Review: One Summer
Blu-ray: One Summer (1983)
I vividly remember watching One Summer when it was first broadcast on Channel 4 in 1983, and the reason I remember it so well is that I absolutely loved all 5 episodes. So much so that I had recorded them on VHS and myself and a mate regularly used to sit and watch them together, enjoying the adventures of 2 lads who were both just a couple of years younger than us at the time and who lived less than an hour up the road in Liverpool.
My rewatching continued when it had a DVD release (by Network) many years ago, but the best news of all was when Network On Air announced that it was releasing it on blu-ray for the 1st time, remastered in high definition from the original film elements…and what an absolute joy it was to revisit the adventures of Billy and Icky in hi-def.
Featuring the 1st onscreen roles for David Morrissey (as Billy) and Spencer Leigh (as Icky), One Summer is an emotional rollercoaster of a drama, following the 2 teenage lads as they run away from Liverpool after playing truant from school, getting involved in street gang altercations, and in trouble with the police for petty crimes.
Leaving the big city they find themselves in rural Wales (a place that had good memories for Billy after a previous school trip there) and find the relative peaceful life afforded to them by “Kidder” (James Hazeldine); a retired school teacher who lives a simple life selling his artwork and living off the land, and who lets them stay at his isolated cottage.
Things begin to unravel though when, while visiting the local market, Icky meets up with the boys from his school who are at the nearby camp, while Billy meets Jo, a local middle-class girl.
Inviting the school mates back to Kidder’s is not the best idea that Icky has ever had, and their brief period of tranquility comes to an abrupt end leading Billy and Icky to go on the run once again.
To give anything else away about the story would be to ruin a wonderful experience for anyone who hasn’t yet watched this superb piece of television drama written by Willy Russell.
Over the years I’ve talked to so many people of my age group for whom One Summer holds a dear place in their heart, and 37 years after it was 1st shown it still has an emotional punch to see Billy and Icky cope with the challenges in their lives and watch them go off on their adventures…and all in the best picture quality I’ve ever seen it in.
For One Summer fans this is a must buy, while for anyone else that hasn’t had the joy of watching it yet, then you’re in for an absolute treat…just get the tissues ready.
An enthralling slice of early 1980’s life as a working class teenager from a big city, One Summer resonates just as strong with its narrative as it did all those years ago.
Unmissable.
One Summer is available to buy now.
Review by Dave from a disc kindly supplied by Network On Air via Blue Dolphin PR.
