SUMMER OF 42

WARNER BROS. has released one of their romantic “classics”, “SUMMER OF 42” on dvd, and it’s a welcome addition to any collector’s library.  This coming-of-age film has its flaws due to over-sentimentality, but one can’t help but be entertained by it at the same time.  It never stoops to the crass level of “Porky’s”, but it’s not really that much more sophisticated than that film, other than in terms of acting and direction.  This is a drama, “Porky’s” was a comedy, I know!  But, take away the Michel Legrand score, the cinematography, and it’s not that much more honest or intelligent. There are some truly memorable scenes, however, including the “date at the movie” scene in which one of the characters “tries” to “cop a feel” and gets a shoulder instead!  Also, the ending, as manipulative as it is, still pushes enough buttons to bring out the tears in most viewers. 

The film’s cinematography, nominated for an Oscar, featured numerous “soft-lens” style shots, and the WARNER BROS transfer retains them, without the overall image succumbing to a thoroughly “soft” image.  The transfer is well-polished, and while the colors are still mildly subdued, they’re accurate and offer depth.  Grain shows up infrequently during the film, but it’s manageable.  The correct 1.85:1 aspect ratio is intact with 16:9 enhancement.

The Dolby Digital Mono 1.0 soundmix has limited fidelity, but the wonderful Michel Legrand score sounds wonderful.  Dialogue is always intelligible and free from distortion.