Summer Children

Produced in 1965 but unreleased for 45 years, Summer Children was long thought lost until producer Jack Robinette and film restorer Edie Robinette-Petrachi discovered the original negative in the early 2000s and sound elements and prints soon after. The restored film premiered in 2010, revealing an unusual slice of Americana: a mix of alienated youth drama, rock ‘n' roll film, and introspective art cinema. Brooding rich kid West (Stuart Anderson) takes a group of friends on his father's yacht for a weekend getaway to Catalina Island in time for a big dance. West is immediately taken with Diana (Valora Noland), a beautiful free spirit, while his best friend (John Hanek)—a cocky, competitive motorcycle racer—is determined to seduce her. Think of it as an American indie answer to the beach movie in the sexual revolution era, directed with a sensibility influenced by John Cassavetes and the European New Wave. Summer Children is American art cinema at its most serious and self-conscious, featuring a script full of introspective musings and angst-ridden conflict, while the performances by the three leads are generally stiff and arch. What sets it apart is the luminous B&W cinematography by future Oscar winner Vilmos Zsigmond, who uses natural light to create a sun-dappled texture during the day scenes and superb lighting (by future legendary cinematographer László Kovács) to heighten the night scenes with dramatic imagery. More curiosity than classic, this is still an intriguing cinematic time capsule. Nicely restored and remastered, extras audio commentary by Zsigmond and producer Jack Robinette, deleted scenes, and a behind-the-scenes featurette. A strong optional purchase. (S. Axmaker)