Flashdance (2013)

Of the top five or so movies that have had the greatest impression on me, no movie had the personal impact as did "Flashdance." I was going through, what I like to call, a "character building" period in my life after having moved to California a little less than a year before this movie came out. Long story short: no job, no car, no money when a friend of mine called and said he wanted me to go see "Flashdance," with himhis treat. After a little coercing, I gave in.

Yes, the movie has a typical or predictable plot, but I would not call it weak because of the actors and the memorable characters they created. The viewer is bonded to the characters in this movieone cares what happens to them. The cinematography in this movie is great, especially the opening credit scenes of Pittsburgh as Alex is riding her bike to work. No, this movie doesn't have "5-star" acting... I think that would have ruined this whole movie. It has, what I would call, "real-life" acting: not that polished and maybe stumbles a bit here and there. It gives this movie its strength, not a weakness.

Not only are the musical scenes great, the background musical interludes chosen also help set the feeling in many of the scenes... "Lady, Lady, Lady," sung by Joe Esposito playing during a tender romantic scene between Alex and her boss, andmy favorite"I'll Be Here Where The Heart Is," sung by Kim Carnes played during one of Alex's low-points in the film.

The highlight of the film is its finale when Alex is auditioning in front of the Pittsburgh Dance and Conservatory Company's selection committee. I would call it one of the greatest movie moments of all time. I stepped out of the theatre feeling I was walking three feet above the ground back to the car. I have never left another movie sensing that level of enthusiasm, exhilaration, and energy. I made myself a promise at that moment that things would get better... and they did too... in ways I never could have imagined at the time. Thank you, Jennifer Beals, for the motivation and inspiration you gave me at that time in my life!

This was one of the most influential movies of the '80's. The DVD picture is clearer and the sound incredible compared to my ol' VHS tape. GREAT movie! If you haven't seen it, buy it and see what positive effect it has on you!

You just keep waiting for that Oscar-winning title song to come around again; it's gotta be the most joyful, uplifting, foot-stompin', head and hip swinging tune ever written for a movie. Jennifer Beals works as a welder by day, but does sexy dancing in a club at night, practicing constantly for a chance to audition for the formal dance school, tho she'd never had formal training and feels inferior to the others in the audition lines.

As reality, it won't float. But as an energetic and boisterous vehicle for a sweet story and some of the best music and dancing ever seen on screen, it's a five-star winner.

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This movie has some good music and dancing, in a sappy plot. But the music and dancing are not integral to the plot development; they do not carry the film in the way dancing carries "Dirty Dancing" or "The Turning Point" (both of which have better dancing, by the way.)

But it's one of my favorite movies. Why? The director, Adrian Lyne, got his experience directing TV commercials, where the entire message has to be conveyed in 60 seconds, and in Flashdance every moment is contributing something. The key is the cinematography. Leonard Maltin calls Lyne a "visual stylist", and he is, but he's more. He takes Roman Polanski's cinematographic innovations and pushes them to new limits; the camera tells the story.

When you watch "Flashdance", watch how light and camera angle are used. Light: Pittsburgh light, hazy, smoky, dull, reflecting off puddles, blazing from lamps, dim, bright, strobe, whatever; lighting carries the mood of each scene. As for camera angle, in most movies we are observers, outside the movie, watching the actors. In some of "Flashdance" that is also true, but then in many places the camera angle shifts so we are inside the movie, seeing what one of the actors, or several of the actors, see at that moment. It just pulls you in. If you're not familiar with the film, the first time you watch it wait for the final "audition" scene, and watch how the camera is first an observer, before the dancer enters the audition room, then sees from the dancer's view as the audition begins, and then shifts to show us what the judges see, as the dancing becomes compelling. I don't know about you, but this grabs me and pulls me in; I could watch that scene five times running. And there are many other scenes in which camera angle is used similarly but not quite as obviously. I give this movie four stars; I would give it five if the music and dancing were as well integrated with the plot as in some other movies.

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Although I've long known, generally speaking, what this movie is about, I never saw it when it came out in 1983, because I was too busy "living my life" in the 80's during my preteens. But I just saw it recently, in its entirety, and thought it was pretty decent.

I don't know, maybe it's the current sorry state of affairs of the world today that made me want to watch this film, just so I could revisit the "Happy Days(?)" of the eighties, when, although the world was also in a sorry state of affairs, at least there was an underlying pretense of hope and glory, a pervasive (albeit childlike) adherence to the belief that wishes DO sometimes come true, miracles CAN happen, and for every ugly frog there IS a beautiful princess waiting to kiss him...

Many viewers commented that this film is very dated, but not necessarily bad. It was looked upon as a bit of fluff that was very successful in the box office. So now, it would come across as nostalgic (in the same vein as "Dirty Dancing"). But the thing I do like about it, is just that. Adrian Lyne perfectly captured the time, a post disco era when Break-dancing and Synth Pop were all the rage Who could forget the FANTASTIC theme song, sung by Irene Cara (Fame) and composed by Synth Pop genius Giorgio Moroder ("I feel love" Donna Summer among many others).

So what if Jennifer Beals wasn't a great actress? So what if it wasn't her dancing? (Think one of them was a break dancer from "The Rock Steady Crew" see? All about the era!) she was just a pretty woman who done a harmless bit at the time. If you love movies and music(especially from the 80's), then this is for you. This movie deserves a bit more credit (in my opinion), as it is a movie that can easily be enjoyed.

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Simply the best movie of our generation! When was the last time a movie inspired you to not only realize your dream, but tap your feet until you do so?

Did "Gladiator", "Saving Private Ryan", or "Castaway" motivate you enough to at least THINK of what it takes to realize a dream?

No? Then "Flashdance" should do the trick. If not, then you must lead a pretty fulfilled life!

"Flashdance" may at first look like a softcore porn set to music, but look--listen--deeper; you might find a little inspiration, if not through the movie itself then definetly through its music.

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