Neither listed anything from the Big Lebowski (which has some fantastic dance/dream scenes) or the ending of Zatoichi, which shows some sort of failure somewhere. posted by Ghidorah at 9:27 PM on March 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
They quite properly featured Fred Astaire in there, and I suppose that Ginger Rogers comes with him. But Fred Astaire could dance with a hat rack and make it look good. In fact, he did in one of his movies. I'm a bit surprised they didn't include that one. posted by Chocolate Pickle at 9:30 PM on March 4, 2010 [3 favorites]
But, chocolate pickle, remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, just backwards, and in high heels. posted by Ghidorah at 9:38 PM on March 4, 2010 [6 favorites]
The absence of even one Bollywood scene makes me question how thoroughly researched these two lists are. (No, Slumdog doesn't count).
Nonetheless, I'm really looking forward to watching these and busting out some goofily executed dance quotes at the next wedding I'm invited to.
And I'm really looking forward to someone more knowledgable posting some Bollywood clips that should've made the list. posted by surenoproblem at 9:42 PM on March 4, 2010 [5 favorites]
Ditto, C. Pickle.
Also, "Make'm Laugh" by the Great Donald O'Connor in "Singing in the Rain" - awesomely funny, gorgeous dance. Not romantic & smooth, but bouncey & wonderful. posted by IAmBroom at 9:43 PM on March 4, 2010
But, chocolate pickle, remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, just backwards, and in high heels.
No, Ghidorah, no - she didn't.
And I'm getting tired of hearing that tripe. Only Gene Kelly could equal Mr. Astaire in sheer talent, and probably surpassed him - better singer, possibly a better actor, and a fine director as well.
Besides, Cyd Charisse was a better dancer than Ginger. Maybe Leslie Caron, as well.
Ginger was graceful and peppy, but that was really most of her range. Raunchy, sexy, powerful? Not in her repertoire.
She accompanied Astaire well, but she never really shone on her own. Other female dancers of the time did, so there's no reason to blame "the man" for holding her back. posted by IAmBroom at 9:58 PM on March 4, 2010 [4 favorites]
But, chocolate pickle, remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, just backwards, and in high heels.
The only reason it seemed like that was that Astaire was limiting himself to what she could keep up with.
Notice that when they stopped performing together, Astaire kept dancing and continued to be a headliner. Rogers faded out and vanished from sight. posted by Chocolate Pickle at 10:10 PM on March 4, 2010
I'm oddly soft on the Bollywood sequence in Clerks 2. It makes me sniffly.
You can't have meta and dance and not include anything having to do with "All that Jazz". Here's the emotional heart of the movie, a simple dance by two women that love the protaganist. And as contrast, here's the epic fantastic end featuring a singing, dancing Roy Scheider, Ben Vereen and two women dancing with their skin inside out. posted by now i'm piste at 10:57 PM on March 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
Joe Beese I came to say the same thing but with different music .
We're forgetting Surviving Desire. Also, does anybody else think that skinny kid from Road Trip looks like Mark E. Smith if he'd ever eaten a vegetable and knew how to smile? No? Okay. posted by Football Bat at 11:38 PM on March 4, 2010
carsonb -- killer. I hadn't seen that before. invitapriore, thanks for posting that because it all sets up nicely for this story. I had just finished watching the dance scene from Godard's Bande a part (see my and invitapriore's posts above) and became convinced that given all the cool it oozed that Tarantino must have been influenced by it when doing that dance scene in Pulp Fiction. I mentioned this to a buddy who then revealed that Tarantino's production company is "A Band Apart" taken from that Godard film. My morning drunk had its mind blown. posted by bfootdav at 11:58 PM on March 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
uh, I stand corrected. Wasn't really aware what I said was tripe, but I'll take your word for it. posted by Ghidorah at 12:05 AM on March 5, 2010
Its too bad that second list only has films from the past decade or so, as it misses out on two great random dance scenes from Hal Hartley: Surviving Desire and Simple Men. posted by googly at 12:06 AM on March 5, 2010
Whatever happened to Hal Hartley? I used to love his films - those two and Amateur, in particular. posted by crossoverman at 12:39 AM on March 5, 2010
This particular, admittedly under-powered, linux box with firefox, segmentation faults on that first link. Listing the individual youtube links might be a more inclusionary way to go. posted by StickyCarpet at 12:45 AM on March 5, 2010
And since I have no way of knowing what those 35 links are for now, here's the barn dance, just in case. posted by StickyCarpet at 1:12 AM on March 5, 2010
I was shocked to not see the Nicholas brothers in the list. posted by BrotherCaine at 1:22 AM on March 5, 2010
Again, I'm working blind here, but if this isn't in there maybe it should be. (Julie Andrews in the opening sequence of her then-husband Blake Edwards' S.O.B) posted by StickyCarpet at 1:28 AM on March 5, 2010
StickyCarpet— the 35 from the first link are
1. 42nd Street (1933)
2. Top Hat (1935)
3. The Little Colonel (1935)
4. Swing Time (1936)
5. The Red Shoes (1948)
6. Singing in the Rain (1952)
7. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
8. It’s Always Fair Weather (1955)
9., 10., & 11. West Side Story (1961)
12. Mary Poppins (1964)
13. The Sound of Music (1965)
14. The Turning Point (1977)
15. Saturday Night Fever (1977)
16. Grease (1978)
17. Fame (1980)
18. Annie (1982)
19. Flashdance (1983)
20. Footloose (1984)
21. White Nights (1985)
22. A Chorus Line (1985)
23. Girls Just Want To Have Fun (1985)
24. Dirty Dancing (1987)
25. Strictly Ballroom (1992)
26. Pulp Fiction (1994)
27. Showgirls (1995)
28. Center Stage (2000)
29. Moulin Rouge (2001)
30. Chicago (2002)
31. Billy Elliot (2000)
32. Save the Last Dance (2001)
33. You Got Served (2004)
34. Stomp the Yard (2007)
35. Slumdog Millionaire (2008) posted by hattifattener at 1:32 AM on March 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
Thank you, hattifattener, you're so kind. posted by StickyCarpet at 1:47 AM on March 5, 2010
My love for classic movies was sealed when, sick with flu and miserably channel-surfing, I came across a movie that featured Gene Kelly in boxer shorts dancing on cots (in barracks? no time to Google this up now). Boxer shorts! Gene Kelly! So graceful, athletic, sexy, and smile-inducing. Not a flu cure, but really made me feel better.
I'm bookmarking these for future dance-sequence-spirit-lifting use. Thanks! posted by quietalittlewild at 3:44 AM on March 5, 2010
I'd never gotten around to seeing Singin' in the Rain until just this month!
The reason I think is that, if you haven't seen it, it seems like its probably a dull movie with one interesting song and dance sequence. At least thats how its promoted.
But, wow, now I am one of the enlightened. The entire movie is great and, in fact, the rain dance sequence is probably only my 3rd or 4th favorite part of that movie.
Gene Kelly's energy and power and smoothness is something to behold. And then there's Cyd Charisse posted by vacapinta at 4:44 AM on March 5, 2010
Stupid list. How can you have 35 dances and leave off June is Bustin' Out All Over from Carousel (an otherwise strange movie).
Bah. And they are missing the greatest all time. Natasha and Andre at Natasha's debut in Bondarchuk's War and Peace.
Well the greatest I ever saw. Obviously I never saw every movie ever made. posted by bukvich at 5:04 AM on March 5, 2010
I read that as "The 35 Best Death Sequences on Film" and was going to click on it...
But dance? If it isn't Fred Astaire... posted by Drasher at 5:27 AM on March 5, 2010
I'm guessing the absence of Ann Miller is due to lack of available video of "I Gotta Hear That Beat" from Small Town Girl. Because, wow. Although a number of scenes from either Kiss Me Kate or On The Town (with or without her) would have fit right in. "Shakin' the Blues Away" would have worked too. posted by Dojie at 5:33 AM on March 5, 2010
vacapinta, I'm so glad you've discovered the all-the-way-through wonderfulness that is Singin' In The Rain.
I think there are at least two dance sequences in that movie better than the title song: Kelly and O'Connor in Moses Supposes His Toeses are Roses, and the same two guys in Fit as a Fiddle. O'Connor doesn't get the props he should for Make 'Em Laugh, either. posted by not that girl at 8:05 AM on March 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
Mostly agree with the first list. Indeed, I was pleasantly surprised to find "Step in Time" from Mary Poppins included, which was one of the first that came to my mind, but wasn't sure they'd remember it.
I feel like the Blues Brothers should be represented here. Maybe the scene in Reverend Cleophus James' church leading up to "Yes! Yes! Jesus-H-Tap-Dancing-Christ, I have seen the light!" or even better, everything going on in the Ray Charles Twist It piece. posted by quin at 8:36 AM on March 5, 2010
I thought of the Blues Brothers right after I posted, quin - I agree. Now I want to want to watch the Blues Brothers. Enough years have passed, it's a once every five years movie. posted by rainbaby at 8:44 AM on March 5, 2010
Nicholas Brothers and Glenn Miller, "I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo." Ho-leee shiiiit. Fayard Nicholas dances up a wall and does a backflip. In tux and tails. They make me cry, they're so graceful. (And I can't keep track of how many of their moves would leave me maimed or killed.) Maybe both lists should just be Nicholas Brothers routines (since "Stormy Weather" is two random dudes from the audience who jump up and dance). posted by kirkaracha at 8:48 AM on March 5, 2010
No idea whether this is even on youtube (I can't check at work) but the Tango sequence from Shanghai, Shanghai, starring Yuen Biao and Anita Mui is lovely - it's a tango that segues seamlessly into a fight, and then back. posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 9:05 AM on March 5, 2010
I think there are at least two dance sequences in that movie better than the title song: Kelly and O'Connor in Moses Supposes His Toeses are Roses, and the same two guys in Fit as a Fiddle. O'Connor doesn't get the props he should for Make 'Em Laugh, either.
I love the title song sequence because it has a simple, joyous quality that is pure and lovely. It never fails to make me happy. But I completely agree that the Kelly/O'Connor sequences and Make 'Em Laugh are just fantastic. What a movie. posted by Mavri at 9:13 AM on March 5, 2010
You really can't take seriously a dance list that lacks Cyd Charisse. posted by Omon Ra at 9:15 AM on March 5, 2010
Regular dancing is out, dancing on bmx bikes is the new frontier. posted by asterisk at 9:20 AM on March 5, 2010
Most of the links on the Non-Dancing films are pulled. :( posted by Ber at 10:13 AM on March 5, 2010
Also, Bob Fosse. posted by spec80 at 11:03 AM on March 5, 2010
Singin' In the Rain, is, in my opinion, the greatest movie ever made! Citizen Kane, pfffft. Singin' in the Rain has everything: dancing, humor, a love story, cool period costumes and cars. And Jean Hagen is so funny in that movie I laugh before she even opens her mouth. posted by interplanetjanet at 12:35 PM on March 5, 2010
hey, 25 is a small number...but the list is good! thanks to the rest of you for fleshing it out! posted by HuronBob at 6:57 PM on March 5, 2010
the Tango sequence from Shanghai, Shanghai, starring Yuen Biao and Anita Mui is lovely
Ooh, ohh -- the Never On Sunday scene from Dance of a Dream with Anita Mui, Andy Lau and Sandra Ng. Not because the dancing is any great shakes, but because I don't recall seeing anyone having so much fun in a movie, ever. posted by PeterMcDermott at 4:44 AM on March 6, 2010
Ginger Rogers was a genius. We watched Top Hat the other night. So effortless and casual. Fred Astaire was a genius virtuoso, but she made him look good, even more than good. That requires a special form of concentrated artistry, the supporting role. She was a genius at that. posted by ovvl at 6:37 PM on March 7, 2010
And, to be clear, ovvl, I'm certainly not trying to take anything away from Ginger, a truly world-class dancer. But - she's no Fred Astaire. He's a rara avis. posted by IAmBroom at 9:48 PM on March 7, 2010
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