A SWINGIN' AFFAIR - Dick Dale and the Del-Tones - "Romance That Zings" (1963)

Here's a real Saturday Night Special for you, from 1963, a little movie called

 "A Swingin' Affair!"

I think I'll spend the next few weeks on rock n roll in the movies, and "A Swingin' Affair" is a damn good place to start! In my book, you can't go wrong combining two of the world's finest arts, the sweet science of boxing and surf music together! Doesn't really much matter about the rest of the movie!

Here he is, The King Of Surf Guitar, Dick Dale, and here's just a taste of what Dick did best!

I know it doesn't seem possible, but just like Link Wray, Dick Dale is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It is truly sinful!!

Lots of mediocre bands like ABBA, AC/DC, The Beastie Boys, KISS, Green Day, etc have been inducted into the Hall, but some of the true original innovators have been left in the dust! It just doesn't make sense! Maybe it all derives from Jimi making the statement that once you're experienced, "You'll never listen to surf music again!" He was dead wrong on that one!

These are the majestic Del-Tones!

Dick Dale was also in four other movies, "Let's Make Love" with Marilyn Monroe, and "Beach Party," "Muscle Beach Party," and "Back To The Beach" with Annette and Frankie!

William (Born Losers, It's Alive) Wellman Jr. is Johnny Kwalski, also known as  Kid Gallant 

Kid Gallant is a pretty good boxer, and this victory makes his record move to 10-0. His trainer can get him some bigger and better fights, but he's reluctant to move up for personal reasons!

The boxing scenes are filmed quite realistically!

Arline (The Crawling Hand) Judge has the role of Marge, Kid Gallant's Mom!

Suzan Sturtbridge as Leslie is one of the girls making Johnny's life complicated!

This would be her third and last acting gig! She was also an uncredited cheerleader in one movie, and in one episode of the "Ozzie and Harriet" TV show as a sorority girl!

Just because of it's sheer simplicity and the year it was made, "A Swingin' Affar" reminded me a lot of "The Yesterday Machine!"

I really didn't know that Dick Dale also ever performed as a vocalist until I saw this movie!

In this framed shot, he's singing the title tune, "A Swingin' Affair!"

The whole story in a Texas pecan shell is that even though Johnny is a successful prizefighter, he's trying to keep it secret from the rich kids at the college where he's trying to get into a fraternity. He thinks he would be blackballed if they ever found out, but just the opposite happens in the end!

Sandra Gale (The Glory Stompers) Bettin is Johnny's girlfriend Sally. She is too lowbrow to go to the school, but she works in the cafeteria! When Johnny invites Leslie to the prom instead of her, she turns it on so the President of the fraternity asks her to the big dance!

Instead of taking Sally out, Johnny takes out his fraustrations in the gym instead!

The whole fraternity pledge routine is kinda creepy!

They're going to let Johnny in, but now he needs to come up with $700.00 fast, so he talks his manager into getting him into a bigger fight, even though he knows it's going to blow his cover!

So it's Kid Gallant against the up and coming championship contender Freddie Martini in an action packed 10 rounder!

It's a good, but tough fight, and even though Johnny loses in a split decision, he ends up getting lots of respect from all the chicks, and all the fraternity loser guys, and he can go back to dating Sally, and continue his life without all the secrets that were tearing him apart!!

BEANY And CECIL / D.J. The D. J. - "Ragg Mopp" / Bob Clampett - 1962

Eegah!! and I both grew up watching this great cartoon series! I even remember watching TIME FOR BEANY in 1954... So, sit back and take it easy, it's time for a classic musical tale featuring our favorite Sea-Sick Sea Serpent, Cecil.

I have a fun little sound clip for your approval, sooooo, you can push the big red 'GO' button located there by our sixties jukebox, NOW, Rufus The Gnat!.. Here's... Ragg Mopp!

In this episode we find good old Cecil living amongst other musical geniuses on Tin Can Alley.

Cecil is having trouble coming up with a new tune and needs some inspiration... He notices a very inspirational shadow on the wall made by a mop and pail...

Cecil goes berserk with creativity on the piano, looks like he already chewed up all the carpet! The tune was actually written by bandleader, Johnnie Lee Wills, and steel guitarist, Deacon Anderson, and was published in 1949.

D. J. shows up to offer his support, he thinks he can make some $$$$ off the song by using a popular Hollywood trick, the gimmick. He comes up with a band called the Fire Plug 5 Minus 2, consisting of two dogs and Cecil with fake dog ears!

They simply cannot sell their idea to any major studio though, so...

D. J. decides to record the tune at his special recording studio, heavy on the trouble!

What a Picasso!!..

The dogs take over the act and you can hear them all howling at the end of the sound clip.

Here's a nice comic cover from back then... Then I thought, what could Eegah!! possibly have brewed up for tomorrow, here at The Dungeon?!

MONDO TOPLESS - Russ Meyer (1966)

Normally, I wouldn't do a soft-core movie like this, but it's a Wildcard Wednesday, so anything goes, and what has gone the most in this movie, is all the women's tops! The only reason I'm doing this movie is because my Pal in New York, the wild and woolly John Bartles sent it to me as a Xmas present!
Here's just small look into John's mind!
"Top Knot Babey!"

Wikipedia defines Mondo thusly: "A Mondo film is a documentary film, sometimes resembling a pseudo-documentary, usually depicting sensational topics and scenes." And that pretty much says it all! As far as I can tell, there have been four other Mondo movies in title, "Mondo Cane" in 1962, "Mondo Cane 2" in 1963, "Mondo Hollywood" in 1967, and "Mondo New York" in 1988!

Here's some rocking music by The Aladdins, (It's doubtful that was a real band) and some manic narration by John (Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens) Furlong! Gotta love some of the girl's names like Abundavita!

 There's nothing subtle about this movie, that's for sure!

The opening scenes that go along with the weird ass narration are of this totally nude blonde just driving around in San Francisco, the place that gets recognition as the home of the topless movement!

Batwoman topless? Whoo Hoo!! The name of the house band is Billy King and The Kinsmen, which I'm sure wasn't meant to trick anyone who was a fan of the ever popular The Kingsmen of "Louie Louie" fame! Reminds me of one of the most intelligent bands of the 70's, "Free Beer!" Once their name went up on the marquee, there was always a good crowd!

Chi-Chi's!  Also referred to as breasts, boobies, hooters, titties, sweater puppies, knockers, fried eggs, and head lights, were a real passion of Russ Meyer, and he spent his whole career trying to prove it!

 Those happy go lucky Shriners are always welcome! 

 About 90 % of the footage is boobs, and about 10% is sound devices like tape recorders and radios!

Sometimes they lose it, and focus in on the girl's faces instead of their breasts!

This is a really nice shot of what was called a transistor radio!

Don't worry, that top won't stay on for long!

Pensive and thought provoking!

Fireside Inn Restaurant doesn't sound much like a topless club!

Let me end this mess with another classic John Bartles tune:

"My Human Don't Love Me No More!"
Stay tuned in, I'm sure Tabonga's got some more classic crap cooked up for you on Friday!
Until then, Ta-Ta's!