If anyone’s still harbouring hopes of a long hot summer in England then I take my Kiss Me Quick hat off to you sir or madam because you are a beautiful optimist that doesn’t appear to know the meaning of the word drizzle.
Of course, there will be patches of clement weather where the possibility of camping flits into our mind or there may be a break in the clouds for long enough to cobble together a quick picnic, however these moments are usually few and far between and tend to have the life expectancy of a May fly.
So, what to do on a summer’s day when you can’t go outside because it’s raining? Ah, watch a film on TV. Oh no, wait! That’s right, even your faithful servant TV is against you this year as wall to wall Euro football, Wimbledon and Olympic Games coverage is guaranteed to take precedence over any other form of televisual entertainment.
It’s up to you to legally download, order online or rent from Blockbusters (if they’re still going) a film to help you get through the dark days from June to August.
And, in the spirit of summers past, I’ve decided to share with you my very own top five list of holiday movies that are all guaranteed to help you forget about throwing frisbees, eating ice creams and Fatima Whitbread.
Long live the summer!
Summer holiday (1963)
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Follow a young Cliff Richard and pals as they attempt to escape the English summer by commandeering a double decker bus and heading for St Tropez. This is a feel-good, sing-along-a-dingdong of a 60s flick, and from opening up a continental world of cycling holidays and rural French breaks to listening to Cliff and the Shadows belting out some absolute classics, this is one film that’s guaranteed to get you smiling this summer.
Dirty Dancing (1987)
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Summer loving never happened this fast and as the lustful romance between Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey blossoms as eminently as a bunch of carnations we watch with hands on hearts as Baby finally gets her man. This is the quintessential teen-chick-flick and what more could you wish for on a rainy summer’s day than to be stuck in doors having the time of your life with Jen and Paddy?
The Lost Boys (1987)
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Take a pair of brothers, a recently divorced mother and an Alaskan dog named Nanook and deposit them in the fictional murder capital of America, Santa Carla. What you have here my friends is the recipe for one of the ultimate 80s teen movies and a handbook as to what to do in the summer holidays if you don’t live in Britain. Vampires, a fab soundtrack and Jami Gertz, what’s not to love?
Stand by Me (1986)
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During the summer holidays, four young friends hear about the body of a boy who’s been hit by a train and left abandoned in the woods. What else is there left to do other than undertake a coming of age journey that leads the boys along the train tracks on their way to adventure holidays beyond their wildest dreams. If it’s cold outside and you’re sick to death of sports then give yourself the first few bars of the Ben E King song of the same name and it will be September in no time at all.
Withnail and I (1987)
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Not necessarily based in the summer months but certainly centring around two friends going on a holiday jaunt, Withnail and I has become a cult classic. Based around two actors leaving London to take refuge in the Lake District at Withnail’s uncle’s cottage you might be forgiven for thinking that all that’s left to happen is country strolls and early nights however, after you watch this you may be forced to think again.
About today's Guest Writer:
Chris is a film buff who also loves going on adventure holidays as often as possible during the summer months.
