Criticism

Criticism

During the early 1960s, nearly all American dancing and music genres scandalized the old generation, especially those whose tame tactics liberated their sexuality. As the explicitly of dance and music becomes more evident, mothers and fathers from the East coast to West coast increasingly feel alienated. Others are even concerned that such music is leading the young generation (including their children) to hell (Rheindorf 139).

            Indeed, the generational gap has introduced a Hollywood genre. Although the subject of Dirty Dancing is music, its subtext is sex and romance. As the reel nears its end, there is a reconciliation of fathers and daughters as the old generations end up twisting or rocking and rolling the night away. In this way, they show the young people that even though their joints creak, they are as lively as ever.

            The Dirty Dancing is an interestingly bitter-sweet genre film set at Mountain House Kellerman resort hotel in the year 1963. The Vietnam War was still in its infancy and JF Kennedy served as the US president. The young population was socially conscious, hence joined Peace Corps and participated in freedom marches in the Southern States. 

            The scene is about Frances Houseman also known as Baby. She is a teenager from a wealthy family but finds her identity as an adult in her first romantic affair with Jonny Castle. He is a dance Kellerman Resort’s dance instructor. It is worth noting that Baby hails from a conventionally liberal Jewish background. Therefore, it is clear from the conversation with her father that Johnny, a non-Jewish young man, symbolizes her longing for freedom as expressed in the latest but socially-unacceptable dance form. Dirty dancing involves pelvic thrusts and steamy body contacts between males and females, hence cannot be approved by deeply religious families such as that of Baby (Dunagan and Fenton 135). A release of emotions is evident as well.

            Eleanor Bergstein (the film director) applied an infirm and creak formula to create a lively pop-film romance as evidenced by Baby’s emotions as she talks with her father. There can be varying responses to Dirty dancing, depending on the viewer’s generation and personal experience. Yet, it is undeniable that the film bears a decency of feeling partly due to the movie’s optimistic genre obligations.

            Baby’s as conceived by Miss Bergstein is not only bright but also inquisitive young lady rather than a bubble-brained female teen. It confirms that Miss Bergstein’s expertise in introducing new characters without reimagining formula plots. Finally, Baby liberates herself when she defiantly falls in love with Johnny Castle, a womanizer. However, controversial circumstances surround her new romantic relationship. For example, it occurred when she substituted Penny (her pregnant but close friend) in a mambo demonstration in a different setting. Initially in the plot, Baby borrowed money from her conventionally liberal father to finance Penny’s abortion.

            On the other hand, Mr. Swayze has a limited role in Dirty Dancing. He is handsome but poor, thus is abused by wealthy old women at Mountain House (Berry and Errigo 28). Interestingly, he admits that people treat him like he is non-existent because he is nothing indeed. Nevertheless, his dance skills are unmatched.

Furthermore, the director incorporates period music to amplify the actor’s emotions. Kennedy Ortega choreographed the dirty dancing. However, critics argue that his style is contemporary. Nonetheless, the unique pulse and drive inject a real excitement to the movie. While Dirty Dancing takes place in the year 1963, one year after twist lost its top spot as trending style, there is a little signal to betray this genre. In fact, Baby wears mid-80’s clothing, making it hard for the audience to correctly classify the time period of film’s release.

            Understandably, the anachronisms are not necessarily critical, although Miss Bergstein focused on the movie’s period. The script writer wants her audience to see the film as symbolizing the end of America’s liberalism. During the late 1960s, the Assassination of JFK and anti-Vietnam War sentiments radicalized US citizens. She loads this film section with more it can bear than is possible with the entire movie (Fuxa 8).

            Dirty Dancing is one of the best romantic movies of all times because it is unpretentious and direct. There is a sweet simplicity sense that eludes John Huges. On the other hand, Mr. Ardolino (an expert in TV dance films and theater) does not complicate the plot with sentimental extraneous information nor colorful details on five-star hotels. In this way, the director does not divert the audience’s attention from the main message and theme. Besides, he rates it PG-13 since it has erotic dance scenes and vulgar language unsuitable for viewers under the age of 13 years. 

            In summary, Baby’s father let her down given that he instilled values that distorted the girl’s world view. According to his father, the lower echelon must be reviled while the upper echelon ought to be revered. In the end, her daughter discovers that Johnny is not only her soul mate but also has a good personality, only that he was poor (Tzioumakis 15). Therefore, she intends to defend her love for him, even from her father. As she matures, she realizes that poverty or richness does not matter when a person genuinely falls in love. Armed with this knowledge, Baby is ready to part ways with her father’s ideology and is unafraid to break the Jewish norms. Her love for Jonny gives Baby courage to rebuke her father using strong emotional words.

Works Cited

Berry, Jo, and Angie Errigo. Chick Flicks: Movies Women Love. Boston: Author House, 2014: 26-29. Print.

Dunagan, Colleen, and Roxanne Fenton. "Dirty Dancing: Dance, Class, and Race in the Pursuit of Womanhood." The Oxford Handbook of Dance and the Popular Screen (2014): 135.

Fuxa, Robin. "What Dirty Dancing taught me about Media Literacy Education." Journal of Media Literacy Education 4.2 (2013): 8.

Rheindorf, Markus. "The Multiple Modes of Dirty Dancing." Perspectives on Multimodality (2014): 137-152. Print.

Tzioumakis, Yannis. The Time of Our Lives: Dirty Dancing and Popular Culture. New York: Wayne State University Press, 2013: 1-17.Print.