BODY ROCK

US, 1984, 93 minutes, Colour.
Lorenzo Lamas, Vicki Frederick, Ray Sharkey, Grace Zabriskie.
Directed by Marcelo Epstein.

Body Rock is a musical typical of 1984. With the popularity of break dancing and music, there were several films: Breakdance, Beat Street, Electric Boogaloo (Breakdance 2). This is one of the livelier examples and relies on the influence of such films as Fame and Flashdance.

Hero is played by Lorenzo Lamas (who appeared in Grease, Falcon Crest). He is something of a look-alike John Travolta with the same presence, strut and dancing (not as adept as Travolta). The film is full of lively dancing, much of it very elaborately staged. The plot is almost cliche, the talented group, the rise to the top, exploitation and disillusionment,. confrontation and happy ending.

Ray Sharkey, from The Idolmaker and Willie and Phil, plays a go-getting manager.

1. Entertainment value? Impact as a 1984 musical? The tradition of the American musical, break style?

2. Location photography, the atmosphere of the city? Poverty? The use of paint, graffiti? The elaborate technical staging of the music? The editing and pace? The special effects, especially colour and lighting?

3. The American musical and the influence of such films as Fame? The popularity of breakdancing and its music? The skills of the dancers, the mime, the body movement? Put in elaborate shows? The nightclub atmosphere, influence of nightclub acts with their presentation of men and women, the battle of the sexes, offbeat sexuality? The influence of video and video clips? How well presented?

4. The contribution of the score and its beat? The range of songs and their popularity? The lyrics and their being used as background for the plot?

5. The plausibility of the plot? The old American dream plot? The poor boy and the group, the lack of success, possibilities, push, the conman, the exploitation, the betrayal, the rise to the top and being spoilt, disillusionment, misunderstanding, the reconciliation, the happy ending? An '80s version of the American dream? How attractive, believable?

6. Lorenzo Lamas' presence, style, singing, dancing? An attractive romantic lead? His relationship with his mother? Friends? With his sister? The naivety? The conman? The friendships, the interviews for the job? His going to Terence and his spiel, exploiting the situation? Not wanting to opt out on his friends? Their persuading him to go and draw them in later? The interviews? The success? The relationship with Donald and Clare? His success in performance, the elaborate staging? Taking him to the gay club and his reaction to Donald's kiss? His being locked out, the recording session cancelled? His breaking with his friends? Wealth, the apartment, Clare? his sister seeing him? His confrontation of Terence? His wandering the streets, ousted? His clash with his girlfriend in the hospital? His decision to return to the club, his self assertion, taking over, the reconciliation, confrontation of Donald, of Clare and edging her off the stage? Making Terence turn on the music? The happy ending?

7. The group, the range of backgrounds, racial backgrounds, the melting pot of the American city? The collaboration in painting, in dance and music? The skill of the breakdancers? E-Z's reaction, final reconciliation? The talent of Magick? the young boy, the sequence of his skills on stage, with the basketball, the finale? His teaching Chilly breakdancing moves? Their final triumph?

8. The personalities of Donald - wealth, the gay club, power, putting up the money, his hold on Terence? Terence and his impersonal attitude, a conman, relationship with Chilly, helping him, shutting him out, the final confrontation?

9. The atmosphere of the streets? The atmosphere of the clubs? Show business?

10. Conventional American show business themes with 1980s verve?