Pajama Party (1964)

PAJAMA PARTY: This Slumber Party is a Big Hit.

_Pajama Party_ is the 4th entry in the "beach movie" series. _Pajama Party_ has it all: Throwaway songs, forgettable dialogue, poor dubbing, lousy twist music, ridiculous plot and plenty of semi-nude gyrating bodies. All of these attributes combine to make this movie totally enjoyable. Although _Pajama Party_ was an American International quickie, it has all the charm of a Disney movie during certain scenes. Maybe it's the old, familiar Disney characters, such as Elsa Lanchester and Tommy Kirk, in combination with Annette Funicello that help create this illusion.

In the "beach" flicks, Annette always played a chick named Dee Dee or Jennifer or Connie or Dolores. Whatever. Her names changed, but the characters she played were always the same. However, in _Pajama Party_, Annette finally exchanges her bulletproof beehive for a more flexible Greek goddess hairdo. Later on, she switches to a Jackie Kennedy bouffant. As usual, Annette wears an extremely modest Mother Hubbard-style Jensen one-piece swimsuit, but fortunately, her well-endowed girlfriends aren't nearly as inhibited.

The anamorphic widescreen transfer is superb. A narrow-screen version is also included.
September 25, 2006

Not the best beach movie...

Most of the beach party movies were awesome--- Beach Party, Muscle Beach Party, Bikini Beach, Beach Blanket Bingo, even How to Stuff a Wild Bikini. However, this one was just random...

Annette was Dee Dee in all the others--- in this, she was Connie. Frankie barely got a part at all, and she was dating Jody McCrea; as Big Lunk, no less--- not even the loveable DeadHead. And, then Tommy Kirk. Now, I love Tommy Kirk, and I even loved he and Annette together in the Merlin Jones flicks. However... this one can't be lumped in with the other beach party movies. It just... CAN'T...

And, that is for the simple reason that it's totally different characters, different storylines, ect. It was like some sort of bizarre nightmare one of them may have been having... July 6, 2006

Frankie,Annette,Tommy Kirk,And Dorothy Lamour

The best scenes are with Annette Funicello singing a song and Annette Funicello and Tommy Kirk singing a song and Dorothy Lamour playing a saleswoman in a dress store and singing a song.Mary Hughes the blonde and Mike Nader and Susan Hart are good in the film.Frankie Avalon is missed in the film.Although Annette's boyfriend in the film is Tommy Kirk, and he does Great in the role though Frankie Avalon is in the film though he is only in a small role in some scenes here and there of the film though the film is Great and has some fun scenes.Although Frankie Avalon has no songs with her Annette Funicello is good in the film with Tommy Kirk. July 17, 2004

Pretty much the greatest movie ever.

This film really could not be improved even if the *entire* thing had featured Bobbi Shaw doing sit-ups by the pool and Susan Hart gyrating to boil punch in its bowl. June 25, 2003

classic Beach Party film

PAJAMA PARTY is probably the second best-loved sequel of the original BEACH PARTY (the first has to be the quintessential BEACH BLANKET BINGO). The party moves indoors for the wonderful romp with Annette Funicello and the gang.

Connie (Annette Funicello) finds herself being chased by a handsome martian from Mars, Go-Go (Tommy Kirk), while trying to save her relationship with the self-obsessed Big Lunk (Jody McCrea). Thankfully, kindly dress-shop owner Aunt Wendy (Elsa Lanchester) is on hand to offer advice to the younger generation about matters of love and the heart.

Annette and the gang trade their beach threads for pajamas and baby-dolls in this very cute musical. Annette sings the classic standard "Stuffed Animal", while Donna Loren will have you jumping with "That's The Way It's Done".

Then there are fantastic cameos from film veterans Buster Keaton and Don Rickles; while Dorothy Lamour shows she could still 'cut a rug' with the best of them with her infectious number.

Interestingly, the "pajama party" of the title doesn't happen until the last 20 minutes of the picture! Followed by BEACH BLANKET BINGO.

The DVD has both full-frame and widescreen versions of the film as well as the trailer. (Double-sided, single-layer disc). September 24, 2002

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