardy Boys DVD. They were thrilled with it - covering their eyes during exciting/scary moments, laughing at the jokes, singing along to the infectious theme song.
I love the fact that my boys - ages 6 and 7 - can get so much enjoyment out of a 50-year-old TV serial. With all the Spongebob, Drake & Josh and other modern kids' shows they watch, it pleases me that they can appreciate "classic" shows from decades past. This includes shows from my youth - Scooby Doo, et. al. - as well as stuff that predates me - Huckleberry Hound, Johnny Quest, Casper the Ghost and, now, The Hardy Boys.
As soon as it was over, they asked if there were any other Mickey Mouse Club serials we could get. The Spin and Marty DVD will probably be an upcoming birthday or Christmas gift.
Bottom line, this is a great, fun, wholesome show that most elementary age boys will love - and maybe some moms & dads too.

The Hardy Boys at their best!!!.......2007-06-10

Simply the best Hardy Boys on the screen ever. I can't wait for the second epiosode set.

Back to the good old days.......2007-05-09

Baby boomers who remember rushing home every day to watch the Mickey Mouse Club and the latest installment of "The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure" will find this a real nostalgia trip. I don't know how well it will pass muster with today's kids, but this 50-something was surprised at how well the episodes hold up. Back then, I had a huge crush on Carol Ann Campbell, who played the Hardys' neighbor Iola Morton. Now that I see her again, I remember why. Wonder what ever happened to her?

Hardy Boys DVD.......2007-05-07

I have the Spin and Marty series and just bought the Hardy Boys series. I hope Disney releases more of these series.

A Quintessential piece of 50's Americana.......2007-04-20

The years that this serial appeared on the Mickey Mouse Club --- 1956 and 1957 --- have often been described as the last innocent years of the Baby Boom. Atomic energy was still our friend, Korea was over and Vietnam had not yet started; the space race was about to begin, and Ford offered us two classics: the Fairlane and the T-bird. Considine and Kirk gave us relatable performances as Frank and Joe Hardy. Despite an obviously limited budget, the show was well-crafted and holds up in back-to-back viewing (as host Leonard Maltin acknowledges). A flood of memories came back to me when watching this (I hadn't seen the Disney Hardy Boys since their original air dates), and yet more than nostalgia compelled me to smile. This was classic work from the Disney studios, all the more amazing since it was mostly shot on enclosed sets! The extra features are a little skimpy, but the interview with Considine and Kirk as they are today, almost makes up for that. This will sit proudly on my shelf next to Spin and Marty. Now let's hope the Annette and the second Spin and Marty aren't far behind, along with "Ghost Farm."

Average customer rating:

A GREAT Classic!
SOME THINGS LIVE FOREVER...
Good,but not my cup of tea.
Not Quite up to the Originals...
It is a masterpiece of post-modernism!

Back to the Beach
Starring: Frankie Avalon , Annette Funicello , Lori Loughlin , Tommy Hinkley , and Demian Slade
Director: Lyndall Hobbs
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Satire | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Comedy | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Beach Party/Bikini Beach
Beach Blanket Bingo / How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (Midnite Movies Double Feature)
Muscle Beach Party/Ski Party
Ride the Wild Surf [Region 99]
The Complete Gidget Collection (Gidget / Gidget Goes Hawaiian / Gidget Goes to Rome) [Region 99]

ASIN: B0001O3W3W
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Amazon.com

Is Back to the Beach a masterpiece of postmodernism? Or just a slaphappy hoot? Hey, why can't it be both? Either way, this is a zippy tribute to/spoof of the 1960s Beach Party pictures. Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, landlocked in the Midwest since their surfing days, return to the California sun with their wild kids. There are mucho gags about the earlier films (including Frankie on a surfboard in front of a cheesy rear-projection wave), and cameos (much of the Leave It to Beaver cast, surf-guitar king Dick Dale). Pee-wee Herman sails in to perform "Surfin' Bird," and Annette teaches a thousand people "The Jamaican Ska." All that's missing is Erich von Zipper. This is a genuinely smart and funny movie, although it helps to know the original films, so you can savor the moment a beach boy gazes at Annette and marvels, "After all that surfing, her hair's perfectly dry!" --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

A GREAT Classic!.......2006-11-03

I watched this as a young child and I still enjoy this movie to this day! Back to the Beach is a wonderful film loaded with several great beach hits that will have you rocking!

SOME THINGS LIVE FOREVER..........2006-10-05

A classic. Perhaps my favorite movie of all time. Delightful and silly, with fun & lovable characters, a few surprising cameos (OJ!), and a solid soundtrack with plenty of feel-good tunes. SRV and Dick Dale jam together on "Pipeline." Now THAT is cool.

Good,but not my cup of tea........2006-07-12

I usually don,t like beach movies,not being a fan of 60,s movies,but it was actually pretty good for a beach movie. I would recommend it to "non-beach movie" people.

Not Quite up to the Originals..........2006-06-24

This was mildly cute, but, not even close to the humor of the originals, and, didn't even quite follow as a "whatever happened to?" of the characters from the Beach Party movies. First off, Annette's name in the Beach Party movies was Dee Dee (although, Frankie was still Frankie.) This was really a spoof of a spoof, y'know? Because, the beach movies were campy as get out to start with, but, they had an adorable quality to them, and a specific formula: Frankie does something stupid, Dee Dee gets mad. They flirt with other people to make each-other insanely jealous. They make up. (Yes, this happened here, too, but... meh.) And, where was Dead-Head, Animal, Candy, the Von Zipper Gang, for pity's sake? And, what was with Pee Wee Herman??? While the beach movies were made long before I was born, I still grew up watching them on the old movie channels and loved them. This I thought would be great, a "what happened to?". It, however, was a severe disappointment.

It is a masterpiece of post-modernism!.......2005-10-28

Gosh, I love this movie. It was my personal candidate for movie of the year when it came out in 1987. If postmodernism--nicely described by Umberto Eco as the "ironic discovery of the past" or words to that effect--can be absolute pure unadulterated pleasure, this is it. The underlying concept--that the Franklie / Annette beach had not changed an iota since they left--has to be one of the great pop movie ideas of all time. The whole film is beyond criticism--everyone is, quite simply, perfection.

For a really, shall we say, enjoyable double feature, couple this with Psycho Beach Party.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful movie - lousy DVD production
It's Psychedelic! It's the Monkees!
The groundwork for "Easy Rider"
HEAD OF THE CLASS
weird but it grows on you

The Monkees - Head
Starring: William Bagdad , Timothy Carey , Carol Doda , Micky Dolenz , and June Fairchild
Director: Bob Rafelson
Manufacturer: Rhino Theatrical
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Satire | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Cult Movies | Genres | DVD | Video

Psychedelic | Cult Movies | Genres | DVD | Video

World War II | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

The Monkees - Our Favorite Episodes
The Monkees: Season 1
The Monkees: Season 2
Head (1968 Film)
The Monkees: The Day-By-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation

ASIN: 6305038694
Release Date: 1998-07-21

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful movie - lousy DVD production.......2007-06-22

The trailers are wonderful. The menus are decent - better than some of the ones they've done for MST3K discs then or since. But there are so many things wrong with this issue it makes everyday without a "double-dip" a shame.

Even when this DVD was issued "pan and scan" was a dirty word. This DVD actually brags that it's going cut the picture off on either side so that your aren't traumazied by seeing (gasp) BLACK BARS AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN! I guess having half of Dolenz's face cut out of the picture during "Circle Sky" is worth it to some people. I consider it unforgivable (and not just because he's my favorite Monkee).

Rhino then proceeds to give us chapter stops based on the songs and the celebrity cameos - but none having to do with the actual storyline of the movie. As if to say you couldn't possibly be watching this because you're interested in seeing The Monkees or the work that they did on this film.

Head is known among some of us First Generation Fans as "The Monkee Suicide Festival". It is a highly symbolic auto-biography/commentary on their lives since the TV show and the times. Micky's physical "suicide" is followed by a military suicide mission. They go in front of an audience to be torn apart. Davy commits artistic suicide by giving up the violin to go into the ring (TV?) for the money. Peter commits a suicide of his personal ethics by hitting a woman for a scene. Mike commits social suicide by telling people what he really thinks - especially about Xmas.

And then there's all the bits about their real lives while making the TV series - the search for Davy (when he had to go underground to avoid being drafted), the "Stop" telegram, the issues with the studio commissary...I'm still finding things in this movie after all these years.

The guys themselves have varying opinions of this movie. I think it's proof that you can unknowingly create a (modest) work of art.

Rhino needs to turn this film over to whoever produced the DVD sets of the TV series for them. Do an anamorphic transfer of the film. Round up the guys (seperately at this point would probably be best), Raefelson, a movie historian, a Monkees historian...maybe even Jack Nicholson would do it for a laugh....for commentary tracks. Put it in a plactic case.

Something you rarely hear from the public but...."Double-dip" this movie!!!! PLEASE!!!

It's Psychedelic! It's the Monkees!.......2007-06-17

The Monkees television show was terminated at the end of its second season. The reasons are complex, but one reason was that the Monkees, Peter Tork, Michael Nesmith, Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz, were dissatisfied with the format of the television show and they wanted to appeal to a more adult audience. Once the television show ended, the Monkees decided to declare their freedom with a movie, which eventually was called "Head."

The movie has no opening credits and no plot. Some have called the movie a visual "stream of consciousness." Others have called it psychedelic, anti-war, and anti-commercialism. In fact, the movie is all of the above as well as a uniquely artistic film. Elements of "Head" can be seen in some later films; perhaps most notably in the Mel Brooks film "Blazing Saddles."

The movie is free-form movie-making, with writer Jack Nicholson and director Bob Rafaelson tying together vignettes focusing on key images and concepts throughout the film. Some of the concepts are quite complex. The box seen in several places in the film represents the room built for the boys at the studio, but also represents the trap the boys felt they were in while making the Monkees television show. In another aspect, the box also represents the constraints of commercialism and being pigeon-holed by fans.

There are several songs used in this movie that count as some of the best ever made by The Monkees. "The Porpoise Song" is easily one of the best Monkees songs recorded. The live version of "Circle Sky" is another winner. Other good songs include "Can You Dig It" and "Do I Have to Do this All Over Again." There are some weak songs as well, and the soundtrack for this movie is definitely a mixed bag of quality.

Another interesting feature of this film is the cameos. Actor Annette Funicello, boxer Sonny Liston, Actor Vitto Scotti, football star Ray Nitschke, famed musician Frank Zappa, actor Teri Garr, and actor Victor Mature all made appearances. Jack Nicholson can be seen briefly in one scene. Gossip queen Rona Barrett appears. Toni Basil performs as a dancer. The list of cameos includes many more well known individuals.

This movie also contains a strong link to another ground-breaking film, "Easy Rider." Many of the people involved in the making of this movie participated in "Easy Rider" the following year, and the gold helmet used in that film came from this movie.

The question that one must inevitably face in any review is who will like this film and who will not. The people who will like this film fall into two groups. People who considered the Monkees a serious group and empathized with their desires to break out of the cookie cutter mold created by television will enjoy this film. Students of cinematography and avant-garde film techniques will see a rare example of a studio produced experimental film. Those students will also immediately see the inspiration for later films. Fans of the Monkees television show have had differing opinions about this movie. I was a fan of the show and I enjoyed the movie. However, others have felt that the movie is worthless. If you like experimentation and you enjoy psychedelic movies from the late 1960's, particularly if you ever liked The Monkees, you might wish to give this film a try.

The Monkees were a cultural phenomenon. The group was originally meant to capitalize on the success of the Beatles, but they ended up being much more. The four boys of the Monkees showed that just because they were chosen to be on a comedy show, they still had talent and they had an incredible amount of influence. The Monkees refused to be placed in a niche by television, even if it meant that they gave up an award-winning and successful television show to do so.

"Head" remains a unique film that would be impossible to imagine making today. We are fortunate that The Monkees were able to stay with this project long enough to see it made, and more fortunate that Jack Nicholson and many of the other people involved in the film were sufficiently enthused about the film to keep working on it even though several of the key individuals involved lost interest while it was being made. Though not for everyone, this film is special and belongs on the extremely short list of influential, experimental rock films.

Enjoy!

The groundwork for "Easy Rider" .......2007-05-06

To me this movie is prob. one of the most important films of all time, much like "Finian's Rainbow" is because it brought Coppola and Lucas together...this brought Rafelson and Nicholson together to make "Easy Rider". Add Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper into the mix (Hopper can be seen in this film), who had been working in the same studio Jack Nicholson had been working with for years.

As a commentary on the media in how it distorts reality, it is interesting and ahead of its time. It is sketch comedy similar to Monty Python although not as good. Put in the hands of Albert Brooks, Terry Gilliam or Robert Altman, this film would've gone in a whole other direction.

This really warrants commentary tracks from Nicholson and all the Monkees as well as a "making of".

It's a quirky, avant-garde, trippy, stoner midnight movie, and a pop group like The Monkees had no business doing it, it's extremely dark and full of black humor, but some AWESOME songs came out of the soundtrack.

The football helmet that Peter wears is the same one Jack is wearing in "Easy Rider".

HEAD OF THE CLASS.......2007-03-19

I found HEAD to be a great movie, great 60's music and very funny on top of that. The movie makes great fun of Hollywood movies of the time especially the war, western and spy genres (like Matt Helm and 007). Would definitely recommend this one. Thoroughly enjoyed it.....

weird but it grows on you.......2007-02-27

Last night, being the insomniac that I am, I watched the movie HEAD which was on late night cable T.V. for the third time in the past couple of months. The first couple of times I saw it, I hated it, 'cause it seemed to me to be a bit over the top, with no plot, no direction, and went against the grain of everything I remembered about the Monkees television show when I was kid. But the more I see it, the more I realize that at this point, the band knew it "was over", and just had a lot of fun making a movie that really didn't make any sense, there is no "message", as you would assume any "psychedelic" movie from the late 60's would have. My favorite scene is Frank Zappa standing outside with a cow, and both he and the cow have some "imporatnt" advice to give Davy Jones. This movie kind of grows on you, it is by no means Citizen Kane or the Godfather, but I like it now. It's funny in a weird way.

Beach Blanket Bingo / How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (Midnite Movies Double Feature)

Average customer rating:

Beach Movie
My copy is WIDESCREEN
Beach Blanket Bingo/ How to stuff a wild Bikini
Fun movies, incorrect labeling!
How to Stuff a Wild Bikini not w/s

Beach Blanket Bingo / How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (Midnite Movies Double Feature)
Starring: Frankie Avalon , Annette Funicello , Deborah Walley , Harvey Lembeck , and John Ashley
Director: William Asher
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Beach Party/Bikini Beach
Muscle Beach Party/Ski Party
Back to the Beach
The Complete Gidget Collection (Gidget / Gidget Goes Hawaiian / Gidget Goes to Rome) [Region 99]
Ghost Of Dragstrip Hollow/The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (Midnite Movies Double Feature)

ASIN: B0007R4T0I
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Description

BEACH BLANKET BINGO: Original Theatrical Trailer HOW TO STUFF A WILD BIKINI:

Customer Reviews:

Beach Movie.......2007-05-07

I loved being able to take a blast to the past, it would be great to have such fun. The movies were great and fun to watch. I can't wait to order more movies like this.

My copy is WIDESCREEN.......2007-04-02

I received my DVD the other day and watched both movies and enjoyed them very much. A few of the reviews here state "Wild Bikini" is full screen. My copy is WIDESCREEN as stated on the package. I don't know if they changed the format or what but BOTH of my movies are in widescreen as is shown on the dvd case.

Beach Blanket Bingo/ How to stuff a wild Bikini.......2007-03-16

Came in alittle after the rest of the order but in a decent time period. The movie was great. Fun to watch and very upbeat. Frankie Avalon is awesome.

Fun movies, incorrect labeling!.......2006-10-03

BEACH BLANKET BINGO is on one side of this DVD in Widescreen 2:35. HOW TO STUFF A WILD BIKINI is on the other side, but is in Pan and Scan, not the 2:35 listed on the packaging. However, fear not! There is a single disc release of HOW TO STUFF A WILD BIKINI which has Widescreen on one side, Pan and Scan on the other, and even though it's out of print, it shows up here at Amazon quite frequently. There is also a single disc edition of BEACH BLANKET BINGO, with P&S on one side and Widescreen on the other.

How to Stuff a Wild Bikini not w/s.......2006-09-01

FYI: On the cover of this dvd it states widescreen, only Beach Blanket Bingo is wide, presented in 2.35:1 and Wild Bikini should be the same, but it is the pan scan edition on this Midnight Movies double feature dvd.
I have the single edition of Wild Bikini and it has the choice of pan or wide.

Average customer rating:

'Beach Party / Bikini Beach' (MGM) Running time - each film: 100 minutes
Beach Party/Bikini Beach
still the "happening place to be"
THIS MOVIE HELPED ME KEEP MY SANITY IN VIETNAM
Fun Lighthearted Romps

Beach Party/Bikini Beach
Starring: Frankie Avalon , Annette Funicello , Martha Hyer , Don Rickles , and Harvey Lembeck
Director: William Asher
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Beach Blanket Bingo / How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (Midnite Movies Double Feature)
Muscle Beach Party/Ski Party
Back to the Beach
The Complete Gidget Collection (Gidget / Gidget Goes Hawaiian / Gidget Goes to Rome) [Region 99]
Ride the Wild Surf [Region 99]

ASIN: B0007R4TQW
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Customer Reviews:

'Beach Party / Bikini Beach' (MGM) Running time - each film: 100 minutes.......2007-06-11

Two back-to-back early '60's family beach movies, that I personally thought holds the harsh test of time. Meaning of course they're still fun to watch. First, there's 1963's 'Beach Party' where professor Bob Cummings studies the 'mating ritual' of teenagers. I liked the one scene where teen icon Frankie Avalon croons to "Don't Stop Now" surrounded by several hotties, with {to my suprise, the house band turns out to be surf rock pioneer Dick Dale}. A somewhat humorous movie, specially with gangster wanna-be Eric Von Zipper (Harvey Lembeck), actually this clown was my favorite character in the entire flick. Avalon and Annette Funcello are needless to say great in these two classics. Then, there's 1964's 'Bikini Beach' where Frankie plays duo roles. Wait! Is that young Stevie Wonder making a guest appearance here? A bit dated, but still wroth checking out.

Beach Party/Bikini Beach.......2007-03-06

40 years late it was a fantastic experience te watch these films. Da Cat stands out of the other on Beach Party.Along with Gidget these films were decisive for the updating of the Azorean surf culture. Bikini Beach supplied us information on skateboarding and wake (locally named JET) surfing. They are part of the beach culture of the 60s.

still the "happening place to be".......2006-06-27

rememberwhen teen movies ment the beach bikini's and song instead of sex and grim killing or gross jokes. this double blast from the past is just as much fun now as they were when i was a kid watching these on t.v. and my boys even like them! kick back and watch frankie and annette surf the curel and sing and dance but not do anything dirty. a great family double feature! check them out!!!!!!!!

THIS MOVIE HELPED ME KEEP MY SANITY IN VIETNAM.......2006-06-02

THIS DOPEY BUT FUN MOVIE FOR BABY BOOMERS HELPED KEEP ME SMILEING AND LAUGH A LITTLE ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, WHILE I SERVED IN VIETNAM. ITS FUN TO WATCH THESE VINTAGE MOVIES TO SEE HOW SIMPLE LIFE WAS BACK THEN, AND HOW YOUNG PEOPLE NEW HOW TO HAVE FUN COMPARED TO TODAY, DO YOU AGREE???

Fun Lighthearted Romps.......2006-05-29

First on the bill is the one that started the whole damn thing, Beach Party. Frankie and Annette go out to a house on the beach for vacation. Frankie is excited coz he gets Annette ALONE to do with what he pleases. This isn't the case coz Annette gets freaked out by the idea of being alone with Frankie Avalon and invites a buttload of people. You see, Annette is saving herself for marriage(what a drag, huh?). Frankie's pissed at the change of events but shifts into party mode anyhow and surfs and boogies the night away with his buddies. Surf guitar king Dick Dale is along for the ride providing a few songs. All in all he's not given much to do but wear big pirate earrings and lip synch a few tunes. He spends an awful lot of time on the bongos. Soon the jealousy game begins. Frankie hooks up with a busty blond hungarian in an attempt to get Annette jealous and...horny I guess. Also renting a house on the beach is an anthropology professor who is studying the behaviors of the teenage surf culture(he's gonna write a book comparing them to African tribes). He's also able to put people in a state of suspended animation. He befriends Annette and wants to use her to get the info he needs to talk the talk and walk the walk on the California beach. Annette may have been saving herself for marriage, but she practically gives this professor carte blanche to study her in every way possible just five minutes after meeting him!! The professor is a moral man, and continues to avoid her advances. In fact he's given so many opportunities, you might find yourself yelling at the screen after awhile, telling this schmuck to just go for it. Of course we also get the debut of Frankie's arch-nemesis, Eric Von Zipper. Von Zipper is the leader of a biker gang called The Rats and Mice. He's the typical moron villain character that always says/does the dumbest thing, gets fooled, plan backfires, gets beat up, you name it. Kind of like a live action Yosemite Sam. The climax of the film gives us a Battle Royale between Von Zipper's gang and Frankie's beach buddies. In the end, everybody becomes friends, and they dance the night away. Cool cameo from Vincent Price too.
Bikini Beach ups the zaniness a bit, but if you enjoyed Beach Party, you'll like this coz the style's the same. Frankie and Annette are back at the beach for yet another romp. Annette's still not giving up the goods(not til she's married, remember?). Almost immediately Frankie pisses her off and it's straight back to breakup/make him jealous mode. This chick obviously has alot of issues to sort out, and Frankie should really consider kicking her ass to the curb at this point. But hey, the big lug is in love. Problems arise when a newspaper publisher(played by Keenan Wynn) starts writing articles about our beach buddies, calling them juvenile delinquents and trying to get them kicked off the beach.....PERMENENTLY! He travels everywhere with his pet chimpanzee(played flawlessly and dramatically by a guy in an ape suit) who also drives his Rolls Royce. The ape's name is Clyde(sound familiar?) and his purpose is to prove that what ever activities the Delinquents do, the ape can do as well, thus proving to the world that the surfing subculture live a lifestyle on the same level as an ape. Another obstacle for Frankie is a character called "Potato Bug". Bug is a very famous mod rocker and drag racing champion from Britain. This film was made around the time of the British invasion. The Beatles' popularity and influence, as we all know, would pretty much kill surf rock's popularity. Apparently the film makers didn't think too highly of this new music from across the pond, coz the character of Potato Bug is made as annoyingly and stereotypically British as you could possibly imagine. His accent, his laugh, his teeth, his lingo; I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised if this guy wasn't an influence on Mike Myers when he created Austin Powers. Potato Bug is also played by Frankie Avalon, and very well I might add. Well naturally, this is the schmuck Annette goes for. Frankie can't take this hit to his ego and challenges Potato Bug to a drag race. Don Rickles shows up as a drag race announcer and gives Frankie a few pointers coz after all, Frankie's a surfer not a racer. Also on board to make things more interesting is none other than Eric Von Zipper. He certainly wants to throw a wrench in the plans. Cool cameos from surf greats, The Pyramids, Stevie Wonder(who must be about 12 here), and Boris Karloff.
Now, of all the films I like and watch, I get the most crap from family, friends and coworkers for liking these beach party movies. No kidding, they all put me through the wringer for these. Hey, I know they're corny, I wouldn't like them if they weren't. I just like the fantasy world they exist in. I love surf music, so that's up my alley(some of the original songs for the film are pretty bad). Who wouldn't want to live in a world where it's always sunny, there's always some chick that wants to sleep with you, no one has a job, but seemingly unlimited funds, everybody's having a good time, and aside from a clumsy schmuck like Eric Von Zipper and keeping your surfboard waxed, you have no problems and nothing to worry about. Yes, I'm here to tell the world that I do enjoy these films. It's an escapist fantasy like any other. Some folks may prefer Middle Earth, Tatooine or even Detroit. I like my Swingin' California Beach.

Average customer rating:

This Original Outshines the Remake
Shaggy Dog (Orig Version)
A Disney Classic
No such dog as a Bratislavian Sheepdog
DISNEY'S COMEDY CLASSIC "THE SHAGGY DOG"

The Shaggy Dog (Wild & Woolly Edition)
Starring: Fred MacMurray , Jean Hagen , Tommy Kirk , Annette Funicello , and Tim Considine
Director: Charles Barton
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Slapstick | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

All Disney Titles | Disney Home Entertainment | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

The Shaggy D.A.
The Absent-Minded Professor (Widescreen Edition)
Son of Flubber
That Darn Cat!
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes

ASIN: B000CR7RH0
Release Date: 2006-03-07

Amazon.com

Unlike the fly in the 1958 horror classic, they never really explain what happens to the neighbor's sheepdog when young Wilby Daniels trades places with it. The dog just vanishes, or is subsumed or assumed or something, leaving Wilby (Tommy Kirk) to explain to his dog-hating, allergic, mailman father (Fred MacMurray) that he's turned into a canine. The Shaggy Dog seems like the first instance of Disney packaging, as most of the principals were either Mouseketeers or had been in the short Disney segment Spin and Marty or a previous Disney film. As successful as The Absent Minded Professor for humor, Dog follows Wilby and a rival as they vie for the hand of the new French girl in school, and the girl next door (Annette Funicello). The exchanges with Wilby's younger brother, Moochie (Kevin Corcoran), who always wanted a family dog, are alone worth the price of the tape. Indeed the most successful element of this overall endearing film is the re-pairing of the two actors as brothers (they had done so before in 1957's Old Yeller). This is family fare that's diverting without pandering, a feat that the later Disney regime would have a difficult time re-creating. --Keith Simanton

Description

The first live action movie ever produced by Walt Disney is on DVD for the first time ever! Fred MacMurray heads an all-star cast that includes Jean Hagen, Tim Considine, Kevin Corcoran, and Annette Funicello in her big screen debut. After years of on-the-job clashes with cranky canines, mail carrier Wilson Daniels (MacMurray) sees man's best friend as his worst enemy. This makes for one hairy situation when a magical ring accidentally transforms his teenage son Wilby (Kirk) into a lumbering sheepdog! Can Wilby break the spell and foil a team of international spies, or will both he and his dad wind up in the doghouse? Packed with sidesplitting antics, slapstick chases, and hilarious sight gags, this madcap adventure will tickle the funny bone of every two- (and four-) footed member of your family!

Customer Reviews:

This Original Outshines the Remake.......2007-04-11

This film is a classic family film to be enjoyed by everyone, and the recent remake can't hold a candle to it. Fred MacMurray, Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran are at their best.

Shaggy Dog (Orig Version).......2007-03-14

This is a good clean funny Disney movie. Typical for the era it was made for and for kids. I was getting it for a small grandson as a birthday present and also ordered one for myself at the same time. Unfortunately, some of the remakes of Disney movies have not been for the very young any more which is why I prefer to get the original version. My grandson loved it and watches it repeatedly and his parents do not have to worry about a 6 year old seeing anything inappropriate for his age. At the same time adults also enjoy watching it for laughs and fun.

A Disney Classic.......2007-01-29

This Disney movie is charming and full of fun. The movie manages to pack a lot into a relatively short time, boasting at least five plots and sub-plots. Though one of the central plots involves spies, a car chase and a boat chase, the movie is quite tame and suitable for even the youngest members of the family.

Wilby Daniels, played by Disney regular Tommy Kirk, is somewhat of a geek. He experiments in his basement. His latest experiment is a missile interceptor that seems to be ready to launch though Wilby did not ignite it. Moochie Daniels, played by Kevin Corcoran, another Disney regular, is Wilby's younger brother. Disney paired Corcoran with Kirk as Kirk's younger brother in five movies. This movie was the second of the five.

Given Wilby's nerdy ways, he has a problem meeting girls. Lovely Allison d'Allessio, played by Annette Funicello, yet another Disney regular, lives close by, but Wilby struggles to ask Allison out. Wilby's supposed friend Buzz Miller, played by yet another Disney Regular Tim Considine, is a smooth operator when it comes to dating and is an even smoother operator when it comes to getting Wilby to pay for Buzz's dates.

Dad Wilson Daniels is a mailman who hates dogs. Fred McMurray, one more Disney regular, plays Wilson Daniels. Wilson suffers throughout this movie, mostly because of Wilby's activities. There is the hole in the roof, the near disaster as Wilby gets ready to hammer a lump that turns out to be Wilson's head, the talking dog that gets Wilson in trouble with the police. Poor Dad.

Though Wilby seems to be in continuous trouble, major trouble ensues when Wilby accidentally picks up a ring from a museum. Wilby reads the inscription on the ring, in canis corpore transmuto, which translates approximately as change into a dog's body. Soon Wilby sprouts fur, paws and a cold wet nose, and comedy is sure to follow.

The movie has already set up comedy because we know that Wilson Daniels dislikes dogs. Wilby is also supposed to go to a dance with Buzz, Allison, and a beautiful new neighbor. But the excitement increases when Wilby, in his dog form, overhears spies. Soon Wilby wreaks al kinds of havoc as he drives a car while still a dog. Things become even more exciting when Wilson Daniels attempts to explain to the police and then the government how he knows about a secret project. Who is going to believe anyone that a dog told them?

Some of Disney's best movies were light comedy. "The Sh