Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Mikhail Baryshnikov | ... | Self - Host | |
Ray Bolger | ... | Self - Host | |
Sammy Davis Jr. | ... | Self - Host | |
Gene Kelly | ... | Self - Host | |
Liza Minnelli | ... | Self - Host | |
Tucker Smith | ... | 'West Side Story' dancer | |
Tony Mordente | ... | 'West Side Story' dancer | |
David Winters | ... | 'West Side Story' dancer | |
Eliot Feld | ... | 'West Side Story' dancer | |
Bert Michaels | ... | 'West Side Story' dancer | |
![]() |
David Bean | ... | 'West Side Story' dancer |
Robert Banas | ... | 'West Side Story ' dancer | |
Anthony 'Scooter' Teague | ... | 'West Side Story' dancer (as Scooter Teague) | |
Harvey Evans | ... | 'West Side Story' dancer (as Harvey Hohnecker) | |
![]() |
Tommy Abbott | ... | 'West Side Story' dancer |
A documentary film about dancing on the screen, from it's orgins after the invention of the movie camera, over the movie musical from the late 20s, 30s, 40s 50s and 60s up to the break dance and the music videos from the 80s. Written by Stephan Eichenberg <eichenbe@fak-cbg.tu-muenchen.de>
I can't add a whole lot of critical commentary to what's already written here, so let me say why I enjoyed this film. Would have gotten 10 stars if there hadn't been a lot of stupid narration. After you hear Liza Minelli's monologue, you'll know how she got her career; born to the right people.
Anyhoo . . . FANTASTIC dancing, and great clips, even if as others have said they are not necessarily the best of the performers. I was born in 48 so a lot of this was news to me. Shirley Temple dancing with her black partner (Bo Jangles somebody) alone was worth the price of admission. An interview with Busby Berkeley on set. Anne Miller doing her thing (remember her from Mulholland Drive?) A clip from the Wizard of Oz, which was edited out, of Ray Bolger dancing up a storm. On and on.
These people don't dance . . . they float, they fly, they defy gravity and all of Newton's laws. It's a sight to behold. Fred Astaire didn't have legs, he had springs. Some people did walk out of the theatre after a few minutes, but I'll tell you, I sat there with my mouth hanging open most of this flick.