THE IN CROWD
US, 1988, 96 minutes, Colour.
Donovan Leitch, Jennifer Runyon, Joe Pantoliano.
Directed by Mark Rosenthal.
The In Crowd is a pleasantly innocent and innocuous musical drama. It is set in 1965. It reminds audiences of Grease and, especially, of John Waters' Hairspray, which it strongly resembles (set in Baltimore, 1962).
Donovan Leitch, son of the singer-composer Donovan, is a genial enough presence and a good dancer. Jennifer Runyon is an attractive heroine. Joe Pantoliano is exuberant as Perry Parker, the host of a television music-dance show.
The plot is familiar: the schoolkids of 1965 and their love for music, for dancing. The local television show sponsors a dance couple and is in need of a replacement couple. No prizes for guessing who gets the honours. The film shows the struggle with parents, education, ambitions, fans. It is presented in a
pleasing way - and the finale is the transition from the early '60s and dancing to rock and roll. Bob Dylan sings during the final credits.
1. Pleasant musical comedy drama? The youth of the '60s? Song and dance of the '60s? Changing times? Rock and roll?
2. The re-creation of the settings, costumes of the time, music and dancing of the time? Choreography? Television shows? The range of songs?
3. The title, the focus, the television programme, the fans, the dancers, the school group and their friendship, dancing, breaking out of the group? The in crowd of 1965?
4. The focus on Perry Parker and his television show, a lively host, encouraging youth, their going to the studio, live action? The central dance couple and their impact? Perry and his career, the loss of the couple? His searching for new talent, the attention on Del? Partner for Vicki? Going to the class and interrupting it? Exuberance, promotions, records,
dancing with customers? A future? Relationship with the bosses? His show being cancelled, his reaction, the exuberant dance and ending? A compere of an earlier era?
5. Del and his skill at dancing, dancing at home to the TV? The reaction of the maid, of Gail? His going to the TV session, the opportunity to dance, volunteering, appearing on TV? Success, the reactions of his friends and their trying to stop him? In school, getting the job, Perry Parker's visit? The friendship with Vicki, attachment to her, his friends ridiculing her? Her ambitions? The dancing, the promotion? His niceness in dancing with the girl with the brace on her leg? The dinner for Gail and her love of musical comedy? Her insulting Vicki, his standing up for Vicki? The hood friend and their dancing together? Helping Vicki to go with him? Returning home? A young hero of the mid-'60s?
6. Vicki, at school, her inability at lessons? Talent at dancing? With the other girls? With Del, attraction towards him? Her father? The hood? Going away, her staying for the promotion, dancing with Del? Her decision to leave, his helping her, her future? The humiliation of the dinner by
Gail and her friends, her good-natured reaction?
7. Gail and the rest at school, friendships, the in crowd, friendship with Del, disdain of Vicki? TV fans, going to the dancing? Gail and her Gilbert and Sullivan performance, the dinner, her rudeness? The ups and downs of friendship in the in crowd?
8. The sketch of the parents, the relationship with their children?
9. The sketch of teachers, specially the English teacher who nodded during class, his reading poetry and 'A Tale of Two Cities,' Perry's interruption and comment on love?
10. Television, the media, records, music, the style of the times, the feel of the times? The change with rock and roll?
