The in Crowd (1988)
10/10
Splendid 60s nostalgia film.
22 March 2011
Donovan Leitch Jr., stars as 60s teenager Del Green. Del is a nerdy guy, who lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Though Del is a scholar, he loves to dance to songs on the radio. He also digs the Perry Parker show, which is an after school teen dance show, much like American Bandstand. And Del has a wicked crush, on the Perry Parker Show's reigning queen of the cast of dancers, Vicki (played by the gorgeous Jennifer Runyon).

Meanwhile, Del's suburban friends, especially his neighbor Gail, think that Del should concentrate on studying to take the College Board exam, so that he can get into a good college. Gail thinks that Del's infatuation with Vicki, is just Del's 'hood fantasy', and that he ought to wise-up, and forget about Viki.

Nevertheless, Del tells Gail, that he want to go and try out as one of the dancers, on the Perry Parker show. Del is hassled outside of the dance studio, by some tough, working class guys, who are regulars on Perry's show. But with a stroke of luck, and some clever thinking, Del get into the set of Perry's show.

Del is hand-picked by Perry to be Vicki's dance partner, since Vicki's old partner and boyfriend Dugan, was banned from Perry's show. Seems that Dugan is a trouble-maker, who went to jail for stealing a car. For a while, Del dates Vicki, and is even accepted by Vicki's over protective father, who never liked Dugan. But Del is unaware that he's just being used by Vicki, as part of her convoluted plan, to run away to California with Dugan, without her father finding out.

This film has a lot of nice touches. The glamor of the Perry Parker show, including the dancers, is palpable. The gritty, urban environment of the Perry Parker show, and the mid-60s ruffians, are very authentic. As is the the sheltered suburban environment, in which Del lives. I also liked the spot-on 60s radio jingles and commercials, that Del was listening to on his portable transistor radio. The music in this movie, was excellent. It featured many of the stellar recording stars of the 60s; Mitch Ryder, Dionne Warwick, Wilson Pickett, and many others.

Donovan Leitch did an excellent job, in his portrayal of the gawky, awkward, yet charismatic Del Green. The supporting cast, was wonderful too. Especially Joe Pantoliano as the shifty, yet vulnerable Perry Parker, Scott Plank, as the charming hood Dugan, and Sean Sullivan, as Del's tough-guy, mad-cap pal Popeye. The In Crowd, is quite an enjoyable film, and I recommend it to all, who are nostalgic for the 60s.
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