The Movie
Teenage sex on film has never been as awkward as it is in The Last American Virgin. Gary (Lawrence Monoson, of the Jon Cryer/Scott Baio school of acting) is the everyman hero of this film, both popular and a loser, and a guy who simply can't get laid, no matter how many women are throwing themselves at him. And, since this is a teen comedy, he's got some friends, David, the fat kid, and Rick, the stud. Oh yeah, pretty much every girl is a whore, unless she's a parent.

The plot, for most of the movie, is secondary to the raunchy comedy and sexcapades, with Gary doing everything he can to sabotage his chances to score. His inability to grab what he wants or see who wants him dooms him to unhappiness, especially when Karen, the new girl in town, (Diane Franklin, Better Off Dead) falls for Rick instead of him. Despite having Karen's friend Rose throw herself at him, he is transfixed on Karen, in a classic example of '80s "romance." In the end though, their fun world of random sex has serious consequences that they can either deal with or ignore. How it's dealt with makes for a unique ending that will stick with you once you figure out what happened.

This is one of the lesser-known '80s sex comedies, but it is considered one of the best, with its realistic portrayal of the awkwardness and sincere emotion of teen sex, despite the absurd nature of much of the film. Written and directed by Boaz Davidson, The Last American Virgin is a remake of his Israeli film, Eskimo Limon, which itself is a highly acclaimed film. Incredibly, he was able to translate the Middle Eastern experience into an American story that maintained the same levels of comedy and pathos.

This movie tries to have it both ways, with comedy and drama butting up against each other, and surprisingly it works. Perhaps its because the story is couched in a ridiculous time period, forcing it to stand on its own. The clothing worn throughout the movie verges on the surreal, as it's hard to imagine people would dress this way at any point in history. But the wardrobe, combined with the outstanding '80s soundtrack, makes the film a time capsule of a time that was less innocent than it really thought it was. It's certainly less innocent once you see David nude, bouncing up and down. Not to mention the many bare breasts, dirty hookers, penis measurings and coke snortings. But perhaps I've said too much.

The DVD
A bare-bones disc, The Last American Virgin is presented on a dual-sided disc, with widescreen on one side, and the so-called "standard" pan and scan format on the other. The menus are static and boast some of the most grating music you've every heard. Scene selections, subtitles (in English, French and Spanish) and a trailer are available.

The Quality
The video presentation is better than this film has been seen since its original theatrical run, and possibly even better than that, considering the advances in technology. The wide variety of colors is reproduced cleanly, though there's some evident grain, as the film shows its age. The pan and scan isn't the greatest, though sadly, its the format most people know this film in.

The soundtrack comes in stereo only, and it does a nice job of delivering the many '80s hits that are a big part of The Last American Virgin. It's not the most dynamic track, but it works. A 5.1 track wouldn't make much sense, considering the original presentation.

The Extras
There's only one extra here, and that's the theatrical trailer. It's the definition of low-budget, with old-style titles and a focus on the music in the film, instead of the story. Despite, or probably because of the cheese factor, the trailer is a sweet slice of nostalgia.

The Wrap-Up
Because it came out at nearly the same time, The Last American Virgin was buried by the similar, yet far more successful Fast Times at Ridgemont High. But despite its relative obscurity, Virgin left its mark on the collective film unconscious, inspiring moments in many later '80s classics, including the cult hit Better Off Dead, with which it shares its female lead. If you've never seen it, you owe it to yourself to check out this sleazy slice of Americana, if only to look back in wonder at what can never be again.

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*The Reviewer's Bias section is an attempt to help readers use the review to its best effect. By knowing where the reviewer's biases lie on the film's subject matter, one can read the review with the right mindset.