Bikini Drive-in

I have to admit when I first picked this movie up off the shelf at my local video store I didn't expect much, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. The movie is full of absolute gorgeous girls, who never seem to be wearing much and aren't ashamed to show what their made of *girl power*. This flick is so much better than the very similar Bikini Driving School which really sucked. The only thing that it had going for it was that the super sexy Maureen Flaherty shows her great t**s a few times. Back to Bikini Drive In, for all you Michelle Bauer fans out there I think you'll be pleased to know that theres a really good scene in here when some servant guy rubs oil onto her t**s, and boy do they look good. The movie has some pretty funny scenes mainly toward the end. Good movie, Great girls. Here's an idea Mr Director how about Michelle Bauer and Maureen Flaherty in a movie together. It's a guaranteed success!!

Searching to find a decent movie about drive-in theatres or movies that have a main plot around a drive-ins, I read about this one on the IMDB I was pleasantly surprised after watching it. The plot consists of the main character named Kim who inherits a drive-in theatre from her late Grandfather. In order to turn a profit, she enlists the help of her bodacious girlfriends to help turn the theatre around and generate some publicity which in turn makes the theatre one of the hot spots of LA. It's light entertainment, and has some funny moments in it. On the whole, it's an entertaining movie through and through with some good natured humour thrown in.

The basis for this review is the 2023 Blu-ray.

Fred Olen Ray fans will be very happy; the results he achieved with this restoration are stunning. The movie looks like it was shot yesterday. Colors that were dull and muddy on the old version now pop. The clumpy grain and pixelation that marred the old DVD? Gone, replaced by a clean and crisp image, one that has not been DNR'd to death. The original 4x3 aspect ratio has been preserved, so no worries about image cropping. Frankly, I've seen releases by big Hollywood studios that didn't look anywhere near as good as this. Mr. Ray did not ignore the sound quality, either. Dialogue is clear, and the under appreciated soundtrack can be heard in all its glory. The movie is also completely uncut and uncensored. And oh, boy...it's a veritable feast for the eyes, featuring an impressive roster of early 90s T&A actresses.

"Bikini Drive-In" is a 1993 incarnation of an old trope: a failing business that is saved by the timely intervention of a group of attractive women. It's simple, effective, and provides the groundwork for ninety minutes of goofy, sexy fun. One scene in particular, featuring Michelle Bauer and Richard Gabai, exemplifies this. Trust me, you'll know it when you see it.

I couldn't write a review for this film and not mention Sarah Bellomo, of "Beach Babes From Beyond" fame. She's hotter than Texas asphalt during a heat wave in August.

Do not ignore the special features; every single one of them is worth a look. The commentary track with Fred Ray and Richard Gabai is both funny and interesting. I would argue that this is one of Mr. Ray's best movies, and one of the best discs released under the Retromedia label. Highly recommended. Hopefully, he will do the same for "Bikini Airways" one day.

Ashlie Rhey is our endearing leading lady in this amiable feature, playing Kim Taylor, a young woman fairly bored with her life. Fortunately, she's in for some excitement, as she receives word that her recently deceased grandfather has left her his (failing) drive-in theatre. She's genuinely interested in making a go of things, but she only has the weekend to come up with $25,000 or the bank will lay claim to the property. She doesn't want to let sleazy businessman J.B. Winston (played by the Mighty Monarch of Exploitation, David F. Friedman) bail her out, because he just wants to build a "super mall" on the premises. With the help of J.B.'s son, Brian (Richard Gabai), and assorted others - including scream queen Dyanne Lynn (Michelle Bauer) - she sets out to make this upcoming weekend as profitable as it can possibly be.

Only one scene, in which one character seems about to set another on fire, is at odds with the genuinely lighthearted approach taken by prolific B movie veterans Fred Olen Ray (director) and Jim Wynorski (executive producer) to this material. This viewer was expecting something explicit and trashy, and the movie delivers in that regard, but what he also got was a very loving tribute to drive-in cinema, and a nearly bygone way of experiencing a night out at the movies. "Bikini Drive-In" is very appealing, in its best moments, and is good for a LOT of titillation and some hearty chuckles. Certainly there is a great attraction in seeing a lot of vintage posters of B movies from decades past, ranging from "The Cremators" to "Invasion of the Blood Farmers". A cheery pop soundtrack is a plus. The finale is rather rushed, but it's sure to leave smiles on some faces.

Ray and Wynorski have great success peppering the cast with many new and old faces from cult cinema. These actors couldn't be more engaging. Ross Hagen, Peter "Orville Ketchum" Spellos, Nikki Fritz, Conrad Brooks, Gordon Mitchell, Hoke Howell, Forrest J. Ackerman, director Ray himself (playing DJ Randy Rocket), Becky LeBeau, Tane McClure, and Wynorski all make appearances; McClures' "car dance" and Bauers' massage are unqualified highlights. The assets of our female cast members are stressed at any and every opportunity, and some of the males get into the act, too, as there are a few sex scenes.

If you're a fan of the filmographies of Messrs. Ray and Wynorski, this is pretty much essential viewing.

A head shot of John Carradine is used for a key photograph.

Eight out of 10.

Bikini Drive-In was the true unofficial sequel to the Bikini Car Wash Company films in my opinion. Interestingly, when I saw the credits at the start, Fred Olen Ray was the producer and Jim Wynorski was the director.

A movie with a familiar plot: someone has inherited something(namely an old drive-in theater) and she has to save it from bankruptcy. She and another man, who wanted to buy the property, choose to show old drive-in classics form the 50's and 60's and make it a party zone. This makes her happy because she is coming off a bad end to a relationship.

With this plot, who needs sex and nudity? But because the cast can't act, in comes the sex and nudity, and boy is it good. Ashley Rhey, former hardcore flash Sarah Bellomo, and Michelle Bauer strut their stuff. The sex in the Unrated version is pretty spicy. The movie lives up to being fun; you almost feel like you're there yourself. The only problem is that the film ends abruptly, like there wasn't a truly big climactic scene. Still, that doesn't deter that this is good fun, created during the golden age of MFV.

P.S. Don't diss nerdy people unless you see what's under their clothes. This movie will show you why!