Dirty Dancing Available now on Blu-ray
Written by Eleanor Bergstein
Directed by Emile Ardolino
Starring Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Cynthia Rhodes, Jerry Orbach, Kelly Bishop
Vestron Films
Rated PG-13 | 100 minutes
Release date: August 21st, 1987
Fathom Events screenings: January 29th & February 1st, 2017
Frances “Baby” Houseman (Jennifer Grey) thought it would be a regular summer in the Catskills with her family. A daddy’s girl, she and her mom, dad, and sister Lisa (Jerry Orbach, Kelly Bishop, Jane Brucker) went to Kellerman’s resort, that catered to the rich, complete with Ivy-League waiters. Kellerman’s also had the dance people, who gave lessons and entertained the guests. Baby, who wanted to be in the Peace Corps and always believed the best, was floored by the “dirty dancing,” and dazzled by Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze), lead dancer. After an impromptu dance lesson, Baby inadvertently ended up trying to help the other lead dancer Penny (Cynthia Rhodes), who got knocked up by one of the waiters, Robbie (Max Cantor). Stepping into her mambo shoes, Johnny trained Baby to dance, and they fell in love. No summer romance would sizzle unless it was forbidden, and theirs was no different. This was the story of Dirty Dancing, which propelled a cast of virtual unknowns into instant fame.
Next week, Fathom Events will host the 30th anniversary of Dirty Dancing in select theaters all over the country. The love story of Frances “Baby” Houseman and Johnny Castle (Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze) delighted viewers in 1987, becoming a global phenomenon.
If you are bored by the constant stream of sequels and superhero movies, and yearn to see the classics of yesteryear, Fathom Events is there for you. Thanks to the good people at Fathom, 2016 was a great year at the movies for me and my family. I was able to recreate a monumental moment of my childhood, that of my dad taking a 13-year old me to see From Dusk Till Dawn, by taking my 12-year old son Brandon to see the 20th Anniversary showing. We also took in the 20th anniversary of Space Jam, as well as other classics like Planet of the Apes. My wife and I used Fathom Events for date nights, catching several classics throughout the year, like the 40th Anniversary of Taxi Driver and a near Halloween showing of Kubrick’s The Shining.
Deadline is reporting that Kenny Ortega has been tapped by Lionsgate to direct a remake of the 1987 hit, Dirty Dancing.
Ortega actually choreographed all of the dancing seen in the original movie, so it’s somewhat fitting that he return to direct the remake. He went on to direct music–heavy titles like all three High School Musical movies and Michael Jackson’s This Is It, as well as episodes of various TV shows including Chicago Hope, Grounded for Life, Ally McBeal, and Gilmore Girls.
CBS News is reporting that Patrick Swayze, best known for his many works on screens big and small, has succumbed to pancreatic cancer at the age of 57. His family was by his side when he passed on.
Swayze’s illness, much like the late Farrah Fawcett, was highly publicized and many people watched on as the actor made every effort to beat this impossible sickness. When it was first reported that he had the disease, he was only given an unbelievable two weeks to live — this was two years ago; proof positive that he fought tooth and nail with all his heart and soul overcome the odds, even continuing to work on shows like The Beast, which earned him a multitude of critical acclaim.
Patrick Swayze is perhaps best known for his many roles ’80s. He first made an impact with his roles in the gang fighting movie The Outsiders and the pre-World War III drama Red Dawn. His then moved onto movies like Dirty Dancing, Road House, and Ghost, which made the man a huge star in the business. Since then, he was seen in the action favorite Point Break, To Wong Foo Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar, Black Dog, and Donnie Darko.
Students of the Unusual™ comic cover used with permission of 3BoysProductions
The Mercuri Bros.™ comic cover used with permission of Prodigal Son Press