Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965)

What makes Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine special is how cheerfully it commits to being a pop-art prank of a movie: a James Bond-style caper put through a funhouse mirror, with Vincent Price savoring every wickedly theatrical moment as the mad scientist at the center. The jokes land with a buoyant, anything-goes energy—gadgetry, goofy henchman business, and a gleeful San Francisco chase that plays like slapstick tourism—while Frankie Avalon keeps things light and game as the square-jawed hero. It’s camp in the classic sense: bright, silly, and knowingly ridiculous, the kind of film you watch for the vibe as much as the punchlines. Fair warning, the “bikini robot” premise means plenty of dated, sexualized cheesecake, but if you’re in the mood for a harmless, colorful ’60s spoof with Price having a ball, it’s an easy good time.

Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine is aiming for a breezy, campy spy spoof that mashes mad-scientist silliness with beach-party energy, and you can feel it trying to be a goofy riff on the Bond craze. The problem is that the humor is broad to the point of repetitive, with slapstick chases and “dumb henchman” bits that can drag if you’re not already on its wavelength. A lot of the movie’s appeal is built around bikini-clad “robot” women and horny-gag innuendo, so if that feels dated or tiring rather than cheeky, this will test your patience fast. Still, Vincent Price brings a playful charm, and if you enjoy low-stakes, knowingly silly ’60s kitsch, it can be a harmless time capsule rather than a comedy masterpiece.