The Last American Virgin

Teen comedies of the ‘80s learned all the wrong lessons from Fast Times at Ridgemont High.  Sure, they included the requisite amount of sex, drugs and rock and roll.  But most avoided any of the romantic consequences that made that movie particularly memorable.  Released in the same year, The Last American Virgin (1982) is one of the few that managed to walk a hormonal tightrope between toxic masculinity and first-love jitters.

 Part of a trio of hot-to-trot teens, Gary (Lawrence Monoson) is the sensitive one of the group, poorly disguising his obsession with the new girl in school, Karen (Diane Franklin), who tragically falls for the charms of his best friend.  Forced to participate in one comic misadventure after another in pursuit of his first lay, Gary finally gets a chance to play the hero and take Karen under his wing.  But young love has a hard time living up to his expectations.

 

A remake of his 1978 film Lemon Popsicle, director Boaz Davidson delivers all the crude pranks and casual nudity you’d expect from a Cannon Films production.  After all, the film was designed to make money, not deliver life lessons.  But, to its credit, The Last American Virgin manages to deliver both with a gut-punch finale every bitter teenage boy will take to their grave.  With a cast of unknowns supported by a soundtrack of new wave essentials, a good part of Davidson’s film is simply an excuse to embellish locker room fantasies.  But it has moments that elevate the sometimes-smutty genre into timely satire and Shakespearean tragedy.  

 

Part of MVD’s Rewind Collection, the Blu-ray is a treat to look at.  In fact, it’s pretty much perfect except for some blink-and-you’ll-miss-it speckling from time to time.  More concerning is a sync sound issue which crops up in the final 10 minutes.  Part of the original release or a transfer issue?  Perhaps a video-pro will weigh in.  But the extras are excellent, including lengthy interviews with Davison, Monoson, Franklin and cinematographer Adam Greenberg, plus a slipcover and fold-out poster.

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