Alan Block is a teenage city slicker with his whole summer planned out. That is, until his parents invite Vic over, a charming wilderness survival guide. Vic convinces them that six weeks off the grid is exactly what Alan needs to become a man. Alan reluctantly joins Vic and three other teens –– Chris, Mitch and George –– for a trek into the great outdoors, which turn out to be not so great for him. He is taunted by Chris and George and learns that Vic is deadly serious about his job. On their first night, Alan carves his initials into a tree. After Vic finds out, he calls the others to vote on his punishment. They take away his knife. In another incident, Vic asks Alan to be his bowman while white water rafting. Alan is unprepared and loses an oar. Later, Vic asks the boys to cross a dangerous swing bridge. Alan crosses it with the others but leaves their tent poles behind. When he later realizes this, Vic sends him back to collect them alone. Despite his best efforts, he fails to cross the bridge. Embarrassed, Alan explains that he couldn’t find them but Vic catches him in his lie; he watched him all along and even retrieved the poles. The tension between Alan and Vic reaches a breaking point when the group go fishing on an island. Instead of following Vic’s lead and catching them with his bare hands, Alan invents a fish trap. Furious, Vic tosses the fish he caught and forces him to clean the others’ fish. Alan refuses and Vic leaves with the group, stranding him on the island until the fish are cleaned. Alan stays on the island for the night and does not complete the task. The next morning, the others retrieve him. When they return, they find that Vic has disappeared. The boys fight with eachother about what to do and take cover after a storm hits. Out of the blue, Vic returns the next morning and praises their survival skills. Although everyone has grown weary of Vic, they follow him on their next group activity of climbing Devil’s Tooth –– a treacherous peak. When they reach a gap, Vic creates a pendulum for the boys to swing over it. Alan is last to go but is the only one who doesn’t make the jump. Despite the others’ protests, Vic leaves Alan dangling and instructs him to figure his own way out of it. Chris challenges Vic’s leadership and Vic retaliates by holding him over the edge of a cliff. Left to his own devices, Alan creates enough momentum to swing across. He confronts Vic and a foot chase ensues. Furious, Chris throws rocks at Vic and hits him with an oar –– sending him over the edge of a ravine. After Vic suffers a broken leg and becomes stranded, Alan creates a pulley and the group hoist him out of the ravine. As the group’s new leader, Alan instructs the others to follow the river to the ranger station. With Vic stable but losing blood, Alan sits him in a canoe and they raft down a wild river. Alan skillfully navigates the rapids but the canoe capsizes after plunging down a small waterfall. Alan brings Vic to the riverbanks. The two share a moment of camaraderie and, soon enough, a rescue helicopter arrives.
Production and release
White Water Summer was originally produced as Rites of Summer in 1985, and given its current name upon release in 1987. The film's action is framed by commentary from the now-older character of Alan, as he remembers a camping trip led by Vic. The narration was filmed two years after the film itself; Astin is noticeably older. The film was photographed by John Alcott, a frequent collaborator of Stanley Kubrick. Alcott died shortly before the release of the film, which is dedicated to his memory. Scenes were shot in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, as well as in western Quebec, Canada, at the small French Quebec town of Fort-Coulonge, and New Zealand locales. Columbia Pictures released the film theatrically in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States; a wider release was planned, but never carried out.
Music
The film's closing credits are accompanied by the song "Be Good to Yourself" by Journey.
Nine songs are included in the film:
"Wild Frontier"
Written by Bruce Hornsby and John Hornsby Performed by Bruce Hornsby and The Range Courtesy of The RCA Records Label of BMG Music
"On the Western Skyline"
Written by Bruce Hornsby and John Hornsby Performed by Bruce Hornsby and The Range Courtesy of The RCA Records Label of BMG Music
"Be Good to Yourself"
Written by Steve Perry, Jonathan Cain and Neal Schon Performed by Journey Courtesy of CBS Records
"Aphrodisiac Jacket"
Written by Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy Produced by Rick Rubin Performed by The Cult Courtesy of Sire Records by arrangement with Warner Special Products and Beggars Banquet Records Limited
"Life in a Dangerous Time"
Written by Nick Van Eede Produced by Terry Brown & Cutting Crew Performed by Cutting Crew Courtesy of Siren Records Ltd.
"Streetwalker"
Composed, Produced and Performed by Michael Boddicker
"Paradise"
Written by Kaylee Adams and Charlie Mitchell Produced by Charlie Mitchell Performed by Kaylee Adams Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records
"Hot Shot"
Written by Mike Slamer, Roy Ward and John Luttrelle Produced by Mike Slamer Performed by Roy Ward
"Restless Heart"
Written by Mike Slamer and Mark Boals Produced by Mike Slamer Performed by Mark Boals
