Dance 'Til Dawn

When I first saw this one late night on a local station, I was already much too old for its target audience. Yet I couldn't help but be drawn into this world. Yes, the kids were somewhat stereotyped and unrealistic. But my own prom was never this much fun. Not to mention a cast that was a Who's Who of late '80s sitcoms from all four networks of the time.

Cut to today, fourteen years after the movie premiered. Hens Tooth Video's new DVD is spartan, with no special features whatsoever, but with a nicely sharp picture. And I'm pulled right back into it. Something has changed now. I'm even older, but it still speaks to me. Then it hits me. I'm not only wishing I was young again, I'm also thinking like the parents in this film, whose age I have, alas, reached. I sympathize with them and all their troubles. They no longer seem simply the addled adults. In the final scene at Huds, we see how the experiences of their own youth shaped and misshaped their adult lives. And in truth, not many of us weren't badly messed up as kids. The movie feels more balanced, now that I've seen it from both sides.

So don't just dismiss this as a lightweight teen flick. It has something for everyone - the young, the old and the young at heart.

Okay, this movie was made for network television so it's quite censored for the audience anyway. This movie was made as a prom movie starring television child stars like Alyssa Milano as the cool, popular girl who ends up in a movie theater on her prom night. Tracey Gold plays the unpopular girl who gets asked out by the popular boy for prom night. Her parents are played by Kelsey Grammar and Edie McClurg. Back in the day, it was quite normal for network stars to work on television movies like this. Christina Applegate and Matthew Perry play a young couple who push too hard. Her parents are played by Mary Frann. Alan Thicke plays the father of a nerd boy who would rather be watching the stars. He manages to get together with Milano's character. While it was a sweet film, I wished that it was shown more or available. They don't make television movies or comedic movies like they used too.

This was my absolute favorite movie as a young teen. We taped it on our VCR and my sister and I watched it so much, and drove my mom so crazy with it, that my mom actually had to take it away from us.

We pretty much had it memorized line for line...and when we quoted it, even stretched out our words when Margaret is talking to the guy in the video store...because our tape was so used it stretched out and slurred the words.

We still refer to the movie sometimes. In fact, I know that we have some lingo that we use that came from the movie. I don't think I go through a fast food drive-through without remembering Shelly and Dan at the drive-through ordering all that food. It's a movie that has just really stuck with me as I've grown up.

I'm 30 now and just ordered the DVD and can't wait to see it again -- it'll be like a reunion with old friends!!!

Motion picture companies weren't the only one's cashing in on the success of teen films. NBC tried it's hand at it as well. Some of the films included High School USA with Michael J. Fox, Poison Ivy once again with Fox, Combat High with Keith Gordon, Class Cruise with Billy Warlock, Crash Course with a host of many teen stars, and this little teen gem called Dance 'til Dawn.

This film is not bad at all. It has many of the teen stars from the 80s and early 90s. Many notable adult stars make appearances as well, such as Alan Thicke and Kelsey Grammar. So that makes the film a watchable and enjoyable experience. Unlike many failed made for TV movie comedies, this one has lots of charm and heart. The writing is well done for a teen flick. I must've laughed lots during the film. I remember seeing this back in high school and 11 years later I still love it.

By the way, here is a little bit of fascinating trivia. Some of the music for the film was written and performed by 80s one hit wonder Michael Sembello ("Maniac"). I didn't know that until the movie was on again this past weekend. Billy Morrisette makes a small appearance as a kid who works in the video store.

NBC of course doesn't make TV movie teen comedies like this anymore. Still, if you can find this one in the video store by all means, give it a try. You can see what the Hollywood version of a high school prom is like.

This one is better than all of those teen movies that are made right now.... It has got style, there are no rude jokes. You can't take your eyes off your tv screen cos there's always something new happening.... I recommend it to everybody.