As with Grease (1978) and Footloose (1984) before it, Dirty Dancing was a cultural phenomenon that now plays more like camp. That very campiness, though, is part of its biggest charm. And if the dancing in the movie doesn't seem particularly "dirty" by today's standards--or 1987's--it does take place in an era (the early '60s) when it would have. Frances "Baby" Houseman (Jennifer Grey, daughter of ageless hoofer Joel Grey), vacationing in the Catskills with her family one summer, falls under the sway (as it were) of dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze). Baby is a pampered pup, but Johnny is a man of the world. Baby's father Jake can't see the basic decency in greaser Johnny that she can. It should come as no surprise to find that Baby, who can be as immature as her name, learns more about love and life--and dancing--from free-spirited Johnny than traditionalist Jake. Dirty Dancing spawned two successful soundtracks, a short-lived TV series and a stage musical. It may be predictable, but Grey and Swayze have chemistry, charisma and all the right moves. It's a sometimes silly movie with occasionally mind-boggling dialogue--"No one puts Baby in a corner!"--that nonetheless carries an underlying message about tolerance and is filled with the kind of exuberant spirit that is hard for even the most cynical to resist. Not that they would ever admit it. --Kathy Fennessy

On the DVD: The information outlined on the package makes the special features appear very appealing: you too could "Learn to Dirty Dance". However, all the DVD actually teaches you is how to move from side to side with a slow "cha cha cha"--not exactly "dirty". Other additional features include the obligatory scene selection and a directors commentary from Eleanor Bergstein, offers interesting snippets of trivia, but overall is dull and stuttering. There's also the original theatrical trailer plus a very poor selection of filmographies for the cast and crew which (none of whom aside from Swayze ever amounted to much) which is difficult to read due to the italic scrawl they insist on using across the whole features section. That being said with a 1.78:1 ratio and Dolby Digital 5.1 this release is the closest you will get to reliving those 1980s school discos and back-seat cinema rows. --Nikki Disney

Yup, the sequel to the slush fest that somehow made Patrick Swayze a sex bomb. None of the original characters apart from the Swayze monster, and a setting of post revolution Cuba dont really set this up as a 'direct' sequel, but expect love and dancing and perhaps an appearance from grizzly voiced Jennifer Warnes and choir boy Joe Cocker's vocal talents.

Dirty Dancing was a cultural phenomenon that now plays more like camp. That very campiness, though, is part of its charm.

Whether or not you can sympathise with its fascistic/vigilante approach to law enforcement, Dirty Harry (directed by star Clint Eastwood's longtime friend and directorial mentor, Don Siegel) is one hell of an American cop thriller. The movie makes evocative use of its San Francisco locations as cop Harry Callahan (Eastwood) tracks the elusive "Scorpio killer" who has been terrorising the city by the Bay. As the psychopath's trail grows hotter, Harry becomes increasingly impatient and intolerant of the frustrating obstacles (departmental red tape, individuals' civil rights) that he feels are keeping him from doing his job. A characteristically taut and tense piece of filmmaking from Siegel (Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Shootist, Escape from Alcatraz), it also remains a fascinating slice of American pop culture. It was a big hit (followed by four sequels) that obviously reflected--or exploited--the almost obsessive or paranoid fears and frustrations many Americans felt about crime in the streets. At a time when "law and order" was a familiar slogan for political candidates, Harry Callahan may have represented neither, but from his point of view his job was simple: stop criminals. To him that end justified any means he deemed necessary. --Jim Emerson