Thursday, October 3, 2013

Movie Review: Dirty Dancing




Published at: A.S.U. Newsletters, All Shook Up Dance Studio; Summer 2010-11.
A testament to the virtue of persistence, here scriptwriter Eleanor Bergstein warmly reflects on her own youth.  Made in 1987, this film tells the story of young girl holidaying with her parents in northern America. A shy young lady, Baby (Jennifer Grey) meets dance instructor Johnny (Patrick Swayze) after stumbling upon one of the slightly more risque afterhours dancing parties held by the Resort’s staff. As the pair spend more time together, romance develops.
Shooting of the film was fraught with trouble, with shooting being marked by several challenges. Shot over 44 days with only two weeks of rehearsal, this film’s tight budget was further strained after Patrick injured his foot and the starring pair displayed trouble in maintaining their initially brilliant chemistry. Still, even though the reviews it received when released were mixed, this film has passed the test of time. In 2007, Britain’s Sky Movies declared it to be one of the films most watched by women, ahead even of the Star Wars trilogy, Grease, The Sound of Music and Pretty Woman.  
-Timothy Grant.


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