Dirty Dancing! The Ultimate "OH YEAH!" Experience!

The first time I saw Dirty Dancing, it must have been 1987. I'd driven down to a friend's house in the Dallas area for Thanksgiving, if I recall. She had a bootleg copy of this movie that was supposed to have come from a theatre, but it was on VHS tape. Sorry, I don't know the details. Perhaps it was for the theatre owner to view privately before ordering it.

Since then, I have seen this movie no fewer than 4 times, always on the television, never in the theatre. Whenever it is on, I can't stop watching it.

The opening scenes: a montage of dance scenes pieced together, showing young folks slithering up against one another's hot, sensuous bodies, hands just missing all the forbidden spots, and in some cases, caressing them. Not necessarily dirty, but certainly sensual. Man, those kids are LIMBER! I guess you might call it almost having sex with your clothes on. Then again, don't mistake it with the "dirty dancing" popular in the late 1980s, and from what I hear, popular in the dance clubs today.

Plot synopsis
Baby, (Jennifer Grey) along with her sister Lisa (Jane Bruckman) and parents Dr. Houseman (Jerry Orbach) and Lisa Houseman (Kelly Bishop) travel to the Catskills for a summer vacation at Kellerman's Resort. There are two styles of entertainment, one for the older generation, and one for the "kids." I'm not sure if the older generation knows what is going on with the teens, if so, I don't remember it being mentioned.

Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) is from the rough part of town. He enrolled in a dance contest in his youth and found he had potential to be a great dancer and dance instructor. He and his dance partner, Penny (Cynthia Rhoades) have been friends for a long time, but they are not romantically involved. Their dancing, however, is mesmerizing. Kenny Ortega and Miranda John Pritchett choreograph every step excellently.

The Houseman family isn't at the Kellerman Resort very long and Penny has a big problem. She won't be able to dance with Johnny for the remaining dances of the season. Baby is "Little Miss Fixit," and the rest is history, as they say.

How the Movie Affects Me
Whenever I see this movie, you might say my body becomes "tingly all over," much to the delight of my husband. I AM Baby! It is ME who is dancing with Patrick Swayze! I LOVE to dance! I can't say I am terribly good at it, but I can try and I can DREAM! When in high school the gym teacher asked me to do a recital in Modern Dance. It wasn't "cool" and so I turned her down, a decision I regret to this day. Who knows where that may have led.

"Baby" is somewhat timid, and so am I. However, I think if I would have been treated the way she was by the staff, I would have disappeared into a corner and not defended myself, unlike Baby. I also like to think of myself as a "Ms. Fixit." I am a Pollyanna and like to think the world can be perfect if only tweaked a bit.

My husband and son do not like this movie. I adore it. It must be a chick flick. Maybe gals can identify more with Jennifer Grey than guys can with Patrick Swayze.

What I Didn't Like About the Movie
The topic of abortion is brought up. Even though I believe it was illegal in 1963, the time frame the movie is set in, it seems a somewhat acceptable practice. Another tragedy could have replaced it.

In one of the dance scenes, choreographed "extras" are seen spontaneously dancing behind Swayze. Give me a BREAK! While initially fun, it is hokey.

Sometimes the guests are asked to do things like paint props and help out with this and that. I guess I didn't understand the concept.

In one scene, the doctor asks: "Who is responsible for this girl?" OH, that grated on me! It reminds me of a time not too long ago when I incured a hospital bill. Even though I was the patient, the bill was made out in my husband's name, "because that was the law." I felt like chattel! A child! A nobody! Maybe that is why that line is put in the movie, to remind us how society has changed.

Fun Facts About the Movie
The movie was shot on a limited budget. They only had use of the grounds where the movie was shot for a limited time. I want to say, one month.

Jennifer Grey was actually 27 years old instead of 17, as she was cast. She is the daughter of Broadway choreographer, Joel Grey, but could not do ballroom dancing when she was cast.

The film was shot late in the season. Perhaps computer graphics weren't great then, but they actually painted the autumn leaves on the trees outside the color green so it would seem as if it were still summer! I hear they missed a few spots, but I didn't notice.

Patrick Swayze did his own stunts on the log that had fallen over the stream and injured himself at least once. Also, it was late in the season, and the water in which they later practiced the lifts, was ice cold.

Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze worked together in the movie, "Red Dawn." Unfortunately, some bad blood resulted and at times they had a hard time being sensual in Dirty Dancing. One very sensual dance scene was shot at the beginning of the film. In order to regain that charisma, they had the actors watch that scene to help recreate the initial sexual tension.

The songs in the movie, but not necessarily included in the CDs can be found at: http://us.imdb.com/Soundtracks?0092890. You can also go to: www.imdb.com and look up the movie, Dirty Dancing. Then go to whichever aspect of the movie interests you.

The runtime is 96 minutes. There is a "no nudity" sex scene, and a few curse words sprinkled here and there. This movie was filmed in North Carolina and Virginia.

But remember, folks, "Nobody puts Baby in the corner!" - a line Patrick Swayze detested.