Movies With The Moves
November 4th 2007 00:49
A popular plot theme in the sphere of film is certainly the stance of dance.
It’s about kicks and twirls, boys and girls; rhythm and grace and groove; it’s about spinning around, pounding the ground, showcasing every move. Below is a list that shouldn’t be missed, of films on movement and dance; some are umbrageous, some are outrageous, and one involves dance without pants!
#15 Honey (2003)
Very uninspired movie, but it launched Jessica Alba’s sex symbol status with her role as a wannabe dancer.
#14 Shall We Dance (2004)
Remake of the Japanese film – it made Richard Gere look like a moron, and Jennifer Lopez look like an uptight ice-queen whose neck doesn’t bend. Ever. Very wishy-washy but with some nice ballroom scenes.
#13 Take The Lead
Terrible, insipid story with ridiculous acting to boot – however, it does have some snappy moves on the dance floor.
#12 Coyote Ugly
Piper Perabo is a mannish idiot, but all the stomping and undulating on the bar is fun, and I love being served by swish barmen who fling things about every which way in the process of making a cocktail.
#11 Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Absolutely laughable to watch now, and the mistakes and continuity problems are ultra obvious, but the film is iconic of the eighties dance movie era.
#10 Centre Stage (2000)
Fairly forgettable movie apart from the insight into the demands of professional classical dance, and some scenes where the characters played by actual ballet dancers perform.
#9 Flashdance
‘Welder by day… dancer by night…’ Unintentionally hilarious, with some extremely unconvincing performances – but will be forever famous for those dance scenes, which have been replicated so many times in the last twenty-five years.
#8 Razzle Dazzle
A children’s dance competition becomes a study in off-beat adults. See here for the review.
#7 Save The Last Dance
Great hip-hop club scenes, and the (VERY) Flashdance-esque bit at the end is cleverly choreographed with a mix of modern ballet and hip-hop.
#6 Footloose
Loosely based on real events, this movie starring a young Kevin Bacon is renowned for its soundtrack and story of dance ‘triumph’.
#5 Dirty Dancing
Famous lines, famous songs – very famous dance scenes.
#4 Saturday Night Fever
Really quite a depressing movie – except for Johnny Travolta’s fervour for the dance floor, and the magic opening sequence to the sound of the Bee Gees’ Stayin’ Alive.
#3 Billy Elliot
Gender norms are put to the test with a boy who just wants to dance his little heart out. Wonderful film set against a backdrop of a harsh economic climate and conservative social expectations.
#2 The Full Monty
What to do when you’re on the dole but become a stripper? Of course, doesn’t help if you’re a pasty, stick-thin man with a troupe of equally down-and-out oddballs. Great British comedy that also touches on the darker issues of the modern man.
#1 Strictly ballroom and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Well, you all know what I think about Baz-fabulous and that Outback Spectacular.
Which film of fancy footwork does it for you?
Michaelie Clark
It’s about kicks and twirls, boys and girls; rhythm and grace and groove; it’s about spinning around, pounding the ground, showcasing every move. Below is a list that shouldn’t be missed, of films on movement and dance; some are umbrageous, some are outrageous, and one involves dance without pants!
#15 Honey (2003)
Very uninspired movie, but it launched Jessica Alba’s sex symbol status with her role as a wannabe dancer.
Not so sweet, Honey - Image courtesy of filmfodder.com
Remake of the Japanese film – it made Richard Gere look like a moron, and Jennifer Lopez look like an uptight ice-queen whose neck doesn’t bend. Ever. Very wishy-washy but with some nice ballroom scenes.
#13 Take The Lead
Terrible, insipid story with ridiculous acting to boot – however, it does have some snappy moves on the dance floor.
#12 Coyote Ugly
Piper Perabo is a mannish idiot, but all the stomping and undulating on the bar is fun, and I love being served by swish barmen who fling things about every which way in the process of making a cocktail.
Terrible, but nice bar work - Image courtesy of dailycal.org
Absolutely laughable to watch now, and the mistakes and continuity problems are ultra obvious, but the film is iconic of the eighties dance movie era.
#10 Centre Stage (2000)
Fairly forgettable movie apart from the insight into the demands of professional classical dance, and some scenes where the characters played by actual ballet dancers perform.
#9 Flashdance
‘Welder by day… dancer by night…’ Unintentionally hilarious, with some extremely unconvincing performances – but will be forever famous for those dance scenes, which have been replicated so many times in the last twenty-five years.
#8 Razzle Dazzle
A children’s dance competition becomes a study in off-beat adults. See here for the review.
#7 Save The Last Dance
Great hip-hop club scenes, and the (VERY) Flashdance-esque bit at the end is cleverly choreographed with a mix of modern ballet and hip-hop.
#6 Footloose
Loosely based on real events, this movie starring a young Kevin Bacon is renowned for its soundtrack and story of dance ‘triumph’.
Kevin shakes his Bacon - Image courtesy of vitia.org
#5 Dirty Dancing
Famous lines, famous songs – very famous dance scenes.
#4 Saturday Night Fever
Really quite a depressing movie – except for Johnny Travolta’s fervour for the dance floor, and the magic opening sequence to the sound of the Bee Gees’ Stayin’ Alive.
#3 Billy Elliot
Gender norms are put to the test with a boy who just wants to dance his little heart out. Wonderful film set against a backdrop of a harsh economic climate and conservative social expectations.
#2 The Full Monty
What to do when you’re on the dole but become a stripper? Of course, doesn’t help if you’re a pasty, stick-thin man with a troupe of equally down-and-out oddballs. Great British comedy that also touches on the darker issues of the modern man.
You can leave your hat on... Please - Image courtesy of dailymail.co.uk
#1 Strictly ballroom and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Well, you all know what I think about Baz-fabulous and that Outback Spectacular.
Which film of fancy footwork does it for you?
Michaelie Clark
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Comment by AmyHuang
Sydney Table
Project Job Search
Travel Debate
Travel String
Love Adventures
Another good 'move' flick is BOOTMAN. Some great tap dancing there.
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Me too, it's hilarious!
Forgot about Bootmen - great addition.
Thanks!
Michaelie
Comment by Techno
Geeky Blog
Nice chick.
Comment by Anonymous
SPLASH-DANCE!!
That is my 'humorous' contribution...well..it was the ONLY scene I remember in flash pants Flash Dance, and I am gay...so go figure...it really was an awfully gratuitous little wet shirt perve scene was it not?
Ok, so I am all for the odd gratuitous perve scene, (male) but...one scene a movie doth not make!
cheers and keep spreading 'em!
fog
Comment by Lara M
Love Speaks
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
Some of these movies were great. Who can go past Dirty Dancing and that scene with Patrick beckoning with that crazy finger and naughty stare.... gggrrrrrr
great post I`ll have to look out for a few of these that Iam yet to to see
Ash
Comment by Krystal
feelings
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
An Alba fan, I see. Shame.
Michaelie
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
What about the end scene? Where she's doing the audition? And when she's at work and lifts up her welders helmet? And the bit where she does the running in the leg warmers...? HILARIOUS movie because so much of it is total ****, but it's still so memorable for the dance scenes.
Does The Full Monty cook your chook then, Fog? Hahaha. Can't imagine it.
Thanks!
Michaelie
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Yeah, some bits of Coyote Ugly are just pathetic, but it is very energetic. Makes me want to table dance, and throw bottles around, but I'd end up maiming someone.
I loved the hip-hop and the soundtrack of Save The Last Dance. That's what made that movie.
Billy Elliot is definitely gorgeous, and manages to be so funny while being set in such a depressing time in Ireland. It's great.
Thanks so much, Lara, and thanks for the compliment!
Michaelie
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Dirty Dancing - Patrick Swayze was just wonderful. There are some stupid moments in that film, but mostly, you just gotta love it!
Which ones haven't you seen? If it's the first few, I wouldn't bother - the only good thing about them is the dancing.
Thanks again, Ash.
Michaelie
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
HAHAHA
Michaelie
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
The kids loved Step Up and how about Save The Last Dance?
Add in a little Dirty Dancing, Westside Story, Fame and of course Grease - and you've got a nice mix of the old and the new.
Can't forgot the classics either with Gene Kelly and Ginger Rogers like Singin in the Rain or any of the old Donald O'Connor flicks - where there were some exquisite dance moves.
Cheers
MNG
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Like Mr Nice Guy I would have to include at least one Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire film and a Gene Kelly too.
Some other faves -
White Nights with Gregory Hines and Mikhail Baryshnikov.
When Napolean Dynamite finally expresses himself through body language in the Jamaroquia fuelled finale is unforgettable.
John Travolta letting loose in Saturday Night Fever will always be high with me. In Pulp Fiction he also has some moves.
From the 80's Breakdance with turbo and ozone or Beat Street had some epic pop'n and lock'n.
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Step Up was probably the blandest thing I've ever (half) watched - but I can see why the kids would like it.
I've got Save the Last Dance and Dirty Dancing - I couldn't miss those two!
This post was just involving movies that have a plot about dancing. If I just wrote about ones that have good dancing in them, I thought I'd repeat too much from the musicals post. I tried to put that in my intro, but made it harder for myself since I was rhyming! Lol.
So that's why Grease, West Side Story and Singin in the Rain don't feature - they have some great dancing but the story isn't about dancing like Centre Stage, Billy Elliot, etc.
Thanks MNG!
Michaelie
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Thanks for the comment. See my comment to MNG as to why I wasn't including films that didn't have a storyline about dancing.
Swing Time with Fred and Ginger would count though, since they played a dancer and a dance teacher, as would Top Hat.
White Nights definitely counts - but I cannot stand Mikhail Baryshnikov because of what he did to Sex and the City. Lol.
Haven't heard of Breakdance and haven't seen Beat Street, but I guess there should be some 80's hip-hop in the list and not just the modern street dancing!
Thanks JD
Michaelie
Comment by Luke
Book Club
Old Movies
Cane Toad Warrior
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
I only know the Kevin Bacon Quicksilver but it's not about dance. Is there another one..?
Michaelie
Comment by Anonymous
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