Comment

Sep 07, 2017ba_library rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
I was ready for a fun or funny film and Strictly Ballroom is both. Saw it when it first came out (released in 1992) directed by Australian director Baz Luhrman (his parents danced in ballroom dancing competitions). It is about ballroom dancing and a big dance competition coming up somewhere in Australia. The main guy is a professional dancer, raised by ballroom dancing parents who run a dance studio. A young woman taking introductory ballroom dancing classes at the family studio wants to dance with the professional son in ballroom competitions. Lots of subdrama stories involved. It plays out rather campy (to me) but I know some people love it and live for it and it must be popular since it has spawned Dancing With the Stars shows around the world. The film does a great job of capturing the glitz and glamour with fancy gowns, lots of sequins, and really bad make-up, but the dancers are very good and the story is interesting and fun. Who are you going to cheer for – the strictly ballroom contingent (everything by the book and by the rules) or the dancers who enjoy breaking the rules by introducing new steps, new excitement? Watch it if you’re ready for fun!