Dirty Dancing (Emile Ardolino- 1987) is a classic, coming of age dancing romance set at a ritzy resort The Kellermans in 1863. It is every girl’s favorite and results in repeated viewings, I can not count how many time I have seen the film. Eleanor Bergstein's script is a stab at the close-minded attitudes of high class society and shows the different views between resort staff and customers.
‘Baby’ discovers the after hours goings on of the resort staff and develops and interest in their provocative dancing, a far cry from her straight edge life where she believed she would never ‘find a guy as great as my daddy’. She finds herself mixed up in the life of troubled dancer Penny and tries to help by agreeing to dance at the Sheldrake hotel. During her lesson she finds a controversial love in resort entertainer Johnny Castle.
Each character has been cleverly written by Eleanor Bergstein to obtain a depth that most romance films overlook. Each one has a life, an opinion, and logic behind their actions. Dirty Dancing explores themes of family acceptance and reconciliation between different classes of society. It uses styles of dance and music as a metaphor for the different opinions of the social groups being represented. During rehearsals before the soundtrack was chosen, 1945 classics were played, composer Jimmy Lenner decided to keep these songs and had them rewriten. Patrick Swayze sang 'Shes like the Wind' especially for the film. The film made these songs popular again and caused an 'oldies' music revival.
The film uses montage to show Baby’s progress in learning to dance as well as her change in personality, shown through her costumes and makeup. The sexuality of the staff members is shown through dance however is emphasized through close ups and soft lighting in scenes such as the dancing in the staff quarters and in Johnny’s bedroom. Overall though most shots seem quite basic which may be an influence from 80s film making.
Although set in the 60s, costumes have a definite 80s vibe to them, with Baby’s oversized cardigans and the costumes of the staff dancers. This is so for many 80s films however, for example Grease was filmed in 1979 and is set in the 60s giving 80s elements in the costumes. I find the mix of styles very appealing.
Dirty Dancing ends maybe too neatly and overly romantic, however I believe this was the cause of its success. It is a passionate story that entices every woman’s desires.
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