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  Directed by
  Starring
  Specs
  • Full Frame
  Languages
  • English: Dolby Digital Stereo
  Subtitles
    French, Spanish
  Extras
  • 2 Teaser trailer - Mary-Kate and Ashley Video and DVD Trailers
  • Cast/crew biographies
  • Featurette - Fashion Close-Up
  • Music video - Us Against The World by PLAY
  • Behind the scenes footage

Holiday in the Sun

Warner Bros./Warner Home Video . R4 . COLOR . 88 mins . G . NTSC

  Feature
Contract

The most famous twins of 1986 are back... again. This time with a holiday in the sun which was filmed at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. The disc loads with an advertising spot for this resort that really looks like heaven. Luxury. Waterslides. Beaches. Aquariums. Hmm, that’s the life!

The largest problem with this film is the message that these girls hurl at the audience. They were 15 years old when this was made, yet they hold standards, ideals and beliefs of women in their early 20s. Surely this can’t be good for young girls to pick up? The ‘boys’ who the girls fall for are more like men and would easily be in their early 20s. Hello, paedophilia? It just doesn’t feel right. Girls their age should be concerned about more important issues than who they’re going to kiss and who they’re going to dance with and what clothes to wear. OK, the clothes thing is fine, but honestly, who would want their daughter(s) running around with guys in their late teens? Scary...

Some of the production values for this film are actually quite nice. A combination of techniques have been used from conventional film cameras to 16mm to digital video. These three have been edited together seamlessly during the Atlantis advertising spots throughout the film and give the film that little bit extra. A handheld camera and over-exposure give the reality television feel to some of the more intense and dramatic scenes which, again, adds to the film. These interwoven techniques form a major part of the film that actually makes it watchable for adults.

But anyway, Madison and Alex (Mary-Kate and Ashley respectively) have been plucked out of school by their parents and taken to their private jet to escort them to Hawaii for the Spring break with their friends. But the pilot (and father) have a surprise in store... and that is Atlantis. The girls go along with this, and on the first day sprawl on the beach and perve on the guys as they wander past. Anyway, they get invited to a party by a guy who just dropped out of the sky (seriously) and of course, being the apparent mature adults in their mid 20s - wait, that's just their behaviour – anyway, they go to the party where Alex meets this “hottie” called Jordan and Madison is off dancing with the cute guy who fell from the sky earlier that day. Griffen, a family friend, sees Madison dancing with this guy and the stab of jealousy hits – he likes Madison, and has done for years and years. One side of the film is about finding the girls a love for the holidays, with some interesting and intuitive methods. But the film has more to it than relationships, although that is as deep as it goes. But Jordan then appears to be involved way over his head in an extra job, one that involves antiquities smuggling. So its Madison, Alex and Griffen to the rescue trying to figure out the puzzle before the puzzle consumes them all! Who-whooo, scary huh? It’s enough action to keep an adult amused for the 88-minute duration, and enough action to keep teenage girls amused for 88 minutes times 100 viewings.

  Video
Contract

The 1.33:1 NTSC video transfer is reasonably good, but let down by some simple issues. Well that is when the whole ‘NTSC’ crap is thrown out of the equation... We could go on about the colours and the lower resolution of a 1.33:1 transfer, but frankly its boring and soooooooo repetitive. So on to more interesting things, such as film grain (*smirks*, yeah right!). This would have to be the biggest fault of the transfer, with a slight to heavy wash over the entire image. Of course the 16mm clips will be suffering more so from grain as well as some film artefacts. However, the grain does tend to lead to some slight compression artefacts. Detail is quite nice, boasting some clear images, which is in conjunction with the sharpness of the transfer. It’s not perfect, but still nice.

  Audio
Contract

One audio track has been included, and that is in Dolby Digital 2.0 English. The packaging incorrectly states both 'language' and 'subtitle' options. Dialogue is clear throughout, and no synchronisation issues are visible at all. Bass levels are reasonable, and support the alternative indie rock soundtrack. Weezer’s Island in the Sun opens the film and plays a few more times throughout. PLAY, which is a group of girls about the age of the Olsen twins who look like the latest synthetic Popstars group, provide a pop song called Us Against the World. Some soundtrack, hey? But it’s fitting for the teenage girl age range.

  Extras
Contract

Surprisingly there are extra features on this disc after the packaging incorrectly states these as well. To start with, we have a 5:11 look Behind the Scenes, which shows a bit of the cast and crew working on the film, and some brief interviews as well as bloopers with the dolphins. The 4:30 Fashion Close-Up is a look at the girls’ fashion throughout the film. And who ever thought that there were so many names for a simple t-shirt? (stretch top, halter top, scoop, V-neck halter, white bikini top under a white sheath cotton knit halter top, cotton tube top with black twill tape with studs, huh?). The Music Video of Us Against the World by PLAY runs for 3:59 and shows some... um... amateur effects. The Video and DVD Trailers run for 1:07 and 1:33 respectively and are advertising spots for the Twins' other videos and DVDs.

  Overall  
Contract

One for the teenage girls, along with everything else Mary-Kate and Ashley. The video transfer is good, but let down by the fact that it is NTSC, and some slight artefacts. The audio is reasonable by nothing remarkable, and the extras are a welcome inclusion but not terribly informative either. One for the school holidays...


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      And I quote...
    "Mary-Kate and Ashley are back... again"
    - Martin Friedel
      Review Equipment
    • DVD Player:
          Philips DVD 736K
    • TV:
          TEAC EU68-ST
    • Speakers:
          Teac PLS-60 Home Theatre System
    • Centre Speaker:
          Teac PLS-60 Home Theatre System
    • Surrounds:
          Teac PLS-60 Home Theatre System
    • Audio Cables:
          Standard RCA
    • Video Cables:
          standard s-video
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