gavin6942 Gogo (Tommy Kirk), a Martian teenager, is sent to Earth to prepare the way for an invasion. The first Earthling he meets, one Aunt Wendy, is a rich widow who runs a dress shop catering to teenagers...We have some great stars here: Buster Keaton as an Indian, complete with jokes about scalps and such. Don Rickles as a Martian. And then, you know... Annette Funicello.This film is like the very definition of campy -- girls dancing in such a way to make flowers die and Dr Pepper bottles pop open. Regarding dancing in the 1960s, apparently it required no skills whatsoever -- just shake a lot and you are good to go.In his autobiography, Sam Arkoff says that none of AIP's beach movies lost money. I love his way with words. Other producers would either say they made a fortune, or the returns were disappointing. Arkoff is just happy if he makes money -- it might be ten dollars and he considers it a success. How well this film did is not known, but I guess it did not fail by Arkoff standards.

wes-connors As Annette Funicello (as Connie) and the "Beach Party" gang strip into their bathing suits for a pool party, outer-worldly Tommy Kirk (as Go Go) dons a movie usher's uniform; then, he is transported to Earth. Mr. Kirk's mission is to prepare Earth for an invasion of Martians. He is sent to dresser Elsa Lanchester (as Aunt Wendy)'s home. Ms. Lanchester thinks young Kirk belongs on the beach. She renames him "George", and sends him out, in tight blue trunks, to have fun in the sun. On the beach, Kirk meets Ms. Funicello, and romance ensues… Not the best of the run, as it's missing some essentials; but, American International's "Pajama Party" is probably the series' sexiest entry. The cast is more often featured in swimwear than bedclothes, you should note. And, with the exception of Funicello, the cast is in their hottest beach attire. The exceptional Funicello shows off her assets in pink nightwear, during her "Stuffed Animal" song performance; and, she gets a dance number, too.Probably due to scheduling conflicts, it appears Frankie Avalon's role was moved over to Jody McCrea; and, Mr. Avalon appears in dubbed voice-over and cameo only. At one point, it's suggested that Kirk is borrowing Funicello boyfriend McCrea's clothes, which would have been believable with Avalon, but not the much larger McCrea. Other regulars get more to do, too, like Buster Keaton, Donna Loren, and Mike Nader. The cameos are way cool; like "My name is Dorothy" Kilgallen as a fun motorcycle mama.While the Frankie/Annette dynamic is missing; Kirk is a worthy substitute, and his meeting Funicello on the beach is a delight. Watch as Kirk explains how well-versed he is on Earth, mentioning, "George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Mickey Mantle, Frankie Avalon…" and, he tells Funicello, "You have a well-rounded…" By the film's end, his unfinished phrase can be filled in. **** Pajama Party (1964) Don Weis ~ Tommy Kirk, Annette Funicello, Buster Keaton

helpless_dancer This was what passed for entertainment when I was a teen. Speaking of which, I saw very few, if any, actual teens in this production. Did see the Maytag man though: this guy always leaves me in stitches for some reason. How well I remember his portrayal of Honest John in a segment of "Beverly Hillbillies". As to exactly why I remember this so well is well beyond me, I just do. Another highlight of this film was Don Rickles, one of my all time fave comics. But the ultimate high point of this or any of the sand and surf epics is none other than Eric Von and his cycle Ratz. They are without peer and I'll fight to the death over this belief. Ok, not to the death, but I do love Von Zipper. I have seen several of the beach pictures and this may be the zaniest one yet....you stupids!

armstror "Beach Blanket Bingo" reigns as the best of AIP's "Beach Party" series, but "Pajama Party" takes the runner-up spot. True, there's no Frankie, but Tommy Kirk does fine as a teenaged alien trying to understand the ways of Earthlings (the plot was obviously inspired by "Visit to a Small Planet"). Annette has one of her best songs with the hilarious "Stuffed Animals" number. The often under-used Susan Hart looks terrific, especially when her dancing causes a toy volcano to erupt. In short, "Pajama Party" is a very entertaining piece of nostalgia. It's a shame that Tommy Kirk and Susan Hart were both wasted in the later lame series entry "Ghost in the Invisible Bikini".