Ballroom - Gara di ballo

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.

The first time I saw Strictly Ballroom I tuned in accidentally to the grand climax while flipping through my cable channels: I was transfixed, and when the ten minutes was over I felt emotionally spent and stimulated at the same time, as if some door had been opened in my psyche. I knew I had to find the movie and watch it in its entirety. Now, fifteen viewings, a VHS tape, audio tape, and music CD of SB later, I happened upon it again tonight (interspliced with Sister Act by Emile Ardolino...), and I again watched the grand climax, with a bit of lead-in, with my wife and young sons. It was just as emotional and powerful as the first time, and I cried yet again. This is a very very special film. Baz Luhrman takes risks that most directors would not dare to, and his movies work because he gets to the heart of the matter, gets to the truth. In this case, the truth is "To thine own self be true", a familiar message told in a fresh and wonderful way. Bravo.

Yes, yes, I agree with all of the wonderful comments below, but here are a few things nobody has mentioned:

1. The EDITING is superb. All too often we focus on the actors, music, or cinematography. This is natural, and in this film all of these are superb. But keep a close watch of the editing - wow, it is perfect and ties the whole film together flawlessly. There are so many cuts that make the perspective magical.(And no, I am not a film editor.)

2. Look at WHO is dancing together as couples, right at the end. This, like so many other fine details, carries lots of significance.

3. When Scott and Fran are practising on the deck at her house, under the instruction of her family, her Spanish father dances with her and says "Muy bien, muy bien, Fran. Very good!" Notice that he uses her Anglo name "Fran" rather than her Spanish name, and converts over to English. The look he gives her tells us that he is probably seeing his (deceased) wife, via his daughter whom he loves, and that he finally ACCEPTS her and her Anglo boyfriend. This is but one of many small scenes that have more depth than may be first apparent.

My wife and I grabbed this video to 'fill in time' during a quiet weekend. We were astounded at how it captivated us since we had already seen it when it first came out. Like other comments below, we have watched the end repeatedly, and it always 'revs us up' into the clouds. Bravo!

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.

Waltz, Rumba, Samba, Tango, Cha Cha, Step Salsa... Never seen a movie with that much rich choreography before. That's Baz Luhrmann, who is an expert at swinging a visual feast; and Strictly Ballroom is his red curtain trio opening(together with Romeo+Juliet and Moulin Rouge!).

With his own style of cinematography and overdrive speed of camera work, it's impossible to watch a 94 minutes film in exact 94 minutes. Otherwise you'd be falling into anxiety saying to yourself: "Ooops! Did i just miss a scene?" I still rewind on many scenes each time I watch Strictly Ballroom and Moulin Rouge!

Here are some unforgettable and timelessly cult scenes and moments I most like:

1- Scott&Francesca dancing in front of the Coca Cola broad sheet at the roof 2- Scott&Francesca dancing with Doris Day's "Perhaps,Perhaps, Perhaps(1954 version)" behind the red curtain 3- Francesca and Scott's meeting scene and the way she introducing herself to Scott 4- Scott practicing his style of dance and watching himself by the mirror 5- Scott's father starting clapping in unison when Scott&Francesca turned back to the stage where they are banned 6- Francesca persuading Scott upon the choices they look forward to make beside the wire fences they walk through in the night

Strictly Ballroom is one of the best choices to watch and enjoy it with your beloved. It will keep you locked in a close embrace. It is also the best choice to start learning couples' dancing.

But, if you're looking for some silver screen accomplishment, which I mostly do for every movie I watched, there is only the noteworthy achievement of costume design. Directing-editing-screenplay are collaboratively proper since it is Baz Luhrmann's own project. I only disliked the sound editing.