Movie Reviews
MOVIE REVIEWS
CLYDE EARL
"HOW TO STUFF A WILD BIKINI"
BY THE TIME you read this, a new movie with the marquee-busting title of “How To Stuff A Wild Bikini” will be playing at your local theater. This is the fifth in a group of films slanted at America s teen market, each one incorporating some “in” sport such as surfing, drag racing, sky diving, and now motorcycling.
The first few minutes are devoted to plot. From then on it’s everybody for himself! The beach gang, as usual, is enjoying whatever musical craze happens to be in favor at the present, when who should ride up on his motorcycle but Mickey Rooney wearing a derby hat and a business suit. He announces to the scantily clad group that he is looking for the Girl and Boy Next Door to change the image of motorcycling. Rooney, as “Peachy Keane,” has a friend called Rickey, played by Dwayne Hickman, who just happens to be a “good guy” motorcycle rider. Into this slightly far out milieu enter the “bad guys” Eric Von Zipper and his gang, the Rat Pack, who, upon seeing who the good guys have picked as the girl next door, decide to change their image too!
The scene shifts from the surf to a spot well known to Southern California riders, Corriganville. The Girl and Boy Next Door Contest will he decided by a cross country race consisting of couples on motorcycles. Of course Von Zipper, played by the expert comedian Harvey Lembeck, must resort to all kinds of evil things to harass the good guys, such as changing road signs, oil slicks, dead end bridges, etc. To stage this comic race the producers hired California’s all around motorcycle champion, Bud Ekins. Earlier in the picture, Bud shows some of the form which has made him the old pro of racing. Doubling for Dwayne Hickman, Bud leaps and jumps a Triumph TR-6 over the hills and dales of Malibu Canyon in his effortless style.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, a corps of veteran stunt men prepare for the big race. In this group are such well known artists as Carey Loftin, Bill Hickman, Bob Harris and Dude Criswell. The race starts with a bang, and some excellent shots taken from a helicopter give the viewer an overall view of Corriganvillc. The stunts are well paced and move along at a fast clip. One highlight is the leap of three riders on one bike from a high boulder into a lake. While most of the film falls into a standard pattern, the motorcycle scenes are well done and lift the picture out of the “what was the name of that movie we saw last night” class.
Some people will say that motorcycles are degraded by this type of picture. It is true in somerespects, but Hollywood has yet to be convinced that all motorcycle riders are not somewhat wild. The producers did go into quite a bit of research on motorcycling and have expressed surprise at the improvement of the public image of our sport. The movie is colorful, timely, and in keeping with the others in the series, is well mounted with good photography and sound.
One of Hollywood’s all time greats, Buster Keaton, has a part in the picture as a witch doctor. And for the teens Annette Funicello gives one of her standard performances as DecDee. Other cast members include Brian Donlevy, and Beverly Adams as the inhabitant of the wild bikini. •
"How To Stuff A Wild Bikini” was directed by William Asher in color and Panavision® for American International Pictures. Running time, 93 minutes.
