WHITE WATER SUMMER

US, 1987, 90 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Bacon, Sean Astin.
Directed by Jeff Bleckner.

White Water Summer is an '80s Boys' Own adventure. The audience is taken into the confidence of Allan (Sean Astin) and told about his summer camp and the rugged wilderness. Unwilling to go, he joins three boys and their guide, Vic (Kevin Bacon). With a series of adventures, experiencing fear, Allan eventually exercises leadership and in fact rescues Vic and helps him to safety. The experience is seen as a growing up phase.

The film has beautiful wilderness settings (some American, some Canadian and others, especially the rivers, New Zealand locations). The film makes its point about growing up, the expectations by parents on young boys for strong behaviour, the difference between macho and exercising leadership.

1.Picture of youth, the summer vacation? Nature, the wilderness, toughness and survival? Growing up?

2.The city settings, the wilderness: forests, rivers, mountains? Action sequences? The pace? Musical score?

3.Allan's story: his initial confiding in us, his attitude, the sophisticated tone - or attempt at it? His parents, the plans for the holidays, pressuring him to go? His decision? Listening to Vic's speech and the slides? Meeting with the others, taking his knife, their admiration for the knife? Vic confiscating it, confiscating the radio? Vic's erratic attitude towards him? Punishing him, then inviting him to play chess and being beaten? Choosing him for the balance in the canoe ride - and Allan reacting by saying that Vic wanted to frighten him? Going across the rope bridge, forgetting the pieces for the tent and having to return, losing his glasses? The clash with Vic? Vic leaving him on the island during the storm to gut the fish? His refusal? The others rescuing him? Vic's absence, their fears in the storm? Vic's return, the climbing of the mountain, Allan left hanging? His succeeding and Vic taking the credit? The group turning against Vic, his injuries, Allan saving him - the lift, the canoe, the capsize and the waterfall? The reconciliation? The experience and growing up? Allan's final comments - from Central Park?

4.Vic, his enthusiasm, leadership, persuading the parents? His love of nature? His rules, the wilderness? His way of communicating - indirect, then very direct? Confiscating the knife, the radio? The playing chess? Wilderness survival? Enjoyment of the wilderness, the canoe? Forcing the boys across the bridge, leaving them in the storm, the climbing of the mountain? Their finally turning against him, throwing rocks at him? His own philosophy, communion with nature, his meditation? His shock at the boys' reaction to him? Allan's saving him, his gratitude, learning from the boys?

5.The sketch of Chris, George and Mitch? Tough attitudes, language, jokes and tricks, the Penthouse magazine? Anti-Allan?, nicknames, ridiculing him? Enjoying the camping? The emergence of their fears? Their fright in the storm? Their angers at Vic, turning against him? Injuring him?

6.The sketch of the parents, hopes for their children, plans for their sons, expectations?

7.A Boys' Own adventure - '80s style?