Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1963)

"Beach Party" SuUhc^ 'Rati*? O © Plus Lively musical comedy strictly for the teenage and subteen set. Good item for drive-in market. This is an item strictly for the teenage and sub-teen audience. Adults will find its nonsense and raucous musical numbers too much for them. American International wisely is rushing "Beach Party" into summer release, since it figures to get best returns in drive-ins and other teen-oriented spots. Jukebox favorites Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon warble six surf tunes (Hawaiian music in a "Twist" setting), and producers James H. Nicholson and Lou Russof have inserted plenty of surf-riding scenes. Bob Cummings and Dorothy Malone provide minor marquee value, not sufficient to exert much pull on the older audience. Executive producer Samuel Z. Arkoff has provided an attractive, if not lavish, Pathe Color and Panavision setting. William Asher's direction is fluid, especially in some lively dance numbers and in a free-for-all Mack Sennett styled finale, and he has elicited appealing performances from the youthdominated cast. Lou Russof's screenplay is lively enough, but much of the humor fails to come off and this, at times, causes the pace to drag. There are, however, a few funny jabs at motorcycle gangs, teen rumbles, beatniks, and "exploitation" movies. Les Baxter's music will garner plenty of radio and jukebox play, especially the rocking title tune and a gently swinging ballad, "Promise Him Anything." The story takes place at California's Balboa Beach where middle-aged anthropology professor Cummings and his secretary, Dorothy Malone, spy on vacationing youngsters in order to obtain material for a book that will compare them with aboriginal South Sea tribes. The professor becomes entangled with young Annette Funicello, who uses him to make boyfriend Frankie Avalon jealous. Frankie, in turn, takes up with sexy waitress Eva Six. The kids learn about the professor's book and confront him at Big Daddy's, a beatnik hangout run by Morey Amsterdam. When a motorcycle gang arrives on the scene and initiates a slapstick custard pie-throwing "rumble", no one (not even producer Nicholson in a bit role) escapes clean-faced. The brawl ends with a clarification of all misunderstandings. The professor abandons his project and decides to marry Miss Malone, and Annette and Frankie are reunited. AIP. 100 minutes. Bob Cummings, Dorothy Malone, Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Morey Amsterdam, Eva Six. Produced by James H. Nicholson and Lou Russof. Directed by William Asher. "Buddha" Overlong, superficial depiction of Hindu spiritual leader's life. Some striking spectacle, other exploitables. Hard to sell. This Japanese spectacle on the life of the Gautama Buddha, the Hindu spiritual leader, poses serious selling problems. It is overlong, the English subtitles have a comic-strip quality and the story is too superficial and cliched to interest art house patrons. Extreme brutality, sadism, rape, incest, and semi-nudity negate its educational value and make it a dubious selection for youngsters, but give this Lopert release mild exploitation value for saturation bookings on the metropolitan circuits. But the lengthy footage will be a stumbling block, but audience wordof-mouth will help — for there are miracles aplenty, human sacrifices, elephants stomping on the faithful, and, for a finale, an earthquake the likes of which Hollywood has never equalled. The Daiei production in Technicolor and Technirama was produced by Masaichi Nagata, creator of "Gate of Hell" and "Rashoman", and was filmed in Japan rather than India, the actual setting. Kenji Misumi's direction emphasizes spectacle, 1 and the photography and special-effects staffs have served him well. The screenplay by Fuji Yaho succeeds in compressing a great deal of material into the 134 minutes running time. Kojiro Hongo gives a restrained and compelling portrayal of the young prince who subsequently becomes India's spiritual leader. After his spiritual rebirth, his face is never seen. Shintaro Katsu is the evil rival who rapes the prince's wife, played by Charito Sol i s, and later schemes to destroy the Buddha. The film opens with the birth of the Prince Siddhartha, an event heralded by miracles. Twenty years later, the prince, disturbed by the brutality and suffering that exists in the world, abandons his wife and goes in search of peace. After years of meditation in a forest, he is beset by sensual maidens, sorceresses, and demons. Resisting them all, he attains spiritual enlightenment and is reborn as the Buddha. The balance of the film is concerned with short dramas that depict the influence of Buddha's teachings. Lopert. 134 minutes. Koiiro Hongo, Charito Solis, Shintaro Katsu, Machiko Kyo. Produced by Masaichi Nagata. Directed by Kenji Misumi. "Raiders of Leyte Gulf" Low-grade Philippine war meller. For minor action spots. A routine World War II guerilla melodrama, this Philippinemade entry will get by only as supporting fare in minor action houses. Stereotyped situations and inept performances will force audience attention to wander except in the occasional battle segments. The Lynro production fails to utilize its onlocation setting to advantage, placing too much emphasis on close-ups of the performers and too little on the colorful terrain. The production resembles a teleplay, and with inexperienced, locally recruited actors on the big movie screen the effect is fatal. The screenplay by Eddie Romero (who also produced and directed) and Carl Kuntze begins with newsreel shots of MacArthur's "I shall return" departure from the Philippines and then concentrates on the efforts of guerilla troops, led by Leopold Salcedo, to recapture the town of Sundan from the Japanese. An American Army officer (Michael Parsons), assigned to rescue a U. S. Intelligence officer (Jennings Sturgeon) from the Japanese garrison, gives the commandos technical advice and has a brief romance with a guerilla nurse (Liza Moreno). The first attack on the town is abortive, but this gives the Japanese commander (Efren Reyes) an excuse to threaten to excute hostages each day until the guerillas agree to surrend. He frees Sturgeons in a plan to force him to reveal Allied invasion plans. Before this can happen the guerrilas raid again, this time virtually destroying the garrison, and Sturgeon, himself fatally wounded, bayonets the Japanese commander. Hemisphere Pictures. 80 minutes. Michael Parsons, Leopold Salcedo, Jennings Sturgeon. Produced and directed by Eddie Romero. BULLETIN reviews have one aim: to give honest judgment of entertainment merit — and boxoffice value Page 14 Film BULLETIN July 22, 1943