Disapointment

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Rockabilly, Doo Wop and early Rock 'N' Roll bring the energy to this quirky flick filmed in Dallas, Texas. Very lacking in script, but its the music that is the premise of ROCK BABY - ROCK IT. At times good for a little laugh, but it is the music and dancing circa 1957 that redeems the use of film. Young people at a rockabilly club are about to lose the building where they meet to rock out. In order to get enough money to keep a small-time crime element from taking the location, the young people decide to put together a show featuring local talent.Some of the music featured: Ben Coats and the Bon-Aires with "Stop The World" and "China Star"; The Five Stars singing "Juanita" and "Polly Molly". The Belew Twins harmonize, Everly Brothers style, "Lonesome". Preacher Smith and the Deacons do "Eat Your Heart Out"; Roscoe Gordon and the Red Tops' "Bopp It" and "Chicken In The Rough" and then there is the only artist in the film to actually make a splash in the music world...Johnny Carroll and his Hot Rocks doing "Crazy Crazy Loving" and "Wild Wild Women" in his best attempt honoring the two men who influenced him...Gene Vincent and Elvis Presley. Also in the cast: Gayla Graves, Mike Biggs, George Russell and Kay Wheeler. Remember the time is 1957 and this was some of the best talent in Dallas they could get together for this 84 minute black and white lower than B flick. Rockin', boppin' and dancin'! ROCK BABY - ROCK IT.

Out-of-balance no-budget teen film features terrific music set to threadbare non-plot. The movie is little more than a showcase for several early, obscure, but talented acts; all the numbers are above average and quite entertaining. Like Louie Prima's awful "The Continental Twist" which hit drive-in screens four years later, the story involves a group of mobsters who are trying to evict the local teens from a makeshift dance club. In this picture the hoodlums need a hangout to run the connection to the "Detroit Syndicate". Highlight of the action is when the boss makes Crackers Louie dance by the pool. Standout musical numbers include "Roogie Doogie" by Preacher Smith, and "Juanita" by the Five Stars. The cast is divided into "Wheels" and "Squares".

Four Johnny Carroll songs, excellent dancing from the kids and Kay Wheeler. Worth watching the DVD's commentary track where Kay Wheeler describes the times in those heady rock 'n roll days, Elvis and how underground bopping was. I enjoyed all the music (well the ragtime band was a bit strange)...I wish the other movie Ms. Wheeler was in, Hot Rod Gang, was available on DVD nowadays. Perhaps someone will piece together some of the best bits from such movies in a 'rockabilly pioneers on film' compilation DVD.

This early rock n roll "extravaganza", looks to have been made one weekend in a school and its gym in Dallas Texas on a wobbly cardboard set masquerading as a 'nightclub' using kitchen chairs and card tables with burger shop tablecloths. It is really cheap. However, the various song and rock acts are interesting, especially the Negro group with the live rooster stepping about on the piano. I kid you not. The set is so tiny, and seeming to be rectangular and very narrow crammed with local kids and their parents, local businesspeople (who probably financed it) seen as extras to crowd out several scenes. Mostly filmed on this one set with a parade of local music groups wailing and jamming (literally), one could not get a more basic excuse for a 50s rock and roll film. I am sure it made plenty of local $ as it is so early in the cycle that it could not help but succeed. Probably a local drive in staple for years. However, today it is pretty tough going...a better seen Corman equivalent is the equally tedious and cheap ROCK ALL NIGHT, which is a similar excuse to film 65 mins of teen angst and rock gangs on the one set. This film ROCK BABY ROCK IT is not very good, but of mild interest because of the cheap but snazzy 50s clothes and the black pop groups. One particular singing pair known as The Belew Twins are terrifying: they look like 11 year old boys who just might be 29 years old; the ventriloquist dummy look with the Brylcreem Happy Days hair. During their set they even team up with equally peculiar twin Funicello style girls, even smaller than them! The boys have a seagull stance when singing and sound like Loretta Lynn. So weird...it is almost worth the struggle through this film to gasp in horror at their moment. In reel life I would not have gone to their Christmas party...imagine what they would do after a few drinks and started a set singing and performing their unique party tricks. I think they would have given those drunken Oz Munchkins a run for the bottle.