Synopsis
A group of elementary school boys goes for a walk on the outskirts of a big city. The ominous atmosphere of fun begins when they pull in a man they met by chance.
1969 Directed by Clu Gulager
A group of elementary school boys goes for a walk on the outskirts of a big city. The ominous atmosphere of fun begins when they pull in a man they met by chance.
SPRING CLEANING - FILM #47
This is featured on the Criterion release of George Washington. David Gordon Green sites it as a major influence on that film. The aesthetic similarities are obvious. It's also similar in spirit to the parts in Tree of Life where that pack of wild boys tear up nature.
At first, "A Day with the Boys" simply transforms the innocence of rambunctious kids into something reverent and emotional. It mostly succeeds. These boys stomp around a dirty field with sticks, toy guns, and army jackets. They turn nothing into something by way of boundless energy and imagination. This was my childhood.
But it shifts hard into a violent "Neverland" fantasy that's a pretty overt anti-adulthood allegory.
It's provocative and a little creepy. The music is great. The film employs a nifty technique where it turns frames from the movie into mixed media portraits with texture and color.
Cinematography, sound, and editing all come together to make this a perfect slow burn. It's an ominous story about a group of boys and a random man that shows up. It's told completely without dialogue, so most beats and emotions are conveyed through the editing. The moment the man shows up is one of the most intense moments in any film of the 60s, and that's accomplished completely through editing. It's unique and extremely well done. I'm surprised to see this is the only film directed by Clu Gulager, known more for his acting roles. It's mysterious how this short even came to be, but I love that it exists.
Added to Avant-garde Canon
Haven’t a Clu what possesses someone to make this, but Gulager basically invents the weirdest possible version of Malick whole-cloth here. Wish there was more where this came from!
This and Jackass are my only two reference points for days with the boys
I thought it was pretty odd that Universal produced a short film. You don't see that very often.
This is a the best fucking day with the boys I've ever had and I've had a significant amount of days with the boys.
On this day, April 20th, 2020, or more colloquially refereed to as “4/20”, I did not get to hang out with my friends like I wanted to. So I had to find other ways to spend a day with the boys; and so I have done that here.