Last Summer (Blu-ray)

As the title indicates, this is a sterling release, lovingly curated by Warner Archive. Long out-of-print, the PQ here will be a revelation to those of us who have previously suffered through sub-par vhs-rips. Great artwork and a nicely-appointed booklet make this an essential purchase!

Frank Perry's little seen existentialist gem involving a young John Boy, Barbara Hershey and a seagull. Two young fellas meet a young girl on the beach whilst vacationing and embark on a long summer of frivolous teenage escapades. The three soon meet a charmless waif, which leads to ultimately tragic consequences. It's a bit of a slow burn, but a beautiful new transfer courtesy of WA makes it well worth a look, especially if you enjoyed Perry's Burt Lancaster led "The Swimmer".

Last Summer is a movie from 1969. Directed by Frank Perry (best known for directing Mommie Dearest), it stars Barbara Hershey, Richard Thomas and Bruce Davison. The plot involves a trio during one summer on Fire Island. During the course of the summer, a girl named Rhoda, played by Catherine Burns, tries to infiltrate the group. This creates jealousy between her and Sandy, played by Barbara Hershey. The results are quite brutal. This movie will leave a lasting impression. I'm so grateful that Warner Archive has rescued this forgotten gem, which has been out of circulation for many years. The bluray restoration is truly sublime. The audio and visual restoration is definitely up to Warner Archive's usual outstanding standard. The bluray also comes with a slip cover which is a nice touch. I truly urge all film buffs to seek this one out. You won't regret it. You will be thinking about it for days aftewards.