Ballroom Dancing

An outstanding movie in nearly every regard. Filmed in Australia on a tight budget, this movie succeeds in the one area that counts most: it _entertains_ the viewer.

A parody of "underdog makes good" movies, Strictly Ballroom is set in the competitive world of ballroom dancing. The movie educates (about ballroom dancing), amuses (especially with the bumbling bad guys), and uplifts (with the take-home message about following your dreams).

The show is stolen by Paul Mercurio, starring as the protagonist male dancer. His acting and dancing are superb.

A bit corny, a bit burlesque, but lots of fun! What more could you want?

This is a very stylized film, a lot of fun, a lot of great dancing. Some of the costumes and performances, within the scope of the plot, are almost painful, yet appropriate. And the upshot of the whole thing is a message we wish we could all live by, every day. I relate to the ugly duckling storyline, and also enjoy the attractive male star! There are characters you love to hate and those who step up when you didn't think they would. The flashbacks are very quirky/funny. I'm sure in Australia this ballroom dancing stuff is taken deadly seriously, so Luhrman probably took a hit for lampooning it the way he does. But the whole thing is a good time that ends up having unexpectedly warm, deep meaning, and not many movies these days can say that.

I wasn't sure I was going to like this so imagine my surprise when I found out that I absolutely loved it! Contains and comprises all the right ingredients, perfectly proportioned, blended and mixed to make you laugh, cry, smile and grimace. Slip on your dancing shoes, glide onto the dance floor and free yourself for ninety minutes of antipodean ballroom brilliance.

Long before the visually flamboyant director Baz Luhrmann gave us the blockbuster "Moulin Rouge", he made his debut with this quirky Aussie dancecom. The spirit of "Strictly Ballroom" is very campy, tongue-in-cheek and outright parodic, mercilessly skewering the pretentious world of ballroom dance competitions in a way that makes us wonder what planet this film was shot on.

Immediately you might be reminded of the hilarious Christopher Guest mockumentaries (Spinal Tap, A Mighty Wind, etc), but Baz gives this production an extra little push over the cliff. Unapologetically departing from reality, he hits us with a hyper-saturated visual feast, coupled with the fact that the story is set in the 1970s, taking us to the edge of absurdist fantasy. The presentation is almost claustrophobic, in that the entire story takes place on basically just 3 sets: the dance school, the girl's home, and the competition arena), and yet the magnificent use of colorful sets, elegant camera work, and large spaces makes us feel like we're in some sort of bizarre Aussie Wonderland. That's the Terry Gilliam (Brazil) part.

And if that blend isn't bizarre enough, get this. The plot itself is rooted in a very cute John Hughes-ish teen rebel story (Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller), thus appealing to our inner misfit youth. The combination is a real treat, and if any of these elements interest you, I guarantee you'll have a wild ride.

The dancing and choreography is absolutely stunning. Paul Mercurio ("Scott") definitely has moves that would make Fred Astaire tip his top hat, and Baz allows for a few long segments so we can take it all in. At the same time, the dance segments don't interrupt the pacing and flow of the story. Somehow it all blends together seamlessly. I have to say, dance, comedy and surrealism is an unlikely mix, but it comes together brilliantly. That's something I haven't seen since the days of Jerry Lewis directing.

"Strictly Ballroom" is one of the most entertaining and engaging movies about dancing I've ever seen. If you enjoy this flick, definitely check out "Razzle Dazzle", another hilarious Aussie dancecom, which also features the lovely Tara Morice ("Fran") but in a role I guarantee you wouldn't recognize her in if I hadn't told you.

Strictly Ballroom (1992)

A campy, glossy, colorful, surprising fairy tale, total romance, lots of dancing, and inventive through and through. No, director Baz Luhmann has not pulled off another Moulin Rouge, which is a whole other order of invention and beauty, but this is his first movie, and it's filled with idealism. And some people to root for and to hiss against--you know, heroes and villains.

It could have been tightened up, no doubt--there are times when I was a little impatient even though they were dancing away. But mostly I was happy to watch and wait for the next step toward the big climax.

The two young leads, interestingly, came from nowhere (the perfectly named Paul Mercurio and the understated Tara Morice both in their first films). They've gone on to largely television careers, and in part you appreciate how much Luhmann gets from them. The highly stylized approach helps avoid a need for real acting, per se, but Mercurio in particular really rises to the occasion. The whole affair is Australian, and it feels bright and original the way some of fellow Aussie Peter Weir's films do, or in another sense, Peter Jackson.

If you can summon up any innocence and romance and go for what really clicks here, be swept up and love it.