I was never that much of a fan of this early 80s quasi musical - too gritty, too girly, a muffed climax - but it ages surprisingly well. This is due in part to the visuals - every frame is fresh and interesting, there's terrific production design (warehouses, smoke stacks) and clothes (all the sexy outfits Jennifer Beals wears) - but also the endearingly over the top ridiculousness of the concept (welder by day, dancer by night), music, constant cutting to a dog, and Jennifer Beals star performance. She's wonderful, with that million dollar smile and winning personality... it's incredible she didn't become a star (by her own choice, apparently, chosing to study instead).
It's kind of feminist, with Beals being the hero, making decisions and having wish fulfillment, but no movie written by Joe Eszterhas was ever going to win a Gloria Steinem award, so she still falls for her middle aged lecherous boss (Michael Nouri) and snubs his snobby ex (take that, middle aged woman!). Some of the doubling of Beals in the dance sequences is ridiculously bad and did her comic friend have to have such racist anti-Polack material? And was there ever a movie so successful where almost the entire cast remain unknown?
No comments:
Post a Comment