THAT'S DANCING
US, 1985, 100 minutes, Colour.
MGM stars.
Directed by Jack Haley Jr.
That's Dancing is a compilation memoir of dance on film. it is a delightful and exhilarating experience. It follows the two anthologies from M.G.M. films - That's Entertainment and That's Entertainment II. The popularity of compilation films grew with similar work being done on westerns and horror films (Terror on the Aisle). Gene Kelly is Executive Producer and acts as one of the hosts of the film. The film was written and directed by Jack Haley Jr., who did the original That's Entertainment. His credit goes over the image of his father, Jack Haley as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz. Haley was married for a brief time to Liza Minnelli, who also makes an appearance as host in this film. Other hosts are Mikhail Baryshnikov, Ray Bolger, Sammy Davis Jr.
The excerpts are entertaining - highlights are Ernst Lubitsch's silent presentation of music, the work of Busby Berkeley, Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, the talented individuals and teams of the '30s. the M.G.M. musicals and the Broadway musicals brought to the screen.
1. Hollywood and its heritage, dance and cinema, a delightful and exhilarating experience?
2. The polish and style of the film: Henry Mancini's opening song and the visual delight of the collage? Kim Carnes singing the final song? The hosts and their style and comments?
3. The collages, the selections from the various films - both visual and sound? Editing and pace?
4. The history of dancing done to the opening songs and rhythms? The silent films and their awkwardness, the peak with the work of Ernst Lubitsch?
5. The film's homage to Busby Berkeley and his ingenuity - seeing him in the trailer, the explanation of his innovative work, the generous selections from his films?
6. The transition to Fred Astaire and graceful movement and camera work? The contribution of Astaire to the development of the cinema musical?
7. Sammy Davis Jr. and his own work, his explanation of the individuals and teams of the '30s and '40s? The contribution of black dancers?
8. M.G.M. and its lavish productions - personalities, singing, dancing, comedy?
9. The explanations of the limits of ballet on screen, the developments of Vera Zorina and George Balanchine, Moira Shearer and The Red Shoes? Nureyev? Baryshnikov himself?
10. The selection of excerpts from Broadway musicals and the cinematic treatment of dance excerpts?
11. The '80s and the exhilaration of disco and Saturday Night Fever, the spontaneity of Fame, the figure of Flashdance - and video clips and their style with Michael Jackson?
12. The common elements of dancing over the decades? The development of camera techniques and editing for dance? Film as the preservation of dance art?
