I was watching Step Into Liquid, possibly one of the best surfing documentaries I have ever seen. While going through the surfing history time line the “uber-popularization” of surfing in the 60’s came up and with it the movie Gidget – a movie by Columbia Pictures (now owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment) that was released in 1959 about a teenager breaking into the surf scene. Gidget is the equivalent of say…the TV show Kung Fu starring David Carradine in the 1970’s (essentially what I am trying to say is that Gidget was a total misrepresentation of surf culture at the time much like Kung Fu was to the martial art). I say this because not only was it a misrepresentation, but both Gidget and Kung Fu popularized their respective subject matters amongst the masses. After the release of Gidget came one cheesy beach party movie after another and in turn created a beach culture of its own…which kind of reminds me of spring break today but with more clothing. In any case, as cheesy as these movies are and as cheesy as the teenage beach culture that adored them was it is, alas, part of American beach culture history much like ’80’s music is part of music history – we just can’t do anything about it (I’m guilty of listening to it, don’t get all salty on me now dear reader – we are just having fun here on the beach blog). So in the spirit of embracing American beach history, I’ve compiled a list of movies here that you can reference if you get bored this fall/winter and ever want to take a step back in time and have yourself a little beach party in your living room. The short synopsis under each image is from IMDB, click on each image to read the full synopsis and information on each movie on IMDB. Please feel free to add titles that must be added to the list in the comments section and I will include it here!

Gidget - 1959

A young girl discovers surfing and love (in that order) during one transitive summer.

Gidget Goes Hawaiian - 1961

Francis is desperate: her parents want to force her to come with them on vacation to Hawaii – just during the two weeks when her beloved “Moondoggy” is home from College. When he suggests her to go for it, she’s even more in panic…

Beach Party - 1963

The first of the five official American-International “Beach Party” movies. Anthropology Professor Robert Orwell Sutwell and his secretary Marianne are studying the sex habits of teenagers. The surfing teens led by Frankie and Dee Dee don’t have much sex but they sing, battle the motorcycle rats and mice led by Eric Von Zipper…

Muscle Beach Party - 1964

Local beach-goers find that their beach has been taken over by a businessman training a stable of body builders.

Bikini Beach - 1964

A millionaire sets out to prove his theory that his pet chimpanzee is as intelligent as the teenagers who hang out on the local beach, where he is intending to build a retirement home.

Beach Blanket Bingo - 1965

In the fourth of the highly successful Frankie and Annette beach party movies, a motorcycle gang led by Eric Von Zipper kidnaps singing star Sugar Kane…

How to Stuff a Wild Bikini - 1965

Frankie, on naval-reserve duty in Tahiti, doesn’t trust Dee Dee to stay faithful, so he hires Bwana, a witch doctor, to help.

The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini - 1966

A corpse has 24 hours to mastermind a good deed without leaving his crypt, to go “up there” and have his youth restored.