Today, I am excited to hand my blog over to the inimitable Sara Walpert Foster ( the first ever winner of the Wikirandom Writers Challenge and the author of the most blushworthy chapter thus far of “The Octopus Knows“). If you haven’t checked out her blog yet, you really really should. You won’t be disappointed. Take it away, Sara!
Laird is not the only blogger fan of bad dance movies.
Do I dare admit that my favorite movie of all time is not only a ridiculous 1980s dance movie but one that has the worst dialogue writing of all time?
Sure, every person who’s ever seen the movie remembers the worst line of all, but not because it sounds like something anybody would say in real life. We remember because we are all pretty pissed off at the Dad for being such a self-righteous, over-protective, insensitive, judgmental prick and we so badly want Johnny to return so he can show the Borscht Belt world that nobody has the right to decide who you are going to love and you have every right to love who you want. (Oops. Went into diatribe mode. I’ll rein it in now.)
Let’s say it all together now: “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”
But, in truth, my favorite bad line from DIRTY DANCING happens a few minutes after the “Baby in a corner” line. Johnny and Baby are on stage, have just started dancing, and the camera moves over to Baby’s parents’ table. Mom leans over to Dad and says, “I think she gets this from me.”
But I’m a realist, most of the time. And that’s a line I can see myself saying when my kids do something awesome.
As I remind my husband regularly: the bad stuff comes from him and the good stuff all comes from me. He just nods and says, “Of course, honey.”
Love that man. Almost as much as I love Johnny and Baby.
This is so worth the watch: Note best line at 1:17
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRMx97w0WKo&feature=related
Thanks for dropping by, Sara!
Do any of you share our love of bad dance movies? I’d love to hear about your favorites!
36 Comments
Sara, I love this movie. Thank you for hanging out!
I might’ve seen this once, but I don’t remember. Or maybe it was Footloose that I saw. Does it have Dance Mutants or Mad Whack Boots?
both! And Baby gets a full set of gold teeth in the end.
This is a really important movie. It taught me that one should not carry two watermelons at the same time.
Best response so far.
HA!
I have the same guilty love of this movie. I also love Strictly Ballroom and Shall We Dance (the 1996 Japanese version, not the 2004 US remake). Have been rewatching a lot of these since I started taking ballroom dancing classes. I have a new appreciation for them.
Strictly Ballroom is a classic!
So happy to share in the love of bad dance movies. Thanks for hosting me, Laird.
Mike: Mad Whack Boots might’ve been an appropriate addition to this fine piece of art. Dance mutants, not so much.
Nikki: I don’t think we’re alone in this guilty pleasure. I haven’t seen Strictly Ballroom but admit to enjoying Shall We Dance more than once.
I have some catching up to do…haven’t seen this one, or any of the other movies that are mentioned in the comments. Well, I did see Footloose. That was the minimum requirement to get out of the ’80s.
Nice post, gals.
Liv…you MUST see this movie. You will not be disappointed. Would I steer you wrong?
Lets not forget FLASHDANCE folks! And the leg-warmer-ripped-sweatshirt fashion craze it loosed on the world. I liked Kevin Bacon in Footloose, but haven’t seen the recent remake. The thing that bothered me most about Dirty Dancing was the title! I mean, come on. The story line had much more depth than that, with the working caste elements that were woven in. But then again … I’m a big fan of bad dance movies too!
Flashdance! I totally forgot that one! AWESOMENESS in legwarmers.
I can’t believe I forgot Flashdance. I went to college in CT the Fall after it was released and Jennifer Beals went to Yale. In September, a magazine was doing a feature on her entering Yale and they decided that my school looked more New England college than Yale so they did the shoot outside my dorm window. We all made sure to walk by in our cut sweatshirts that revealed our shoulders.
Incredible timing! I only just commandeered the telly this weekend (demanding Mother’s Day viewing rights) and insisted on watching Dirty Dancing just because I was feeling in an 80′s dance movie mood. I adore this movie. Growing up in NY, I well recall how those big hotels in the Catskill Mt’s were a grand attraction, so I also like the nostalgic vibe. Sad though watching this flick now that Patrick is gone–as is Jennifer’s nose.
Thanks for the uber cool post, ladies
I also watched it on Mother’s Day. My kids were like “again, Mom?” but as you point out I had all the rights for 24 hours. I think Jennifer looks odd with the new nose: too vanilla. But that’s me. I’m sure it makes her happy. Miss Patrick, though.
This is making me want to see it again…
Dirty Dancing, Flashdance, Footloose… *sigh* Such great movies from the 80′s. Makes me want to go put on my leg warmers, find an empty barn, and learn some ballroom dance moves with a Johnny look alike.
Oh no…now I have “I need a hero” in my head. The mere mention of “footloose” puts this song on infinite loop in my brain.
My apologies. I can never get the theme song of Footloose out of my head whenever the movie is mentioned. That and Kevin Bacon dancing in the abandoned warehouse. Go figure.
Leg warmers. You just made my day with that memory.
Memory? I know you still have some leg warmers hidden away somewhere, right Sara?
Legwarmers are AWESOME. I am wearing some right now. Though, my mad whack boots are kind of hiding them.
I’m a sucker for a dance movie and Dirty Dancing ranks right up there. Yes, I did watch that entire finale youtube video. hee hee!! RIP Patrick Swayze
Footloose and Flashdance are the bomb.
Can be in the bad-dance-movie club?
absolutely!
I watch this movie every time I can. I love Patrick Swayze, another good movie with him was Road House.
Yes, he was a great actor.
Firstly, Dirty Dancing is not a ‘bad’ dance movie. Flashdance is a bad dance movie. (Who thought to mix ballet and er, welding?)
Dirty Dancing is the best. dance. movie. of. all. time. ever. Well maybe second only to Grease.
I love, love, love this film, I watched it every weekend when I was a teenager. sigh.
ballet + welding…lol. I had forgotten that she welded! Wonder who gave that idea the green light!
I feel truly supported. Thank you Veronica.
I’m definitely one of the suckers who watched this movie a zillion times and if it came on TV I’d watch it now. I can’t help myself – I so wanted to be Baby…
Sad I know…
I would totally watch this if it came on tv right now. Patrick Swayze was such a hunk in this movie… *sigh*
She was “everything” just like Johnny.
Awesome!!!
I totally agree. Sara is completely awesome.
Well, if you say so . . . heheehee
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[...] And yesterday, Laird Sapir hosted me on her blog where we did a little Dirty Dancing dish. You can read that here [...]