Nobody puts Baby in a corner (Dirty Dancing (DVD))

Member Name: pmcds

Product:	Dirty Dancing (DVD)
Date:	10/03/08 (99 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Everything

Disadvantages: Not to your taste if you don't like chessy 80s US dancing films!

When Emile Ardolino started his first day as Director of Dirty Dancing, neither he nor anyone involvedcould know what a smash hit and household name the film they were making would become. A highly-quoted film, and one that virtually launched an already popular Patrick Swayze into the showbiz frontline, erupted with a bang onto our screens, with a great storyline, and a cast that just fits perfectly.

The Plot

In the Summer of 1963, the Houseman family decide to visit Catskill Mountains holiday resort. 17 year old Francis 'Baby' Houseman, is about to have the time of her life when she is enrolled in dance lessons by her father and the manager of the resort. All it takes is being in the right place at the right time, and she winds up at a party for the dancers of the resort. She is swept away by the freedom she sees in these dancers, and once she meets the resort's dance instructor Johnny Castle, there's no turning back, especially when it turns out Johnny is missing a lead dancer both in his professional and personal life......Watch the sparks fly!!!

The Cast and Performances

Jennifer Gray plays Baby Houseman. She has been very quiet since playing this role, but here she gives an extraordianry performance as the naive 17 year old who falls in love with the dance instructor. Patrick Swayze plays the aforementioned Johnny Castle, and does so magnificently. His turn as the dance supremo produces scenes where men want to be him and women want to be with him. Just as well he is a trained dancer as well as an actor then!!

The two leads are supported by a fine cast, particularly the dancers, but the steal of the supporting cast goes to Jerry Orbach, who plays Dr Houseman, Baby's father. His performance as a doting and protective yet trusting father has no doubt rung true with many kids who have watched this film.

My Opinion

This very good cast is aided by a magnificent script and a wonderful soundtrack, with smash hit songs such as Jennifer Warnes and Bill Medley's '(I've Had) The Time Of My Life' and Patrick Swayze releasing a single entitled 'She's Like The Wind'. The poignancy of the directing by Ardolino is spot on, and there are many feel-good moments in the film which are quoted as well as described today, more than twenty years on. For me, this was a film that I was hesitant to watch. It was widely regarded as 'a girl's film' when I was at school, but my mum had a copy, so I watched it without telling any of the boys at school. Yet once I had seen it, I couldn't see where they were coming from. This was a brilliantly conceived film with elements for both male and female audiences to enjoy, young and old.

The choreography is magnificent, and is still copied today, and for good reason. Throughout the film there are hints of Johnny and Baby performing the perfect dance, and as to whether they perfect it in the end, or even get the chance to, well, I'll leave that up to your imagination. You'll just have to watch the film to see what happens.

This is a magnificent film, and , although I am a great fan, a dancing film is not necessarily my cup of tea, and so on a personal note I rate this as 4 stars. It is a magnificent film, but naturally cannot cater to everyone's taste.

The DVD is currently available from amazon.co.uk for £8.78 new. There is a 20th Anniversary Edition avaiable for all you die-hard Dirty Dancing fans for £10.98.

Thanks for reading.

Summary: Dirty Dancing (1987) - a feel-good film