Plot: What’s it about?
The Big Kahuna (Frankie Avalon) used to be one of the world’s greatest surfers, but a brush with disaster forced him back to shore. Now, he works as a car salesman and his old fun loving ways have vanished. His hectic work schedule has him exhausted and much to his dislike, a long vacation is in order. So he and his wife Annette (Annette Funicello) decide to visit Los Angeles, where their daughter Sandi (Lori Laughlin) lives. She has a live in boyfriend, but there is no chance of her parents finding out, not even close. When The Big Kahuna, Annette, and their wiseass son Bobby arrive, Sandi has to boot her beau out the window, to ensure that her dad doesn’t discover the truth about her living situation. Back in his old stomping grounds, The Big Kahuna starts to remember all the good times, though he still won’t ride the waves. A visit to his old flame only serves to fan the fires of his youth, when she tells stories of his greatest rides and even built a shrine to him, which upsets Annette to no end. Bobby then joins forces with a twisted group of punk surfers, which sparks a rivalry with normal beachcombers. All this points to a surfing showdown, with the leader of the punks against Sandi’s boyfriend. But when an injury happens and only The Big Kahuna can help, can he overcome his fear of the water?
Frankie and Annette are back, in this hilarious camp tribute to those classic beach movies, in which the two stars became famous. Back to the Beach is no masterpiece, but for fans of the 1960s beach cinema movement, there is a lot to laugh about here. Of course, if you’re not well versed in those pictures, then you’ll feel out of the loop at times. I think some of the broader jokes are universal, but a lot of the funniest moments involve references to lesser known or minor beach cinema scenes, which casual fans won’t appreciate. But don’t shy away if you’re not a beach veteran, as Back to the Beach still packs a solid comedic punch. The two leads aside, you’ll see a parade of humorous cameos, including a show stealing musical performance by Pee Wee Herman, plus appearances by Bob Denver and Alan Hale Jr. from Gilligan’s Island. But the cast is littered with well known faces, so you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled to see them all. In addition to Pee Wee’s stylings, the music in this movie is terrific, with a ton of beach tunes to rock out to, plus special appearances by Stevie Ray Vaughn and Dick Dale. In other words, this movie delivers as promised, with more beach movie elements than you can handle. Paramount’s disc is bare bones, but the price is so low, fans shouldn’t hesitate to grab this release.
Video: How does it look?
Back to the Beach is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The image here is solid in all respects, a more than acceptable catalog title presentation. The print has some minor nicks and specks, but the image is sharp and shows no serious wear problems. The beach visuals have held up well, with a cool, serene presence. The colors are bright and bold throughout, while black levels seem well defined and provide ample detail levels. Not a memorable visual effort, but one that more than does the movie justice, which is good enough.
Audio: How does it sound?
As this is a dialogue fueled picture, the included Dolby Digital 5.1 track never gets to flex its muscle, but in this case, that’s a good thing. The audio here is more subtle and refined, which better suits this kind of material. The music has a rich feel, but never overpowers the other elements, while sound effects are clear, but remain natural in scope. The real star here is dialogue, which is crisp & clean at all times, with no volume errors to report. This disc also includes a 2.0 surround option, a French language track, and English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes no bonus materials.
