Production Year: 1987 - Drama - Director: Emile Ardolino - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Wayne Knight, Jack Weston, Kelly Bishop, Max Cantor, Miranda Garrison, Garry Goodrow, Neal Jones, Lonny Price, Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Cynthia Rhodes, Jerry Orbach more
Headstrong 17-year-old Baby Houseman hardly expects her family's usual summer vacation in the Catskills to be momentous. But then Baby spies Johnny Castle, the resort's dance... more
Dirty Dancing [DVD] [1987]
As withGrease(1978) andFootloose(1984) before it,Dirty Dancingwas a cultural phenomenon ... more
that now plays more like camp. That very campiness, though, is part of its biggest charm. And if the dancing in the movie doesn't seem particularly "dirty" by today...
arguably, the most popular film on Patrick Swayzes curriculum vitae. Most worrying of all, perhaps, is thatDirty Dancingis now more than twenty years old. Nowthatsscary...
Dirty Dancing
Headstrong 17-year-old Baby Houseman hardly expects her family's usual summer vacation in ... more
the Catskills to be momentous. But then Baby spies Johnny Castle, the resort's dance instructor from the wrong side of the tracks. Johnny's facing a crisis: his dance partner and friend Penny is pregnant and has reluctantly decided to get an abortion. This leaves Johnny a solo act--until Baby agrees to take Penny's place. She has to learn how to dance first, however, and as Johnny teaches her the choreography's sexy, seductive moves, the two fall in love. But Baby's father believes that Johnny is the creep who got Penny pregnant, and he furiously orders Baby to end the relationship. Baby knows that Johnny's innocent--and with her feisty idealism and his dance talent, the two will prove to Baby's father that their love is worth fighting for.
Dirty Dancing
It's the summer of 1963, and 17 year old Frances Baby Houseman (Jennifer Grey) is about to ... more
learn some major lessons in life as well as a thing or two about dancing.On holiday in America's Catskill Mountains with her older sister and parents, Baby shows little interest in the resort activities, and instead discovers her own entertainment when she stumbles upon the staff's quarters where an all-night dance party is in full swing. Mesmerised by the raunchy dance moves and the pounding rhythms, Baby can't wait to be part of the scene, especially when she catches sight of sexy, heart-throb Jonny Castle (Patrick Swayze) the resort dance instructor. Baby's life is about to change forever as she is thrown in at the deep end as Johnny's leading lady both on-stage and off with breath-taking consequences.
Production Year: 1998 - Drama - Director: Carl Franklyn, Carl Franklin - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Meryl Streep, William Hurt, Renee Zellweger, Tom Everett Scott, Nicky Katt, Lauren Graham
Production Year: 2007 - Drama - Director: Mike Binder - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Jada Pinkett, Liv Tyler, Saffron Burrows, Donald Sutherland, Mike Binder
Production Year: 1981 - Drama - Director: Franco Zeffirelli - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Brooke Shields, Martin Hewitt, Shirley Knight, Don Murray, Richard Kiley, Penelope Milford, Beatrice Straight
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
A review by ally2kc on Dirty Dancing (DVD) August 1st, 2006
Author's product rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Loved it
Story
Outstanding
Characters / Performances
Good
Special Effects
Unmemorable
How does it compare to similar films?
Outstanding
Advantages:
Total Escapism, great dancing and music
Disadvantages:
None at all unless you hate 80's kitch
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
***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
Advantages: Best combination of passionate dancing and a wonderful love story! Disadvantages: It's just a film ;)
...Genre: Dancing film
Original title: Dirty Dancing
Dolby Digital
Year: 1987
Country: USA
Captions: German, English and Spanish
Freed at 12
~~~~~~~~~~
The actors
~~~~~~~~~~
Let's begin with the best or just most popular actor of the film: Patrick Swayze. In Dirty Dancing he takes the part of Johnny Castle and he does a perfect job! Apart from the aspect that he graduated a training as ballet dancer before his career as an actor, the observer ... ...so, because with the film Dirty Dancing Jennifer Grey had the breakthrough in the show business, for what she, and also Patrick Swayze, got nominated for the Golden Globe.
Another important actor in Dirty Dancing is Cynthia Rhodes alias Penny Johnson, the real dancing partner and passed by love of Johnny. Even if her scenes aren't that full of dancing than the ones of our leading actors, you can see her love in dancing, too. But of course there ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: great film very sexy Disadvantages: wanting to be able to dance like that
Dirty Dancing (1987)
Having just reviewed the movie ‘Ghost’ I decided to re watch another Swayze classic ‘Dirty Dancing’. This is one of my favourite movies and I have watched it so much that I now know most of the script, and occasionally say the lines before they have on screen much the annoyance of my sister. This is a coming of age movie filled with lust and romance but it is the dancing and soundtrack that sets it apart from over movies in ... ...The mixture of Dirty dancing and ball room dancing is amazing to watch, I love all the sexy moves and you can’t help but shuffle your feet and dream that it was you up their dancing away when you watch this movie. The Characters: Jennifer Grey plays Frances 'Baby' Houseman, Baby as she affectionately known by her family is a young girl with a great disposition and positive attitude to life; this has come from her privileged back ground. Everything ...
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Did you enjoy it?
Story
Characters / Performances
Special Effects
How does it compare to ...
very helpful
29.06.2007
Do you love me Review ofDirty Dancing (DVD)by
christianfilmcritic
Advantages: Easy to watch, great soundtrack Disadvantages: Very cheesy dialogue
...a few films prior to Dirty Dancing, both stars were not exactly house hold names and whilst Swayze's career seems to have gone on to bigger and better things, Grey seems to reach her pinnacle with "Dirty Dancing". But despite not being huge stars, they carried the film brilliantly, with Grey beautifully portraying Baby who experiences first love whilst also dealing with no longer being the apple of her father's eyes after disappointing him. Whilst ... ...a proper actor, manages to use his raw acting ability to make the character of Johnny feel very real, as he has to deal with being involved with someone on the more affluent side of the tracks. Of course you can't mention Swayze without at least commenting on his snake hips, and although I cannot see what the great appeal is he can certainly dance and shows this skill off brilliantly through out the whole movie. Even the chemistry between Swayze ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Dirty Dancing has to be one of my all time favourite films. I have watched it so many times and each time I enjoy it just as much as the last time. It hasn't got the greatest of story lines but it has the best soundtrack ever and some absolutely captivating dancing!
The film stars Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey who play Johnny and Baby. These two characters could not be more different from one an other - he from the streets and she from a privileged ... ...you fancy a bit of dirty dancing yourself you can have a tutorial and either learn the man's or the woman's steps. I have to confess that I haven#t tried this - I can't quite imagine my husband wanting to join in either!
At the moment you can buy the DVD on Amazon for only £4.80 which is definitely well worth the money! ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Superb soundtrack Disadvantages: A simple chick-flick so not for those who like comlexity
Dirty Dancing is just one of those films that everyone is expected to have seen. Now obviously the fact that I am writing this review lets you know that I have seen the film and so I am definitely one of those people who just presumes that everyone else has seen it. Dirty Dancing was released in 1987 but is set in the Summer of 1963. It stars Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the lead roles of Johnny Castle and Frances 'Baby' Houseman. The summer ... ...and off stage. Dirty Dancing truly is a fantastic film. It is of course at the heart a love story but also leans towards showing how the decadent sixties began to take over from the more reserved fifties. Furthermore the film also has a few deeper storylines, which include theft, pregnancy and abortion all of which are extremely relevant now. I think that this is one of the reasons that the film continues to have appeal because it breaks away from ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Got me mobile again. Disadvantages: I want another one after I've learn't these moves.
...It is a fun way to get into exercise or get back to it. You can share the experience with friends/family. More enjoyable than my aerobic class. Good aerobic workout. Learn't new dances i.e. mash potato, mambo. jive, salsa etc. Worth every penny. Love the big fit bloke.
Try it for a few weeks and build up moves gradually and you can work out your weakness in your body and get them fine tuned. Great fun and love doing the dance routines at the end now I have built up the moves. Gets the heart rate up, hot and sweaty, tones your upper and lower body, learnt some sexy moves to try out on my holidays - watch out Mexico here I come!
Can't wait until the weekend to do it all over again!...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: slightly watchable Disadvantages: Does not compare to the original
...My husband bought me this dvd for Christmas shortly after its release and I was so over excited on unwrapping it. I loved the original dirtydancing and would vote it my no. 1 film of all time and the only film I've watched probably more than 10 times.
This film is a prequel taking place several years before dirtydancing was set but it does not marry this story with the later DirtyDancing in anyway, although the large DirtyDancing 2 across the front of the DVD implies that it does. The back of the dvd claims "He's going to show her the time of her life" another reference to the original.
The Cast
Diego Luna - Javier Suarez
Romola Garai - Katey Miller
Sela Ward - Jeannie Miller
John Slattery - Bert Miller
Jonathan Jackson - James Phelps
Patrick Swayze - Dance...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: great dancing, great soundtrack, great features Disadvantages: quite a short film
...and screenwriters also talk here about this film. This lasts about 30 minutes.
Deleted Scenes:There were about 10 deleted scenes in this a couple, I wondered why they were taken out and a couple were quite long but overall I could tell why they were deleted.
COVER DESIGN
The cover of this DVD is sophisticated. It is the background of a sunset over the Cuban city and infront of this an image of Romola and Diego up close and mid dance staring into each others eyes, proving the chemistry. The DirtyDancing 2 text is bold white on the dark background.
This DVD is a 12 certificate and lasts approximately 86 minutes. It is a really good film and I would recommend it to anyone who loves scenery, foreign men, dancing or the original DirtyDancing and I hope that sums it up enough.
This DVD I bought in Asda for £5.97 which is the cheapest I have...
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Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over
Production Year: 1987
Running Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Consumer Advice: Contains moderate sex references
Video Category: Feature Film
Country Of Origin: United States of America
Plot: It's summer, 1963. Frances, seventeen and innocent, is on holiday with her parents in the Catskills. She meets Johnny--the hotel dance instructor--and is mesmerised by him and his dance style. She soon becomes Johnny's prize pupil, in dance and in love.
DVD Description
Headstrong 17-year-old Baby Houseman hardly expects her family's usual summer vacation in the Catskills to be momentous. But then Baby spies Johnny Castle, the resort's dance instructor from the wrong side of the tracks. Johnny's facing a crisis: his dance partner and friend Penny is pregnant and has reluctantly decided to get an abortion. This leaves Johnny a solo act--until Baby agrees to take Penny's place. She has to learn how to dance first, however, and as Johnny teaches her the choreography's sexy, seductive moves, the two fall in love. But Baby's father believes that Johnny is the creep who got Penny pregnant, and he furiously orders Baby to end the relationship. Baby knows that Johnny's innocent--and with her feisty idealism and his dance talent, the two will prove to Baby's father that their love is worth fighting for.
Release details
DVD Region: DVD
Studio(s): COLUMBIA TRI-STAR HOME VIDEO; CINRAM LOGISTICS, 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Special Features: Learn To Dirty Dance, Audio Commentary From The Creator Eleanor Bergstein, Filmographies, Trailer, Limited Collector's Edition, Girls' Night Gift Box
![Dirty Dancing [DVD] [1987]](http://images.ciao.com/ide/images/icons/no_pic_generic_S1.gif){kind=icon}
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