Reviews (24)

wow!!!this really is SUMMER MAGIC
what can i say hayley mills is a disney legend,and this movie is one of her masterpeices beside THE PARENT TRAP,THE MOON-SPINNERS,POLLYANNA...and many other disney films this movie has an excellent plot and a wonderful cast i give this 5 stars!!!

Delightful picture
This picture may not be rich in plot but it has a wonderful air about it that will make you feel good all over.When I was a child I begged my parents to take me to this movie. My parents ignored me and took me to a movie they wanted to see. As it turned out the movie they wanted to see had a sneak preview of Summer Magic. For years I have resisted purchasing this Hayley Mills classic. I don't know why I waited. It is excellent.

Corny
This movie is very corny. It is also annoying. It is a little unrealistic that everything would work out so well for this family. It is horribly corny. It is unbelieveable because Hayley Mills has a British accent and her family does not. Burl Ives's role is also cheesy (what else is new), and the name of the dude who owns the house's name is stolen from the bass player is Aerosmith, Tom Hamilton. The movie glorifies old ideals, such as country being better than the city. U should stay away from this one. It is not worth a stinking penny.

It's really good!
I love the end part when the owner of the house shows up and they dance and everyone just stares at him. Isn't he cute?

Soft Summer Magic
Hi! I'm Becky age 14. I've watched this a couple times, and loved it all the times. It does not include any offensive words, or anything eles concernig PG-13 movies. I wasn't around when Hayley Mills was a huge star or seen the rest of her movies or anything, but she did a wonderful job of acting. The special effects aren't incredably great by todays standards, but include that Disney Magic. Oh yeah, and the plot it great, a little slow in parts, but still great. This got boring after a while, so rent it a video rental store before you by it. Have fun! ... Read more

Reviews (22)

The Best Of The Beach
Beach Blanket Bingo is the best of AIP's Beach Party films. Unlike the other films in the series, there are actual attempts at some clever tongue and cheek writing here, Annette finally displays some of here phenomenal body, Frankie actually has a tan, and the supporting cast is much better this time around. Here we have Harvey Lembeck as Erick Von Zipper (what a great character!), Linda Evans, Marta Kristen, John Ashley, Buster Keaton, Don Rickles and the great, demented, Timothy Carey.

Director William Asher had Roger Corman's Poe movie cinematographer Floyd Crosby on this film, making it the best looking of the series. The color is rich, the compositions dynamic and the camera more mobile than usual, giving the film a greater sense of excitement.

Finally, series composer Les Baxter also had a bigger hand in writing and arranging the songs this time around, and they are much better than usual for this series -- the title tune is a standout.

If you have a taste for American-International's Beach Party pictures, this is the best, and if you've never seen one before, this is the one to start with... Loads of fun!

actually more enjoyable than the ORIGINAL "Beach Party"!
BEACH BLANKET BINGO is considered by many as their favorite "Beach Party" movie. In order, my three favorites are BEACH BLANKET BINGO, PAJAMA PARTY and BEACH PARTY.

In this sequel, Dee Dee (Annette Funicello) and Frankie (Frankie Avalon) decide to take skydiving lessons from the hard-nosed pilot John Ashley and the late Deborah Walley.

Things get complicated when up-and-coming pop singer Sugar Kane (Linda Evans) ends up in Frankie's arms - literally - and the ... Deborah decides to make Frankie an afterschool sweetheart!

Dumb-as-stumps Deadhead (Jody McCrea) falls in love with an elusive mermaid (Marta Kristen) and the always-annoying Eric Von Zipper (Harvey Lembeck) and his "Rats" show up to kidnap the lovely Sugar Kane...

Featuring a memorable title song as well as great musical turns by Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello and Donna Loren.

There are also great cameo roles from Earl Wilson, Don Rickles, Paul Lynde, Buster Keaton and Bobbi Shaw (reprising her role as Keaton's dizzy sidekick).

The DVD includes the trailer. (Single-sided, single-layer disc).

a fun movie even for beach party movie haters
most beach party movies are pretty bad, mainly because frankie and annette are pretty insufferable. but this movie is sharp and funny. there's a comedy killer trio with harvey lembeck, don rickles and my alltime favorite, timothy carey as south dakota slim, an evil man with a heart of gold. linda evans looks incredibly young and beautiful, while donna loren is beautiful and terrific in her number. as much as pure junk can be a good movie, this is it. besides this one, any beach party movie with dick dale in it is good. the guy just rocks, rocks, rocks.

Frankie Avalon's Best Movie
A Good movie and the Best scenes are Frankie Avalon singing the theme song and the romantic song "These Are The Good Times" in the movie a song he later sang in a episode of "The Patty Duke Show".

a masterpiece of silly fun
I want to slap Frankie Avalon silly and Annette seems like a very attractive stuffed chair. But I really, really like this move. Young Linda Evans is a slice of female heaven, Harvey Lembeck is always good no matter how lousy the Beach Party movies are, but the crowning glory is Timothy Carey as the zonked out ultra hipster South Dakota Slim, a pool playing biker sadist kidnapper tapdancer who is basically a nice guy. He has been my hero ever since I saw this movie. Lots of good dancing and music, too. I must also praise Jody McCrea as Deadhead and his lovely mermaid girlfriend. Highly recommended from a guy who really knows movies. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Superb Family Film!
I loved Benji as a child - I even remember my stuffed Benji doll that I carried around for years! This film is as great now as it was then. I highly recommend this wonderful little movie to everyone everywhere, whether you have children or not!!!

The greatest family movie of all time
I have wanted to review this 1973 family classic for a very long time now, but it has been extraordinarily difficult to review something and someone who was a truly vital part of my childhood. Some of my earliest memories are of this loveable little dog. When the 25th anniversary edition of the film came out in 1998, I finally had the chance to reacquaint myself with my dear old friend, and it was a truly moving experience. All these years later, Benji remains the ultimate family movie experience. It can be quite a sad and touching experience, as well, and my emotional attachment to it has kept me from reviewing it for far too long already. The children (and adults) of every generation need to be acquainted with this film; Benji is the great American dog who has rightly been called America's Most Huggable Hero. I absolutely treasure this film from my childhood, and I want all children to feel the love this movie expresses and epitomizes.

The story of this movie is almost as extraordinary as the film itself. Everybody laughed at Joe Camp when he described the movie he wanted to make. This man who had never even made a movie or worked with animals before was committed to writing, producing, and directing a film told from the viewpoint of a dog. There would be no dubbed voices telling the audience what the dog was thinking; the dog himself would communicate his feelings through his demeanor and facial expressions. Even Frank Inn, Benji's owner, thought the idea was crazy when Camp came to him looking for a dog who could act. It just so happened, though, that Camp spotted Benji and immediately knew he had found his star. Benji was already an older dog who had retired from a distinguished seven-year career on the television show Petticoat Junction. Frank Inn, the man who had rescued Benji from the pound many years earlier, didn't know it, but Benji's greatest performance was yet to come.

In a way, the story of the movie is rather simple. Benji is a stray who is loved by folks all over the neighborhood, yet the place he calls home is a lonely, abandoned house. Every day, he follows the same routine: he first heads to the Chapman house to be fed and loved by young Cindy and Paul (whose father will not allow them to keep a stray dog), then he is off to chase a neighboring cat (whose owner is played by Frances "Aunt Bee" Bavier), wake up old Bill (Petticoat Junction buddy Edgar Buchanan) at the café, entertain a police officer, and rummage for food in the park. One special day, Benji meets a cute little white dog in the park, and the two of them become inseparable. Then disaster strikes; Benji's home is invaded by strangers who kidnap Cindy and Paul and hold them hostage there. Benji goes all over town trying to tell his human friends where the children are, but no one will listen to him. If he is to save the children he loves as well as his new friend Tiffany, he is going to have to come up with a way to make the humans understand him.

The last twenty minutes of this film are among the most powerful cinematic moments I have ever witnessed. Benji turns in one of the greatest performances of all time. Laugh if you will, but I consider Benji's performance one of the ten greatest performances of all time - that includes human as well as animal actors. Two scenes in particular reveal the depth of Benji's acting skills. I cannot describe what happens here without giving away important plot details, but it sends tears pouring down my cheeks no matter how many times I watch it. You can literally read Benji's thought process and intense emotions on his face. While it may not be manly to admit, I actually sob during these climactic scenes. To be honest, I cry many times throughout this movie. I am one of those people who love animals more than people, really, and I can't stand to see an animal sad or hurt. Benji's loneliness at the beginning of the movie touches me deeply, and his joyful relationship with his new little friend Tiffany moves me beyond words. The later scenes, though, include one traumatic moment that almost breaks my heart when it happens.

Obviously, I could sing praises to Benji all day. This is one of the greatest movies of all time; there really is no other movie like it. Joe Camp succeeded fabulously in telling this story from Benji's point of view. Even the most minor human characters express feelings that go far beyond mere words, and the music, while certainly evocative of the early 1970s era, complements and intensifies every scene perfectly. (The theme song I Feel the Love, sung by Charlie Rich, won a Golden Globe award and was nominated for an Academy Award.) In closing, I must mention the fact that Benji was as much a hero in real life as he was in this feature film. This vintage American "mutt" whom Frank Inn rescued from an animal shelter as a puppy really left an impressive mark on this world. He and owner Frank Inn literally toured the world, bringing joy to untold numbers of children. More importantly, he indirectly saved the lives of thousands of dogs waiting and hoping to be adopted from animal shelters. I love Benji as if he were my very own dog; he was a ray of sunlight in my childhood and he remains a true hero to me still. I dearly hope that today's children can get to know and love this dog and this movie as much as I do.

Great movie but very hard to find!
I think Benji is a great film. I use to watch it a lot when I was lil but the state where I live doesn't even have Benji available anywhere. I wonder why it doesn't. Probably because some people got tired of watching Benji or it's not in stock at all anymore. It also doesn't even come on TV that much as it use to. I remember when it use to come on The Disney Channel a bunch and I just kept on watching it and watching it. I never got tried of it. I also like the latest recent movie Benji the Hunted that was great too not as good as Benji though but it's still enjoyable to watch.

A classical family movie
After such a long time looking for this DVD, I finally got one. I immediately watched the movie and really enjoyed it. The quality of picture and sound are great, although there is no extra.
This year will be the 30th anniversary of its release. I think there should be 30th Anniversary Edition DVD with addition of extras as well as the release of other Benji's movies on DVD.
I hope that there will be (big) film studio such Disney does this job. And importantly, I look forward to the release of Benji's new adventure this summer!!!

A Classic Film for All Ages
"Benji" is a kid's film which achieves the status of true drama, due to the remarkable acting ability of Higgins in the title role. A schnauzer-cocker-poodle cross, Higgins was found in a shelter and trained by Frank Inn. Before playing "Benji," he guest-starred on tv's "Lassie", "Beverly Hillbillies", and "Green Acres;" had a regular role in "Petticoat Junction" as "Dog;" and carried the title role in the film "Mooch Goes to Hollywood" (1971). "Benji" was true screen triumph for Higgins, worthy of an Oscar. Kudos to his co-star Tiffany, as well, for her engaging personality. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Elvis is harried by three, count 'em, three marriage-minded dames in Spinout, in which he plays a race car driver/rock & roll singer. He's offered big bucks to compromise his lifestyle by playing a party for a rich girl (frequent co-star Shelley Fabares) and drive a millionaire's prototype car, but Elvis isn't tempted by material gain. (Sort of an inverse plot to EP's real showbiz career.) Most of the picture has the flat, studio-bound look that director Norman Taurog perfected in his many Presley vehicles, with only the big race scene in the last 10 minutes perking things up. However, the songs are rockin'-er than usual for a mid-Elvis movie, with "Stop, Look and Listen," "I'll Be Back," and "Adam and Evil" all fun in a dragstrip kind of way. (Let us ignore "Smorgasbord.") Elvis is in his chunky pre-comeback form here, and looks understandably bored by the plot. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Is cutting off picture information "Family friendly"?
Oh, Disney! Disney! Why do you stab me in the heart so often?
This company seems to think that avoiding black little bars at the top and bottom of 4:3 television screens makes families happy and content. Why not consider us grownups instead, who are very saddened indeed to watch movies like this with the sides cut off?
Besides, what child or teenager today would tolerate viewing this movie anyhow, cropped or in letterbox format? This is definitely a film for people BORN in the fifties and sixties. Yes, it's overlong! Yes, it's corny a lot of the time! Yes, it's often dull and even boring! And yes, I still enjoy it for all its faults! But I would be ten times happier if Disney had given me this film on DVD in the correct aspect ratio of 1.78:1 - with anamorphic enhancement, of course! WHEN WILL THEY LEARN?

DVD vs VHS
I have been familiar with this film since I worked for Disney in 16mm film distribution in the 1970s. I started at Disney after just coming back from Europe, so the French settings were nice to revisit.

I am very familiar with the various negatives of this film. I agree with several reviewers that a DVD should contain the best possible picture and sound element. It should also present the film in its original, projected aspect ratio, which for BON VOYAGE was 1:85.1 (Academy 'flat') which gives the film a slight, rectangular image. However, full frame, 4 by 3 transfers of 1:85x1 pictures are not necessarily all that bad. You loose a little picture on the sides, but not really that much. Some work could have been done on color correcting, although the DVD's 'look' exactly matches the projected film.

I also agree that a few 'extras' would have been nice, even just the theatrical trailer. Walt Disney filmed 'everything' to do with his studio's product, so there must be a good amount of 'extras' for BON VOYAGE in the Disney film vaults. Why aren't they included?

Anyway, it's still nice to have this some-what overlong film back on the market. I grabbed a copy at BestBuy as soon as I spotted it. I have always felt that it was about 20 minutes too long, and that it incorporated two scenes (Fred McMurray and the French prostitute in Paris, and the attempted extortion of son Elliot on the Riviera) that should not have been in the script. The film might have done better with its intended audience. Tommy Kirk's performance as Elliot, however, is a treasure; he was a very polished actor, and gave wonderful comic relief it wasn't 'mugging' but was built solely out of his character.

Look for one mistake the original director made, and it's in the original negative, although it shouldn't have been included. When McMurray punches the Casanova in the casino at the film's end, immediately go frame by frame for a few seconds and you can see the sound stage floor, complete with ladders for the cameras, and even some of the crew in the background.

Some of the scenes bettween McMurray and James Callan (father to young suitor) still resonate even in today's society. And McMurray lost in the Paris sewers is still very funny.

THey ruined BOn VOyage!
I would like to quote a previous reviewer

"No wonder the company is about to be taken over and broken up -- DVD was introduced to be an alternative to video, to offer more than video: better picture, more extras, and most importantly, more picture. Letterboxing. Widescreen. The complete image. So what does Disney do? They take some of their most beloved live-action films such as this one, and dump it on DVD in full-frame editions. What is the point of that? Who isn't used to widescreen DVDs yet? Why should I waste my money replacing my old Disney videos with the same crappy full screen image as before? Disney just doesn't get it, and their sales show it. Quote From Viewer From New York"

I just watched it for the first time I bought it when it came out but didn't watch until today. In fact I am watching the DVD as I right htis review. I agree with you completely. The best part about it were the menus.

DISNEY DOESN'T GET IT!!!!!!
No wonder the company is about to be taken over and broken up -- DVD was introduced to be an alternative to video, to offer more than video: better picture, more extras, and most importantly, more picture. Letterboxing. Widescreen. The complete image. So what does Disney do? They take some of their most beloved live-action films such as this one, and dump it on DVD in full-frame editions. What is the point of that? Who isn't used to widescreen DVDs yet? Why should I waste my money replacing my old Disney videos with the same crappy full screen image as before? Disney just doesn't get it, and their sales show it.

BON VOYAGE!
I just ordered my dVD today from amazon.com

I have a VHS of it that I bought when it came out in 1986 but I was so anxious for this dVD to come out.

I wish that there were going to be special features on it but I bought it anyways.

Harry Willard(Fred MacMurray) and his wife Katie (Jane Wyman) go on a sea voyage to beautiful France with their 3 children. Amy (Deborah Walley) Elliot (Tommy Kirk) and Skipper(Kevin Corcoran). Amy is dead happy about the trip, Elliot couldn't care less, and Skipper is just happy anyplace. This movie starts out @ the Shipping Office in New York City. Where Amy runs into Playboy Nicholas O'Marra (Michael Callan) well they set sail on the classic ship S.S. Pacific ? I can't remember the exact name. And they have a lot of adventures on the boat. WHen they get to Paris they first go to the Eifel Tower. But Amy runs into Nick and that fumes Harry because He can't stand Nick. Well the movie rolls along and it has a lot of funny scenes. Like when Harry gets lost in the Sewer System of Paris. And when Harry meets the Lady with the mustache (ooh what a disgusting occurance). This movie ends when Harry punches the evil Rudolph for making advances to his wife in a Casino in the French Riviera. Watch for the grand theme song. Which is my favorite part of the movie.

I have been waiting for years for this movie to come out on DVD. ... Read more

Amazon.com

No Hollywood studio was willing to buy or distribute this 1974 familyfilmmade in Texas, but it managed to find a considerable audience anyway in theU.S. and become a minor classic under its own steam. While Benji'sproduction values aren't everything they could be, and the acting is at bestuneven, the movie is really held together by the immense charm of theunassuming mutt who plays the title character. He may not look as impressiveas Lassie or Rin Tin Tin, but poor stray Benji (played by a pooch namedHiggins) is as brave and resourceful as they come, especially when a coupleof neighborhood children are kidnapped and in need of rescuing. And whatabout that romantic subplot: Benji falling for a pampered pup from the goodside of the tracks. Director Joe Camp earned himself a profitable franchisewith Benji and its several sequels, but it was this first film and thedebut of a new canine icon that stirs pleasant memories. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Superb Family Film!
I loved Benji as a child - I even remember my stuffed Benji doll that I carried around for years! This film is as great now as it was then. I highly recommend this wonderful little movie to everyone everywhere, whether you have children or not!!!

The greatest family movie of all time
I have wanted to review this 1973 family classic for a very long time now, but it has been extraordinarily difficult to review something and someone who was a truly vital part of my childhood. Some of my earliest memories are of this loveable little dog. When the 25th anniversary edition of the film came out in 1998, I finally had the chance to reacquaint myself with my dear old friend, and it was a truly moving experience. All these years later, Benji remains the ultimate family movie experience. It can be quite a sad and touching experience, as well, and my emotional attachment to it has kept me from reviewing it for far too long already. The children (and adults) of every generation need to be acquainted with this film; Benji is the great American dog who has rightly been called America's Most Huggable Hero. I absolutely treasure this film from my childhood, and I want all children to feel the love this movie expresses and epitomizes.

The story of this movie is almost as extraordinary as the film itself. Everybody laughed at Joe Camp when he described the movie he wanted to make. This man who had never even made a movie or worked with animals before was committed to writing, producing, and directing a film told from the viewpoint of a dog. There would be no dubbed voices telling the audience what the dog was thinking; the dog himself would communicate his feelings through his demeanor and facial expressions. Even Frank Inn, Benji's owner, thought the idea was crazy when Camp came to him looking for a dog who could act. It just so happened, though, that Camp spotted Benji and immediately knew he had found his star. Benji was already an older dog who had retired from a distinguished seven-year career on the television show Petticoat Junction. Frank Inn, the man who had rescued Benji from the pound many years earlier, didn't know it, but Benji's greatest performance was yet to come.

In a way, the story of the movie is rather simple. Benji is a stray who is loved by folks all over the neighborhood, yet the place he calls home is a lonely, abandoned house. Every day, he follows the same routine: he first heads to the Chapman house to be fed and loved by young Cindy and Paul (whose father will not allow them to keep a stray dog), then he is off to chase a neighboring cat (whose owner is played by Frances "Aunt Bee" Bavier), wake up old Bill (Petticoat Junction buddy Edgar Buchanan) at the café, entertain a police officer, and rummage for food in the park. One special day, Benji meets a cute little white dog in the park, and the two of them become inseparable. Then disaster strikes; Benji's home is invaded by strangers who kidnap Cindy and Paul and hold them hostage there. Benji goes all over town trying to tell his human friends where the children are, but no one will listen to him. If he is to save the children he loves as well as his new friend Tiffany, he is going to have to come up with a way to make the humans understand him.

The last twenty minutes of this film are among the most powerful cinematic moments I have ever witnessed. Benji turns in one of the greatest performances of all time. Laugh if you will, but I consider Benji's performance one of the ten greatest performances of all time - that includes human as well as animal actors. Two scenes in particular reveal the depth of Benji's acting skills. I cannot describe what happens here without giving away important plot details, but it sends tears pouring down my cheeks no matter how many times I watch it. You can literally read Benji's thought process and intense emotions on his face. While it may not be manly to admit, I actually sob during these climactic scenes. To be honest, I cry many times throughout this movie. I am one of those people who love animals more than people, really, and I can't stand to see an animal sad or hurt. Benji's loneliness at the beginning of the movie touches me deeply, and his joyful relationship with his new little friend Tiffany moves me beyond words. The later scenes, though, include one traumatic moment that almost breaks my heart when it happens.

Obviously, I could sing praises to Benji all day. This is one of the greatest movies of all time; there really is no other movie like it. Joe Camp succeeded fabulously in telling this story from Benji's point of view. Even the most minor human characters express feelings that go far beyond mere words, and the music, while certainly evocative of the early 1970s era, complements and intensifies every scene perfectly. (The theme song I Feel the Love, sung by Charlie Rich, won a Golden Globe award and was nominated for an Academy Award.) In closing, I must mention the fact that Benji was as much a hero in real life as he was in this feature film. This vintage American "mutt" whom Frank Inn rescued from an animal shelter as a puppy really left an impressive mark on this world. He and owner Frank Inn literally toured the world, bringing joy to untold numbers of children. More importantly, he indirectly saved the lives of thousands of dogs waiting and hoping to be adopted from animal shelters. I love Benji as if he were my very own dog; he was a ray of sunlight in my childhood and he remains a true hero to me still. I dearly hope that today's children can get to know and love this dog and this movie as much as I do.

Great movie but very hard to find!
I think Benji is a great film. I use to watch it a lot when I was lil but the state where I live doesn't even have Benji available anywhere. I wonder why it doesn't. Probably because some people got tired of watching Benji or it's not in stock at all anymore. It also doesn't even come on TV that much as it use to. I remember when it use to come on The Disney Channel a bunch and I just kept on watching it and watching it. I never got tried of it. I also like the latest recent movie Benji the Hunted that was great too not as good as Benji though but it's still enjoyable to watch.

A classical family movie
After such a long time looking for this DVD, I finally got one. I immediately watched the movie and really enjoyed it. The quality of picture and sound are great, although there is no extra.
This year will be the 30th anniversary of its release. I think there should be 30th Anniversary Edition DVD with addition of extras as well as the release of other Benji's movies on DVD.
I hope that there will be (big) film studio such Disney does this job. And importantly, I look forward to the release of Benji's new adventure this summer!!!

A Classic Film for All Ages
"Benji" is a kid's film which achieves the status of true drama, due to the remarkable acting ability of Higgins in the title role. A schnauzer-cocker-poodle cross, Higgins was found in a shelter and trained by Frank Inn. Before playing "Benji," he guest-starred on tv's "Lassie", "Beverly Hillbillies", and "Green Acres;" had a regular role in "Petticoat Junction" as "Dog;" and carried the title role in the film "Mooch Goes to Hollywood" (1971). "Benji" was true screen triumph for Higgins, worthy of an Oscar. Kudos to his co-star Tiffany, as well, for her engaging personality. ... Read more