Strictly Ballroom

This was my introduction to Baz Luhrmann films. Of which, unfortunately, there are only three, his "Red Curtain" trilogy (Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet being the other two). All three are big, exciting, fun and funny theatrical numbers, but of them all this one is my favorite. I'm sure it's because it's all about ballroom dancing, which is one of the talents I dearly wish I had. There's something so appealing about professionals smoothly gliding across dance floors that makes you want to ooh and aah like at fireworks displays. Maybe that's why they dress up in outfits with big frilly skirts, loud colors and sequins galore, to make them look more like fireworks on the ground. Luhrmann takes this background and puts a love story on top of it similar to Dirty Dancing -- girl doesn't know how to dance, boy teaches her -- but that's the only comparison that can be made. Dirty Dancing is trying to be a Serious Film. This film knows it's a lark, and while not making fun of the ballroom dancers themselves, it pokes fun at the idea of standardizing the industry so that only certain steps are allowed in competition. Which is what the boy (played so ably by ballet dancer Paul Mercurio) is chafing against, rightly and ultimately triumphantly.

year: 1992
length: 94 min.
rating: 4.0
IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105488/combined