"Strictly Ballroom" DVD
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 recently watched this movie at home on DVD, I got some very big laughs out of it and generally had the time of my life. The story is about a talented young dancer who seems destined to win the big Pan-Pacific ballroom championship but runs into trouble when he breaks the strict rules imposed by the Australian Dance Federation. But the plot here is secondary to the film's high-energy music, dance, and romance as celebrated by Luhrmann's vivid visual style. The DVD contains a good audio commentary by Luhrmann, his production designer wife Catherine Martin, and choreographer John O'Connell. There's also a fascinating documentary about Australian competitive ballroom dancing circa 1986, an Easter egg showing a deleted scene, and some other interesting bonus materials.