Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1252 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-07-02
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 100 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
As with Grease (1978) and Footloose (1984) before it, Dirty Dancing was a cultural phenomenon that now plays more like camp. That very campiness, though, is part of its biggest charm. And if the dancing in the movie doesn't seem particularly "dirty" by today's standards--or 1987's--it does take place in an era (the early '60s) when it would have. Frances "Baby" Houseman (Jennifer Grey, daughter of ageless hoofer Joel Grey), vacationing in the Catskills with her family one summer, falls under the sway (as it were) of dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze). Baby is a pampered pup, but Johnny is a man of the world. Baby's father Jake can't see the basic decency in greaser Johnny that she can. It should come as no surprise to find that Baby, who can be as immature as her name, learns more about love and life--and dancing--from free-spirited Johnny than traditionalist Jake. Dirty Dancing spawned two successful soundtracks, a short-lived TV series and a stage musical. It may be predictable, but Grey and Swayze have chemistry, charisma and all the right moves. It's a sometimes silly movie with occasionally mind-boggling dialogue--"No one puts Baby in a corner!"--that nonetheless carries an underlying message about tolerance and is filled with the kind of exuberant spirit that is hard for even the most cynical to resist. Not that they would ever admit it. --Kathy Fennessy

On the DVD: The information outlined on the package makes the special features appear very appealing: you too could "Learn to Dirty Dance". However, all the DVD actually teaches you is how to move from side to side with a slow "cha cha cha"--not exactly "dirty". Other additional features include the obligatory scene selection and a directors commentary from Eleanor Bergstein, offers interesting snippets of trivia, but overall is dull and stuttering. There's also the original theatrical trailer plus a very poor selection of filmographies for the cast and crew which (none of whom aside from Swayze ever amounted to much) which is difficult to read due to the italic scrawl they insist on using across the whole features section. That being said with a 1.78:1 ratio and Dolby Digital 5.1 this release is the closest you will get to reliving those 1980s school discos and back-seat cinema rows. --Nikki Disney

DVD Description
DVD Special Features:

Learn to Dirty Dance
Audio Commentary from Creator "Eleanor Bergstein"
Filmographies
Closed Captioned English Subtitles
Trailer

Synopsis
Headstrong 17-year-old Baby Houseman hardly expects her family's usual summer vacation in the Catskills to be momentous. But then Baby spies Johnny Castle, the resort's dance instructor from the wrong side of the tracks. Johnny's facing a crisis: his dance partner and friend Penny is pregnant and has reluctantly decided to get an abortion. This leaves Johnny a solo act--until Baby agrees to take Penny's place. She has to learn how to dance first, however, and as Johnny teaches her the choreography's sexy, seductive moves, the two fall in love. But Baby's father believes that Johnny is the creep who got Penny pregnant, and he furiously orders Baby to end the relationship. Baby knows that Johnny's innocent--and with her feisty idealism and his dance talent, the two will prove to Baby's father that their love is worth fighting for.

Customer Reviews

Not too dirty but a bit more dirt needed in the script!
Dirty Dancing is a movie that is hyped up to the limit. It is recognised as one of the best chick-flicks and has somehow entered the books as a classic that you simply have to see. With all this in mind I only got around to watching this movie a year ago and have since watched this three times, each time hoping to discover what it is that seems to make this movie special and unique but I am sorry to say that I fail to see what's so great about this movie.

The story is simple. Baby (Jennifer Grey) is on holidays with her parents. She meets local dance teacher Johnny (Patrick Swayze), she learns the passions of dance while also learning a few things about love and life at the same time.

Undoubtedly the best thing about this movie is the music, which is very catchy and the clever dance moves, which by today's standards aren't that dirty but they still are the reason why I am giving this movie 3*.

It loses one star for a fairly dull and predictable story made worse by an even duller script. The story is not exactly terrible but it's not exactly exciting either. Understandably movies about dance rarely have much of a story to them (take the recent Step Up 2 movie) but what little story it does have should at least try to be entertaining.

Secondly another star is lost for the poor acting in particular from the leads. It seems as if Swayze and Grey never did an acting audition for this movie. Once the directors saw that they could dance (which they certainly can) they must have hired them straight away. Luckily for them most of the movie is really a showcase for their dancing skills but still it's impossible not to notice their absence of talent in this area. Grey in particular comes across as very dull and dowdy. Even when she's dancing she still looks relatively shy. Swayze fairs a bit better but still isn't that likable.

To conclude Dirty Dancing is a good movie if you're after some top-tapping numbers (in particular the famous 'Time of your life') and provocative dance moves but certainly not for people looking for an intelligent and original story. Approach with caution ignoring the hype about this movie and you will enjoy it.

Best Kept Original
This movie is amazing the music and the dancing. People buy this and be amazed. Value for money 5 Stars

Guys Review
This is definately a girls only film. As a guy i saw this and thought to myself, ok this is a film about a fairly unattractive couple getting it on and learning to dance. Sorry for the cynicism, but it was bland for me.

All my girl friends love it, but guys dont waste your time.