Perhaps my husband’s estimation of me having watched this film 10 million times is a little excessive, but it’s certainly right that my rackety VHS is probably responsible for wearing out the family video player more than any other film of the 1980s. Between the ages of 11 and 14 it was the ONLY film to be watched at a girly sleepover. It had everything: music, dancing, romance. The scenes of Johnny teaching Baby to dance are my favourite. “This is my dance frame…” “…spaghetti arms…” I still get cross when Billy comes in and interrupts. The fact that I didn’t have a clue in those early days what it meant that “Penny got knocked up by Robbie the creep”, or “he had a dirty knife and a folding table”, just wasn’t important and I didn’t bother to ask my Mum to explain.
It’s funny now to re-watch it and understand all those things that went over my head. I’m sure thinking back, my friends all perfectly understood but for me I just couldn’t wait to get to the part with Johnny and Baby practicing the lift in the lake. I’ve seen this film once (or twice) in the last ten years and writing this I’m reminded of just how many lines still come so frequently to mind: “Take that stuff off your face before your mother sees you” and “You’re getting wet, right?”
Quite honestly, it’s brilliant. I think it’s time my husband gave it a proper look. The perfect Sunday afternoon film… and I think we're free this Sunday... Matthew? I should think it must be very different to watch it first time as a male thirty-something girly-film-sceptic but the 60s holiday camp, the dancing, the energy, the open shirted Johnny AND will she or won’t she do the lift? - cannot fail to bring some pleasure. He’ll deny it, but he’ll like it.
Perhaps my husband’s estimation of me having watched this film 10 million times is a little excessive, but it’s certainly right that my rackety VHS is probably responsible for wearing out the family video player more than any other film of the 1980s. Between the ages of 11 and 14 it was the ONLY film to be watched at a girly sleepover. It had everything: music, dancing, romance. The scenes of Johnny teaching Baby to dance are my favourite. “This is my dance frame…” “…spaghetti arms…” I still get cross when Billy comes in and interrupts. The fact that I didn’t have a clue in those early days what it meant that “Penny got knocked up by Robbie the creep”, or “he had a dirty knife and a folding table”, just wasn’t important and I didn’t bother to ask my Mum to explain.
ReplyDeleteIt’s funny now to re-watch it and understand all those things that went over my head. I’m sure thinking back, my friends all perfectly understood but for me I just couldn’t wait to get to the part with Johnny and Baby practicing the lift in the lake. I’ve seen this film once (or twice) in the last ten years and writing this I’m reminded of just how many lines still come so frequently to mind: “Take that stuff off your face before your mother sees you” and “You’re getting wet, right?”
Quite honestly, it’s brilliant. I think it’s time my husband gave it a proper look. The perfect Sunday afternoon film… and I think we're free this Sunday... Matthew? I should think it must be very different to watch it first time as a male thirty-something girly-film-sceptic but the 60s holiday camp, the dancing, the energy, the open shirted Johnny AND will she or won’t she do the lift? - cannot fail to bring some pleasure. He’ll deny it, but he’ll like it.
- Angela Coniam
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