While
I am quite fond of 1960’s WHERE THE BOYS ARE ($20), the movie
itself isn’t always quite sure of what it is trying to be. The film has
all the earmarks of a fairly typical teen comedy from the early 1960s; but
it also actually tries to make a realistic statement about premarital sex
and its consequences. For the era in which it was made, WHERE THE BOYS
ARE pushes the envelope somewhat, but in the end; the film is pretty
much stymied by movie censorship of the time. Additionally, I have to
admit that the films dramatic moments don’t mesh with the lighter
aspects of the plot very well, which makes WHERE THE BOYS ARE seem
a bit schizophrenic in places. Of course, the film’s musical interludes
don’t help this situation either, but then again, how could you have
Connie Francis in a movie and not have her sing. However, most of the
performances are fun, especially those of Paula Prentiss and Jim Hutton,
who give the movie much of its comic zing.
WHERE
THE BOYS ARE tells the story of a group of Midwestern college girls
that drive down to Florida to partake in the annual ritual known as Spring
Break. After enduring a harsh winter, the girls are looking forward to a
little fun in the sun, but the real purpose of their trip is to meet boys.
Tuggle Carpenter (Paula Prentiss) manages to snag the goofy TV Thompson
(Jim Hutton) on the drive down. Merritt Andrews (Dolores Hart) lands the
prize catch in the form of a young, suntanned, Ivy League millionaire
named Ryder Smith (George Hamilton). Melanie Coleman (Yvette Mimieux)
turns her attention to some Ivy Leaguers of her own, while the seemingly
boy crazy Angie (Connie Francis) has trouble attracting anyone of the male
persuasion. The cast of WHERE THE BOYS ARE also features Barbara
Nichols, Chill Wills and Frank Gorshin.
Warner
Home Video has made WHERE THE BOYS ARE available on DVD in a 2.35:1
wide screen presentation that features the anamorphic enhancement for 16:9
displays. For a forty-year-old MetroColor flick, WHERE THE BOYS ARE
makes for an attractive looking DVD. The image appears sharp and provides
good definition, even in darker scenes. Colors are pretty nicely saturated
and are rendered without noise or fuzziness. Flesh tones can look a bit
Max Factor-ish, but otherwise hold up well. Blacks are accurate, as are
the whites, plus contrast is smooth. The film element used for the
transfer is relatively clean, although one will notice a grain structure
in various places. Digital compression artifacts are nicely concealed.
The
Dolby Digital monaural soundtrack is free from hiss and other audible
anomalies. Fidelity is more than decent, with the film’s musical
passages coming across pleasantly- including the well-known title song.
Dialogue is always crisp and totally understandable. A French language
track has been encoded onto the DVD, along with English, Spanish, and
French subtitles. Music underscores the basic interactive menus, which
allow one access to the standard scene selection and set up features, as
well as a few extras. Actress Paula Prentiss is on hand for a running
audio commentary, which allows her to share her enthusiastic remembrances
of the production. Also included is a seven-minute program Where the
Boys Were: A Retrospective, which features interviews with Paula
Prentiss and Connie Francis. Newsreel footage of the film’s Fort
Lauderdale premiere and a theatrical trailer close out the extras.
While
not perfect, WHERE THE BOYS ARE is an enjoyable sixties comedy that
signaled changes that were about to take place in Hollywood and in
America. Warner has done a fine job with the DVD, producing a good-looking
presentation that will please fans.
While
I am quite fond of 1960’s WHERE THE BOYS ARE ($20), the movie
itself isn’t always quite sure of what it is trying to be. The film has
all the earmarks of a fairly typical teen comedy from the early 1960s; but
it also actually tries to make a realistic statement about premarital sex
and its consequences. For the era in which it was made, WHERE THE BOYS
ARE pushes the envelope somewhat, but in the end; the film is pretty
much stymied by movie censorship of the time. Additionally, I have to
admit that the films dramatic moments don’t mesh with the lighter
aspects of the plot very well, which makes WHERE THE BOYS ARE seem
a bit schizophrenic in places. Of course, the film’s musical interludes
don’t help this situation either, but then again, how could you have
Connie Francis in a movie and not have her sing. However, most of the
performances are fun, especially those of Paula Prentiss and Jim Hutton,
who give the movie much of its comic zing.
WHERE
THE BOYS ARE tells the story of a group of Midwestern college girls
that drive down to Florida to partake in the annual ritual known as Spring
Break. After enduring a harsh winter, the girls are looking forward to a
little fun in the sun, but the real purpose of their trip is to meet boys.
Tuggle Carpenter (Paula Prentiss) manages to snag the goofy TV Thompson
(Jim Hutton) on the drive down. Merritt Andrews (Dolores Hart) lands the
prize catch in the form of a young, suntanned, Ivy League millionaire
named Ryder Smith (George Hamilton). Melanie Coleman (Yvette Mimieux)
turns her attention to some Ivy Leaguers of her own, while the seemingly
boy crazy Angie (Connie Francis) has trouble attracting anyone of the male
persuasion. The cast of WHERE THE BOYS ARE also features Barbara
Nichols, Chill Wills and Frank Gorshin.
Warner
Home Video has made WHERE THE BOYS ARE available on DVD in a 2.35:1
wide screen presentation that features the anamorphic enhancement for 16:9
displays. For a forty-year-old MetroColor flick, WHERE THE BOYS ARE
makes for an attractive looking DVD. The image appears sharp and provides
good definition, even in darker scenes. Colors are pretty nicely saturated
and are rendered without noise or fuzziness. Flesh tones can look a bit
Max Factor-ish, but otherwise hold up well. Blacks are accurate, as are
the whites, plus contrast is smooth. The film element used for the
transfer is relatively clean, although one will notice a grain structure
in various places. Digital compression artifacts are nicely concealed.
The
Dolby Digital monaural soundtrack is free from hiss and other audible
anomalies. Fidelity is more than decent, with the film’s musical
passages coming across pleasantly- including the well-known title song.
Dialogue is always crisp and totally understandable. A French language
track has been encoded onto the DVD, along with English, Spanish, and
French subtitles. Music underscores the basic interactive menus, which
allow one access to the standard scene selection and set up features, as
well as a few extras. Actress Paula Prentiss is on hand for a running
audio commentary, which allows her to share her enthusiastic remembrances
of the production. Also included is a seven-minute program Where the
Boys Were: A Retrospective, which features interviews with Paula
Prentiss and Connie Francis. Newsreel footage of the film’s Fort
Lauderdale premiere and a theatrical trailer close out the extras.
While
not perfect, WHERE THE BOYS ARE is an enjoyable sixties comedy that
signaled changes that were about to take place in Hollywood and in
America. Warner has done a fine job with the DVD, producing a good-looking
presentation that will please fans.
