Hey, Let's Twist!

Hey, Let's Twist!

1961 "The one great movie about the sensation!"
Hey, Let's Twist!
Hey, Let's Twist!

Hey, Let's Twist!

4.5 | 1h19m | en | Music

Film about the creation of New York's famous Peppermint Lounge, where the Twist became a dance craze.

View More
AD

WATCH FREEFOR 30 DAYS

All Prime Video
Cancel anytime

Watch Now
4.5 | 1h19m | en | Music | More Info
Released: December. 31,1961 | Released Producted By: Paramount , Harry Romm Productions Country: Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:
Synopsis

Film about the creation of New York's famous Peppermint Lounge, where the Twist became a dance craze.

...... View More
Stream Online

The movie is currently not available onine

Cast

Joey Dee , Teddy Randazzo , Zohra Lampert

Director

George Jacobson

Producted By

Paramount , Harry Romm Productions

AD

Watch Free for 30 Days

All Prime Video Movies and TV Shows. Cancel anytime.

Watch Now

Trailers & Images

Reviews

bkoganbing Hey, Let's Twist is a time capsule to the youth culture of the Kennedy years. I remember seeing this at the tender age of 14 in theater back in Brooklyn. Those were interesting years.This film purportedly shows how the famous Peppermint Lounge came to be. In the film restaurant owner Dino DeLuca has two sons Joey and Ricky who are into this new dance craze called The Twist and are even playing and writing about it. When dad has an anxiety attack and has to slow down, the boys take charge and turn his Italian Restaurant which was on the rocks anyway into a new youth club where they play and the kids twist the night away. More importantly it makes money so dad takes a new outlook on his two son's futures.The dream almost dies when socialite Zohra Lampert starts patronizing the place and starts turning it into a Studio 54 operation where only the elite go. I guess we weren't ready for that in those years because The Peppermint Lounge nearly goes belly up. In the end the kids are all right.Of course this is hardly the story of the real Peppermint Lounge which was mobbed up to the gills. But the period music is fine, Joey Dee and Teddy Randazzo are hardly great acting talents, still Hey Let's Twist is some interesting nostalgia.
Jay Raskin I can think of four good reasons to watch this film.First, its an amazing time capsule of the 1960-61 period, showing the dance the Twist and the Peppermint Lounge which was famous for a short time back then. Second, there is a rather nice and sweet story here with some very pleasant characters. One can see it as a forerunner of and precursor of "Saturday Night Fever" Kay Armen and Dino De Luca as an Italian couple are wonderful character actors here. Third, the movie has the fantastic actress Zohra Lampert in a solid part. She plays Sharon who seduces Rickie Dee away from his family when he starts to become successful and introduces the young rock and rollers to a more sophisticated world of wealth. Fourth, there is an amazing four minute musical sequence of Joey Dee singing "Shout" near the end of the movie. The montage features lots of shots of women shaking their breasts and derrieres. While these types of high energy musical montages became standard in the Beach Party Movies made mainly by American International from 1962-1967, I don't think any were any better.I was only a young eight year child growing up in New York City when this movie was made. This movie brought back lots of memories.
Michael O'Keefe Another film trying to capitalize quickly on the twist craze. This time it is Joey Dee and his 'Peppermint Twist' in the spotlight. An unimaginative little movie about two brothers turning their father's Italian Garden eating establishment into a money making dance club, the Peppermint Lounge. Of course the brothers have created an adaption to the twist, called the Peppermint Twist. Lip syncing is very bad. The script was probably rehearsed once or twice. But the close ups of twisting hips in tight capri pants makes up for all the short comings.Singers Joey Dee and Teddy Randazzo share the lead. Zorba Lampert is the cute 'bad' girl. Also in the cast are Jo-Ann Campbell and Kay Armen.Black & white tail shaker gives a glimpse at the culture of the early 60s.
dbugler Mediocre B movie capitalizing on the twist phase of the early 60's. Italian widower works day and night in a failing restaurant business putting his two boys Enrico and Rosario (Joey and Ricky) through `college in the east'. The boys come home for Christmas break with music on their minds, not wishing to return to school; they would rather be in pursuit of rock and roll. They tell dad who then passes out due to overwork; during his convalescence his boys turn the restaurant into the wildly successful `Peppermint Lounge'. Minor subplots are added in between songs. A big happy ending - they compromise by Ricky's return to school, Joey staying behind to play the twist at the Lounge and of course the boy gets the girl. As corny as this movie gets it's a gentle reminder about when music movies had some ethics and family values.