Back when i was a child/teen, i loved this movie - still do. But it was one of many that was just too embarrassing to watch infront of or with my parents. Even now, as an adult I still don't think I could, Lol.
Anyone once else feel this way about this movie or others...?
Wow seems kinda weird and repressed. I watched it when I was in 6th grade. I had no idea what was wrong with Penny but I could still follow the basic story. Years later I was surprised to figure it out but was never embarrassed to watch it with my mom. It was one of our favorite movies.
shareSorry you feel that way, lol. It's great that you could freely watch the movie with your mum with no awkwardness.
I should clarify, it's not the entire movie that was the problem. I remember when i was younger, watching the final dance scene, which i loved, with my parents.
It was selective scenes, for e.g the scene where Baby carries the watermelon and the dancing that followed, also the scene in Johnny's hut.
There was just no way i could sit through all that and not feel uncomfortable!
Last time i watched the movie was a good few years ago. I left home when i was 22.
I do remember watching it in my own home and i was reminded of the awkwardness, lol.
What im saying is, if on a day i visited my parents and the movie just happened to be on...well...i'll be watching the news instead
I saw this movie in 1987 when I was 5. My mother was quite open with me (I already knew the basics of sex). We watched Dirty Dancing repeatedly, as it was my favorite movie. Any question I asked, my mother was there. Questions like what was wrong with Penny? Why couldn't Baby tell her dad about the need for the $200? What were Johnnys intentions when he first danced with Baby? Was Penny still in love with Johnny? Was the Hungry Eyes scene symbolic of the love triangle between Baby, Johnny, and Penny? What's the Ho chi minh trail? We talked about all that stuff plus things like class discrimination, or which dancers we thought were the best dancers/couples (Moms was the black couple). If I didn't get a joke or reference, she explained it. I have great memories discussing this movie with my mother.
shareMuch like me, I grew up watching this film with my mom...it was always 'our movie' that we would watch together. Maybe because of first seeing it at such a young age, I was never embarrassed by the love scene, actually as a kid I would get bored with that part and beg my mom to fast forward it LOL, and sometimes she would to appease me
I now realize that my parents never really sheltered me from things growing up, I learned what abortion was from this movie...I can remember my mom explaining to me (in simplistic terms) why Penny couldn't dance with Johnny and why she was 'sick', etc.
I watched a lot of movies with my parents that would probably shock some people today...mine and my dad's 'movie' was Terminator 2, lol and I was watching that with him by the time I was 8 years old
I don't think this movie is embarrassing to watch with your parents at all. It's not "9 1/2 Weeks" or "Basic Instinct"! It's a nostalgic love story with a lot of dancing. What's to be embarrassed for? For me, not only it's not embarrassing, but it's a "family" movie. And I don't mean it's a kids' movie like a Disney movie or "Harry Potter" or whatever, I mean it's an ok movie for a family to watch, no matter the age. A mother can watch it with her daughter, a grandma with her granddaughter, parents with their early teenage kids. I was 10 years old when I saw it with my parents on VHS, 2 years after it was released. I didn't end up in therapy!
shareIt would not both me to watch this with my mother (who died the year this was released back when I was sixteen). I recently watched this with my son.
I first saw this with my Mom when I was a kid. Didn't get all of it, either, but that's okay.
It was partially filmed locally in NC and they had open auditions from ages 8 to 18 (I think for Baby, just in case...) I was old enough, but refused. Didn't have any life experience - it seemed too adult and intimidating.
They also used a lot of dancers from a local dance studio (Pats) and an older cousin of mine did make it in as one of the dirty dancers.
Jennifer Grey did a fantastic job and nailed it - everyone did, really. Imo. :)
i don't think they would have been very interested. They liked films like Bicycle Thieves and Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoise, i don't think they would have cared much for this.
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