Released July 14,
1965
Available on
video? yes, currently being commercially distributed by
MGM to the home video market. Available in VHS as part of the
"Midnite Movie" series (now out of production, but
inventory is still out there) or general MGM series
DVD.
Synopsis: an ad agency promoting a motorcycle race tries to take
advantage of the surfers. This is complicated by Frankie
(who is away overseas) getting a Witch Doctor to cast a spell to
keep the boys away from Dee Dee, as well as cycle gang
leader Eric Von Zipper attempting to change his image.
The musical high
water mark of the series
How so?
Well, here we find Baxter and his
contracted writers actually composing “book numbers,” e.g. real
musical comedy ensemble pieces, ones that specifically carry the
storyline forward and often act as substitutes for script
lines. As a result, the
difference between what is experienced here vs. the earlier films is
striking. No longer a “theme with some music” series, the
sixth movie clearly becomes a true musical. As
such, it's jam packed with song, eleven full numbers in total
(including one instrumental), more than any of the other six films.
The "true musical" element is also
evidenced by the fact that for the first time, a Beach Party film
contains few storyline-unrelated “spotlight” numbers. Donna
Loren -- and all those red and white Dr Pepper bottles – have
disappeared, and the guest band – the Kingsmen this time around
-- get to play only one "stand alone" piece. Other than that and an Annette
dance piece solo, every other song you hear in this film is
script related and sung by characters, usually in
ensembles.
The change in direction is also
reflected in casting.
The principal guest star this time around is Mickey Rooney,
who was brought in not just for his comedic abilities but also
because of experience in musical roles (gone are the likes of
Don Rickles, Paul Lynde and Keenan Wynn, who were all entertaining
but were not song and dance types).
All this re-engineering wasn’t based
simply on a desire to improve; it was also driven by some
desperation.
For the series was in trouble.
While Beach Blanket
Bingo
had done satisfactorily at the box office, receipts for it were
below its predecessors (the market success of this theme had in
fact peaked a year earlier with Bikini
Beach.) The trend sensitive
management of AIP knew why; the core premise of their franchise
was weakening, as surfing was starting to be
supplanted by other fads, particularly motorcycling (less than two
years later, AIP would be making films like "The Wild
Angels.") Notably,
How To Stuff A Wild Bikini displays a sudden new
interest in motorcycles; in fact Annette's romantic interest, Dywane
Hickman is scripted as an avid cyclist.
Therefore the “tightening
up” of the music may have also been an attempt to refurbish the
tiring theme.
Perceiving that audiences were no longer impressed with the
mere presence of dancing kids and twangy music, Les Baxter may have
felt what was needed was a more synthesized, “polished” musical
production. If “The
Sound of Music” (a contemporary to these movies) could break box
office records with corny scripted song and dance, why couldn’t AIP
do the poor man’s pop version?
Some things did remain the same,
however: lots of pretty bodies wearing as little as possible, a
silly script and depending on Annette as the musical heavy
lifter. Here she sings
two solo numbers and a duet (a split screen one including Frankie;
he’s in extensive cameo mode here). Moving up in
importance is Harvey Lembeck; his character and screen time are
significantly enlarged here, as he and his Ratz/Mice gang get two
major musical numbers. 
Footnote: Annette states this was her
least favorite Beach Party movie, due to both the general absence of
Avalon (a close
friend she truly enjoyed working with) and the fact that during
shooting she was three months pregnant with Gina, her first child
(hence her attire in the film consists solely of baggy blouses and
poncho-style cover ups, no bathing suits or filmy nightgowns this
time). Despite all that, her performance here is as perky and
positive as ever. More
evidence to suggest what a trooper the lady
was.
The
Score of How To Stuff A Wild
Bikini
Annette and first husband
Jack
Gildari with Gina, October
1966
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