Plot: What’s it about?
Penmore University is a good college for academics, but some students tire of the cold, the snow, and all the heavy clothes. So of course, the natural move for those students is to hit the beach and cut loose. There are few better place to do so at than Fort Lauderdale and no better time than Spring Break, when thousands of coeds storm the area. Penmore hasn’t sent a tidal wave of students, but a quartet of female friends has made the venture. Melanie (Yvette Mimieux), Merritt (Dolores Hart), Angie (Connie Francis), and Tuggle (Paula Prentiss) have joined up to take the boys at Fort Lauderdale for a spin. Of course, there is more to this vacation than finding a hunk, but to these four ladies, that is a high priority. The girls were reminded of a strict moral code by one of their spinster teachers, who frowned upon the trip and the girls’ intentions. But all of the college kids in town, including the four Penmore gals, want to score a great tan, score some cool waves, and just plain score. The selection of young men is massive, but three seem to stand out as targets, though Melanie goes through a few guys on her own. Ryder (George Hamilton) is a suave, rich senior, TV Thompson (Jim Hutton) is a nutty dude, and Basil (Frank Gorshin) is a gifted musician with some sight problems. Over the course of this vacation, the boys and girls will flirt, indulge their desires, and make memories, but will true love come for anyone?
Ah yes, those classic beach movies, in which guys and gals would hit the shore and party until the cows came home. We see a few beach themed movies these days, but in the old times, the sun & surf had its own genre. In that genre were the same kind of conventions as any other, a basic structure that was to be followed. So if you liked a few of the beach adventures, then most of them would be looking into. Now, we view the beach films as campish on the whole, which isn’t a bad thing, per se. Where the Boys Are is pure camp to a modern audience, whereas back in 1960, it might have held a more important social place. Even then, viewers went to have fun and see some hijinks, but this one has more of a message, a cautionary one to boot. But don’t be worried, the focus is more on the sun & fun, as opposed to deep social commentary. Some serious content is found here, more than you’d expect from a film of this kind, but this has all the sun, babes, and waves you could want from a beach experience. George Hamilton leads the male side of the cast, with Frank Gorshin by his side, while Yvette Mimieux, Connie Francis, and Paula Prentiss are up front for the ladies. This is not the best beach movie out there, but for genre fans, it is worth a look. Warner’s disc is great too, so be sure to visit Where the Boys Are.
Video: How does it look?
Where the Boys Are is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. I’d only seen this movie on poor pan & scan versions, so I was in for a real treat, as the wide visual scope of this flick is quite impressive. You lose a lot in the move down to full frame, so in truth, it was like seeing a whole new movie this time around. But the restored framing isn’t the sole improvement, as this is an all around overhaul that deserves much praise. The print is quite clean, with only minor grain and debris, while softness is never an issue. The film’s bold colors have faded a touch, but the hues remain bright and flesh tones look solid. No real concerns with contrast either, as black levels are a little light at times, but not that often. So while not a flawless visual presentation, Warner’s transfer is an improvement and should delight fans.
Audio: How does it sound?
The mono option here is stable and solid, but of course, is limited by the mono format. I heard some hiss at times, but only to a minor degree and other age related errors were absent, which is good news. The outrageous music and sound effects seem in fine order, while dialogue is crisp and always easy to understand. This is about as basic as you can get, but since minimal errors surface, I won’t be too hard on this one. This disc also includes a French language track, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The main attraction here is Paula Prentiss, who provides an audio commentary track that shouldn’t be missed. She recalls some stories from the production, but also mixes in some personal touches. This ensures a wide scope is covered in her track, but it also retains an intimate, personal level. This disc also includes a brief featurette with Prentiss & costar Connie Francis, some newsreel footage, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
