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Flashdance (1983)
In Adrian Lyne's R-rated sleeper hit - a musical romantic
drama with energetic, glossy music-video style dance sequences -
a major box-office success and cultural touchstone, and generally
regarded as a formulaic, implausible Cinderella story:
- the early iconic scene of Pittsburgh steel-mill
welder/ exotic bar dancer Alexandra "Alex" Owens (Jennifer
Beals), at Mawbry's Bar - supine on a chair as water splashed down
on her (mostly in dark silhouette); she was accompanied by the
song "He's a Dream" sung by Shandi Sinnamon (as Shandi);
then, "Alex" rose from the chair and danced in her wet
red leotard
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- the sweaty scene of Alex's equipment and weights
workout (with two others who were providing dating advice) - in
a gym to the tune of "I Love Rock 'N Roll", sung by Joan
Jett & The Blackhearts
- the 90-second, influential street scene of Alex (in
a long-shot) coming upon a group of B-boys (Wayne "Frosty Freeze"
Frost, Richard "Crazy Legs" Colon, and the Rock Steady Crew),
who showed off their break-dancing moves to the tune of Jimmy Castor’s "It’s
Just Begun"
- the iconic image of Alex's torn/cut-off-the-shoulder
gray sweatshirt (and the scene of the removal of her black bra under
the sweatshirt)
- the sequence of Alex's intense foot-pounding, stretching,
hair-spinning, practice exercise routine in a black leotard, to the
tune of Michael Sembello's hit song "(She's A) Maniac" ("And
she's dancing like she's never danced before"); it began with
black leotarded Alex taping up her feet in preparation for an intense
workout of running in place, twirling, and stretching (usually performed
by body double Marine Jahan); there were lots of closeups, fast cuts
and blurred action typical of the MTV style
"(She's A) Maniac" Dance Sequence
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- the seductive scene of Alex tantalizing older boyfriend
(and steel mill boss) Nick Hurley (Michael Nouri) during a lobster
dinner - while she was dressed in a black tux; she slowly nibbled
and sucked soft pieces of seafood, and suggestively asked: "What
turns you on? (during the conversation, she moved her leg up under
the table to tantalizingly touch his crotch with her stockinged
toes) You like phone booths?"; when Nick's ex-wife Kate (Belinda
Bauer) showed up to introduce herself, and made insinuating comments
about Alex's work as a welder and stripper, Alex removed her tuxedo
coat jacket (leaving the front piece of only a white shirt and
cuffs without sleeves), and candidly described her provocative
first date with Nick: "I f--ked his brains out"
Sexy Lobster Dinner with Nick
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- the climactic scene of Alex' audition (with a black
leotard and ankle warmers) before the Pittsburgh Conservatory of
Dance and Repertory to the tune of the Oscar-winning Best Song "Oh,
What a Feeling!" (sung by Irene Cara); at first she stumbled
and faltered, and asked to start over ("Can I start again?")
- the film's final line of dialogue, and was allowed to continue
- with a combination of moves (including break-dancing at the end),
she was able to gain entrance to the Conservatory
- the loving and cliched, upbeat romantic clinch -
after her important dance audition, Alex met Nick; she received a
handful of long-stemmed red roses, a twirl and a loving kiss in the
freeze-framed, dialogue-less conclusion - to the tune of "Flashdance
- What a Feeling!"
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Sweaty Gym Workout
Break-Dancing
Cut-Off Sweatshirt
"Can I start again?"
Winning Audition at Pittsburgh Conservatory
Congratulatory Kiss and Clinch
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