When this low budget film, with a cast of unknown actors and actresses, came out in 1987, it took a whole lot of critics and moviegoers by surprise and by storm. The amazing part is that it manages to surprise and delight audiences to this day. This film has brought in more than three hundred million dollars from all over the world, and set a record in home video sales as the first to sell more than a million copies. The soundtrack produced two multi-platinum albums and a huge number of singles.
The dancing in this movie is certainly "dirty" by most popular standards of 1963, when it takes place. Foxtrot it is not. Mambo to the max is more like it. If you were old enough to see the movie when it first appeared, watching it now is a "trip", and a really good one! The main characters are Frances Houseman, known to family and friends as "Baby", and Johnny Castle, a hunk of a dance instructor. Jennifer Grey is the perfect actress for the role of "Baby", and Patrick Swayze emerges into stardom with his portrayal of Johnny Castle.
The Houseman family is vacationing at Kellerman's, a Jewish resort in the Catskills, and they are honored guests since Baby's father is family physician to the owner of the resort. Baby is seventeen and "couldn't wait to join the Peace Corp and save the world." Her father dotes on her, but expects her to save the world by following in his footsteps. When his "Baby" gets mixed up with the crowd of "dirty dancing" people who party and dance dirty, he is appalled.
Johnny Castle is very much a ladies' man, but until he meets Baby, he has only been using and being used by women. When his dance partner gets a botched abortion, unknowingly financed by Dr. Houseman at Baby's insistence, and she has to call her father to save the dancer's life, the doctor assumes that Johnny is the guilty party and forbids his daughter to have anything further to do with "those people".
But Baby also has the moves, as she and Johnny find out together when she offers to fill in for his partner so he won't lose his job. Both of them have doubts, but Johnny is a peerless teacher, and Baby quickly learns to trust him - and falls in love, of course.
Meanwhile, the Foxtrot and badminton go on, but other dramas are playing out. Lisa confides to Baby that she's planning to "go all the way" with Robbie. Baby knows that Robbie is the father of Penny's aborted child, but their father thinks Johnny is the culprit. When Johnny is accused of theft by one of his many female "conquests" - she's seen him with Baby - he is assumed guilty by almost everyone. Baby knows, and this time Frances tells the truth. Frances, as Johnny tells her, is "a grown-up name".
Dirty Dancing, with all the sensual and provocative dance scenes between Baby/Frances and Johnny, is really about innocence and growing up. Father and daughter gain a new understanding, and Baby begins the process of becoming the woman she was meant to be. The rousing finale, when Johnny makes a decision and pulls Baby out of her corner and into the spotlight, is downright thrilling to watch. In front of Housemans, Kellermans and everyone else, the two of them bring Dirty Dancing to its finest hour!
As it becomes clear that the movie's title involves a few different but cohesive elements, the experience becomes even more enjoyable. The plot is simple, but the action is believable and in the case of the dance scenes, beautifully choreographed by (also then unknown) Kenny Ortega. "Dirty" is the farthest thing from the feeling you will get from this sensual but never sleazy display of youthful energy and abandon.
If you missed this performance in the movie theatres, there may still be a chance to see the Broadway production, which translates very well. It has played to great applause in Germany, England, Canada and Australia, and as of this date is still playing in London. The touring production will be in Boston until March 15th, 2009. Go see it if you can, and if you can't, get the video. This wonderfully Dirty Dancing is too much fun to miss! - 16036
The dancing in this movie is certainly "dirty" by most popular standards of 1963, when it takes place. Foxtrot it is not. Mambo to the max is more like it. If you were old enough to see the movie when it first appeared, watching it now is a "trip", and a really good one! The main characters are Frances Houseman, known to family and friends as "Baby", and Johnny Castle, a hunk of a dance instructor. Jennifer Grey is the perfect actress for the role of "Baby", and Patrick Swayze emerges into stardom with his portrayal of Johnny Castle.
The Houseman family is vacationing at Kellerman's, a Jewish resort in the Catskills, and they are honored guests since Baby's father is family physician to the owner of the resort. Baby is seventeen and "couldn't wait to join the Peace Corp and save the world." Her father dotes on her, but expects her to save the world by following in his footsteps. When his "Baby" gets mixed up with the crowd of "dirty dancing" people who party and dance dirty, he is appalled.
Johnny Castle is very much a ladies' man, but until he meets Baby, he has only been using and being used by women. When his dance partner gets a botched abortion, unknowingly financed by Dr. Houseman at Baby's insistence, and she has to call her father to save the dancer's life, the doctor assumes that Johnny is the guilty party and forbids his daughter to have anything further to do with "those people".
But Baby also has the moves, as she and Johnny find out together when she offers to fill in for his partner so he won't lose his job. Both of them have doubts, but Johnny is a peerless teacher, and Baby quickly learns to trust him - and falls in love, of course.
Meanwhile, the Foxtrot and badminton go on, but other dramas are playing out. Lisa confides to Baby that she's planning to "go all the way" with Robbie. Baby knows that Robbie is the father of Penny's aborted child, but their father thinks Johnny is the culprit. When Johnny is accused of theft by one of his many female "conquests" - she's seen him with Baby - he is assumed guilty by almost everyone. Baby knows, and this time Frances tells the truth. Frances, as Johnny tells her, is "a grown-up name".
Dirty Dancing, with all the sensual and provocative dance scenes between Baby/Frances and Johnny, is really about innocence and growing up. Father and daughter gain a new understanding, and Baby begins the process of becoming the woman she was meant to be. The rousing finale, when Johnny makes a decision and pulls Baby out of her corner and into the spotlight, is downright thrilling to watch. In front of Housemans, Kellermans and everyone else, the two of them bring Dirty Dancing to its finest hour!
As it becomes clear that the movie's title involves a few different but cohesive elements, the experience becomes even more enjoyable. The plot is simple, but the action is believable and in the case of the dance scenes, beautifully choreographed by (also then unknown) Kenny Ortega. "Dirty" is the farthest thing from the feeling you will get from this sensual but never sleazy display of youthful energy and abandon.
If you missed this performance in the movie theatres, there may still be a chance to see the Broadway production, which translates very well. It has played to great applause in Germany, England, Canada and Australia, and as of this date is still playing in London. The touring production will be in Boston until March 15th, 2009. Go see it if you can, and if you can't, get the video. This wonderfully Dirty Dancing is too much fun to miss! - 16036
About the Author:
By Matt Ryan, article sponsored by StubPass.com. StubPass sells Dirty Dancing Tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets, Musical Tickets and many more tickets to your favorite events around the world.
