Awesome 80's 102: Musicals and Dance Movies
Class is back in session and I have a confession to make. At the end of my first Awesome 80's post about John Hughes movies I said I would move on to other teen classics but I lied. It's really only right I move on to my next favorite genre of 80's movies. MUSIC AND DANCE.
Movies of the 80's didn't just provide us with catchy soundtracks...they gave us anthems. Songs that became so familiar that when you hear them you instantly go back to watching that movie and falling in love with the story and characters all over again. I can remember spending afternoons with my friends in the living room with all the furniture pushed to the walls so that we could practice dancing like the kids in these movies. Younger me dreamed of going to high school where my classmates and I would break out into songs and dance numbers. Sadly it never happened but I still love watching these movies over and over so let's do this!
1987 - Dirty Dancing
True confession time kids. I literally burned through 2 VHS tapes of this movie between the age 10-14 I watched this movie so much. It had everything I love: music, dancing, sizzling chemistry and a bad boy hero with a heart of gold.
Baby Houseman (Jennifer Grey) spends the summer of 1963 with her family at Kellerman's. She's an idealist who plans on going into the Peace Corps. She's Daddy's little girl and a girl scout. Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) is the dance instructor at Kellerman's. He's rough around the edges, wears black and a leather jacket all the time. At first glance you would think he's a slacker but he's got a passion for dance and is fiercely loyal to the people he loves. The two meet after Baby "carries a watermelon" to the nightly staff dance where the Fox Trot is left behind for sexy grinding and heated moves. The movie takes twists and turns and both Baby and Johnny learn alot about themselves and love. Classic good girl / boy from the wrong side of the tracks kind of story. It's EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC and I love it with the passion of 1000 hot suns.
Trailer!
Classic Line(s): "Nobody puts Baby in a corner"
Movie Fun Facts: Lenny Briscoe from Law and Order (Jerry Orbach) and Emily Gilmore from Gilmore Girls (Kelly Bishop) play Baby's parents. Val Kilmer was originally offered Patrick Swayze's role but turned it down O_o
1982 - Grease 2
I know this movie gets panned all over the place as one of the worst sequels ever but whatever. I LOVE this movie and I don't care who frakking knows it. Short summary this is the original Grease but gender-swapped (which all you Tumblr kids are so into these days!). Stephanie (Michelle Pfiffer) is the headstrong girl who wants that ultimate cool rider biker boy to come along and sweep her away but Pink Lady code says she can only be a T-Bird's chick. Michael (Maxwell Caufield) is Sandy's (from Grease 1) cousin and a transfer student from England. He's a good boy with proper British senses. Michael can't help but fall in love with Steph and therefore goes all out to prove that he has what it takes to toss on some leather, ride a bike and win her heart. The T-Birds and Pink Ladies are back and high school hi-jinx of all kinds ensue. It's all leading up to the big Talent Show and the Lani Kai Lani Luau to celebrate the end of the school year. This is a movie I can sing every song to and I ain't even ashamed. *kayne shrug*
Trailer!
Classic Line(s): "I want a whole lot more than the boy next door. I want hell on wheels", "We're going to die and I'm wearing my mother's underwear!", "Where Does the Pollen Go?"
Movie Fun Facts: The almost casting for this movie amuses me so much. Tom Cruise auditioned for Johnn. Shaun Cassidy, Greg Evigan, Andy Gibb and Rick Springfield all auditioned for Michael. Pat Benetar, Deborah Harry and Kim Carnes were all considered to play Stephanie. CHER! was initially signed on play Paulette but backed out due to low money and not being given a finished script. The role went to Lorna Luft, daughter to Judy Garland and half sister of Liza Minelli.
Susan Fun Fact: My love of this movie was the inspiration for this completely awesome birthday crack photo manip by my fellow 80's movie lover taragel. It remains one of my favorite things ever.
*OK STOP*
If you have not seen either of these movies I want you to go right now to your Netflix, Blockbuster, iTunes, or *cough* other means of movie procurement and locate both of these movies. You will not be disappointed. After you have done this then continue with the rest of this post.
1984 - Footloose
City boy Ren (Kevin Bacon) comes to small religious town that has *gasp* banned rock music and dancing! Ren leads the teen revolution to show the strict town minister (and father of the girl he falls for) that dancing isn't all that bad, that the kids just want to have their Senior Prom and have a good time in a shower of glitter. It's definitely a classic and should be watched. Especially for a young Chris Penn who is a completely adorkable farmboy learning to dance and also a very young dancing Sarah Jessica Parker!
Trailer!
Classic Line(s): "Let's Daaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnccccccceeeeee!"
Movie Fun Facts: Tom Cruise, Rob Lowe and John Travolta were all offered the role of "Ren" and turned it down. The role of "Ariel" was turned down by like a zillion people before Lori Singer got it. Actresses such as: Darryl Hannah, Melanie Griffith, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jamie Lee Curtis, Rosanna Arquette, Meg Tilly, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Heather Locklear, Meg Ryan, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jodie Foster, Phoebe Cates, Tatum O'Neal, Bridget Fonda, Lori Loughlin, Diane Lane and Brooke Shields. YIKES!
1985 - Girls Just Want To Have Fun
Janey (Young and hair-challenged Sarah Jessica Parker) is new in town and goes to an all girls Catholic school. She loves Dance TV and once she hears they're looking for new dancers she just has to audition. Her strict Military father does not believe in such things so her BFF (young Helen Hunt!) helps her sneak around to the audition. She gets picked to go on tv and compete and is paired with the local hunky bad boy from public school! Drama and dancing commence and its an all around good time. Tons of awesome 80's hair, clothes and make up in this one. Pure fun!
Trailer!
Classic Line(s): "Stay away from him! He's a boy!", "You know what's better than getting mad? Getting even."
Movie Fun Facts: Couldn't find any!
1989 - Sing!
A high school in Brooklyn, NY is closing and all the kids are going to have to get split up and go to other schools. The school has an annual talent competition called Sing but the crusty old dudes on the school board cancel it since the school is closing. The kids, teachers and neighborhood say screw it and plan to have Sing and have the school go out with a bang! Ms. Lombardo (the awesome Lorraine Bracco) makes the senior bad boy (Peter Dobson) work with the senior production and pairs him up with the senior good girl (Jessica Steen). The inevitable happens and the two fall for each other. The music and dancing in the movie is quite good. Sadly it's not available on DVD but you can watch the whole movie on you tube!
Trailer!: There isn't one available so this is the final number of the movie so *spoilers spoilers* (but not really because its just a song).
Classic Line(s): I can't remember any since its been forever since I've watched but I do remember every line to the last song!
Movie Fun Facts: This movie features Patti LaBelle as one of the other teachers and a very young Cuba Gooding Jr.!
Honorable Mention!
1989 - Shag
I'm going to be honest and let you know I haven't seen this movie since the early 90's so I'm a little rusty on the details but I do remember it was 4 girls on a trip to the beach and there was all kinds of angst, coming of age drama, boys and LOTS of awesome dancing. It stars Phoebe Cates, Annabeth Gish and Bridget Fonda who I love in all their 80's movies. The old music is great and just watching this trailer makes me want to hunt it down to watch again!
Trailer!
This post is out of control so I'm going to wrap it up now. Please tell me I'm not alone in my love of these awesome tributes to music and dancing? What's your favorite or least favorite parts of these movies or genre? What are some of your favorite 80's movies with music and dancing?
Next class will be Awesome 80's 103: Pre-Teen and other Teen classics.
Also if you've read to the end in one sitting and still haven't located Dirty Dancing or Grease 2, I'm so disappointed in you right now. Go watch them right now!!
Movies of the 80's didn't just provide us with catchy soundtracks...they gave us anthems. Songs that became so familiar that when you hear them you instantly go back to watching that movie and falling in love with the story and characters all over again. I can remember spending afternoons with my friends in the living room with all the furniture pushed to the walls so that we could practice dancing like the kids in these movies. Younger me dreamed of going to high school where my classmates and I would break out into songs and dance numbers. Sadly it never happened but I still love watching these movies over and over so let's do this!
1987 - Dirty Dancing
True confession time kids. I literally burned through 2 VHS tapes of this movie between the age 10-14 I watched this movie so much. It had everything I love: music, dancing, sizzling chemistry and a bad boy hero with a heart of gold.
Baby Houseman (Jennifer Grey) spends the summer of 1963 with her family at Kellerman's. She's an idealist who plans on going into the Peace Corps. She's Daddy's little girl and a girl scout. Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) is the dance instructor at Kellerman's. He's rough around the edges, wears black and a leather jacket all the time. At first glance you would think he's a slacker but he's got a passion for dance and is fiercely loyal to the people he loves. The two meet after Baby "carries a watermelon" to the nightly staff dance where the Fox Trot is left behind for sexy grinding and heated moves. The movie takes twists and turns and both Baby and Johnny learn alot about themselves and love. Classic good girl / boy from the wrong side of the tracks kind of story. It's EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC and I love it with the passion of 1000 hot suns.
Trailer!
Click to viewClassic Line(s): "Nobody puts Baby in a corner"
Movie Fun Facts: Lenny Briscoe from Law and Order (Jerry Orbach) and Emily Gilmore from Gilmore Girls (Kelly Bishop) play Baby's parents. Val Kilmer was originally offered Patrick Swayze's role but turned it down O_o
1982 - Grease 2
I know this movie gets panned all over the place as one of the worst sequels ever but whatever. I LOVE this movie and I don't care who frakking knows it. Short summary this is the original Grease but gender-swapped (which all you Tumblr kids are so into these days!). Stephanie (Michelle Pfiffer) is the headstrong girl who wants that ultimate cool rider biker boy to come along and sweep her away but Pink Lady code says she can only be a T-Bird's chick. Michael (Maxwell Caufield) is Sandy's (from Grease 1) cousin and a transfer student from England. He's a good boy with proper British senses. Michael can't help but fall in love with Steph and therefore goes all out to prove that he has what it takes to toss on some leather, ride a bike and win her heart. The T-Birds and Pink Ladies are back and high school hi-jinx of all kinds ensue. It's all leading up to the big Talent Show and the Lani Kai Lani Luau to celebrate the end of the school year. This is a movie I can sing every song to and I ain't even ashamed. *kayne shrug*
Trailer!
Classic Line(s): "I want a whole lot more than the boy next door. I want hell on wheels", "We're going to die and I'm wearing my mother's underwear!", "Where Does the Pollen Go?"
Movie Fun Facts: The almost casting for this movie amuses me so much. Tom Cruise auditioned for Johnn. Shaun Cassidy, Greg Evigan, Andy Gibb and Rick Springfield all auditioned for Michael. Pat Benetar, Deborah Harry and Kim Carnes were all considered to play Stephanie. CHER! was initially signed on play Paulette but backed out due to low money and not being given a finished script. The role went to Lorna Luft, daughter to Judy Garland and half sister of Liza Minelli.
Susan Fun Fact: My love of this movie was the inspiration for this completely awesome birthday crack photo manip by my fellow 80's movie lover taragel. It remains one of my favorite things ever.
*OK STOP*
If you have not seen either of these movies I want you to go right now to your Netflix, Blockbuster, iTunes, or *cough* other means of movie procurement and locate both of these movies. You will not be disappointed. After you have done this then continue with the rest of this post.
1984 - Footloose
City boy Ren (Kevin Bacon) comes to small religious town that has *gasp* banned rock music and dancing! Ren leads the teen revolution to show the strict town minister (and father of the girl he falls for) that dancing isn't all that bad, that the kids just want to have their Senior Prom and have a good time in a shower of glitter. It's definitely a classic and should be watched. Especially for a young Chris Penn who is a completely adorkable farmboy learning to dance and also a very young dancing Sarah Jessica Parker!
Trailer!
Classic Line(s): "Let's Daaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnccccccceeeeee!"
Movie Fun Facts: Tom Cruise, Rob Lowe and John Travolta were all offered the role of "Ren" and turned it down. The role of "Ariel" was turned down by like a zillion people before Lori Singer got it. Actresses such as: Darryl Hannah, Melanie Griffith, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jamie Lee Curtis, Rosanna Arquette, Meg Tilly, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Heather Locklear, Meg Ryan, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jodie Foster, Phoebe Cates, Tatum O'Neal, Bridget Fonda, Lori Loughlin, Diane Lane and Brooke Shields. YIKES!
1985 - Girls Just Want To Have Fun
Janey (Young and hair-challenged Sarah Jessica Parker) is new in town and goes to an all girls Catholic school. She loves Dance TV and once she hears they're looking for new dancers she just has to audition. Her strict Military father does not believe in such things so her BFF (young Helen Hunt!) helps her sneak around to the audition. She gets picked to go on tv and compete and is paired with the local hunky bad boy from public school! Drama and dancing commence and its an all around good time. Tons of awesome 80's hair, clothes and make up in this one. Pure fun!
Trailer!
Classic Line(s): "Stay away from him! He's a boy!", "You know what's better than getting mad? Getting even."
Movie Fun Facts: Couldn't find any!
1989 - Sing!
A high school in Brooklyn, NY is closing and all the kids are going to have to get split up and go to other schools. The school has an annual talent competition called Sing but the crusty old dudes on the school board cancel it since the school is closing. The kids, teachers and neighborhood say screw it and plan to have Sing and have the school go out with a bang! Ms. Lombardo (the awesome Lorraine Bracco) makes the senior bad boy (Peter Dobson) work with the senior production and pairs him up with the senior good girl (Jessica Steen). The inevitable happens and the two fall for each other. The music and dancing in the movie is quite good. Sadly it's not available on DVD but you can watch the whole movie on you tube!
Trailer!: There isn't one available so this is the final number of the movie so *spoilers spoilers* (but not really because its just a song).
Classic Line(s): I can't remember any since its been forever since I've watched but I do remember every line to the last song!
Movie Fun Facts: This movie features Patti LaBelle as one of the other teachers and a very young Cuba Gooding Jr.!
Honorable Mention!
1989 - Shag
I'm going to be honest and let you know I haven't seen this movie since the early 90's so I'm a little rusty on the details but I do remember it was 4 girls on a trip to the beach and there was all kinds of angst, coming of age drama, boys and LOTS of awesome dancing. It stars Phoebe Cates, Annabeth Gish and Bridget Fonda who I love in all their 80's movies. The old music is great and just watching this trailer makes me want to hunt it down to watch again!
Trailer!
This post is out of control so I'm going to wrap it up now. Please tell me I'm not alone in my love of these awesome tributes to music and dancing? What's your favorite or least favorite parts of these movies or genre? What are some of your favorite 80's movies with music and dancing?
Next class will be Awesome 80's 103: Pre-Teen and other Teen classics.
Also if you've read to the end in one sitting and still haven't located Dirty Dancing or Grease 2, I'm so disappointed in you right now. Go watch them right now!!