I watched Dirty Dancing for the first time today. Prior to viewage, all I thought I knew about the film were some type of dancing lessons in like a camp setting (IDK why I thought this?), “(I’ve Had) The Time of my Life,” the lift, some vague notion of class issues, and of course, Nobody puts Baby in a corner. So when the subplots started popping up, I had a bit of a meltdown on Twitter.
“I didn’t realize this was so intense?” I said. “Like I literally thought this was just going to be about some dirty dancing.”
My friend, BK simply said, “OH BOY”
Anyway, I really honest-to-God thought it was going to be some sexy fun-loving movie where the underdog wins in the end. I was aiming for a feel-good, sweet romp in 80s music. That’s all I wanted from my Saturday morning.
Instead, I got CLASSIST PIGS! A FEMALE IDEALIST PROTAGONIST CALLED BABY WHO WANTS TO SAVE THE WORLD! [Spoiler] ABORTION! COUGAR CLAWS LODGED DEEP INTO BAE!PATRICK SWAYZE* AND HIS MUSCULAR SHOULDERS! I mean, it was a sweet romp in 80s music, but loaded with a bunch of other depressing stuff. I guess it was kind of like how I thought Say Anything… was going to be your standard fare of cutesy teen dream coming-of-age cuteness and ended up watching a super sweet and mildly tragic love story heavily laced with [Spoiler] TAX FRAUD!
Anyway, I really liked it. Dirty Dancing, I mean. I’m not particularly attached to it, so I’m not even sure why it merited this whole entire post, but. I enjoyed it. A lot. I may watch it again in the near future.
Since watching it 12 hours ago, I learned that:
- Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey hated each other. Plot twist!
- Anyway, the fact that this fake relaysh was built on hatred made me like the movie more. By a lot.
- If you really didn’t like each other, then what was that lil nose kiss when you started dancing that final dance, hmm??
- It didn’t test well with initial audiences, so it was supposed to have been released direct to video. CAN U IMAGINE.
- PATRICK DIDN’T WANT TO SAY “NOBODY PUTS BABY IN A CORNER.” CAN U IMAGINE.
- Jennifer Grey dated Ferris Bueller briefly, aka her baby brother in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and there was a big car crash that I don’t want to get into, but honestly—$175?? That’s it?
- The movie title came before the actual plot. I mean Dirty Dancing IS kind of a goldmine of a title.
- Every time I get the fuzzies from a story, it automatically sounds like a good idea for an AU to me. Every time.**
And many more. I don’t know. I went into a super long Googling spiral, as one is wont to do. There are a lot of stuff you can read about DD online. It is truly a(n inter)national treasure. Speaking of national treasures, here is a scene that didn’t need to be in there, but was, much to my amusement:
Now, I guess I should admit to what made me watch it, 28 years after it was originally released: Harry Styles & Kristen Wiig danced to “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” at an SNL after party. I mean, I’ve heard about that before but it wasn’t until I saw the videos that I felt compelled to go see it. I mean. HE PULLED HER INTO THE DANCE FLOOR. AND NUZZLED INTO THE CROOK OF HER NECK.
And now my life will never be the same again.
ANYWAY. I’m going to watch Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights tomorrow.
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End Notes:
* Lizzy used ‘bae’ for the first and last time today because of said Swayze.
** an AU for this actually exists but I will be damned if I link it here and incriminate myself (even further)