The Beach Girls and the Monster (1965, Jon Hall, Sue Casey) – Classic Movie Review 13,058

A rubber-suited sea monster may be killing teenage girls, in Jon Hall’s hilariously ridiculous, ultra-cheap-looking 1965 horror beach party movie The Beach Girls and the Monster.

‘Go! Go! Go! The Coolest Monster Shindig of Chicks and Chills!’

Jon Hall ineptly directs himself in the absolutely ridiculous, ultra-cheap-looking 1965 horror beach party movie The Beach Girls and the Monster, with a gob-smackingly appalling story about a Waikiki sea scientist who dresses as a water monster and kills beach girl teenagers. There are no thrills or scares, of course, but happily there are way more than a few unintended big laughs along the bumpy way, and it is often quite hilarious. Joan Gardner’s script and the performances are hysterically appalling. Brilliant!

The theme song opening number Dance Baby Dance, written by Frank Sinatra Jr and Joan Janis, is incredible! Arnold Lessing, who plays Richard, wrote the song ‘More Than Wanting You’ that he sings. Walker Edmiston and Elaine DuPont, who play Mark and Jane, wrote ‘There’s a Monster in the Surf’. The hits just keep on coming.

The Beach Girls and the Monster is definitely a contender for the ‘so-bad-it’s-good’ list. The film is listed in The Official Razzie Movie Guide as one of The 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made. Scoff, we may do, but it is fondly recalled for Frank Sinatra Jr’s Sixties surf music instrumental soundtrack, the appalling acting and ridiculous rubber monster. It’s a classic of its kind.

This may be the one that made Hall retire to his photo business. He ran a camera lens firm, Optivision Co of Santa Monica, in the 1970s.

It is luridly shot by Jon Hall and Dale Davis, around the level of a home movie, but mostly in black and white, though there is a colour surfing sequence in Technicolor.

Also available in a colorized version.

The cast are Jon Hall as Dr Otto Lindsay, Sue Casey as Vicky Lindsay, Walker Edmiston as Mark, Elaine DuPont as Jane, Arnold Lessing as Richard Lindsay, Read Morgan as Sheriff Michaels, Carolyn Williamson as Sue, Gloria Neil as Bunny, Kal Roberts (credited as Tony Roberts) as Brad, Clyde Adler as Deputy Scott, and Dale Davis as Tom.

It was retitled Monster from the Surf for its 1966 TV release.

The dancing girls are The Watusi Dancing Girls from Hollywood’s Whisky a Go Go club on Sunset Boulevard.

Mark’s sculptures, the creature’s head and the Kingsley the Lion puppet were created by Walker Edmiston who plays Mark. Edmiston was the host of his own  Los Angeles children’s TV show that featured puppets, including Kingsley the Lion.

The surfing footage in the scene where Richard runs a film for Mark is shot by prolific surf film-maker Dale Davis, who plays Tom.

The score is arranged and conducted by Chuck Sagle. Some of the musicians on the soundtrack are from the surf band The Hustlers.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,058

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