Back to the Beach
| Back to the Beach | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Lyndall Hobbs |
| Written by | Peter Krikes Steve Meerson Christopher Thompson |
| Story by | James Komach Bruce Kirschbaum Bill L. Norton |
| Produced by | Frank Mancuso, Jr. |
| Starring | Frankie Avalon Annette Funicello Lori Loughlin Connie Stevens Demian Slade |
| Cinematography | Bruce Surtees |
| Edited by | David Finter |
| Music by | Steve Dorff |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date | August 7, 1987 (U.S.) |
Running time | 92 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $13,110,903[1] |
Back to the Beach is a 1987 comedy film starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, directed by Lyndall Hobbs. The original music score is composed by Steve Dorff. The film generated a total domestic gross of $13,110,903. It received a "two thumbs up" rating from Siskel and Ebert.
The film is an open parody of the beach party movies made popular in the 1960s, especially those in which Avalon and Funicello had appeared. The plot is merely the means of connecting the various sight gags, homages and in-jokes. All character names are taken from those earlier films.
The film's soundtrack included covers of several well-known beach tunes, along with new songs by such artists as Aimee Mann and Private Domain.
Plot
Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello are husband and wife living in Ohio — far from the surf and sand of their earlier lives together. Heading to California to visit their daughter Sandi (Lori Loughlin), Frankie and Annette are appalled to learn that she has been making time with surfer Michael (Tommy Hinkley). In response, they set about to make the beach safe for fun-lovers everywhere by driving out Michael's unsavory friends.
Along the way, Frankie faces a challenge to his title from the younger surfers, and nearly ruins his marriage by dallying with Connie Stevens — one of several pop-culture icons appearing in the film, including Fishbone, Don Adams, Bob Denver, Alan Hale, Jr., Edd Byrnes, Jerry Mathers, Tony Dow, Barbara Billingsley, Dick Dale, Stevie Ray Vaughan, O.J. Simpson, and Pee-wee Herman.
In the end The Big Kahuna proves that he is the king of surfers, and his title is safe.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack for this film was released in 1987 on CBS Records (CK-40892). Track listing (key performers in parentheses):
- "Catch a Ride"
- "Pipeline" (Stevie Ray Vaughan & Dick Dale) (This track also appears on the Stevie Ray Vaughan album Solos, Sessions & Encores.)
- "Sign of Love" ('Til Tuesday & Aimee Mann)
- "Absolute Perfection"
- "Surfin' Bird" (Pee-wee Herman)
- "Sun, Sun, Sun, Sun, Sun"
- "Jamaica Ska" (Funicello & Fishbone)
- "Wipe Out"
- "California Sun" (Avalon)
- "Wooly Bully"
Another song, "We'll Go on Forever", sung by the cast, is not included on the album.
Cast
- Frankie Avalon - Annette's Husband
- Annette Funicello - Annette
- Lori Loughlin - Sandi
- Tommy Hinkley - Michael
- Demian Slade - Bobby
- Connie Stevens - Connie
- Joe Holland - Zed
- John Calvin - Troy
- David Bowe - Mountain
- Laura Urstein - Robin
- Linda Carol - Bridgette
- Dick Dale - Himself
- Stevie Ray Vaughan - Himself
- Fishbone - Themselves
- Don Adams - Harbormaster
- Barbara Billingsley - Announcer
- Edd Byrnes - Valet
- Bob Denver - Bartender
- Tony Dow - Judge #1
- Alan Hale Jr. - Bartender's Buddy
- Jerry Mathers - Judge #2
- Paul Reubens - Pee-wee Herman
Production
The film was the idea of Frankie Avalon and was in development for a number of years. Although Orion Pictures held the rights to AIP, the movie was made by a different studio (Paramount), and so had no direct links to the original beach party series. An estimated 17 writers worked on the script at a cost of $2 million.[2]
References
- ^ "Back to the Beach". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ WRITE THE WILD SURF Klady, Leonard. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 05 July 1987: K21.