How Does Jennifer Gray Create Tension In Dirty Dance

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In 1987, the risqué film, Dirty Dancing, not only was released to the public, but was also used as a vice to highlight sensuality during a time of civil chaos. This romantic drama was based off a young girl’s (Jennifer Grey) experiences on her family’s summer vacation in the Catskill Mountains of southeastern New York. During her trip she meets a dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) who opens her eyes to a different way of life, while trying to overcome the hierarchical status differences between him and her family. Jennifer Grey’s character, Francis Houseman, also known as “Baby,” was expected to behave a certain way while staying at Kellerman’s Resort considering her father was close to the owner, Max Kellerman. This became a nearly …show more content…

In the opening scene, the director shows slow-motion clips of several couples dancing in the most intimate way, face to face. All the while, the song “Be My Baby” by The Ronettes is playing in the background. Right after the opening credits, the mood is quickly shifted to a more family-friendly scene of Baby driving to the resort with her family in their safe and cookie-cutter station wagon. Thus giving the audience a reality check from the sexual dance floor nirvana and a push towards the innocent act of going with your parents on a vacation. This family scene was shot while listening to “Big Girls Don’t Cry” by The Four Seasons, a pg-rated song. Further into the film, the sex scene every viewer was anticipating finally arrives. Baby goes to visit Johnny in his less than luxurious cabin after the awkward encounter between him and her father takes place after Penny’s abortion scare. The song choice of “Cry to Me” by Solomon Burke sets the mood and is used by the two lovers to say what they’ve wanted to say all along. The lyrics “Nothin’ can be sadder than a glass of wine alone”…. “Loneliness is such a waste of time”… “You don’t ever have to walk alone,” say exactly what the characters are feeling, and it shows once the physicality of their relationship begins moments after. Music was used in this film to add flair to the lustful nature of Baby and Johnny’s …show more content…

Disappointed, by Johnny fleeing from the resort, Baby plans to watch the show from the sideline. That is, until Johnny shows up with the famous quote “Nobody puts baby in the corner.” The duo began the biggest dance number of the movie, leading off by the song “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes. Their performance of the scandalous “cha-cha” style wows the crowd and lures them into joining in. The song and the dance just radiate the theme of being comfortable with your sexuality and not being afraid to express that to your loved

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