Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965)

Storyline

The dastardly Dr. Goldfoot (Vincent Price) and his sidekick, Igor (Jack Mullaney), build a race of bikini-wearing beauties who are designed to win the hearts and fortunes of the most influential men of the world. Before long, the manufactured women begin to succeed, and Robot 11 (Susan Hart) is sent to coax multimillionaire Todd Armstrong (Dwayne Hickman) into handing over his wealth. Government spy Craig Gamble (Frankie Avalon) tracks down Robot 11, but even he isn't immune to her charms.

Plot Keywords

mad scientist, sidekick, secret agent, millionaire, beautiful woman, robot, madcap, campy, laboratory, mansion, torture chamber, world domination, espionage, torture, man vs. machine, seduction, quest, escape, rescue, 1960s

Short Review

Samuel Z. Arkoff and American International Pictures (AIP) strike again! What the Beach Party films were to surfing movies, "Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine" is to spy pictures. "Beach Party" veteran Frankie Avalon along with TV's Dobie Gillis, Dwayne Hickman, play Craig Gamble and Todd Armstrong (earlier this year Avalon played Todd Armstrong and Hickman played Craig Gamble in AIP's ski themed "Beach Party" knock-off film, "Ski Party"). Avalon is a swinging' 60s spy who partners with millionaire Hickman to stop the mad scientist Dr. Goldfoot, Vincent Price, in his plot to use build bikini-clad robots to seduce influential men around the globe. Just like the Beach Party films, this one is ridiculous and complete fluff, but at the same time the film's unpretentiousness and likable cast are enough to endear audiences. Although the spy craft is not as slick as the campy Flint movies and the cast is not as good as the Beach Party films (it does include cameos by Beach veterans Annette Funicello, Harvey Lembeck, and Fabian), it's still enjoyable fluff if your'e in the right mood. AIP music veteran Les Baxter provided the score, but interestingly AIP cut out all of the musical numbers that were originally planned for the film. The film was a flop in the US, but was a huge hit in Italy, so a sequel was film in Italy, with Prince as the only returning cast member, and was directed by Italian maestro genre filmmaker Mario Bava ("Black Sunday," "Diabolic" "Blood and Black Lace," "Kill, Baby... Kill!" etc.), in what is one of his weaker films, but superior to this original.