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Reviewed by Ivana Redwine
Tagline: "There's something in the air. It might be love -- but it isn't." Length: 94 minutes Co-written and directed by Baz Luhrmann, "Strictly Ballroom" (1992) is an exuberant Australian comedy set in the world of competitive ballroom dancing. When I watched this movie at home on DVD, I got some very big laughs out of it and generally had the time of my life. Also, the DVD comes with some nice bonus materials that further enhanced my enjoyment of this highly entertaining film. The plot in "Strictly Ballroom" is a quirky amalgamation of stories from other movies you've probably seen, but Luhrmann manages to make this part of the fun. Scott Hastings (Paul Mercurio) is a talented young dancer who seems destined to win the big Pan-Pacific ballroom championship, but he yearns to break free of the strict rules imposed on the competitions by the Australian Dance Federation (ADF). When Scott introduces some original steps of his own during a preliminary competition, his partner deserts him, and he has little choice except to team up with a plain-looking beginning dancer named Fran (Tara Morice). As Scott and Fran prepare for the Pan-Pacific, Fran's Spanish father and grandmother teach Scott the "pasa doble," and Scott and Fran start to fall in love. Meanwhile, the head of the ADF engages in some shady dealings in an attempt to cling to power, and some surprising revelations about Scott's father emerge to transform Scott's performance at the big final competition. If at this point you're thinking that "Strictly Ballroom" is an ordinary dance musical, think again. While "Strictly Ballroom" is about as entertaining as a film can be, it's definitely a smart movie with an art house sensibility. What I love about "Strictly Ballroom" is what I love about Luhrmann as a filmmaker: his vivid visual style, his quirky humor, his high-energy exuberance, his wild romanticism, his mythic simplicity, and his way of tweaking clichés into fresh new ideas. I really enjoyed the audio commentary track by Luhrmann, production designer and co-costume designer Catherine Martin (Mrs. Baz Luhrmann), and choreographer John "Cha Cha" O'Connell. I found it interesting that Luhrmann was himself a ballroom dancer and his mother taught ballroom dancing. I also found it worth knowing that "Strictly Ballroom" originated as a stage play, and that Luhrmann intended the story to be a metaphor for resisting oppression. When I first saw "Strictly Ballroom," I thought that Luhrmann's depiction of the world of competitive ballroom dancing must be over the top. But after watching the documentary "Samba to Slow Fox" on the DVD, I see that if anything Luhrmann toned it down a little! This documentary takes a look at Australian competitive ballroom dancing circa 1986. I found an Easter egg on the DVD, and here's how you can find it too: Navigate to the Sneak Peeks menu. The selection Miramax Movies to Remember should be highlighted. Press the up arrow button. Some stylized stars will appear to the right of the word "Sneak." Press the Enter button, and you will see what is apparently a deleted scene. So far I'm not aware of any other Easter eggs on the DVD. There are a few other special features on the DVD, and I've listed them below. I particularly recommend watching Yesterday's Hero, which shows the Baz Luhrmann of yesteryear. Selected Special Features on the DVD:
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