Bikini Carwash Company (5 Stars)

No, that isn't a mistake. I give this film 5 stars. This film is an icon of trash cinema. I don't even call it "so bad that it's good", it's just good.

In the 1990's there was a flood of "bikini films" in the USA. They were easy to identify by their name. Just do a search on Amazon.com for films that have a title beginning with "Bikini", and you'll find films with names like "Bikini Drive-In" and "Bikini Airways". This was a mini-genre in itself with a constantly repeated formula. A business is failing. To save it girls in bikinis are hired to attract male customers. Such films always include light comedy and a romantic sub-plot involving a nerdy man. There are occasional bare breasts, but never full frontal nudity.

While I'm unsure if this was the first film of its type, it's certainly the best. Jack McGowan has to spend the summer looking after his Uncle Elmer's car wash. It's not making enough money to pay for his uncle's medical bills, so a group of female college students help him by serving customers in bikinis. There are complaints from the assistant district attorney who considers the company indecent, but these complaints are refuted by appealing to American freedom of expression.

There are a few oddities in the film that give it a quaint quality. Los Angeles is being stalked by a flasher who has Terminator type vision. During sex scenes quotes from the Gettysburg Address are chanted. Surreal.

This film has achieved cult status. It's the only film in the bikini film genre that has been released in England. When it was out of print the DVD was being sold to collectors for £130 and more. Luckily there was a new release last year. I strongly recommend this film to my readers. If you still have any doubts please check out this more detailed review by a fellow blogger.