"They're young. They've got the energy. They've gotta dance!"
It's the '60s. Philadelphia teen Del (Donovan Leitch) is a kid with a dream. Spending hours in front of the television dancing along to after school phenomenon the Perry Parker show, he is determined to get a spot on the hottest show in town, if only to impress the beautiful Vicky (Jennifer Runyon), Perry Parker regular.
Trying to convince him otherwise are his high school buddies, in particular, friend Gail (Wendy Gazelle), who is none too impressed with her best friend's obsession. Nevertheless, Del is transfixed by the show and, in a move that'll change his future, takes a trip over to the studio. Dolled up in his best suit and looking sharp, he tries his best to blend in with the shows regular faces queued up outside. Realising the chances of his name magically appearing on the doorman's list is very slim indeed, he makes a run for the door when all heads are turned.
As luck has it, he is then mistaken for a dance regular and is taken backstage by a crew member. Mingling with the other youngsters, he can't quite believe he's made it. In walks Perry Parker (Joe Pantoliano) to give his obligatory before-show lecture to the kids, puzzled at the sight of new kid Del. With star dancer Vicky late again due to detention, Perry isn't too happy. It then turns out that Dugan (Scott Plank), Vicky's boyfriend and usual dance partner, has been banged up for acts of juvenile delinquency, forcing Perry to choose a new partner for her. Knowing that Dugan would flip at the idea of some other guy dancing with his girl, the regulars chicken out, refusing to take his place. Naive Del, however, decides to speak up and volunteer for the job.
Curtain call time, on go the lights, music and cameras, a cue for the usual dancers to humiliate the new kid Del. Bouncing back from their attempts at showing him up in front of everyone, the audience are impressed by his moves, and the camera switches to him. Back at home, Gail is gobsmacked that her best friend is shaking his stuff on the hippest show in Philly, jealous that he's sharing the spotlight with the gorgeous Vicky. After the show, Perry Parker - wanting to find an excuse to get rid of bad boy Dugan - talks Vicky into going on a date with Del at the weekend.
Falling in with the dance show kids, Del - an alien to their world - begins to spend more time with Vicky, the pair becoming the programme's featured couple. Breaking into Del's house during a violent thunderstorm, a disgruntled Dugan challenges his rival to an explosive dance-off, only intensifying the hate between the two dancers.
Gail is still busy attempting to convince Del to stay away from the 'in crowd' and the bad influence they have on him, but he refuses to listen, causing a major fall-out between them. As it turns out, Vicky isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, and differs from Del's crowd as much as he differs from hers. Eventually, Vicky breaks it to Del that she and Dugan are running away together, asking him to help them escape. Realising she is unhappy tied to the Perry Parker Show, Del agrees to give them a hand and finally, him and Dugan are on good terms with one another.
Having let the fame go to his head and taken his true friends for granted, Del is feeling the pain of stardom. But will he and Gail finally lay their differences to rest?
VERDICT: ★★★ ½
The In Crowd has that kitschtastic factor to it, looking back on the '60s in as much colour and with as much fondness possible. There are some fantastic dance sequences, accompanied by great '60s tunes. Joe Pantoliano does a convincing job playing Perry Parker - a character based on that of actual Philadelphia disc-jockey Jerry Blavat. A section of Blavat's website describes a bit about what The In Crowd almost definitely took it's inspiration from:
"His first exposure to "fame" came as a dancer on the original Bandstand television program, hosted by Bob Horn. In 1953, less than a year after the show's inception, a 13 year old Jerry Blavat perfected his first scam-- impersonating a 14 year old to get on the program. He became a favorite with the viewers and rose to the head of the coveted "Committee", the group of teens responsible for aiding Horn in the direction of the show. When Bob Horn was fired over very questionable circumstances a few years later, the rest of the teens welcomed new host Dick Clark. Belying his youth, Blavat displayed an early sense of the loyalty that would become his most prized character trait and left the program rather than tacitly approving Horn's ousting."
Overall, a fun look back on the rock and roll generation, with Donovan Leitch nailing the character of Del and demonstrating a whole host of impressive dance moves. Jennifer Runyon does a wonderful job as the just-a-bit-simple teen Vicky, the movie being my favourite of all of her roles. One of the more memorable 'forgotten' movies of the '80s, and gets better the more you watch it!
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"Be careful what you wish for... it just might come true!"
