Twist Around the Clock

Twist Around the Clock is an American musical film released in 1961. It was a remake of Sam Katzman and Robert E. Kent's Rock Around the Clock. Like Rock Around the Clock, which was followed by a sequel titled Don't Knock the Rock, the film was followed by a sequel titled Don't Knock the Twist.

Twist Around the Clock
Theatrical Poster
Directed byOscar Rudolph
Written byRobert E. Kent
Produced bySam Katzman
StarringChubby Checker
CinematographyGordon Avil
Edited byJerome Thoms
Music byFreddy Karger
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
December 30, 1961
Running time
86 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1.4 million (US/Canada)[1]

Plot

A struggling manager visiting a hayseed town discovers a new dance craze, the Twist, and hopes to turn it into an overnight nationwide sensation.

Cast
  • Chubby Checker as Chubby Checker
  • Dion DiMucci as Dion (as Dion)
  • Vicki Spencer as Vicki Spencer
  • The Marcels as The Marcels
  • Cornelius Harp as The Marcels Lead Singer (as The Marcels)
  • Fred Johnson as The Marcels Bass Singer (as The Marcels)
  • Gene Bricker as The Marcels Singer (as The Marcels)
  • Ronald Mundy as The Marcels Singer (as The Marcels)
  • Richard Knauss as The Marcels Singer (as The Marcels)
  • Allen Johnson as The Marcels Singer (as The Marcels)
  • Clay Cole as Clay Cole
  • John Cronin as Mitch Mason
  • Mary Mitchel as Tina Louden (as Mary Mitchell)
  • Maura McGiveney as Debbie Marshall
  • Tol Avery as Joe Marshall
  • Alvy Moore as Dizzy Bellew
  • Lenny Kent as Georgie Clark
  • Tom Middleton as Jimmy Cook
  • Jeff Malloy as Larry Louden (as Jeff Parker)
  • John Bryant as Harry Davis

Production

Twist Around the Clock only cost $250,000 to make, but in less than six months it grossed six million - so of course I'm gonna make more 'Twist' movies !

— Sam Katzman

Critical reception

Describing the film as having "something resembling a plot," critic Eleanor Mannikka wrote in AllMovie that "In the end, this teen-oriented tale is best remembered for two of Dion's hit songs, Runaround Sue and The Wanderer."[2] Writing for Turner Classic Movies, critic Rob Nixon described the film as "a remake of the first true rock 'n' roll musical, Rock Around the Clock (1956), with a nearly identical plot."[3] A review of the film in TV Guide described it as "a bit of good fun" that "bears a certain naive charm of a long-gone era," and that it "is really just an excuse for plenty of rock tunes."[4]

References
  1. "Big Rental Pictures of 1962". Variety. 9 Jan 1963. p. 13. Please note these are rentals and not gross figures
  2. Mannikka, Eleanor. "Twist Around the Clock (1961)". AllMovie. Netaktion LLC. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
  3. Nixon, Rob. "Twist Around the Clock (1961)". Turner Classic Movies. Turner Classic Movies, Inc. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
  4. "Twist Around the Clock - Movie Review". TV Guide. TV Guide. Retrieved 2023-07-21.


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