Sparks and spandex but not quite enough substance (Flashdance (Special Collectors Edition) (DVD))

Member Name: Pandora321

Product:	Flashdance (Special Collectors Edition) (DVD)
Date:	08/04/09 (150 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Inspiring 'reach for your dream' movie, dance movie, 1980s movie

Disadvantages: Dance movie, 1980s movie (depending on your preferences)

At a recent girls night in, we got stuck into the chick-flicks we've always meant to watch, but haven't actually got round to, and one of these was 'Flashdance'. The film follows an 18-year old girl called Alex Owens (played by Jennifer Beals), who dreams of becoming a professional dancer at the city's repertoire. Unfortunately, like many people, she is afraid to go for her dream and so in the meantime she works as a welder during the day and as an exotic dancer at night while she builds up the courage to sign up for an audition. To be honest, there's not that much more to the plot.

Set in Pittsburgh in the 1980s (the film was made in 1983), 'Flashdance' contains all the bouffant hair, over-the-top make-up, leg-warmers and shoulder pads of 80s fashion, which is certainly beyond strange at times! Being about an aspiring dancer, there are lots of sections with Alex dancing and of course the famous scene at the end of the movie where she leaps around to the hit song 'Flashdance - what a feeling' for her dance audition (copied by Gerri Halliwell in her 'It's raining men' video).

I had seen clips of the movie before, and was expecting a great chick-flick in the fashion of 'Dirty Dancing'. I was disappointed, therefore, to find that the storyline is slow, the dialogue is almost non-existent, and many of the scenes between the dancing lack in energy and interest.

Although a definite chick-flick, I have to say that my husband would probably have found the first half hour more interesting than me, as it contained a lot of scenes in a strip club! Those who are prudish are likely to feel uncomfortable as the women prance around in their underwear (or less at times), pouring water on themselves etc. Unfortunately, with all the 80s make-up and electronic music, at times the dancing is just downright bizarre (and so had me laughing for the wrong reasons), and it's completely implausible that this is the only job the central character could find where she could express her need to dance. Still, I guess it's a potential highlight for any guy made to watch this movie with his girlfriend/wife!

Fortunately, the movie does pick up, as Alex develops a love interest in the shape of her construction site boss, Nick (Michael Nouri), who is worryingly stalker-ish at times but turns out to be nice. There is some actual dialogue, and even an amusing scene where she sees off his ex-wife's catty comments in a rather unique fashion.

Sadly, many of the characters in this film are quite one-dimensional and we don't find out very much about them; not even Nick, who is the second main character. We do at least get a feel for Alex, with her self-doubt, and her stubborn determination to be independent and to get a place at the dance school on her own merit; stubbornness that occasionally shoots herself in the foot. I did eventually grow to care about this character, and to hope that she would keep trying for her dream even when things were looking bleak.

Ultimately, of course, she finally realises that she has to at least try for her dream, even if it means potentially failing. This is the central tenet of the movie, and I found it quite relevant and inspiring - lots of people (me included) procrastinate on trying for their dream because then you can always say you could have done it if you had bothered trying. It takes a lot of guts to actually try because, if you fail, then you're really stuffed. However, the eventual sadness and regret people come to feel if they have never tried, compared to the potential huge benefits of reaching your dream, should push people to give their dreams a go, as Alex finally comes to understand, and does, in this movie (this is not a storyline spoiler - it's obvious). It is this uplifting theme that carries the rest of the bad points of the movie to its cult classic status.

Overall the film was ok. It wasn't hugely to my tastes, but I would recommend this movie to those who love dance movies or 1980s' films - and as it's only £4.98 on Amazon you can't really go too wrong (and you can even buy it on compilation DVDs with other classics such as 'Footloose'). Unfortunately, I didn't see any of the extras, so can't comment on these.

Summary: A classic for those who adore dance movies, and/or the 80s but don't expect too much.