Beach Party

The movie Beach Party was the first movie in a series if films that was aimed at a teen audience. The main characters in this movie have grown to be classic characters with the teen audience. This cast includes the likes of Robert Cummings, Frankie Avalon, and Annette Funicello. This story of this movie does not include figures of authority for teens such as parents or teachers. The teens are independent and are just looking to have a good time. They do want they want, when they want, and how they want to. This movie also tells the story about two adults that develop a romantic relationship. Professor Robert Sutwel is an anthropologist. He is studying the "wild mating habits" of teenagers. The group of teens he is researching lives in southern California and hangs out on the beach. They do not know they are the subjects for his research. By accident the professor temporarily paralyzes Eric Von Zipper. Eric is the leader of a motorcycle gang in the area. Eric and the gang try to hit on a girl named Dolores but she has no interest in them. Dolores has a crush on the professor. Her boyfriend Frankie is a surfer. He becomes jealous of her crush. He does not sit around and wait for her however. He starts to flirt with a girl named Ava. The profession is a ladies' man himself. His assistant Marianne has a crush on him as well. Zipper and his gang develop a plan to bring down the profession. In the end the Professor is saved by the group of wild, surfing teenagers. Beach Party was the first movie of its kind that showed teenagers running wild. They did not have to answer to anyone and were able to do what they wanted. This notion was a big thing when the movie was made and paved the way for several more films for a teen audience.