Aloha Summer [1988]

"There's a time in everyone's life that changes them forever. For six friends, it's this summer."

The year is 1959, the place; Hawaii. Summer vacation has just begun and a handful of very different families are headed to the island to spend the next few weeks in the sunshine. What none of them yet realize is just how big a part they will each play in one another's lives, and that by the time their stay draws to a close they will always remember the summer of '59.

The film largely follows shy teenager Mike Tognetti (Chris Makepeace), whose family have just arrived at the "Paradise Inn" - a hotel that doesn't quite live up to its name. To kill his blues, Mike heads for the beach and in his hunt for sea and sand, meets Chuck Granville (Don Michael Paul), a self-confident ladies man who quickly finds use for Mike's camera and all of the surrounding bikini-clad beach babes. Smooth-talking Chuck persuades the girls to join them for a get-together later that night, which is when they meet a group of local teens who at first do not greet the Americans with much welcome. "There's no room for you here - go back to the mainland, haole!". Nevertheless, Mike and Chuck become friends with two of the group; surfers Jerry and Kilarney, who are eager to pass their wave-riding skills onto their new found pals. Surfing is what introduces the guys to Scott and Kenzo - the final two members of their summer gang.

Trouble begins when Chuck falls for the beautiful Lani (Tia Carrere), a local girl whose brother is the over-protective sort. So much so, in fact, that obsessing over the welfare of his younger sister later results in unforseen tragedy. While Chuck and his slick moves have Lani under his spell, bumbling Mike is pining for the attention of the most unattainable of girls - Amanda; she's pretty, she's blonde, and she's Chuck's sister. Picking up effective pick-up lines are the least of the guy's troubles however when one of the gang staggers through the dark with his face covered in bruises having just had it out with a vicious group of sailors. With the beach as their battleground, the teenagers fight to reclaim respect and, well, just to get even with the racist "swabbies".

A divide forms between the teen's parents when the families all meet up at a formal dinner. The Granvilles and Tognetti's - both American - find it impossible to socialize with their non-white counterparts, the air thick with preconceptions. The tension is lifted when the teenagers, already close friends (to their parent's unease), band together for the evening. Romantic sparks fly between Amanda and Mike and Chuck and Lani, with both couples sharing a kiss.

Further sun-and-surf interludes precede a humour-filled adventure in Kilarney's convertible, resulting in the guys being arrested for driving while under the influence. The jokes stop here for each youngster, whose parents are especially unimpressed when forced to pay bail. It is Kenzo who receives the brunt of the punishment when his fierce and overbearing father insists on teaching his son a lesson.

Events take a dramatic turn when Lani's brother, bitter over his sister's involvement with Chuck, foolishly attempts to rectify the situation. His plans to scare Chuck away for good with the help of a handgun culminate in a scuffle in which Lani's brother is accidentally and tragically killed. A heart-broken Lani is then forced to end her summer romance and insists never to see Chuck again.

With a dark cloud hanging over the island, reports of an impending storm circulate, and the gang feel it their duty to ride waves together one final time. With danger staring them in the face, they head out on their boards, underestimating the severity of the storm and what is about to become a fight for survival. However, like many a summer movie, the teens and their vacations end on a high note, and one they will never forget.


VERDICT: ★★★ ½

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If Aloha Summer must be compared to anything, it could be regarded as North Shore and Stand By Me spliced into one. It is a nostalgic and earnest coming-of-age dramedy about true friendship, with the sand, sun and surf-filled Waikiki as its backdrop. The film does a masterful job of recreating the late fifties, and is filled with delightful hits of the period like "Dream Lover" and "One Summer Night". Aloha Summer has a certain innocence and uniqueness that separates it from the tonnes of generic sex comedies and beach movies of the eighties, and while it is undeniably lighthearted and easy to watch, it also convincingly depicts the prejudices and racism that would have been all-to common at the time. In spite of the racial overtones, Aloha Summer looks back fondly on the cultural aspects of 1959 Hawaii; the year the island became the 50th state. Although the film does suffer from a few contrived moments (and was directed by the man behind Halloween III: Season of the Witch!), it is a welcome change from so-called classics like Porky's, and so its faults are easily forgivable.

One thing that is evident is that story behind Aloha Summer was written by somebody with the best memories of growing up when times were simpler. But no matter what era you grew up in, and wherever you took your summer vacation, Aloha Summer is a warmhearted portrayal of friendship, that we can all, in one way or another, relate to.


IMAGES/VIDEOS: [movie clip]

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SOUNDTRACK:

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1. Beyond The Sea - Bobby Darin
2. You're So Fine - The Falcons
3. Lei Momi, Lei Momi Lani - Blaine Kia, Warren Fabro
4. Little Darlin' - The Salty Six
5. Koni Koni - The Royal Tahitians
6. Bustin' Surfboards - The Bongo Teens
7. Tequila - Stewart Levin & Snuffy Walden
8. Yakety Yak - The Coasters
9. Purple People Eater - Sheb Wooley
10. Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu - Domenico Modugno
11. Splish Splash - Bobby Darin
12. Burning Bridges - Jack Scott
13. Momma Stole The Chicken - Billy Bland
14. I Only Have Eyes For You - The Flamingos
15. Walk Don't Run - The Ventures
16. Stairway To The Stars - Del Courtney Orchestra
17. Elmer's Tune - Del Courtney Orchestra
18. You're Driving Me Crazy - Del Courtney Orchestra
19. I Can't Get Started - Del Courtney Orchestra
20. Mapuana - Sonny Kamahele
21. Deep Purple - Del Courtney Orchestra
22. Rockin' Robin - Bobby Day
23. Ku Ipo Ona Ona - Pau Amelda
24. In The Still of the Nite - The Five Satins
25. Since I Don't Have You - written by Joseph Rock
26. We Belong Together - Robert & Johnny
27. One Summer Night - The Danleers
28. White Ginger Blossoms - Haunani Kahalewai
29. A Thousand Miles Away - The Heartbeats
30. Dream Lover - Bobby Darin

The Allnighter [1987]

"Who says you can't do it all in one night?"

The Allnighter is the story of five college friends on the verge of graduation. Sensitive Molly (Susanna Hoffs), who still hasn't found the one "earth shattering romance" she desires, bubbly blonde Val (DeDee Pfieffer), who is engaged to an over-obnoxious yuppie type, and witty Gina (Joan Cusack), the eager film-maker of the bunch. Then of course we can't forget the surf-obsessed males of the gang: perpetually immature law student C.J. and the quirky, free-spirited Killer.

The movie opens with Gina and her video camera, quizzing her fellow classmates on "what they got" out of their four years at Pacifica College. To which one student, Raymond (Josh Richman, who you may recognise from Thrashin', or as the parking lot heavy metaller from Heathers with the lion/dynamite theory) replies "a couple thousand hangovers and an addiction to pepto-bismol". The initial five minutes of hijinks sets the tone for the night to come - a breezy, brainless adventure.

With the not-so-distant shores of adulthood drifting closer with every passing wave, Molly, Val, Gina, C.J. and Killer are in hot pursuit of the fling to end all flings. The answer? Pulling a no-holds-barred allnighter. To kick-start the celebrations, Molly and Val cook up the gangs' last ever meal together - a task that is easier said than done when Ginas' stash of pot is mistaken for oregano! As the guys hang out at the house they've called home for the past four years, there's an unexpected knock at the door. Enter the man of Mollys' dreams; a sharply dressed older guy with a rock star past who goes by the name of Mickey LeRoy. Could it be fate bringing the two together? Eager Molly seems to think so when he invites himself in and explains to the gang that their very beach house was once home to him and his band, The Rhinos. It soon becomes evident that Molly, an avid Rhinos fan, has the hots for this new character, and all her flirting prompts the rest of the gang into venturing down to the beach for the graduation fiesta. Little does she know that as she dances the night away with her apparent dream man, a deflated C.J. is pining for her attention. Plans for the night are also interrupted by another romantic interlude when wife-to-be Val is beckoned by her loathsome fiancee to spend the night at a hotel. Before long though, her other half hits the sack, leaving her craving some excitement in the form of the fiesta.

Heading off back to his hotel, Mickey LeRoy invites Molly to stop by later on, to her delight. As a result, us viewers are treated to what is the most (and commonly regarded as only) notable few seconds of the film: Ms. Hoffs dancing around the room in her undies to the sound of Aretha Franklins' Respect. Dressed to the nines and ready to knock LeRoy dead, she heads off to his hotel anticipating a steamy night of passion. The truth, as it turns out, couldn't be much further and in an absurd twist of events poor Molly becomes trapped out on Mickeys' balcony while he and his ex-wife get it on inside! Desperate, Molly phones for help from the two people who wont let her down: Gina and Val.

A beach littered with party casualties is all that is left of the fiesta by this point. Val, face down in the sand, is roused by a camera-wielding Gina and, assuming the nights' shenanigans are over they head back to get some sleep. Dishevelled, they arrive home to discover Mollys' urgent message from the hotel and without thinking twice, hop on Ginas' moped to carry out the best friend rescue operation. Further problems arise when the hotel staff suspect the girls as a couple of hookers and have them arrested, leaving Molly - who has only just escaped one sticky situation - in yet another predicament. While Gina and Val are carted off downtown, Molly is left to pick up the pieces of a night left in tatters. With only hours to go before the graduation ceremony, a panic-stricken Molly gathers together as much bail money as she can find and calls on C.J. in distress.

While a confrontation rages between Gina and Val and their psycho cellmate, Molly and C.J. partake in a similar disagreement with a sassy cop named Sergeant Macleish (unexpected cameo by Pam Grier!), whom they must convince of the girls' innocence. The stakes couldn't be higher: fail and miss graduation. But before this allnighter is through, there is one final thing that must be taken care of - Mollys' love life! Ah well, you know what they say - nice gals finish last.

VERDICT: ★★★

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Coming across as an innocuous lovechild of Where The Boys Are '84 and Modern Girls, The Allnighter is a buoyant entry into the world of the beach movie with generous helpings of adventure, romance and PG-rated action. The gaudy greatness (which can be associated with, above all, DeDee Pfieffers' wardrobe) and a few dire performances are a lasting reminder of how guilty we should feel for falling for what charm and appeal the movie does have. Come to think of it, maybe the the flaws are the appeal. One element that we can't fault is the likability of the leads who are wonderful as the three graduating girlfriends - principally Joan Cusack who brings heaps of humour to the proceedings. Not to mention the colourful backdrop of Malibu sunshine which makes for the perfect party atmosphere.

Overall, it is a movie about making the most of what you've got and who you've got before you carefree youth is over and maturity comes to bite you in the butt. Making memories, putting friends above all else and not stopping 'til the sun comes up. Even the sudden, rabidly sappy love scene at the end doesn't do enough damage to unravel the feel-good antics of the night, and while it is an inferior movie to Modern Girls, The Allnighter stands as a kitschy, enjoyable girl-power comedy.


IMAGES/VIDEOS: [trailer]

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SOUNDTRACK:

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It would be criminal to disregard the soundtrack, which was made available on a now-scarce picture disc vinyl. Timbuk 3's classic The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades was also featured in the movie but unfortunately not included on the official soundtrack album.

1. Dangerous - Monalisa Young
2. No T.V. No Phone - Price-Sulton
3. Love Is You - Redd Kross
4. The Girl In A Sweater - The Hard-Ons
5. This Could Be A Slow Song - Louis & Clark
6. Respect - Funky Lips
7. Take A Mile - Louis & Clark
8. Boo Hoo - Angie Jarree
9. Dangerous - Exploding White Mice
10. Pipeline - Agent Orange
11. (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay - Chronic Disorder

Surf II [1984]

"The end of the trilogy!"

Crazed nerd Menlo Schwartz (Eddie Deezen) wants revenge. Revenge on the surfer dudes who decided to play a cruel practical joke back in high school, and spike his soda with god-knows-what. From that day onwards, Schwartz vowed to get his own back on surfer kids near and far, hatching a plan that only an evil nerd genius would come up with.

After transforming his girlfriend - the nerdiest girl in the school - into the gorgeous 'Sparkle' (by taking off her glasses), Schwartz is one step closer to surf-dude domination. Using her to lure pothead surfers to his underwater lair, he forces them to drink his chemical concoction, 'Buzzz Cola'. It's not long before several surfers are terrorizing locals, with Buzzz Cola turning them into garbage-chomping punk rock zombies, with a sweet tooth for motor oil and fish carcases.

Mayhem continues until fellow surfster Chuck (Eric Stolz, of all people) and his best mate Bob discover that something is wrong. Suspicions point towards the toxic sludgefest that is Buzzz Cola, and the two enlist the help of their determined but mad science teacher Beaker to crack the case. Luckily, Schwartz's reluctant sidekick Sparkle decides to help the guys out too, spilling the beans about his plans for world domination and the true horror behind Buzzz Cola.

The unlikely four rush off (in their home-made convertible!) to find Chuck and Bob's parents, where they find their dads selling crate upon crate of Buzzz. Try as they might to convince their parents that the drink is turning kids into zombie punks, the grown-ups won't have any of it.

Eventually, Schwartz's plain is foiled and he is washed up on the beach and thrown in the back of a cop car. After greedily refusing to stop selling Buzzz because of their enormous profits, Bob and Chuck's dads end up getting a taste of their own medicine, and everyone lives happily ever after.


VHS box;

"Surf 2 begins where other movies leave off.. as the Surf Wars continue when a screwy mad genius pollutes the ocean with Buzz Cola, a concoction that threatens to turn all surfers on the coast into Surf Punks, a mindless crew led by Schwartzer. In true blue American fashion, Chuck, Cindylou, Lindysue, Chief of Police (Lyle Waggoner), the high school science teacher and the entire Town Council go to war against Sparkle, Queen of the Punks (Linda Kerridge) and Schwartzer for control of Surf City.. or control of anything!

It's dynamite fun in the sun, featuring the soundtrack of The Beach Boys, Split Enz, Stray Cats and many more. This movie is so far out of sight, it gives insanity a bad name!"

The best part of the whole movie has to be the Buzzz Cola jingle at the beginning..

No matter what the menu, Buzzz makes every meal complete. We guarantee that it can wash out anything you eat.

But after those first 30 or so seconds, get ready for a brain freeze, 'cause just about every scene is either unfunny, repulsive, idiotic or just plain bad.

But wait! It isn't an endless downward spiral with Surf II, oh no. Us viewers must thank it for a few reasons; we get to listen to some more than half-decent tunes over a one and a half hour period. A handful of top-class new wave bands, with a sprinkling of the Beach Boys, of course to have a dig at the various beach party and surf movies that Surf II tries too hard to spoof.

Secondly, we can feast our eyes on what my good friend Tommy Salami rightfully describes as "the lowest form of life in 80's movies" - the zombified surf 'punks' (complete with safety-pinned wetsuits and too much black and white face make-up).

And lastly, we should thank it for the fact that, despite what the title implies, we were only subjected to one of these movies.

2.5/10

If you liked this movie, you'd be pretty much content with watching anything.

Here's the sad part; that awesome soundtrack I waxed lyrical over? IT NEVER EXISTED! The titles at the end of the movie claim the soundtrack to be available on Capitol Records, but they lied. It was planned to be released sometime after the movie, but when the movie bombed, they never bothered with the soundtrack. You'd imagine, what with both the European and American VHS cases endlessly listing all the great bands the film features, that someone would bother to bring out the album to go with it. But no. Which, in my opinion, is an epic fail.

1. I Get Around - The Beach Boys
2. Stoked - The Beach Boys
3. Surfin' USA - The Beach Boys
4. Pipeline - The Chantays
5. Moral Majority - The Circle Jerks
6. A.W.O.L. - Deserters
7. The Wedge - Dick Dale
8. She Blinded Me With Science - Thomas Dolby
9. Fuel Injected - Jon & the Nightriders
10. Surf Jam - Jon & the Nightriders
11. Hold Me Back - Oingo Boingo
12. Only a Lad - Oingo Boingo
13. Cry - Johnny Ray
14. Fan Fan Fanatish - Rheingold
15. Six Months In A Leaky Boat - Split Enz
16. Built for Speed - Stray Cats
17. Talk Talk - Talk Talk
18. Dancebeat - The Untouchables
19. Hawaii Five-O - The Ventures
20. Mexican Radio - Wall of Voodoo

See, I would quite happily have bought that album and played it over and over. I have no idea if a test-copy was ever pressed, but maybe, just maybe, some really rare LP is floating around. Probably in a box in someones garage, never to see the light of day.

Under the Boardwalk [1989]

"Between the beach and the boardwalk, all hell is about to break loose"

Southern California, late eighties. The final and most anticipated weekend of summer is about to begin - a weekend full of beach parties, romance and most importantly, the big surf contest. But for Allie Yorpin (Danielle von Zerneck), the contest is the last thing on her mind. Her brother Reef - leader of a gang known as the Lowks - couldn't have a more different opinion. He lives to surf, and being crowned as king of the beach is his number one priority.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the valley, potential champion surfer Nick Rainwood (Richard Joseph Paul) has a tough choice to make. Should he focus on a stable future, forget about riding waves, and head to college?

The ceremonial pre-contest beach party is in full swing and Allie has been made to look after her eighteen-year-old country cousin Andy (Keith Coogan). It is while at the party that Nick and Allie's eyes meet through the crowd, and it's love at first sight. As they share a dance, Nick's Val buddies instantly smell trouble. The situation only worsens when a furious Reef discovers his sister - a Lowk - with a guy from a rival gang, sparking a feud between the teens. The cops are soon on the scene and are forced to break up what by this point has become a pretty nasty brawl; tearing star-crossed lovers Nick and Allie apart and sending naive Andy downtown to spend the night in a cell.

Knowing Nick will be competing, Allie heads for the first round of the contest the next morning, despite having been warned by her brother to steer clear of any Vals. Across town in jail, Andy happens upon "half girl, half bitch" Gitch (Roxana Zal) and the pair strike up a friendship. It comes to light that Gitch is also an avid surfer and another contest hopeful - that is if she can get herself out from behind bars in time to enter! That isn't the last of the problems, though, as once the pair successfully talk themselves out of jail, Gitch faces the burden of challenging the contest organizers on their "no girls allowed" rule - a task that she handles in a typically feisty fashion.

Round one is over and Nick and Allie intend to make the most of the next 48 hours, with Nick leaving for Stanford by summer's end. They spend the day sharing their dreams of visiting foreign countries and, for Allie, her aspirations of becoming an artist and moving away to Paris. High spirits are too good to last, however, and when the second round of the competition begins, bad boy Reef tries his best to ruin the Val's chances. His plans unfold with perfection as Nick's pal is knocked from his board, breaking his arm and forcing a full-fledged war between the Lowks and Vals. It is declared that the gangs fight for supremacy in the parking lot behind a big party taking place later that night, and each is determined to come out on top.

Allie is asked to test her loyalty when at the party she is told to take sides in the impending fight. Sickened, she rushes to the scene to find Nick throwing punches at her brother and runs away horrified. It's going to take a lot for Nick to be able to win back her heart - the finale of the contest giving Allie a chance to unleash her feelings; "I thought you were different than some of the jerks around here. I thought you were smarter, but you're not! You're from the other side of the hill, but you're just the same. There's nothing wrong with surfing - it's the constant fighting between you and Reef that makes no sense! Surf all your life.. just don't be a surfer all your life". Will the contest and honour of their respective gangs come between them?


VERDICT: ★★★ ½

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Under the Boardwalk milks the teen culture of late eighties SoCal for all it's worth, brah. The first thing worth a mention is the dialogue - the fabulously cringeworthy lingo that should have been subtitled for the masses. A prime example of this is an incredible scene in which Keith Coogan's character - a kid from way out in the sticks whose only pass time is cow tipping - asks his cousin to translate her brother's indistinguishable surf-speak, questioning what it means to be "fully amped" (really excited, if anyone wishes to know). Another excellent moment is when we are introduced to various groups of surfers who inhabit the sands, including the guitar-playing surfers for Christ, ferocious surf punks and a philosophical Sonny Bono rambling about psychedelic vibrations with surf icon Corky Caroll.

Essentially, Under the Boardwalk is Thrashin' dressed up as a beach flick, swapping skateboards for surfboards. It does a great job of summing up an era packed with beach movies, but unlike many doesn't resort to goofy humour and gratuitous tits and ass. With its drama-fuelled forbidden romance, summery atmosphere, gang rivalry (with wonderfully cheesy camera close-ups of clenched fists) and heavily stereotyped surf dudes, Under the Boardwalk is an especially entertaining journey into the lives of Californian teenagers.


IMAGES/VIDEOS: [movie trailer]

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SOUNDTRACK:

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1. Under The Boardwalk - The Untouchables
2. Ballroom Blitz - The Surf Punks
3. Surf Or Die - The Surf MC's
4. Whole Lot Of Nothin' - The Del Lords
5. Bad Time - Ike Willis
6. Blood & Roses - The Smithereens
7. Dangerous World - The Broadcasters
8. Our Day Will Come - The Surf Punks
9. Why - Wednesday Week
10. Under The Boardwalk - The Drifters