Plot: What’s it about?
The days of summer have kicked in and of course, that means teens running wild and getting into all sorts of mischief. Two of those wild kids are Greg (Michael Zelnicker) and Steve (Carl Marotte), two friends looking to have some fun, play some pinball, drink some brews, and of course, get their hands on some female flesh. But while just about any girl could get them to do whatever they wished, our guys have targets selected for themselves. The young ladies are Donna (Karen Stephen) and Suzy (Helene Udy), sisters who are both beautiful, fun loving, and blessed with nice racks. It seems like Steve and Greg spend all their time chasing after the hot sisters, but they manage to find the time to do other stuff, of course. This includes messing with the adults, getting on the nerves of the police, picking on the socially inept around them, and somehow ending up on the bad side of a group of bikers. Will our two young men manage to survive the summer and realize their dreams of the sisters, or will this be one summer they spend alone?
I do love those movies where teens run wild, parties are massive, pranks are constant, and of course, bare breasts are a frequent sight. In pictures like Porky’s and Revenge of the Nerds, these kind of antics helped push ahead a massive wave of similar movies, but not many delivered on the nudity side of the coin. Pick-Up Summer does deliver the naked ladies however, as well as the other “teen comedy” staples, such as white t-shirts in a car wash, making out at the drive-in, prudish grown-ups, and a bunch of horny males, of all ages. This is not the best film of this type, but if you’re into this kind of cinema, Pick-Up Summer is more than worth a look. I often try to find any movies that hit this sort of subject matter, so this was a pleasant surprise to me. I’d never seen Pick-Up Summer before and it has been tough to find on home video, so Platinum’s DVD release fills a nice slot for some folks, such as myself. I think the breasts and crude humor will be of most interest to viewers, so rest assured, this one has plenty of both. This disc from Platinum is not too impressive, but the price is excellent and I doubt we’ll see another disc on this one. So if you’re interested, spend a few bucks and check out Pick-Up Summer, it’s worth the effort.
Video: How does it look?
Pick-Up Summer is presented in a full frame transfer, as opposed to the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. I am displeased about the lack of a widescreen option to be sure, but for what it is, this image isn’t too bad. If this disc were more expensive, I might have a different opinion, but at this price level, this is a more than watchable transfer. I’d say it is about like watching an 80s movie on television, with a soft overall picture, but no serious flaws to report. The colors and flesh tones look more than solid, while contrast is stable also. I hope Platinum starts to consider widescreen transfers, but all things considered, this treatment isn’t half bad.
Audio: How does it sound?
As I mentioned above, the included transfer is much like seeing the movie on television, so it shouldn’t be a shock to learn the audio is on the same lines. I was never let down by the included track, but it has little range or presence. Then again, this kind of material doesn’t need much kick, though the music could use a boost at times. The basics seem in order however, as sound effects and dialogue never falter much, so no real complaints there. This disc also includes Spanish & French language tracks, should you need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc contains some talent files, a trivia game, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
