Indian Summer (1993 film)

Last updated
Indian Summer
Indian Summer 1993.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Mike Binder
Written byMike Binder
Produced by Jim Kouf
Lynn Kouf
Robert F. Newmyer
Jeffrey Silver
Starring
Cinematography Newton Thomas Sigel
Edited byAdam Weiss
Music by Miles Goodman
Production
companies
Touchstone Pictures
Outlaw Productions
Distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Release date
  • April 23, 1993 (1993-04-23)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$9 million
Box office$14.9 million

Indian Summer is a 1993 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike Binder. The movie was filmed at Camp Tamakwa (a summer camp in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada), which Binder had attended for ten summers as a child camper. Indian Summer features an ensemble cast, including Binder's childhood friend, film director Sam Raimi, who has a supporting role in it. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Plot

"Unca" Lou Handler (Alan Arkin), the beloved owner and director of Camp Tamakwa, invites thirty former campers – from the camp's "golden years" two decades ago – back to the camp to announce his retirement. Seven friends who attended during the summer of 1972, all now adults, respond to the invitation and return for a one-week reunion. Once there, the group comes to feel nostalgic memories of their youth, and unresolved feelings for each other begin to surface. [1] [2] [3]

The invitees include clothing designer Matt Berman (Vincent Spano), his cousin and business partner Brad Berman (Kevin Pollak), Matt's wife Kelly (Julie Warner), Kelly's friend and Matt's ex-girlfriend Jennifer Martin (Elizabeth Perkins), art gallery employee Jack Belston (Bill Paxton), recently widowed Beth Warden (Diane Lane), and carefree bachelor Jamie Ross (Matt Craven), who brings his much younger girlfriend, 21-year-old Gwen Daugherty (Kimberly Williams).

While willing to participate in the camp reunion, Brad finds the place smaller and dingier than he remembers, and he can't wait to get back to managing his business. Matt feels trapped being in business with Brad, despite their success, because he wants to do other things with his life.

Uncertain about his relationship with Kelly, Matt expresses renewed romantic feelings for Jennifer. Worldly but still single and occasionally lonely as she approaches middle age, Jennifer is tempted to reciprocate. Lou has other ideas, though, and he nips their tryst in the bud. Kelly confronts Matt about her concern that he is becoming distant, after which they work to repair their relationship.

Beth is working through the trauma of losing her husband Rick to a tragic accident one year ago. Jack was Rick's best friend, and regrets not being able to attend his funeral. Although initially tentative in their interactions, Beth and Jack eventually begin a relationship with each other during the reunion.

Jamie is happy being single, with no intentions of starting a family anytime soon. Gwen wants to start a family, and increasingly resents and eventually stands up to Jamie's dismissal and objectification of her.

Having been kicked out of camp as a child and sent home by Unca Lou, Jack nevertheless returns to make amends for what he did – burying Lou's 1946 Michigan State boxing trophy in retaliation for an act of racial prejudice committed by Lou, very much inconsistent with the values taught at camp. Lou eventually acknowledges this and expresses regret over his actions.

Camp traditions include moose watching, shreks (pranks), Lou doing a "dirty dog" (catching campers sneaking out of their cabins at night), the morning wakeup bell, taking what recreational opportunities Wakonda (the Indian god of weather) provides, boxing as both athletic discipline and means of settling arguments, and Lou bestowing the same "super-secret Indian name" (Thundering Cloud) on young campers having trouble socially adjusting to the camp environment.

Lou's primary reason for retiring is his inability to connect with a new generation of kids more interested in boomboxes and headphones than in the great outdoors. Beth and Jack decide they are up to the task, and they want to continue running the camp. Lou gives them his blessing, and they go on to welcome the next class of Tamakwa campers.

Cast

Reception

The film's reviews were mixed. It holds a 58% "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 19 reviews.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Raimi</span> American filmmaker (born 1959)

Samuel M. Raimi is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for directing the first three films in the Evil Dead franchise (1981–present) and the Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007). He also directed the superhero movie Darkman (1990), the revisionist western The Quick and the Dead (1995), the neo-noir crime thriller A Simple Plan (1998), the supernatural thriller The Gift (2000), the supernatural horror Drag Me to Hell (2009), the Disney fantasy Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), and the Marvel Studios film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Arkin</span> American actor and filmmaker (1934–2023)

Alan Wolf Arkin was an American actor, filmmaker and musician. In a career spanning seven decades, he received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award as well as nominations for six Emmy Awards.

<i>Meatballs Part II</i> 1984 film by Ken Wiederhorn

Meatballs Part II is a 1984 American comedy film and the first sequel to the 1979 film Meatballs. The film stars Richard Mulligan, Hamilton Camp, John Mengatti, Kim Richards, Archie Hahn, Misty Rowe, and John Larroquette, and was directed by Ken Wiederhorn. The screenplay for the film was written by Bruce Franklin Singer based on a story by Martin Kitrosser and Carol Watson.

Vincent M. Spano Jr. is an American film, stage, and television actor, and a film director and producer.

Sleepaway Camp is an American slasher film series consisting of five films, one of which was not fully completed. The franchise primarily focuses on serial killer Angela Baker and the murders she commits, largely at summer camps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauren Turner</span> Fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours

Lauren Turner is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Kate Kendall. The role was originally played by Sarah Vandenbergh, and she made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 16 February 1993. Lauren was introduced as the "vivacious" daughter of Lou Carpenter. Vandenbergh described her as being happy, headstrong and into horses. She also thought that just by looking at the character you knew she was a girl next door type. Lauren's major storylines during her first stint in the show saw her have an affair with Brad Willis, join a religious cult and begin a casual relationship with Wayne Duncan. Vandenbergh decided to leave the serial when she was told that Lauren would not feature prominently in storylines anymore. She departed on 2 March 1994.

<i>House Arrest</i> (1996 film) American comedy film

House Arrest is a 1996 American comedy film directed by Harry Winer, written by Michael Hitchcock, and starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Pollak, Jennifer Tilly, Christopher McDonald, Wallace Shawn, and Ray Walston with supporting roles done by Kyle Howard, Amy Sakasitz, Mooky Arizona, Russel Harper, and an up-and-coming Jennifer Love Hewitt. It tells the story of two children who lock their parents in the basement upon their plans for a separation as the other children they know get involved by locking their respective problem parents in there as well.

<i>Meatballs 4</i> 1992 film by Bob Logan

Meatballs 4 is a 1992 comedy film and the fourth and final installment in the Meatballs series of films. It was shot in its entirety at Bass Lake, California, starting in the late summer of 1991. Originally conceived as a comedy-drama titled Happy Campers, the project was retooled after production had begun to be part of the Meatballs series.

The National Board of Review Award for Best Acting by an Ensemble is an annual film award given by the National Board of Review.

<i>The Survivors</i> (1983 film) 1983 film by Michael Ritchie

The Survivors is a 1983 American comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie. It stars Walter Matthau and Robin Williams, with supporting roles by Jerry Reed, Kristen Vigard and James Wainwright.

<i>The Last of the Mohicans</i> (1936 film) 1936 film

The Last of the Mohicans is a 1936 American historical western adventure film directed by George B. Seitz and starring Randolph Scott, Binnie Barnes and Henry Wilcoxon. The screenplay by Philip Dunne was based on the 1826 novel of the same name by James Fenimore Cooper. It was produced by Edward Small and distributed by United Artists.

<i>Filmmaker</i> (magazine) American publication about film, founded 1992

Filmmaker is a quarterly publication magazine covering issues relating to independent film. The magazine was founded in 1992 by Karol Martesko-Fenster, Scott Macaulay and Holly Willis. The magazine is now published by the IFP, which acts in the independent film community.

<i>Happy Campers</i> (film) 2001 film by Daniel Waters

Happy Campers is a 2001 American black comedy film written and directed by Daniel Waters and starring Brad Renfro, Dominique Swain, Jaime King, Emily Bergl, and Justin Long. The film focuses on a group of college freshmen and their experiences as summer camp counselors at the fictional Camp Bleeding Dove. The film is collectively narrated by each of the subjective counselors. It marks Waters' directorial debut, as well as the film debut of Jaime King.

<i>Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp</i> 2015 American comedy television miniseries

Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp is an American satirical comedy television miniseries written by David Wain and Michael Showalter, and directed by Wain. First Day of Camp is the second installment in the Wet Hot American Summer franchise. The eight-episode Netflix series is a prequel to Wain's 2001 film Wet Hot American Summer, a parody of teen sex comedies which has since developed a cult following. Although many of the original film's ensemble cast have gone on to high-profile work, all of the then-adult actors returned for this series, playing even younger versions of their original roles. The episodes were released for online viewing at the end of July 2015.

<i>Bunkd</i> American television series

Bunk'd is an American comedy television series created by Pamela Eells O'Connell that originally aired on Disney Channel from July 31, 2015 to August 2, 2024. The series is a spinoff of Jessie and for the first three seasons includes returning stars Peyton List, Karan Brar, and Skai Jackson, as well as Miranda May who has starred over the series' entire run.

<i>Rim of the World</i> 2019 American science fiction film

Rim of the World is a 2019 American science fiction adventure film directed by McG and written by Zack Stentz. It stars Jack Gore, Miya Cech, Benjamin Flores Jr. and Alessio Scalzotto. The film, which was Stentz's modern take on the kid-centered action films of the 1980s, was streamed on Netflix on May 24, 2019. It was the most watched content in the SVOD service in the UK the week it was released, overtaking the series Dead to Me and Riverdale.

References

  1. 1 2 Canby, Vincent (April 23, 1993). "Movie Review: Indian Summer (1993)". The New York Times . Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  2. 1 2 Hinson, Hal (April 24, 1993). "'Indian Summer'". The Washington Post . Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Indian Summer: The Movie". Camp Tamakwa. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.