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VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Camp
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Few films this year managed to capture the joy and horror
of youth as well as this coming-of-age musical comedy set in a summer camp
for aspiring performers. Established as a kind of Fame for the teen set,
Camp Ovation (shot at real-life drama camp Stagedoor Manor) offers aspiring
actors, singers and dancers the chance to learn and perform a new show each
week, which means plenty of opportunities for lavish production numbers
throughout the show. But the real drama, of course, is offstage, where newcomer
Vlad (Daniel Letterle) has riled the regulars by being not only extremely
talented and gorgeous but also straight. He's immediately the object of
affection for all the camp's lovestruck girls, as well as most of the boys,
especially Michael (Robin de Jesus). Though the film never delves as deeply
into the issues of unrequited love and adolescent angst as it might have,
its carefree spirit and afterschool-special dramatics are still totally
infectious. The DVD includes deleted and extended scenes, a making-of featurette,
a live-cast performance and widescreen format.