Dirty Dancing (DVD)

...have done so far. As Dirty Dancing was her favourite I thought it only fair I give it a go. I only hope I can do it justice!

Director: Emile Ardolino
Writer:Eleanor Bergstein
Release Date: 1987
Genre: Romantic Drama/Dance
Run Time: 100mins
Age Suitability: 15+ (not sure why as it is fairly clean)
Amazon DVD Price: £5.49

***About the Director***
Emile Ardolino, who died ...
...success both before and after Dirty Dancing and was responsible for other titles such as 3 men and a little Lady and Sister Act, staring Whoppie Goldberg and Bette Midlers Gypsy in 1993 shortly before he died. He also acted as Producer on many of his projects and even put in a cameo appearance in Dirty Dancing.

***About the Writer***
Eleanor hasn't had a huge amount of success as a Writer apart from Dirty Dancing which was based ... more

***Dedication***
This review is dedicated Shoka who has egged me on to review the hoard of 80's film classics I have done so far. As Dirty Dancing was her favourite I thought it only fair I give it a go. I only hope I can do it justice!

Director: Emile Ardolino
Writer:Eleanor Bergstein
Release Date: 1987
Genre: Romantic Drama/Dance
Run Time: 100mins
Age Suitability: 15+ (not sure why as it is fairly clean)
Amazon DVD Price: £5.49

***About the Director***
Emile Ardolino, who died at the age of 50 in 1993 of Aids had enjoyed a moderate amount of success both before and after Dirty Dancing and was responsible for other titles such as 3 men and a little Lady and Sister Act, staring Whoppie Goldberg and Bette Midlers Gypsy in 1993 shortly before he died. He also acted as Producer on many of his projects and even put in a cameo appearance in Dirty Dancing.

***About the Writer***
Eleanor hasn't had a huge amount of success as a Writer apart from Dirty Dancing which was based on the summer camp she and her family used to visit as a child. Apart from Dirty Dancing she has written two relatively unknown films (well, I have never heard of them) Let it be me for which she also acted as Director in 1995 and her first film in 1980, It's my Turn.

***Plot Summary***
The unlikely named Baby spends the summer of 1963 with her over-protective parents and arrogant sister at the Kellerman's holiday camp. Baby cannot imagine a more boring way to spend her summer until she meets Johnny Castle, one of the camps dance instructors and finds herself falling in love, despite her father's objections.

After Johnny's "partner falls ill" Baby finds herself practicing to take her place in the Season finale. The two inevitably fall in love and along the way Baby learns a thing or two about a way of life she previously knew nothing about. At the same time, the usually self-preserving Johnny learns to open up, accept help and stand up for what he believes in.

Of course, true love doesn't run smooth and the pair face endless obstacles in the form of her disapproving father, the scheming Neil Kellerman who wants Baby for himself and Vivian Pressman who tries to get Johnny fired. Will they make it? What do you think!

***Main Cast***
Frances 'Baby' Houseman - Jennifer Grey
Baby, who was given the nickname by her father who refused to see her as anything other than Daddy's baby girl is a mature and deep teenager who is stuck in a holiday camp with people she doesn't like doing things she doesn't want to. One night, she meets up with Johnny's cousin Billy as she is trying to get away from Neil Kellerman, the camp owner's son who keeps trying it on. She bumps into him as he is carrying watermelons to a party the employees are having in one of their cabins. As she walks in after offering to help carry a watermelon she sees the dancers "Dirty Dancing" for the first time and is so impressed she decides to sign up for dance lessons.

Cue Johnny and love in the air!

Though Baby is quite mature, she is also naïve and innocent and some of the things she witnesses while with Johnny and his friends shock her. Having said that, when she found out Penny was pregnant by her sister's scummy boyfriend, her first instinct was to try and help without judgement.

Baby's Best Bit - I am sure I would never be forgiven if I didn't choose the finale where Johnny lifts her into the air as they dance at the talent show.

Johnny Castle - Patrick Swayze
Patrick Swayze played the handsome and brooding dance instructor who looked great in a tight vest or black leather jacket and shades. He acts as a sort of representative for the rest of the camp dancers and is widely respected by them all.

Johnny is from the "wrong side of the street" and therefore has a bit of a chip on his shoulder when it comes to the rich and lonely housewives he gives dance lessons too. They all go to him for lessons in the hope that they will get more but after he meets Baby all that goes out the window.

Although the Kellerman's employees like Johnny, the management, in particular Neil Kellerman who fancies his luck with Baby, see him as hooligan. After turning down the advances of one of the rich wives, he finds himself accused of stealing a wallet. Neil is only too happy to be able to fire Johnny on the spot without any proof.

*Johnny's best bit - Has to be the finale when he dances with baby to I'm having the time of my Life, especially when he picks her up and holds her in the air above him.

Dr Jake Houseman - Jerry Orbach
I have forever wanted Jerry Orbach as my granddad. No matter how nasty a character he plays, he always seems like the kindest most gentle man and it is a tragedy that he passed away two years ago.

Dr Houseman is a family man and he loves his girls, especially Baby and wants nothing but the best for them but is somewhat over protective. He forbids Baby from seeing Johnny and pushes the educated yet obnoxious Neil Kellerman on her instead. However, he finally realises Johnny isn't the man he thinks him to be and of course gives his daughter permission in the end.

Jake Houseman's best bit: Without a doubt, the scene where Baby is talking to him on the porch when he is so disappointed in her for lying to him.

Penny Johnson - Cynthia Rhodes
Before coming to Kellerman's Penny was a Rockette. Now she is Johnny's original dance partner and plays the part of the tough girl but is really soft at heart. Her softness lands her in trouble when she falls for Robbie who is also seeing Baby's sister and winds up pregnant. After a cheap and dodgy abortion when she can't get the money together to pay for a proper job, she finds herself in real trouble when she falls ill in crippling pain. It is because of this that Johnny asks Baby to step in as his partner for the summer's finale performance and Penny, who didn't like Baby to start with, but soon changes her mind helps teach her the steps alongside Johnny.

Penny's best bit: Dancing with Johnny and the other dancers at the employees party at the start

***Supporting Characters***

Billy Kotzecki - Neal Jones
Billy got the job at Kellerman's through his cousin Johnny. He is a lovable but somewhat dim-witted character who was ultimately responsible for setting Baby up to dance with his cousin in Penny's absence. He plays the butt of the joke really but adds humour where it is needed.

Vivian Pressman - Miranda Garrison
Vivian plays the aging beauty who doesn't realise she lost it years ago. She comes on to Johnny who knocks her back and plots her revenge but accusing him of stealing from the guests in order to get him fired.

Robbie Gould - Max Cantor
All films need a villain and Dirty Dancing's villain comes in the shape of Robbie - the sleazy obnoxious twit who gets Penny pregnant, refuses to accept responsibility, becomes violent and them pressures Baby's sister into sleeping with him even though he is cheating on her.

Sadly, Max Cantor died of a Heroin overdose 4 years after filming when he became addicted while researching an article he was writing on the subject.

Lisa Houseman - Jane Brucker
Baby's older sister is, unlike Baby, very immature and jealous of Baby's relationship with her father. She thinks highly of herself and little of everyone else and goes as far as entering the talent competition at the end of the summer to sing a song. She seems oblivious to the fact that she can't sing a note. She also makes the mistake of falling for Robbie Gould who she catches with someone else. Adds the comedy factor to the film

***Soundtrack***
Every girl who grew up during the 80's has either owned at sometime, or still owns today a copy of the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. The music itself is enough to make grown men cry. It more than deserved the Oscar for best music it won in 1988.

The main song that springs to mind when thinking of this film of course is The time of my Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes. This is as much a part of this film as Take my Breath Away was a part of Top Gun. Instantly, you are taken back to the most memorable scene in the film where the two lovers finally dance for everyone to see.

She's Like the Wind was written and sung by Patrick Swayze and plays as he prepares to drive away from Baby after he gets fired. God, my eyes are welling up just thinking about it.

One of my favourite scenes sees Johnny and Baby goofing around while rehearsing to Love is strange by Mickey and Sylvia.
Other great songs that feature on the soundtrack are Hungry Eyes by Eric Carmen, You don't own me by the Blow Monkeys, In the Still of the night by the Five Satins and Be my Baby by the Ronnettes. All classic 60's music which will either have you shakin' your toosh or bawling your eyes out.

***What I think of this film***
Come on, I am a girl from the 80's. Of course I loved it! I heard it being called the "Star Wars of chick flicks" which I think sums it up perfectly. Dirty Dancing is to us what Star Wars is to guys. It's silly, and childish and hugely entertaining. We all love a good romance and when you throw in fantastic dancing, great comedic value, suspense, great music and a well built leading man into the equation, what's not to like??

It is pure escapism at its best and unfortunately, we just don't make films like this anymore.

***Trivia***
Jennifer Grey was once lucky enough to be engaged to Johnny Depp, though not lucky enough to actually get married to him

Patrick Swazye hated the "nobody puts baby in the corner line and was disappointed when the Director decided to use it despite his protests. It is of course the most popular line from the film and perhaps from 80's film classic.

In the last scene when Baby and Johnny are dancing in the talent show, you can see Mathew Broderick Clearing chairs in the background wearing an orange shirt. He was dating Jennifer Grey at the time of filming.

Patrick Swayze wrote and sung "She's like the Wind" a massive hit from the film although it was originally meant for a film he did with Jamie Lee Curtis previously

Dirty Dancing won an Oscar for best music along with a further 8 industry awards and was nominated for a further five.

***Quotes***
Johnny Castle: Nobody puts Baby in the Corner

Penny: Go back to your Playpen Baby

Baby: I carried a watermelon!

Lisa Houseman: I've been thinking about the Domino Effect. Now, if Vietnam falls, does that mean China's next?

Johnny: Just put your pickle on everybody's plate college boy and leave the hard stuff to me.

Lisa: You wouldn't care if I humped the entire army, just as long as they were on the right side of the Ho Chi Minh Trail

Neil Kellerman: Baby don't worry, if your parents think that you're with me, they'll be the happiest parents at Kellerman's. I'd hate to say it, but I'm what's known as the catch of the county. Last week I took a girl away from Jamie, the lifeguard, and he says to her, in front of me, 'What does he have that I don't have?' and she says two hotels

 

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