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Facts About Dirty Dancing

Dirty Dancing was an unlikely success story, struggling to find funding and sponsorship at first. Patrick Swayze convinced Jennifer Grey to take the role of Baby despite not getting along with her during previous work. Many of the screenwriter's own experiences inspired the story. Scenes like the famous lift were performed successfully on the first take despite no rehearsal. The film features iconic scenes that were challenging to film, like the lake scene shot in cold October waters.

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MUHAMMAD JUNAID IQBAL SIDDIQUI
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198 views2 pages

Facts About Dirty Dancing

Dirty Dancing was an unlikely success story, struggling to find funding and sponsorship at first. Patrick Swayze convinced Jennifer Grey to take the role of Baby despite not getting along with her during previous work. Many of the screenwriter's own experiences inspired the story. Scenes like the famous lift were performed successfully on the first take despite no rehearsal. The film features iconic scenes that were challenging to film, like the lake scene shot in cold October waters.

Uploaded by

MUHAMMAD JUNAID IQBAL SIDDIQUI
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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12 Interesting BTS facts about Dirty Dancing:

From an idea unable to secure adequate funding to a film struggling to gather sponsors to a box office
sensation blowing past any expectations, Dirty Dancing remains one of the most successful films to date.

Here are some interesting facts that you may not know about the film.

1. Patrick Swayze convinced Jennifer Grey to take the role.

Before dirty dancing, Swayze and Grey had worked on another film Red Dawn but didn't get along very
well. This made Grey to initially pass over the role of Baby. But, fortunately, Swayze convinced her to
take on the role citing that she would be making a mistake otherwise.

2. Patrick Swayze and Jennifer didn't get along:

Even during the filming of Dirty Dancing, they couldn't get along very well. That scene where Johnny
seemed annoyed due to Baby's constant laughter during practice, wasn't actually fake. It was real and
we're glad the producers decided to keep it in the final cut of the film.

3.Screen writer, Eleanor Bergstein's life inspired the story:

She too grew up with a doctor father, lived in Brooklyn and visited the Catskills in the 60s, was called
'Baby' and learned dancing at house parties. But in an interview, back in 2005, she admitted that there is
some Johnny in her too. She knew all of those 'dirty' dance moves.

4.Sarah Jessica Parker auditioned to play the role of Baby:

Grey wasn't the only one to audition for the role of Baby. Infact, Sarah Jessica Parker, also auditioned for
the role of Baby, so did Sharon Stone. On the other side, Bill Zane auditioned to play the role of Johnny,
whereas Val Kilmer was offered that role. It was only because he passed it on that Patrick Swayze
accepted the role.

5. The film almost went Direct-to-Video:

The initial test audiences hated the film which led the producers to consider skipping a theatrical release
and going straight for direct-to-video or VHS. Ultimately, the film did release in theatres and became a
smash hit.

6. One time rehearsal:

The lifting move at the climax of the film, wasn't actually rehearsed, mainly because Grey was too scared
and refused to practice beforehand. But they nailed it on the first take and she hasn't performed the
move again ever since.
7. The movie was re-released in 1997:

Conan O'Brien, through his talk show, urged the viewers to write letters to the production company to
make them re-release the film. The production company eventually re-released the film but Conan later
revealed that he didn't like the movie that much to begin with.

8. Cold lake water:

The lake scene, was shot in the icy cold waters of October. There were no close up shots cause the
actors' lips had turned blue due to the coldness of the water. Swayze once described it as "hypothermic-
ally cold".

9. Fake green leaves:

Again, October, being peak leaf-changing season, is not the best time to shoot if you want 'greens' in
your nature shots. The set decorators, had to spray paint the dead or discolored leaves to make them
green for the field scene.

10. Swayze turned down $6 million:

Mainly because he didn't believe in sequels. He did, however, end up making a cameo appearance in the
2004 prequel titled Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights.

11. Contrast in wardrobe :

Throughout the film, Baby is seen wearing lighter colored outfits whereas, Johnny always wears darker
tones. It was done so to make the audience subconsciously aware of the contrast in these characters'
personalities.

12. Swayze's singing :

The song titled "She's like the Wind", from the movie's soundtrack, was co-written and also performed
by Patrick Swayze thus giving him both, acting and singing credits in the film.

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