The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966) User Reviews

It may be stupid, but it's so much fun

[bensonmum2 · 6/10 · 10 April 2008]

I realize that most people who have seen The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini will look at my rating and decide I need to have my head examined. I readily admit that it's one of the stupidest movies I've seen recently. I am perfectly capable of seeing all of the same problems in the movie that all of the other reviews or comments point out. Yes, the beach movie was on its last leg when The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini was made. Yes, there is no plot. Yes, most of the comedy is incredibly lame. Yes, Tommy Kirk is beyond terrible. Yes, Harvey Lembeck was way too old to play a rebellious motorcycle leader. Yes, Benny Rubin's Chicken Feather character is offensive. Yes, Deborah Walley is no Annette Funicello. Yes, Boris Karloff has little more than an extended cameo that almost appears to have been an afterthought. Yes, I see all these problems and more in The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini, but for whatever reason, the movie is still a lot of fun. I had a blast watching Nancy Sinatra sing "Geronimo". She's just so cool. I also enjoyed watching Basil Rathbone in one of his final performances. He seemed to really be enjoying the chance to ham it up. As goofy as it may sound, I love the fact that The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini takes many of the traditional beach movie trappings and transports them to a big, old haunted house. A swinging 60s style beach party set in Karloff's over-the-top torture chamber is an awesome idea. Finally, I've got to give the movie a bonus point for having a completely unnecessary gorilla. It adds a surreal touch to everything.

So, despite the many, many weaknesses and problems in The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini. I still had a great time watching it. I'll continue to say that the entertainment I get out of a movie is more important to me than anything else. And with that in mind, the 6/10 rating I've given The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini seems about right to me.

Fun in A Scooby Doo Sort of Way

[Space_Mafune · 5/10 · 16 March 2003]

Obviously one shouldn't take this film very seriously at all if one plans on enjoying it in the slightest. If you can loosen up quite a bit, this film does have some fun silly bits. Plus can any film with both Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone possibly be all bad? I don't feel so...both fine actors try hard to keep their dignity in this Scooby Doo-like (without Scooby Doo) Beach Party entry.

Goblins! Ghouls! Girls!...Geronimo!

[moonspinner55 · 5/10 · 7 May 2008]

Representing the (somewhat fatigued) tail-end of the "Beach Party" saga, minus Frankie and Annette, this haunted house comedy has some style in the live-action cartoon vein, but is hurt overall by an unenthusiastic cast and too much chatter. Sleepy Tommy Kirk and distracted Deborah Walley are involved in the reading of a will in a spooky mansion; Susan Hart is a sexy apparition (wearing a dopey-looking blonde wig for F/X purposes); Boris Karloff saunters through, tossing off droll comic lines in a debonair manner; Harvey Lembeck returns as Eric Von Zipper (although he doesn't look happy about it); and Nancy Sinatra is one of the teens there for a slumber party (she sings "Geronimo" poolside in the film's best sequence). Not terribly witty or lively; most of the kids on display are artificially frantic and 'nutty', waving their arms about. The movie desperately needs more music and more special effects. It relies too much on the talk-heavy plot, which is its weakest link. ** from ****

The Final Nail In the Coffin

[Sargebri · 2 April 2003]

This film proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the "Beach Party" genre was dead. After the previous film with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, American International thought they could pull the two of them back for one final picture. However, by the time the plans were announced Avalon was more interested in other roles and Funicello was busy raising her family. Instead we get Tommy Kirk and Deborah Walley who, unfortunately, don't have the chemistry that Frankie and Annette had together. The "Beach Party" series was one of the most enduring in film history. Too bad it had to go out with a whimper instead of a bang.

Nancy and my youth !!!

[fguerras · 5/10 · 24 October 2006]

I have a special affection for this little trifle. I saw it at our post theater twice when I was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. It was a time when we were killing time, just waiting to be discharged, and this film conjures up a time of innocence when I was dying to re-start my civilian life. But most of all, I was (and still am) a tremendous fan of Miss Nancy Sinatra, especially all through my Army days, and it was thrilling fun to go see her movies at the post theater. She also did "The Wild Angels" and "The Last of the Secret Agents." All the other commentators are right. No classic, but mindless, harmless fun ! Oh, Nancy ! We were so young, and it was a different world !

Boris Karloff got reduced to THIS?

[lee_eisenberg · 3/10 · 6 June 2005]

First, I should clear up any confusion that may have arisen from the title: not only is the ghost's bikini invisible, but what's underneath her bikini is also invisible. Now, I must ask: how was Boris Karloff reduced to starring in a "beach party" movie? "The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini" is basically a cross between beach party movies and the old-style horror movies. Karloff plays Hiram Stokely, a corpse who must accomplish a good deed within 24 hours. Fortunately for him, the title character (Susan Hart) has the answer: he can protect a bevy of teens who are descending on his estate for a party. Tommy Kirk plays the main youngster.

Overall, the movie is pretty much an excuse for everyone to party as they would on the beach, except that they're doing it in what appears to be an English castle. I couldn't tell whether the movie was supposed to happen in California or England. I guess that this movie is better than most beach movies, just because it stars Boris Karloff. Oh, and the title character is pretty hot. But other than that, it's just another beach party movie.

There Is Sex In Heaven

[bkoganbing · 4/10 · 29 January 2012]

The Ghost In The Invisible Bikini if it hasn't should attain a certain amount of screen immortality in having one of the most eclectic casts ever assembled for one film. Of course the film isn't exactly Citizen Kane or Gone With The Wind.

The title role in this last of the Beach Party cycle is played by an ethereal Susan Hart who parades around in a bikini which certainly wasn't in fashion when she and Boris Karloff were young and dating. Karloff has gone on to meet his maker, but apparently Susan who died young and was his beloved has interceded with the Deity. Karloff was a stinker in real life and Susan has come to give him one more chance to do a good deed to insure his entrance to heaven with her. He'll even go in as a young man because apparently there is sex in heaven.

Karloff has to make sure that his rightful heirs inherit his ill gotten gains in life and those heirs would be Tommy Kirk, Deborah Walley, and Patsy Kelly who acts as den mother to the whole beach crowd who move in with the three of them. They have to stay in the ostensibly haunted house after the reading of the will. You know something sinister has to be up with that kind of clause in the will. Especially when the will is drawn up by Basil Rathbone as the lawyer who wants his hands on the Karloff fortune. Rathbone is aided and abetted by Jesse White, Benny Rubin as a Jewish Indian, and Rathbone's nearsighted daughter Quinn O'Hara. And crashing the party as they always do is Harvey Lembeck and is intellectually challenged motorcycle gang of which he definitely is the leader.

Incredible when you think about it, but making his last big screen appearance in an over 50 year career is that first leading man of Hollywood, Francis X. Bushman. He has a small role as Rathbone's butler. And part of the beach crew are the daughters of a pair of singing icons, Nancy Sinatra and Claudia Martin. I leave it to you, have you ever seen a more widely varied generational cast than this?

It's an incredibly dopey film, but charming in its own way. But what a place to find Messala, Sherlock Holmes, and the Frankenstein monster.

Finally, a film for those who thought "Beach Blanket Bingo" was too intellectually taxing!!

[planktonrules · 1/10 · 27 December 2008]

This is a truly terrible film and marked the end of the so-called "Beach" films. And, after seeing it, it was pretty obvious that this one alone killed the genre--though is that really such a great loss?! For once, Annette and Frankie are NOT in the film. Instead, a new cast of "actors" are on hand along with some old familiar Beach actors as well as some once-decent actors who obviously needed the money or were so ego-centric that they'd star in anything just to see themselves on the screen. Boris Karloff, Basil Rathbone and Patsy Kelly all appear out of place here and it's rather sad to see them in such a wretched film. Now I have never been a Patsy Kelly fan, but here I even felt sorry for her! No, after listening to her scream and overact yet again, she's exactly where she should be in this wretched film.

The film begins in a crypt. Apparently Boris Karloff has just died and doesn't know it. A long-dead girlfriend appears and informs his of this AND the stipulation that he must do one good deed before being allowed to go to Heaven. This plot is right from a Tom & Jerry cartoon--seriously. But instead of an 8 minute short, here it's stretched to almost an hour and a half!! And, in an odd twist, Karloff is NOT allowed to do anything to help do this good deed but must send this dead lady in his place. Why? Well, because obviously Karloff wasn't interested in anything other than a walk-on! And, even more oddly, when you do see this ghost lady, she looks like a ghost BUT her bikini is totally invisible. With her magic powers, she returns to Earth and manipulates things to the betterment of Karloff's heirs--the ubiquitous Tommy Kirk and Deborah Walley. These two actors (Kirk and Walley) seem to be available in practically every kooky teen film of the era whenever more talented actors refused the roles! Do an IMDb search if you don't believe me, as their films include IT'S ALIVE (1969), SPINOUT, MARS NEEDS WOMEN and SERGEANT DEAD HEAD.

Back on Earth, there's a swinging party where Nancy Sinatra and dozens of bikini-clad teens (at least the girls) all have a ring-a-ding good time. Into this "fun" comes a bad lawyer (wow, that's being redundant), his gang of killers as well a gang of leather-clad idiots led by Eric Von Zipper-- this is the same group of morons who appear in all the other Beach films as comic relief, though they seldom, if ever, are funny. So what do you need to round out this assortment of unfunny jerks? Yep--an escaped gorilla, a culturally insensitive Indian character, a dungeon in this California mansion as well as a mummy! I'm almost surprised they also didn't include pirates and ninjas!!

What makes this a particularly bad film is that unlike many of the teen-oriented films of the 50s and 60s, this one had a rather impressive budget. Decent camera work, music and a large cast make it atypical of horrible films of the era. At least with TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE, PLAN 9 or THE KILLER SHREWS you could blame the rottenness of the film, at least in part, to minuscule budgets. What's the excuse here with this film?! Bad writing, overacting, cartoon sound effects and a plot that isn't worthy to line a parrot's cage is what you've got with THE GHOST IN THE INVISIBLE BIKINI...and to make matters worse, it isn't even that entertaining to bad film fans--it's just stupid. I only recommend this film to people with severe head injuries and those who thought BEACH BLANKET BINGO was too intellectually taxing!!

Pea-brained haunted house musical-comedy.

[capkronos · 3/10 · 9 May 2009]

Originally conceived as another Frankie Avalon/Annette Funicello romp (both of whom would later drop out of this project, along with The Supremes), this was both the last Beach Party movie and the only Beach Party movie not set on a beach. The only reason I was even remotely interested in watching this one was for the "guest appearances" from Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone. Karloff plays Hiram Stokely, a "corpse" who is awaken in his coffin by "ghost" Cecily (Susan Hart), his former girlfriend who died at a young age while he aged. She informs him that he has just 24 hours to do a good deed so he can spend eternity in heaven with her. As an added bonus, if Hiram is successful then he'll regain his youth. And even better, since Hiram cannot leave his crypt, Cecily will actually do the leg work for him as they communicate through a crystal ball. Hiram decides the good deed should involve making sure the heirs to his estate - Chuck (Tommy Kirk), Lili (Deborah Walley) and Myrtle (Patsy Kelly) - actually receive their inheritance. The problem lies with his crooked attorney Reginald Ripper (Basil Rathbone) and his "sinister sidekick" J. Sinister Hulk (Jesse White), who conspire to swindle the million dollar estate away from its rightful owners.

The three heirs show up at Hiram's mansion, along with the attorney, and must remain there until midnight for the reading of the will. Myrtle's nephew Bobby (Aron Kincaid) and about a hundred brainless, grinning teens pop by in a bus and head straight for the pool. A band starts playing, Nancy Sinatra starts singing "Geronimo" and suddenly we're suddenly in musical hell as a bunch of rhythm-deficient young folks in bathing suits start bouncing around. Throw in more supporting characters (Quinn O'Hara as Rathbone's daughter, Francis X. Bushman as the groundskeeper, Benny Rubin as an embarrassing chicken truck driver, Harvey Lembeck as a biker, etc.) then was needed, pile on lame "comic" gags and sound effects and pad things out with around a half-dozen lame and (mostly) badly-performed musical numbers and you've basically got this labored and unfunny would-be dark house comedy from AIP. It's always nice to see Karloff and Rathbone - even in something like this - but most of the rest of the cast either annoyingly overacts or mugs, are talent and charisma free (I'm looking at you, Kirk and Walley) or look as if they'd rather be off doing something else. I've not seen many other "Beach Party" films before this one but they were basically little more than thin excuses for mainstream audiences back in the day to watch barely clad teens wiggling around in bathing suits and that's about it.

The opening sequence is wonderfully atmospheric, with lots of fog and a red-cloaked figure walking through a graveyard toward a crypt, but that just goes to show what a waste this really is. The film seems to have had something of a budget. It's colorful, has a big cast, the shooting locations are nice and the cinematography by Stanley Cortez is excellent. Some reviewers might find this campy and enjoyably dated, but sorry to say, I didn't care much for it.

I'm a fan of both Nancy Sinatra and Quinn O'Hara!

[JohnHowardReid · 7/10 · 30 June 2017]

An American-International picture, presented by James H. Nicholson and Samuel Z. Arkoff. U.S. release: April 1966. 82 minutes. (The M- G-M DVD rates 10/10).

SYNOPSIS: Showman Karloff leaves his million-dollar estate to Kirk, Kelly and Walley, but Rathbone, White, O'Hara and Rubin want the loot for themselves. Matters are complicated by the invasion of an inept gang of bikies and a do-gooder teenage ghost.

COMMENT: Although billed as a guest, Rathbone is actually a major player in this labored farce. Despite plodding, pedestrian direction and unfunny dialogue, the film still manages to held one's interest, thanks mainly to the game efforts of the players (particularly Quinn O'Hara) and the use of American-International's standing horror sets (which certainly give the movie "class").

The songs also are catchy enough, although it's Nancy Sinatra who provides the stand-out number, "Geronimo". She then, alas, disappears as the spotlight shifts to the nubile Quinn O'Hara. I'm not complaining, but it would have been nice to see more of Nancy as well. Karloff fans will also be disappointed as the king of menace is given little to do but comment on the action from time to time.

Oddly, although everything has been thrown into the pot in a desperate attempt to make the picture as appealing as possible, contemporary audiences stayed away. For all its heavy-handedness, however, the movie bears at least a little bemused watching. And it's an absolute must- see for Nancy Sinatra and Quinn O'Hara fans.

The weakest entry in the "Beach Party" series.

[armstror · 3/10 · 15 May 2000]

Instead of Frankie and Annette, we get Tommy Kirk and Deborah Walley. Although Tommy was fine in "Pajama Party" and Deborah made a respectable lead in "Ski Party", neither one of them gets much to work with here. Deborah's big scene has her strapped on a log moving toward a spinning blade--a scene ripped off from "Beach Blanket Bingo". The idea of a "Beach Party" flick in a haunted house probably sounded like fun. But the film plays like a series of unrelated sketches. Boris Karloff, Basil Rathbone, and the gorgeous Susan Hart are wasted. Even Harvey Lembeck seems to be going through the motions as Eric Von Zipper. Nancy Sinatra fans might enjoy seeing her sing "Geronimo" (a ho-hum tune) and trying to act. The film's highlight is probably Quinn O'Hara. She's pretty funny as Sinistra, Basil Rathbone's statuesque, but blind-without-her-glasses, daughter.

One of the Best of the 1960s AIP Beach/Supernatural Pictures

[wdbasinger · 9/10 · 28 September 2005]

Maybe I am crazy in the head (If I am, I enjoy every minute if it - heh heh), but I thought "Ghost in the Invisible Bikini" was the perfect synthesis of the earlier AIP beach and supernatural movies. With actors and actresses from hits like "Beach Party", "Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine", "Die, Monster, Die" and so on, we end up with a highly campy, yet enjoyable plot. Boris Karloff is great as Hiram Stokely, the "corpse". Susan Hart playing the "Ghost" is great eye candy as she was in the original "Doctor Goldfoot" film, and the scenes in the graveyard and the chamber of horrors conjure up memories of the fine AIP supernatural/Poe films. And of course, with the rock and rollers including Nancy Sinatra conjuring up the earlier AIP beach movies - who can ask for more. Great camp - great fun throughout. 9/10.

Dan Basinger

A Must-See for Quinn O'Hara and Nancy Sinatra Fans

[rastar330 · 7/10 · 28 December 2008]

Although billed as a guest, Rathbone is actually a major player in this labored farce. Despite ploddingly pedestrian direction and unfunny dialogue, the film still manages to held one's interest, thanks mainly to the game efforts of the players (particularly Quinn O'Hara) and the use of American-International's standing horror sets (which certainly give the movie "class"). The songs also are catchy enough, although it's Nancy Sinatra who provides the stand-out number, "Geronimo". She then, alas, disappears as the spotlight shifts to the nubile Quinn O'Hara. I'm not complaining, but it would have been nice to see more of Nancy as well. Karloff fans will also be disappointed as the king of menace is given little to do but comment on the action from time to time. Oddly, although everything has been thrown into the pot in a desperate attempt to make the picture as appealing as possible, contemporary audiences stayed away. For all its heavy-handedness, however, the movie bears at least a little bemused watching. And, as said, it's an absolute must-see for Nancy Sinatra and Quinn O'Hara fans.

uhm...it's really good

[Poochie · 5/10 · 27 December 1998]

Sorta fun and at the same time sorta boring. I find myself inexplicably drawn to it. Nancy Sinatra sings "Geronimo". A somewhat pleasant time filler you can talk through.

KARLOFF SAVED THIS PIC!

[whpratt1 · 5 December 2002]

This film was the largest budgeted of the "beach" pictures. But it became a box-office failure and was the last of the genre American International produced. The inane script...is not only tired but borrows from such other sources as the curtain line of Some Like It Hot... This year's crop of boys in this film isn't up to the earlier "beach" cavaliers.ll KARLOFF and the other veterans are only along for the ride....Stanley Cortez's camera...makes good use...in exploring some...fasinating sets evidently left over from the Poe period..a good try but short on script and inspiration.

Overwhelming camp, but mildly enjoyable

[I_Ailurophile · 5/10 · 8 June 2022]

Hoo boy. "Beach party" movies sure were a thing, weren't they? Direly meager plot provides a flimsy pretense to feature scantily clad women, shirtless men, dancing, music, and more camp than a national park. Even in instances like this, where there's no actual beach to speak of, all the other hallmarks of the genre remain intact, including empty characters, generally bland dialogue, bad special effects (though par for the course of the era), and wholly outrageous development of what little plot there is. With kitsch this outlandish, the genre is effectively self-parodying. 'The ghost in the invisible bikini' is a unique experience, to say the least.

Credit where it's due: the costume design, such as it is, includes swimwear with some nice patterns. The hair and makeup work is on point, and the set design and decoration are swell. There are real dashes of cleverness peppered throughout, mostly in some of the humor, which consists of quips and one-liners, sexual innuendo, sight gags, and touches of situational or physical comedy. And even as the movie is overeager to slip in small songs wherever it can, I appreciate the contributions of Nancy Sinatra, Quinn O'Hara, and Piccola Pupa in these scenes. What can I say - the tunes are a little catchy.

Now, to be fair, for all the gaucheness and cheese that characterizes this feature and its brethren, one can trace a through line from beach party flicks to more overly self-serious comedies of more recent years. Moreover, putting aside the particulars that flow from the style, there are distinct similarities in the lighthearted playfulness - and even the most far-fetched story ideas - to pictures and TV shows of the 60s at large. Why, consider the "haunted house" element in this example, and one could even say there's a bit of Scooby Doo in 'The ghost in the invisible bikini.' This is a preposterous title, but it's not truly alone in any sense.

The greatest spirit of generosity doesn't absolve the picture of all its issues, however. The involvement of the biker gang is beyond specious. Some scenes achieve levels of superfluous bizarrerie far exceeding the already questionable standard of the film, and the scene writing at large is dubious, consistently raising a skeptical eyebrow. Too many moments come off as self-indulgent as a scene runs long in the tooth and the joke wears thin. Even at its best there's a lot about this that just feels tired, and the fun of the ridiculousness struggles to balance with the tawdry, unyielding ham-handedness. There comes a point where the nonsense is slightly more centered around the narrative, but the story is so inelegantly assembled that the difference is functionally meaningless.

There's a lot to take in with this movie. With all this having been said, though, I can't say I wasn't entertained. It's endlessly silly, and frivolous beyond compare, but it's a duly amusing frivolity. The caveat is that it definitely tries one's patience, and only viewers who are receptive to the utmost weird, wide variety that cinema has to offer are likely to find especial value herein. It's not a title I feel I can specifically recommend, but if you're deeply curious and looking for something a bit off the beaten track, a ludicrous romp like 'The ghost in the invisible bikini' may just be what you want.

And the Oscar for best original movie title goes to...

[Boba_Fett1138 · 2/10 · 20 May 2008]

First of all, don't take this movie serious people. This way you'll enjoy it the most.

It's a typical British goof-ball comedy, with mainly one big difference to it; that this movie also stars icons Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone, in one of their last movies.

Yes of course their age really shows. Karloff was nearly 80 at the time of this production and Rathbone sounded as if he had last his denture. But of course their presence alone still adds some class to the movie and gives the movie as a whole a certain bit of extra. Besides them two the movie also features Nancy Sinatra, who hasn't appeared in a lot of movies in her lifetime.

The movie features mainly very silly humor, that on top of it all also just isn't exactly very funny. It's however so clumsy and embarrassing to watch all that it also becomes sort of a cute harmless little movie, that becomes fun to watch due to this clumsy and amateur like film-making, the overall movie has.

But the humor isn't the main issue of the movie. It's its story that makes this movie such a bad one to watch. Halve of the time I really don't know what is going on on screen, because it all is just so confusingly bad to follow. Who are all these characters and what do they want? This is a perfect example of how not to make a movie. The movie gets all the more painful to watch as it heads toward its ending.

The movie also features some very random musical numbers, with scary '60's dancing to it. One of the elements that makes this a quite odd movie to watch.

An embarrassment to watch.

2/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Ghosts, Idiot Style!

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 17 August 2016]

The veteran actors outscore the youngsters in this American International farce that came up during the heyday of the beach party movies. Frankie and Annette aren't available, so you get Tommy Kirk and Deborah Walley instead, not to mention the consistently unfunny Harvey Lembeck.

Billed as the corpse, Boris Karloff as been dead for a week, and with the help of the luscious ghostly figure of Susan Hart, looks on his heirs who are desperately trying to find his missing fortune. it's another one of those Drive-In comedies that seems more like a Scooby-Doo Saturday animated cartoon then something that you can sit through for 90 minutes without longing for a snack, but there are a few downright hysterical moments.

The songs and dance numbers (featuring Nancy Sinatra) is pretty much anything that you would see on any of the popular music shows of the time such as "Shindig" and "American Bandstand". Tommy Kirk and Deborah Walley try, but they can't compare to the veterans who really get a chance to shine, especially the very funny Patsy Kelly. She is joined by Jesse White, Francis X. Bushman and another legendary horror figure, Basil Rathbone. This is one of those films you can have a few good laughs at, but you'll be dying for something of more substance not long after it is over.

Even Karloff and Rathbone can't save it

[kevinolzak · 2/10 · 28 May 2022]

1966's "The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini" arrived almost three years after AIP kicked things off with 1963's "Beach Party," as shooting began Sept. 29, 1965 under the direction of Don Weis rather than William Asher, which also explains the conspicuous absence of both Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, preparing for a change of pace called "Fireball 500." A dizzying array of working titles revealed the company's desperation at this late date: "Pajama Party in a Haunted House," "Beach Party in a Haunted House," "Bikini Party in a Haunted House," "Slumber Party in a Haunted House," "Slumber Party in a Horror House," "The Girl in the Glass Bikini," or "The Girl in the Invisible Bikini" (Frankie Avalon's AIP swan song would emerge in 1970 on a double bill with Boris Karloff's "The Crimson Cult," boasting the unimaginative moniker of "Horror House"). Karloff himself is present as token guest star, dominating the opening reel as Hiram Stokely (billed only as 'The Corpse'), a sideshow charlatan whose ill gotten gains are intended to go to those he had wronged in life, or at least their offspring, like Tommy Kirk as Chuck Phillips, Deborah Walley as Lili Morton, and even Patsy Kelly as Myrtle Forbush, while his unscrupulous attorney, Basil Rathbone as Reginald Ripper, intends to inherit by bumping everyone off. The 'Beach Party' gang led by Aron Kincaid as Bobby, Myrtle's nephew, forsake the hot sands for the typical AIP Poe mansion (complete with 'Chamber of Horrors' in the cellar), gyrating around the swimming pool until rain forces them indoors. It is truly a witless rehash of hoary haunted house cliches that would have looked dated decades earlier, cluttered with far too many characters for anyone to stand out. Harvey Lembeck's Eric Von Zipper leads his Rat Pack for the 6th and last time, rather disconnected in their aimless wanderings, Benny Rubin replaces Buster Keaton as Chief Chicken Feather (the latter busy on location in Spain shooting his screen finale "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"), Nancy Sinatra, Quinn O'Hara, and 14 year old singing sensation Piccola Pupa offering up eye candy as well as dance moves during their respective numbers to the sound of The Bobby Fuller Four. Ravishing redhead Quinn O'Hara would finish her AIP contract with Larry Buchanan's "In the Year 2889" and Vincent Price's "Cry of the Banshee," while intended target Aron Kincaid, bearing the brunt of the monsters, would soon appear in Buchanan's "Creature of Destruction." Jesse White actually dons the bulky costume from Buchanan's just completed "The Eye Creatures," starring Deborah Walley's husband John Ashley, while poor makeup ruins brief glimpses of Frankenstein, The Mummy, and yet another gorilla played by George Barrows. Deborah Walley and Tommy Kirk barely register but would get another chance a month later in Stephanie Rothman's "It's a Bikini World," Kirk previously the lead in 1964's "Pajama Party," as a Martian learning about love on earth, rather stunningly played straight in yet another Larry Buchanan snooze fest, "Mars Needs Women." The 73 year old Rathbone offers up a surprisingly energetic performance, but poor Boris remains sidelined with a mere 6 1/2 minutes screen time, a veteran of "Bikini Beach" providing evidence of his continued relevance in this youth driven decade.

Beach Blanket Bingo Meets The Horror Film...

[ronhelf50 · 5/10 · 17 May 2009]

In the wake of the breakup of the monopoly Hollywood had over production, distribution, and exhibition in the late 1940s, AIP pioneered in youth and new identity oriented films throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. AIP films tended to mine certain genres and themes--horror (where they pushed the envelope), the youth beach film, the youth oriented motorcycle film, topical concerns to the youth of the 1960s and 1970s (drugs, freedom), the countercultural gangster film, sexploitation, blaxploitation. Renowned independent Roger Corman made several films for AIP during these years.

"The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini" is a rather typical AIP film beach film though this time without the beach. There's the women in bikinis, the men in swimsuits, the pop stars singing pop songs, the genre blending, the presence of Eric von Zipper (Harvey Lembeck) and the Rats, the smattering of stars from the classic Hollywood era, and even a bit of reflexivity (Brechtianism? modernism? postmodernism? parody? breaking the fourth wall?).

Wow

[bigden1962 · 6/10 · 30 August 2019]

I first saw this movie on a late night channel interesting movie got to say my favorite part at the end with Lily Bound and Gagged on the Buzzsaw

Poor Boris...

[preppy-3 · 1/10 · 22 January 2001]

Ridiculous movie--just the title should tell you something. It's something or other about a ghost (in a bikini of course) trying to revive her dead boyfriend...or make him younger...or something silly. He's played by Boris Karloff who watches the movie from his crypt through a crystal ball. Poor Boris...he was reduced to THIS???? Basically this was the last gasp for the "Beach Party" movies. They were loosing money so they transferred the action to a "haunted" house and some dumb plot about a fortune being hidden. This is chockful of stupid jokes, bad songs, LOUSY acting and some "teenagers" in their 20s who should not be seen with only a skimpy bathing suit.

It might be fun if you're in a REALLY silly frame of mind--otherwise this is truly an abomination. Not even bad/good--just BAD!!! Kids might go for it.

For A.I.P. fans it can do no wrong.

[morganmpoet · 9/10 · 27 April 2015]

My rating is a reflection of my great enjoyment for the majority of things AIP related, this film for me is very enjoyable on multiple levels. Probably what I like best is it's schizophrenic plot.

I will not attempt to describe the narrative, it has been gone over. The many attributes I enjoy are firstly, AIPs production & sets, it's a very brand driven piece. Anyone familiar with AIPs 60's productions can recognize this visualization almost instantly & no studio has ever reproduced the visual 'look' of these films. I attribute this mostly to Daniel Haller in production design.

Every goofy moment in this film is driven by this same feeling that communicates it can only be AIP at it's most essential; sets, music, narrative & even the actors all fit within this unique universe perfectly. You either love it or hate it with a few in betweens. I love it.

I especially enjoy Harvey Lembeck's & Aaron Kincaid's performances but all the actors do what they R supposed to do within the AIP universe very well, even Tommy Kirk who I felt was very good in 'Pajama Party' btw.

I'm aware of the post production insertion of everything regarding Susan Hart & I think it works well. Karloff is fine for what he does which isn't much. Rathbone is great & Bobbi Shaw is fabulous as always.

No Nancy Sinatra fan here & IMO her role could have been played by anyone but for that, no complaints at all.

This film is for an AIP completest primarily. If U love their films U gotta love this one. So, in a word, recommended!

More silly 60's "beach" amusement from AIP, this time in a spooky mansion

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 13 December 2022]

A recently dead wealthy man (Boris Karloff) is visited in his crypt by a ghost girlfriend from decades prior (Susan Hart). To have his youth restored (as a ghost), he has to perform a good deed and so tries to ensure that someone worthy gets his inheritance hidden somewhere in his creepy manor.

"The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini" (1966) is the tenth beach party film by American International Pictures that released a whopping twelve such movies in less than four years from 1963-1967. I've only seen two others, "Beach Blanket Bingo" (1965) and "Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine" (1965), the latter featuring Vincent Price.

Like "Beach Blanket Bingo," this one is entertaining enough if you're in the mood for some innocuous 60's fun that's silly with a capital 'S.' The big difference, of course, is the switch of the setting from the beaches of Malibu to a spooky manor. There are still 'beach' sequences, however, as far as the mansion's huge pool goes.

This was the only film in the series to not feature either Frankie Avalon or Annette Funicello. But there are some familiar faces from previous beach flicks, like Deborah Walley and Harvey Lembeck (Eric Von Zipper) & his Rats motorcycle gang. Voluptuous blonde Bobbie Shaw Chance returns for her sixth and final appearance in the series (always a different character).

While Bobbie is easily the most beautiful female in the cast, redhead Quinn O'Hara as Sinistra ain't no slouch. Yet Susan Hart is the most notable lass as the ghost due to her entertaining performance, such as her amusing expressions. I shouldn't fail to mention Nancy Sinatra, who sings a couple songs.

This one's cut from the same goofy 60's cloth as "Village of the Giants" (1965), which also featured Tommy Kirk, although "Village" has more highlights, such as a superior score and female cast, not to mention more imaginative dance sequences.

For the real deal in SoCal beach flicks, check out the original "Gidget," released in 1959 (I'm not talking about the two sequels or the TV series with Sally Field). "Gidget" is worthy of its iconic status as the first beach flick with surprising mindfood and no goofiness. No kidding.

The film runs 1 hour, 22 minutes, and was shot in Pasadena, California.

GRADE: B-/C+

Crazy

[BandSAboutMovies · 5/10 · 23 July 2020]

This beach movie features no beach. Sure, it's the sixth and last of the AIP beach genre films, but right now it's the perfect movie for the abject pit of despair that I've found myself in tonight.

Mr. Hiram Stokeley (Boris Karloff!) has just died and has to perform just one good deed in the next day so he can go to Heaven. He asks for Cecily (Susan Hart, the wife of AIP co-founder James H. Nicholson) to help him stop his lawyer Reginald Ripper (Basil Rathbone!) from stealing his estate from its rightful owners Chuck (Tommy Kirk) and Lili (Deborah Walley, the Gidget star who was once married to Blood Island star John Ashley).

Ripper has hired his daughter Sinistra (former Miss Scotland and Fabian bau Quinn O'Hara), J. Sinister Hulk (Maytag man Jesse White), Chicken Feather (Benny Rubin) and Princess Yolanda (beach party regular Bobbi Shaw) to kill off our hero and heroine, while Eric Von Zipper (Harvey Lembeck) and his Malibu Rat Pack get involved.

This was originally called Pajama Party in a Haunted House, which is a pretty great title too. It's the only beach party movie without Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, but it does have Nancy Sinatra right at the start of her fame, as well as George Barrows in his ape suit, Italian starlet Piccola Pupa and The Bobby Fuller Four.

Originally announced in the end credits of Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (under the title The Girl in the Glass Bikini, it was retooled after AIP producers hated the initial cut. All of the scenes with Karloff and Hart were added in, with Hart superimposed over existing footage and Karloff appearing mostly by himself on a soundstage.

This film arrives at a time before hippies would change the world. It's kind of ironic that Eric Von Zipper's motorcycle crash would find its way into another AIP film that would more accurately reflect the latter half of the decade, the Billy Jack-introducing The Born Losers.