Pajama Party

Gogo (Tommy Kirk), a Martian teenager, is sent to Earth to prepare the way for an invasion. The first Earthling he meets, one Aunt Wendy, is a rich widow who runs a dress shop catering to teenagers... We have some great stars here: Buster Keaton as an Indian, complete with jokes about scalps and such. Don Rickles as a Martian. And then, you know... Annette Funicello. This film is like the very definition of campy -- girls dancing in such a way to make flowers die and Dr Pepper bottles pop open. Regarding dancing in the 1960s, apparently it required no skills whatsoever -- just shake a lot and you are good to go. In his autobiography, Sam Arkoff says that none of AIP's beach movies lost money. I love his way with words. Other producers would either say they made a fortune, or the returns were disappointing. Arkoff is just happy if he makes money -- it might be ten dollars and he considers it a success. How well this film did is not known, but I guess it did not fail by Arkoff standards.

This is the first Beach Party film w/o Frankie and the film is lacking in wit. Annette sings "Stuffed Animal" and the title song. Nonsensical film has a martian coming to earth to observe the teenagers.

As Annette Funicello (as Connie) and the "Beach Party" gang strip into their bathing suits for a pool party, outer-worldly Tommy Kirk (as Go Go) dons a movie usher's uniform; then, he is transported to Earth. Mr. Kirk's mission is to prepare Earth for an invasion of Martians. He is sent to dresser Elsa Lanchester (as Aunt Wendy)'s home. Ms. Lanchester thinks young Kirk belongs on the beach. She renames him "George", and sends him out, in tight blue trunks, to have fun in the sun. On the beach, Kirk meets Ms. Funicello, and romance ensues Not the best of the run, as it's missing some essentials; but, American International's "Pajama Party" is probably the series' sexiest entry. The cast is more often featured in swimwear than bedclothes, you should note. And, with the exception of Funicello, the cast is in their hottest beach attire. The exceptional Funicello shows off her assets in pink nightwear, during her "Stuffed Animal" song performance; and, she gets a dance number, too. Probably due to scheduling conflicts, it appears Frankie Avalon's role was moved over to Jody McCrea; and, Mr. Avalon appears in dubbed voice-over and cameo only. At one point, it's suggested that Kirk is borrowing Funicello boyfriend McCrea's clothes, which would have been believable with Avalon, but not the much larger McCrea. Other regulars get more to do, too, like Buster Keaton, Donna Loren, and Mike Nader. The cameos are way cool; like "My name is Dorothy" Kilgallen as a fun motorcycle mama. While the Frankie/Annette dynamic is missing; Kirk is a worthy substitute, and his meeting Funicello on the beach is a delight. Watch as Kirk explains how well-versed he is on Earth, mentioning, "George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Mickey Mantle, Frankie Avalon…" and, he tells Funicello, "You have a well-rounded…" By the film's end, his unfinished phrase can be filled in. **** Pajama Party (1964) Don Weis ~ Tommy Kirk, Annette Funicello, Buster Keaton

Coming from children's drama classes and community acting performances, then spotted by a Disney agent, Tommy Kirk was made into a Disney actor at an age when no one knows who they are. Kirk, though, was ebullient and bright. He was a delight to watch in whatever role he was featured in. His "sin" caught up with him in 1963 and had nothing to do with acting. He was gay in 1963. Disney hit the roof and he was let go from his contracts. Jane Wyman and Fred MacMurray went out of their way to persecute and belittle the teenager. He lost a role in a John Wayne movie, and his career slipped to B movies and then to worse. Yet, he was one of the best child actors in the world. He was homosexual in a time when no one would accept -- in fact, when people felt perfectly within their rights to hate him and publicly despise him. This is much to their discredit as human beings ("kick him when he's down"), and gives a glimpse of the very right-wing Republican world of Hollywood in 1963. Many of the major stars were members of the John Birch Society and hated the way blacks were being accepted into films as well. But with a gay person they could still force him out, make him lose his contracts and all dignity, and consign him to nothingness. This was more than a shame because anyone watching Tommy Kirk remembers his raw talent and boyish sense of adventure -- even as a Hardy Boy in the 1950s.

I LOVE this film, particularly the scene at the dress store, with Dorothy Lamour. Yes, the 2nd model out, IS the one and only Terri Garr. The last dancer out - the one doing the INCREDIBLE 'Swim,' is Ms. Toni Basil. These two women have a combined history (which might've started here. Does anyone know?), as, it was shortly after this film, that Terri became a dancer on the late, great ShInDiG!, with Toni as both a dancer and choreographer. I saw some reviews here which were practically out for blood in their negativity, their dislike of this film. The one that stuck in my craw, was the person who said they were in high school (in LA) at the time, and this film was so bad, they couldn't sit through it - 'FIVE(?!?!) times.' O - kaaaaay. While it's true, it's not the best, it does have things going for it, starting with Tommy Kirk, who I've always liked. I can only imagine how he felt, to basically be given the 'beach movie mantle' - ALONE. That had to be a little unnerving tonhave that weight put on you. But, he did have the help of Annette, and a truly fun cast, with everyone from Buster Keaton, through to Dorothy ('poor me, pour me another drink') Kilgallen (huh?). Yes, it's stupid, but, it's fun. It's not supposed to be anything other than lightweight fluff, and, it does it's job admirably. Every time this film comes on, I'm front-and-centre, waiting up for that terrific dance at the dress store. And, again, to the person who hates this - but, keeps seeing it: you keep saying you leave after only the 1st few minutes. There are very few films that are great after only a few minutes. Next time you 'force' yourself to (try and) watch PAJAMA PARTY...just try to at least see Dorothy, Terri, and Toni? You might end up with a smile.

Walt Disney refugees Annette Funicello and Tommy Kirk star in this Beach Party sequel where you can tell by the title, the action moves in doors. No, not that kind of action, we were still under the influence of the Code. These plots almost defy description but Tommy Kirk is a Martian teenager named Gogo which seems like a perfectly good name to use in the California beach environment. Nevertheless when he teleports to Elsa Lanchester's house, she greets him with Gracie Allen type blasé and renames him George. She likes him better than her late husband's nephew Jody McCrea who cares about volleyball more than women and that's putting a crimp into a relationship with Annette. Add to this a trio of con-men living next door who know Elsa keeps her money, not in banks played by Jesse White, Ben Lessy, and Buster Keaton in an Indian suit. And of course Harvey Lembeck and his brain dead motorcycle gang and you've got a Beach Party film. Frankie Avalon appears here too, but only to communicate with Kirk with Don Rickles playing Avalon's assistant. Dorothy Lamour is here to, a women familiar enough with beach settings in her films as Lanchester's dress shop manager. Lanchester's only weakness is operating a dress shop where she sells the latest trendy teen styles at a loss. It's kind of fun to laugh at how dumb the Beach Party films are, but their enduring popularity is proved out by Baywatch and its long run in the Eighties and Nineties. And I'm sure we'll see something similar in the next generation. But this one will not tax the brain cells too much.

Having recently discovered both Buster Keaton and Avalon/Funicello Beach movies, I decided to go on fancast.com and watch Pajama Party. Instead of Frankie, Annette is paired with first Jody McCrea-playing not Bonehead but a similarly characterized Big Lunk-and then her Disney co-star in the Merlin Jones pictures, Tommy Kirk, here playing a Martian named Go Go. Along the way there's Elsa Lanchester, Jesse White, Keaton with usual AIP partner Bobbi Shaw, Harvey Lembeck in his usual role as Eric Von Zipper, dancer Candy Johnson, singer Donna Loren in her usual single number, and Susan Hart-who was about to become Mrs. James Nicholson, co-founder of American International-in an alluring fringe-bikini role where objects explode or wither. Oh, and there's also Dorothy Lamour-a native of New Orleans from my current home state of Louisiana-in a number about old customs versus new with some choice words like "sarong". This movie is mostly a silly mess with some good songs and some funny moments like when Buster and a perfume lady (Luree Nicholson, James' daughter) keep spraying each other or when that chair keeps closing in on White or when Buster inadvertently gets onto Ms. Shaw's body (while she's wearing a towel, of course!). And how about all those alarms that Ms. Lanchester keeps turning off in order to get at her late husband's money? Or when Ms. Shaw keeps kissing different men with the red cap? Otherwise, not much makes sense and after a while, you want the whole thing over real quick. Still, Pajama Party is harmless and painless fun and the end credits, as always, provide some visual amusement.

I just watched this beach flick and I'm certain that the music in Rocky Horror was influenced by this awesome surf and skin flick. There's even a scene where Tommy Kirk has a "Transducer". The story is less than ridiculous and that makes it enjoyable camp from the summer in America before the Beatles. West Side Story it's not, but the dancing and music are so expertly snychronized you'll think the actors are computerized. Look for Buster Keaton as "Cowabunga", he steals the show!

I have read the reviews of Pajama Party and have looked for the cameo appearance of Dorothy Kilgallen which I don't think was credited. If someone can describe where in the film she appears you can help me solve a who dun-it and I will be everlastingly grateful. I am not a movie critic and am using your space here to try and establish any actors who had knowledge of her activities during this period (1964) and who have any knowledge of Kerry Kallmor who also was in this flick. It seems to me that you are looking for plus or minus comments about the film from the acting viewpoint and I cannot advise here. What I would like to point out is that this film is of possible vital significance to the JFK assassination research. Your 10 line mandate has required me to be needlessly verbose but if I get an answer from someone it is worth it. John Locke jdlocke1111@yahoo.com

I'm embarrassed by this film, mostly because I was a teenager in SoCal in 64. It's a good example of what you get if you stand back and throw stuff at a camera. I suppose some feel obligated to say nice things about it because Annette is in it. There is not a good reason to say anything nice about it. How anyone could find it entertaining escapes me. I've tried to watch it about five times and have had to leave it before the end each time. I really don't understand who the intended audience was. I was in HS in 64 and no one I knew would have sat through this, even at a drive-in on a hot date. I've got it playing on Hulu as I write this and the audio is annoying by itself. I can't stand it any longer, I've got to stop Hulu. Didn't make it even half way through this time. I understand that taste in old films runs the gamut, this one I just don't get.