Back to the Beach (1987) Reviews

• Frankie and Annette get back to their home turf

  cb7952004-07-03

  For those of us who grew up on Beach Party movies, this is a fun revisiting of the genre. Done as a combination homage/spoof to these early/mid 60's drive-in specials, the movie reunites some of the principle players and revisits the myth of California as Shangri-La. Annette, Frankie, Connie and dozens of guests in cameo roles gently rib the genre and themselves. As usual, Annette and Frankie have some difference of opinions and go off in different directions--even though they have been married for 20 years. Their plots to make each other jealous and the ultimate reconciliation are no surprise, but still make for a pleasant 90 minutes. Annette and Connie are as lovely as ever. The villains are redeemed in the end and, of course, the "Big Kahuna" overcomes his anxiety and wins the surfing competition(even though he has not been on a board in over 20 years)..

• tremendous watchability

  ljarsonbeck-12004-11-08

  If you've been to film school or honestly believe black and white film noir somehow has the edge on all other genres then cease reading and go back to your bongo, beret and pretentious clover cigarettes because you will never understand how much fun this film is. Take the icon duo of Frankie and Annette put them in a parody of their own genre add a half dozen cameos from some of the most memorable characters 60's T.V. had to offer add some great casting especially the role of Bobby (Demian Slade) and you have Back to the Beach. Frankie is an over worked car dealer Annette is an overly optimistic housewife- they opt to take a trip to Hawaii stopping along the way in L.A. to visit their eldest daughter who happens to live on the very beach they once romped as teens. Did I mention their son Bobby (an ashamed to be Frankie and Annettes son donning punk garb and attitude) tags along creating the punchiest of the punchlines and the films narration. There on the beach Frankie finds his daughter dating a surfer and an old flame "losing" Annette in the process while ticking off the local "beach roughians". The plot is great as a parody with the perfect couple playing the leads while the story plays out in old beach film fashion. It's risqué enough to keep your eyes open but innocent enough in dialogue to show a six year old. Sure the acting is over the top but didn't I mention this was a parody of the "beach films". Add to this a great musical score including Dick Dale and Stevie Ray Vaughn and you have not so much a great film as a very watchable/researchable one. Is it as good as say Requiem For a Dream no of course not but let me ask: how often can you really watch a man lose his arm while his girl friend reverts to public sodomy for drug money...Go for the FUN!! Go watch Back To The Beach, you won't be disappointed!!!!!

• A fun Movie Spoof of Baby boomers Coming of Age

  oandroplex7002004-03-27

  This a movie that should be taken tongue and cheek, And just enjoyed for the fun it represents and the cameos of all the baby boomer stars. the songs are fun the story is a little silly but its fun to go back and realize how silly things were when we we younger,But I must say that I tottaly enjoyed frankie and annette as well as all the other stars of the flic, I heard a rumor that there was suppose to be a sequal however thats when unfortunatly annette was stricken with M.S. and so that was that ...so follow former mouseketeers and all others get this fun movie when it finnally arives on DVD this summer and enjoy it as I will

• Back to the Beach for Frankie and Annette!

  Captain_Couth2005-01-25

  Back to the Beach (1987) was an interesting movie that was produced during the 80's. The Big Kahuna (Frankie Avalon) is a family man now who's wife (Annette) is a preppy housewife who has a kitchen cabinet full of Skippy's peanut butter (creamy) with a 50's housewife aura. She's always smiling and just so happy. The kids are at the rebellious age and are weirded out by their strange behavior. That's until the family heads back to the beach and the kids discover their parents lively background! You can't go wrong with this movie if you're a big fan of the 60's films that starred Annette and Frankie. A true nostalgia flick filled with several older stars (The Skipper and Gilligan) and new ones (i.e. Pee-Wee Herman). What keeps this from being a real keeper is the way the film ends, but if you're a fan of the stars it wont matter. A nice reunion picture. Recommended for Beach Blanket Bingo fans. Others yield caution before viewing!

• "Say, do you want to hear about an accident I once had?"

  missyp2001-05-18

  This is a great piece of retro kitsch. Frankie and Annette spoof themselves and their squeaky clean image from the 60s. Loads of inside jokes for those who love the old beach movies. Appearances by Dick Dale, Connie Stevens, OJ Simpson, and Pee Wee Herman are all top notch. This was the first PG movie I ever saw. I loved it and watched it over and over. Re-watching it for the first time in a decade revealed so many jokes I didn't get as a child. It's great, great, great!!