Summer Holiday Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Summer Holiday Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 13, 2026

Peter Yates' "Summer Holiday" (1963) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the release include new program with critic Neil Brand; archival audio commentary Peter Yates; archival promotional materials; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Have bus, will travel.

It is tempting to speculate that Peter Yates’ Summer Holiday might have been at least partially responsible for the arrival of Jacques Demy’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and The Young Girls of Rochefort. Yates’ film was released in 1963, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg had its premiere in 1964, and The Young Girls of Rochefort opened theatrically in 1967. More importantly, some quite interesting thematic and stylistic similarities between these films suddenly make the speculation look somewhat legitimate. All three, for instance, place romance at the center of their narratives, and again, all three use it to evolve into something else. They become genuine musicals with a contemporary -- for its time, of course -- attitude that essentially expand and alter the classic identity the ‘old’ musicals were required to have. How do they do it? By being casual, whenever possible, even spontaneous. Unsurprisingly, the singing and dancing look and feel like natural extensions of their narratives, not the special events that made the ‘old’ musicals memorable.

On a lousy summer day in England, four young mechanics -- Don (Cliff Richard), Cyril (Melvyn Hayes), Steve (Teddy Green), and Edwin (Jeremy Bulloch) -- strike a deal with London Transport that allows them to fix a beat-up double-decker bus and then go on a long journey through the heart of Europe and all the way down to sunny Athens. Under Don’s direction, the bus is then loaded with everything needed to survive the journey, and they hit the road.

In France, the mechanics encounter Sandy, Angie, and Mimsie (Una Stubbs, Pamela Hart, and Jacqueline Daryl), whose car has broken down, but they are desperate to continue their journey. Rather reluctantly, the girls get on the bus and only hours later forget about their destination.

Further down the road, the group welcomes an American runaway singer (Lauri Peters) disguised as a boy whose mad mother (Madge Ryan) and seriously concerned agent create a seemingly endless string of troubles for them. A goofy dog also joins the party. The road to Athens proves to be a bumpy one, but the bus keeps on moving, and no one complains.

The journey is incredibly silly, but because Summer Holiday is essentially one big party, it does not matter. From the moment the boys get on the bus, the singing, dancing, and energy before the camera become the focus of attention -- it is all about the party atmosphere, and the more exuberant it grows, the more charming the journey becomes.

Something else that must be underscored is how sincere and innocent the fun is, which is quite an accomplishment in a film like Summer Holiday, where so much of the exterior is, in fact, manufactured. For example, neither the French courtroom nor the Yugoslavian border appears even remotely legitimate. However, the mere presence of the travelers and the purity of their energy instantly make these locations look like the logical stops that Summer Holiday needs them to be.

Richard and his group, The Shadows, recorded the soundtrack for Summer Holiday, and its primary goal really was to expand his international appeal. In fact, this is the very reason there are quite a few sequences where Richard does his best to imitate Elvis Presley.

Summer Holiday Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.34:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Summer Holiday arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

The release brings to America StudioCanal's recent 4K restoration of Summer Holiday, which across the Atlantic was introduced with this Region-B release in 2019.

I like this 4K restoration a lot. It gives the entire film a gorgeous, often striking organic appearance that it has never had on a home video release before. In several areas, and during the fancy transitions, minor density fluctuations are noticeable, but they are part of the original cinematography. Elsewhere, during close-ups and wider panoramic shots, delineation, clarity, and depth remain excellent. Color reproduction and balance are outstanding. A few small color bumps pop up here and there, but they are also inherited. There are no traces of any problematic digital corrections. Also, there are no distracting age-related imperfections, such as marks, cuts, debris, stains, etc. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Summer Holiday Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

The road adventure produces several sequences with good dynamic contrasts. However, it is the music that leaves a lasting impression. It sounds great. It is clear, sharp, and just very healthy. The dialogue is very easy to follow as well.

Summer Holiday Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Neil Brand: A British Phenomenon - in this new program, critic Neil Brand discusses Cliff Richard's career and his impact on British pop culture. In English, not subtitled. (16 min).

• Audio Commentary - this archival audio commentary with the late director Peter Yates was included on the old DVD release of Summer Holiday. It offers a great deal of factual information about the conception of the film, its visual style (including the black-and-white prologue), the use of music, the various locations where parts of the journey were shot, etc. It is a wonderful commentary, so if you enjoy the film, you should find the time to listen to it in its entirety.

• Cliff Drives London Bus! (1962) - this vintage piece showing Cliff Richard getting acquainted with the big double-decker bus comes courtesy of British Pathe. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• First Night to Remember (1963) - presented here is archival footage from the theatrical premiere of Summer Holiday in London. Courtesy of British Pathe. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Bob Stanley - in this archival program, Bob Stanley, author of Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop, discusses the enormous impact that Cliff Richard had on pop culture in the United Kingdom and the conception of Summer Holiday, as well as its classic 'Britishness'. In English, not subtitled. (10 min).

• Super 8: Summer Holiday - presented here is an archival, cut-down Super 8 version of Summer Holiday. In widescreen. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (18 min).

• Super 8: Cliff Sings - presented here are Super 8 versions of three musical numbers from Summer Holiday: "Dancing Shoes", "Bachelor Boy", and "The Next Time". In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (9 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a remastered vintage trailer for Summer Holiday. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• Stills Gallery - a collection of vintage production and promotional materials for Summer Holiday.

• Book - a limited edition exclusive 100-page book with a new essay by Steve O'Brien, archival news articles on Cliff Richard and his first tours of the US, archival production reports on The Young Ones and Wonderful Life, extracts from the Summer Holiday pressbook showing how the film was promoted, and technical credits.

Summer Holiday Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It is irrelevant whether Cliff Richard was mimicking Elvis Presley. In the late 1950s, Richard was recording great music and selling it right, and then he kept going for several decades, which is why he became a cultural phenomenon. He remains the third top-selling artist in the United Kingdom. Peter Yates' directorial debut, Summer Holiday, is an irresistibly charming little film and a great time capsule that Richard fans should not miss. This release brings to America StudioCanal's gorgeous recent 4K restoration of it. It is included in Cliff in Color!: The Technicolor Musicals of Cliff Richard, 1961–1964, a three-disc box set. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.