Sometimes even we here at Cinema Suicide have to take a break from Satan and chainsaws. It is in times like this that I turn to the wonderful counter culture and teen films of the 50s and 60s. There is certain warmth in the beach films and teen gone wild films from this era. I find great comfort in these movies so you can only imagine my elation when I found that my favorite line of films contained several of these movies. Of the handful of these films released under the Midnite Movies heading, my favorite has to be “Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow/The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini” double feature.
The 1959 release “Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow” plays itself out like a live action Scooby Doo episode. The movie follows the lives of the members of the Zenith Club, a surprisingly tame group of drag racers looking for a new clubhouse. After being evicted from their clubhouse for non-payment of rent the group is out to find a new clubhouse where they can gather, work on their cars, and hangout. Lucky for them they have connections and a family friend happens to have a haunted mansion that she is willing to let them use… as long as they can get rid of the ghosts in the house! Well, to make a short story (1 hour & 5 minutes) even shorter, the kids spend the night in the house determined to prove that the house isn’t haunted. They throw a party and after several swinging hit songs and a few madcap incidents they get to the bottom of the haunting. Being one of the early AIP films there is very little plot and lots of hip swinging kids. Though it is a rather short film, “Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow” still manages to entertain and remind us that there was a time that movies were made with that one goal in mind.
As with all MGM Midnite Movies the flipside of the disc gives us a second dose of whacky teens in even whackier situations. “The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini” tells the tale of the recently deceased Hiram (Boris Karloff in one of his final performances) who must commit one good act before being admitted entry into heaven, where he will be reunited with this beloved Cecily (Susan Hart). It’s now up to Hiram and Cecily to see to it that his hidden fortune gets into the hands of its rightful recipient. With Hiram’s manipulative lawyer (Basil Rathbone) out to steal the fortune for himself, can Hiram and Cecily succeed from beyond the grave? Like all great teen films from the 60s “The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini” pulls out all the stops to deliver a fun filled and highly entertaining film. With performances by Bobby Fuller and a very sexy Nancy Sinatra this film is pure exploitation and pure enjoyment. Once again my heart is warmed by this simple, fun movie featuring great performances by some of Hollywood’s greats. So maybe you’re not into Frankie and Annette, but don’t discount this genre because you’d certainly be missing out on some great cinema.
Like most of the DVDs available in this collection this release lacks any kind of bonus features beyond the trailer, but what do you want for twelve bucks? MGM/20th Century Fox hits one out of the park with this throw back to the simple days of entertainment cinema.
