On November 4, 2010, it was reported that Dirty Dancing was voted the best feelgood movie in a new poll done by Lovefilm, a movie rental company in the United Kingdom. A movie made in 1986 on a shoestring budget of about five million dollars, and filmed at two different film locations (substituting for the New York Catskills) under sometimes harrowing conditions still remains so popular after over twenty years.
The movie has even taken on many different forms--a musical concert tour in 1988 (ninety cities in ninety days), a short-lived television show in 1988, a music concert tour in the United Kingdom in 2007, and a two season United Kingdom reality television show (filmed at Mountain Lake Hotel in Virginia in 2007 and 2008). Probably most striking is that the stage play opened in Sydney in 2004 and since then has continued to be a smash-hit all over the world.
The two main film locations, Mountain Lake Hotel in Pembroke, Virginia and Lake Lure Inn in Lake Lure, North Carolina are still visited by scores of people. A third film location, Rumbling Bald Resort in North Carolina hosts many visitors who enjoy walking on the golf course to see Hole 16 where the golf scene in Dirty Dancing was filmed. Dirty Dancing weekends are held throughout the year at Mountain Lake Hotel. In September 2010, the first annual Dirty Dancing Festival took place in Lake Lure.
Let's not forgot about the music continuing on. Fergie and The Black Eyed Peas have a recent new single out, "The Time (The Dirty Bit)" which uses part of the chorus of the Dirty Dancing song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" (written by Frank Previte, Donald Markowitz, and John DeNicola). Furthermore, Franke Previte has made the demos of the song (along with "Hungry Eyes"--also written by Franke Previte and John DeNicola and two other songs) available for digital purchase and most of the proceeds will go to the Patrick Swayze Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund at Stanford Cancer Center. Patrick Swayze's song, "She's Like The Wind" (written by Patrick Swayze and Stacy Widelitz) has been covered by Lumidee, John Wayne, David Hasselhoff, and Pet Shop Boys' mashup song and video is on You Tube. It is reported that the Glee cast has also recorded "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" and will perform it on their next episode--November 30, 2010.
I would be totally remiss if I did not mention the show, Dancing with the Stars (had about 24 million viewers per episode) that had so many huge ties to Dirty Dancing. For example, everyone knows that winner, Jennifer Grey and professional partner Derek Hough danced to these two songs from the movie--"These Arms of Mine" and "Do You Love Me?", and that Jennifer carried the watermelon once again. There had been endless discussion whether the finale "lift" dance from Dirty Dancing would be performed by the couple on the last show--which personally I am glad that it was not--as I see no way anyone could beat that classic done by Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze.
Continuing on culturally-wise, the "I carried a watermelon" line is referenced in The Devil Wears Prada. Also, there is a rumor on the internet that Kate Middleton's sister is planning a Dirty Dancing themed hen party at their family home.
What is it about Dirty Dancing that makes it a favorite film to so many people and its influence so pervasive? Based on my personal experience viewing the movie and speaking to others who love the movie and a review of the literature, I think that it comes down to the genuineness of the movie and that it is a solid love story. Of course, it helps that the two main actors and the supporting actors are fantastic and there is incredible dancing and music. It is obvious from listening to interviews done by the people who made Dirty Dancing that this extremely talented group of writers, choreographers and actors worked together in a great collaboration and put their own hearts and souls into the movie.
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