Sometimes, in this weird world just filled with people looking to ‘take down your personal brand’ a little light shines in the darkness (via an email Subject: Delivery at Reception. ta). And the delivery turns out to be a box of DVDs, some of which were designed specifically for OCD home-consumption (for eg. Flashdance starring Jennifer Beale as “Alex Owens” in the 1983 hit). Did y’als know I was born in 1983? I haven’t even watched Flashdance. I have a feeling (What a feeling!) it’s gonna change my (branded) life 4 eva y’als.

What. A. Feeling. Y. 'ulz.

But that’s  not all. Cleverly, there were a selection of movies, each ’strategically chosen to represent the core values that represent the Women’s Health brand and how it relates 2 its consumers via demonstrating its relevance via each movie strategically chosen to represent the core values that represent the Women’s Health brand and how it relates 2 its consumers via demonstrating its relevance via each movie strategically chosen to represent the core values that represent the Women’s Health brand and how it relates 2 its consumers via

Whoa

Did you see wha just happened there?

UR brand 4 eva

I just made an infinity loop with a positioning statement leading into a USP. I am basically an “Ad Escher bro” “trapped in a never-ending world of targeted touchpoints”. Jees Y’als. Thought this post was gonna be about something simple, like MOVIES. Welcome 2 da night train bros.

Can almost smell this y'ulz

Back to the point: yesterday the heavens opened and the skies rained down

Movies y'als!

Super amped about all this. Not kidding when I say the only one of these I’ve actually seen is The Notebook & Something About Mary (1983 remember…) basically had a life-changing experience last night when I watched Breakfast At Tiffany’s and I found out the lead character is a ‘lady of the night’ - did y’als know that? Thought it ironic that an image of a woman who has ‘become synonymous with class’ is actually a ‘portrait of a prozzie bro’. Love the world y’ulz, always filled with surprisies!

Anyways just wanted 2 say thanks to Woman’s Health for the gift. Getting a box of movies was enough to make me ’seriously consider reading your mag’ (via reading it). Actually read the whole thing and have also changed my leg routine to Backwards Thigh Extensions over Lunges & Squats which is what I have been doing to keep my thighs in Beyonce, all based on the nifty tear-outs. Thanks y’als. Thanks thanks.

Thanks

Thanks

Thanks thanks thanks (via tangling my hand up in my shirt while blogging this)

Jennifer Lopez as Jennifer Beals as Alex Owens; image courtesy of vh1.com

After last night’s assessment of Nine, I’ve still got screen musical adaptations on the brain tonight. So I thought I’d draw our attention to one more, and add music video that references screen musical stars from the genre’s golden era, and another that recreates an 80s blockbuster many believe to be a screen musical of sorts (and whose protagonist shares a version of my namesake).

If you want to note that all three of the artists are women of color and international pop sensations praised for their dancing and maligned for their limited vocal ranges, gold stars for you. If you want to weep over the slurred, siliconed mess Paula has become and hope that Glee does an all-Janet episode, shake your fists at FOX. If you want to posit what it means that these movies seem to have influenced the performers and may tap into their dance training and on-screen personae, let’s chat in the comments section.

First up is an oldie but a goodie from my youth. While I hadn’t seen Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz when Paula Abdul’s “Cold Hearted” started its rotation on MTV, it’s pretty clear that its takes its from the movie’s ”Take Off With Us” section. As if the direct mention wasn’t enough in the clip’s introduction, let’s compare the two. Warning: contents hot, and sexy.

Paula Abdul
“Cold Hearted”
Forever Your Girl
Directed by David Fincher

And here’s the source material, created by a director and choreographer who seems to have gotten women like Abdul, Madonna, and The Pussycat Dolls dancing (the last act going so far as to take cues from Sweet Charity’s “Hey Big Spender“ for “Buttons“). Also, something tells me warm nuts are served on this plane. (Rimshot) Acid probably is too.

The next one is also from my youth, released at around the same time from a woman whose early video work Abdul choreographed. Janet Jackson’s “Alright” is an homage to the film musicals of Cyd Charisse, the Nicholas Brothers, and Cab Calloway. I especially love Janet in a zoot suit. Click on Ms. Jackson’s name and enjoy.

Janet Jackson
“Alright”
Rhythm Nation 1814
Directed by Julien Temple

And here are the pop star’s and music videos’ influences. The first one comes from Singin’ in the Rain, while the second one is from Stormy Weather.

Finally, we have a clip from former In Living Color fly girl and Jackson back-up dancer who makes an appearance in “That’s The Way Love Goes.” Jennifer Lopez’s “I’m Glad,” a song about her big feelings for then-boyfriend Ben Affleck, retells the entire story of Flashdance, focusing on four dance sequences from the movie, especially the climactic audition scene. Unlike the source material, which utilized two trained dancers (one male) as actress Jennifer Beals’s doubles, I believe all J.Lo does all the dancing. 

Jennifer Lopez
“I’m Glad”
This Is Me . . . Then
Directed by David LaChappelle

And here are the dance sequences in question.

When I was five years old, I distinctly remember going to the mall with my mom to see a movie. I wouldn’t stop raving about Flashdance, and was broken-hearted when she said, “No.” (Back then, I didn’t know it was a rated-R film inspired by the true story of a female welder/stripper in Toronto.)

Interestingly, I never saw Flashdance until I was a college sophomore. Wow, what a corny plot: Alex Owens (Jennifer Beals), an 18-year-old who lives alone in a converted warehouse, is a welder at a steel mill by day and a bar dancer at night. She shacks up with Nick Hurley-her boss at the steel mill (who happens to have connections at the esteemed dance academy she wants to attend)-trains with her mentor/coach (who ironically dies a couple days before her audition), nails her audition, and apparently gets accepted (though I’m not exactly sure because the ending scene just show her running out of the building, with a smile, into Nick’s loving arms). No wonder this opened to poor reviews. Yet and still, it was a box office smash and grossed $100+ million worldwide.

I also remember hearing Michael Sembello’s Grammy Award-winning song, “Maniac,” on the radio. (Back then, I didn’t know it was originally written about a serial killer and the lyrics were adjusted for the film.) But what I really love is its music video. Sure, Irene Cara’s “Flashdance…What a Feeling” won a slew of awards-including an Oscar and a Golden Globe-but nothing beats the scenes of Alex’s body double running in place during dance practice, those ridiculous closeups of the side of her butt cheek, or that glorious slowmo leap through the air.

As an adult, I can appreciate what the film accomplished but yep, it definitely wasn’t suitable for me as a young child.

Did you know:

The role of Alex was turned down by Melanie Griffith, and Beals beat out two other finalists (including Demi Moore) for the lead. Gene Simmons (yes, of KISS) rejected the role of Alex’s boss/boyfriend Nick, which was secured by Michael Nouri. Kevin Costner was the runner-up for this part.

Irene Cara penned the “Flashdance…What a Feeling” lyrics en route to the studio the day she recorded the track.

The music video for “Maniac” was a trailblazer, as it was the first to use only movie scenes.

Alex’s off-the-shoulder sweatshirt actually came about when Beals accidentally shrunk the shirt in the wash, and subsequently cut off the collar so it could fit over her head.

When I was five years old, I distinctly remember going to the mall with my mom to see a movie.  I wouldn’t stop raving about Flashdance, and was broken-hearted when she said, “No.”  (Back then, I didn’t know it was a rated-R film inspired by the true story of a female welder/stripper in Toronto.)

Interestingly, I never saw Flashdance until I was a college sophomore.  Wow, what a corny plot: Alex Owens (Jennifer Beals), an 18-year-old who lives alone in a converted warehouse, is a welder at a steel mill by day and a bar dancer at night.  She shacks up with Nick Hurley-her boss at the steel mill (who happens to have connections at the esteemed dance academy she wants to attend)-trains with her mentor/coach (who ironically dies a couple days before her audition), nails her audition, and apparently gets accepted (though I’m not exactly sure because the ending scene just show her running out of the building, with a smile, into Nick’s loving arms).  No wonder this opened to poor reviews.  Yet and still, it was a box office smash and grossed $100+ million worldwide.

I also remember hearing Michael Sembello’s Grammy Award-winning song, “Maniac,” on the radio.  (Back then, I didn’t know it was originally written about a serial killer and the lyrics were adjusted for the film.)  But what I really love is its music video.  Sure, Irene Cara’s “Flashdance…What a Feeling” won a slew of awards-including an Oscar and a Golden Globe-but nothing beats the scenes of Alex’s body double running in place during dance practice, those ridiculous closeups of the side of her butt cheek, or that glorious slowmo leap through the air.

As an adult, I can appreciate what the film accomplished but yep, it definitely wasn’t suitable for me as a young child.

“Maniac” music video

Did you know:

The role of Alex was turned down by Melanie Griffith, and Beals beat out two other finalists (including Demi Moore) for the lead.  Gene Simmons (yes, of KISS) rejected the role of Alex’s boss/boyfriend Nick, which was secured by Michael Nouri.  Kevin Costner was the runner-up for this part.

Irene Cara penned the “Flashdance…What a Feeling” lyrics en route to the studio the day she recorded the track.

The music video for “Maniac” was a trailblazer, as it was the first to use only movie scenes.

Alex’s off-the-shoulder sweatshirt actually came about when Beals accidentally shrunk the shirt in the wash, and subsequently cut off the collar so it could fit over her head.

We came, we saw. We danced. It was a good night. Maddie’s post below covers most of the happenings; her next post will cover the post-performance discussion with ABBA Mania’s creator.

Meanwhile, in researching my previous post, I discovered a phenomenon that takes the subject of ABBA cover songs to the next level:

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you: Bjorn Again, a group dedicated to covering the works of other pop stars in the sultry harmonic stylings of ABBA.
Click and be amazed:

A Little Respect

Flashdance (What a Feeling)

And…oh my. Enter Sandman.

To be continued.

Gaw blimey, love a duck and blow me daahn wiv a fevva! The brand new episode of Bullshit Bingo is brought to you in the mockney style, and I tell you what my love, seeing as the BSB team is feeling generous, you can have it for the knock-down price of twenty pence a paahnd!

Bullshit Bingo Episode 21

Yes, Episode 21 sees us discuss which pearly queens we would like to “do the Lambeth Walk” with. For example

We also have a good old chin-wag over a cup of Gypsy Rose Lee about 80s films we think should be re-made, and which hot topics the twuts on Twotter should twit about (or something like that), including not-so-magic moments of TV racism like this one.

We even find time to discuss the All-Time Best Sex Scandals of All Time in the History of the World Ever, after this surprising on-screen confession from David Letterman, which just goes to show that The Larry Sanders Show had it right all along.

But we’ll leave you with our comedy moment of the, er, moment, namely the unparalleled genius of Danny Dyer, as discovered by a very observant James fan in the DVD extras for this already forgotten Brit gangster flick.

Good evening, friends.

Whew! Eleven hours straight (no break) of manning children will leave a girl drained, and inexplicably hungry for a load of sugar. I don’t know what got into me (other than having it right in front of my face all day) but I couldn’t get enough crap into my system. Not the best day of eating, for sure. I was pretty stressed out, and I think that was the contributing factor to my sugar pixie tendencies. While I really do love my job, sometimes I leave work feeling as though I’ve just aged 100 years in a day. Kids. are. a. lot. of. work. My day of nutrition wasn’t a total bust, though. For instance there was this for breakfast:

For Today’s Oats:

1/2 Cup Quaker Old Fashioned Oats

3/4 Cup Water

1/4 Cup Soymilk

2 Tbs. Ground Flax

Sprinkle of Raisins, Dried Currants

Glob o’ Peanut Butter

1 Tsp. Preserves

Tiny Drizzle of Agave Nectar

After accompanying an eight-year-old lad to his school’s book fair (I convinced him to get “A Wrinkle in Time”), dancing to the “Flashdance” and “Stand  By Me” soundtrack for the umpteenth time with a 6-year-old and 20-month-old, and scurrying around taking after kids, I got pretty hungry. So I had this:

Sometimes You Have No Choice But to Eat a Soft-Baked Chocolate Chip Cookie

And this for something that was actually substantial:

"Yes, Urkel." In Anwer to Your Ongoing Question of, "GOT ANY CHEESE?!" Anyone remember "Family Matters?"

I brought my lunch to work (I say no thanks to chicken tenders, mac n’cheese, and gogurt):

Hummus and Cheese Sandwich, Small Fruit Salad, Fage 0% Greek Yogurt

I usually top plain, non-fat greek yogurt with something. Today, keeping with my horrid theme of intaking excessive amounts of sugar, I topped it with….Lucky Charms. Oy:

Dere's Me Lucky Charms...In Me Yogurt.

Not going to lie though, it was pretty spectacular.

At some point in my afternoon fatigue, I revived myself with an unphotographed cup of Yerbe Mate.

Then, the sugar demons possessed me again and made me eat this:

Man, Nothing As Sad As An Empty Candy Wrapper Picture on Your Healthy Living Blog

Since I was working a little later tonight, I had 1 ounce of these to keep me from getting the hungry cranks until dinner:

Roasted, Salted Mixed Nuts

For dinner, I knew I didn’t have the time or patience to cook something (Though, I really can’t wait to use the all-clad cookware that Marc gave me). I also knew that I wanted something clean, filling, and brimming with freshness, so I picked up my favorite salad at Wildgreen Cafe:

California Chicken Salad

Ingredients In This Salad That Make Me Smile: Sweet Potato, Avocado, Chicken Breast, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Herb Tofu Mayo, Broccoli, Lettuce, Red Cabbage, Carrots.

I also picked up some snack bars while waiting around the store/cafe for my to-go salad:

When Life Gets Crazy, I Hit The Bars Pretty Hard.

The salad hit the spot, and yet, as I typed part of this post to you, I couldn’t stop myself from sucking on this:

Jolly Rancher Pop, Watermelon

And now, I’m ff to the grocery store, then I have a late-night yoga to the people podcast in store. I only did 2 sessions last week for Holly’s November Yoga challenge, but in my defense, I came into the challenge mid-week. While on the topic of Holly, check out her awesome Whey protein giveaway going on now!

Hope you had a less insane, draining Monday!

When you’re at work and stressed, and junk food is abundant, how do you avoid it?

Flashdance è un film musicale del 1983 diretto da Adrian Lyne e scritto da Tom Hedley e Joe Eszterhas. Contribuì molto al lancio della protagonista Jennifer Beals, all’epoca ventenne.

Leggi altre notizie su: | Commedia | Romantico | Adrian Lyne | Jennifer Beals | Michael Nuori | Lilia Skala

Se a intenção é falar de coisas que amamos, nada melhor que misturar cinema e moda!

Explico desde já, que não escolhi apenas filmes que falam de moda, mas também filmes que lançaram moda ou que viraram moda, pela moda que lançaram. E claro, não pude citar todos e provavelmente esqueci alguns de grande importância, mas citei os mais famosos.

Flashdance. No mesmo período vem um filme que fez moda de forma completamente diferente. Muitos bodies, leggins, ombros de fora, topetes, maquiagem clean e claro as inesquecíveis polainas.

Bonequinha de Luxo. O famoso pretinho básico surgiu com esse filme. Audrey Hepburn se tornou ícone de moda depois de interpretar Holly Golightly no filme. Além do vestido preto, o colar de pérolas também marcou sua personagem. Reparem como o colar da foto faz um estilo Tom Binns.

Procura-se Suzan Desesperadamente. O que são as roupas da Madonna nesse filme? Jaquetas e calças de couro, meias arrastão, cabelón a la Beleza Natural e muuuuito delineador nos olhos. O visual de Madonna nesse filme é inesquecível.

As patricinhas de Bervely Hills. Esse com certeza fez a cabeça das jovens da época. Quem nunca sonhou em ter aquele programinha de computador que combinava as roupas por foto e as localizava dentro do armário? Talvez esse tenha sido para muitas meninas uma introdução as marcas de luxo. Afinal, aqueles passeios que Cher (Alicia Silverstone) dava na Rodeo Drive eram o sonho de qualquer menina. Nada como afogar as mágoas no cartão de crédito do pai rico.

O Diabo veste Prada. Eu diria que esse foi um dos filmes mais ligados a moda do momento. Mas prefiro não ser tão específica. A história meio Cinderella de Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway), assistente de Anna Wintour – ou melhor, de Miranda Priestly – só perde para as várias roupas liiiindas usadas no filme. Rechearam as araras dos camarins das atrizes principais com vestidos, casacos e outras peças com etiquetas como Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Louboutin, Gucci, Valentino e Chanel, totalizando 1 milhão de dólares em roupas e acessórios. Prada, a marca do título, aparece até com parcimônia, em sapatos (quatro em cada dez usados por Meryl Streep), um conjunto e uma bolsa de US$1.445 logo na abertura do filme. Duvido que vocês, assim como eu, não morreram de inveja de Andrea.

Delírios de Consumo de Beck Bloom. A shopaholic, como se autodenomina, expressa nas telas aquilo que muitas meninas são na vida real. O filme mostra muito mais o lado consumista que a moda nos leva a ter do que aquisições em geral. A frase da autora do livro Sophie Kinsella já diz tudo “Rebecca sou eu. São minhas irmãs. São todas as minhas amigas que já saíram para comprar um chocolate e voltaram para casa com um par de botas. Rebecca é todas as mulheres (e homens) que já se viram parados diante de uma vitrine e souberam, com certeza absoluta, que precisavam comprar aquele casaco e… ai, meu Deus, calças que combinassem com ele!”

September Issue. Ainda não vi o filme, mas já soube que trata muito especialmente sobre Anna Wintour a renomada editora da Vogue americana. Claro que os fashionistas de plantão querem saber como a edição mais falada do ano é feita. Como é a visão da editora e como são feitas as seleções, matérias, fotos e produções que recheiam a maior edição, feita até hoje, da revista.

Coco avant Chanel. Esse filme conta a historia de uma das estilistas mais famosas do mundo. Grande parte da revolução da moda feminina foi feito por Gabrielle Coco Chanel. Para as que gostam do assunto, vale a pena ver o filme. A moda navy surgiu em grande parte graças a Coco.

That was an interesting night.

Photo courtesy of Kevin Kranzky

The Embarcadero on a beautiful low-70’s, Indian Summer, clear night, really is a glorious place to be in San Francisco.

That Taking Back Halloween team-up between Flashdance and Skatin’ Place was a very well-executed idea. A great Small Victory on the Death of Fun campaign.

Thank You, San Francisco.

RELATED POSTS –

Skatin’ Place at Burning Man 2001 – 2002.

Flashdance Party at the Ferry Plaza. August 1st, 2009. FREE.

I love Halloween!  I love the whole spirit of dressing up and making people laugh with my Halloween costumes each year.  It is the only day of the year where you and random strangers drop the shield and can just laugh and have fun, and you can be disguised while doing it.  It isn’t the same as New Years Eve, St. Patrick’s Day, and the night before Thanksgiving.  Halloween is such a fun day and I’m a little sad that I don’t have a job to go today so that I can attempt to win our annual Halloween costume contest. 

I loved being ridiculously silly at my old civil service job, and every year I’d make sure to visit all of our departments so we could all have a good laugh, because when the public would see me dressed up as Michael Jackson, and I would be doing the moonwalk, or walk around with my own umbrella holder, well, they would forget all about bitching at you that day and just be happy. 

This year I had an 80s party to go to and instead of wearing vintage 80s clothes like I had originally planned, as I still miss the banana clip, I decided to go with a movie-themed costume. 

I dressed up as Jennifer Beals as Alex from Flashdance, which was pretty funny in my own mind, but I’ll let you be the judge.  We had some music technical difficulties, so I never got to dance my routine to Oh, What a Feeling!  Just visualize me dancing here.

I enjoy the whole creating-your-own-Halloween-costume thing, and I thought I could give some of you last minute Halloween costume people some ideas, and being a huge fan of movies, I thought a movie character list would work and be fun.  Plus, Salvation Army has tons of clothes at cheap prices.  Sometimes, just going through the racks will inspire you to come up with something.

• Wayne or Garth from Wayne’s World – Flannel, jeans, and attitude.  A guitar would so make you not worthy. 
• Marty McFly from Back to the Future – Red vest, skateboard, jeans.
• Jake or Elwood Blues from The Blues Brothers – Black suit, back hat, black sunglasses.
• Alex from Clockwork Orange – Just need a black bowler hate, while clothes, and one fake eyelash and mascara.
• Carrie - Prom dress and fake blood.  Long red hair or wig would pull it off nicely.
• Marry Poppins – Umbrella, carpet bag, and overcoat, with a nice little hat to top it off.
• Elliot and ET – My friend M. did this with her dad as a kid and it is still my favorite Halloween story of all time, since they did it right after the movie came out.  He wore a red hoodie and put her in the bike basket, and she was wearing some little brown felt thing to make her look ET-ish, while wrapped in a blanket. 
• Brady Bunch – Got a group of people?  This would be so much fun to do, just get some groovy clothes and learn the moves to Keep on movin’.  My friend K. tells me she did this once, and has no photos from that night, which breaks my heart. 
• Angelina Jolie at the Oscars, for her role in Girl, Interrupted - I dressed up as this in 2003, since my Daisy Duke costume wasn’t going to be appropriate for work.  I had the wig, the dress and the state all laying around my house.  
• One of the Hanson Brothers from Slapshot- Here I am in 1995.  Love this movie.

Not many of my girlfriends had seen the movies, but every guy I ran into died when they saw me in this.  So dudes, this clip is for you:

Got any of your own tips?  What have you dressed up in the past?  Let me hear them!

Acabo de voltar da palestra do Guga Ketzer, da Loducca, que fechou com chave de ouro o Encontro de Comunicação e Letras do Mackenzie. O cara é foda, ele consegue dar “lição de moral”, sem parecer um pai. Por isso eu não encaro como um puxão de orelha e sim como dicas, e compartilho com vocês: Primeira dica, aproveite a faculdade enquanto é tempo. Segunda dica, não se ache o “bam bam bam” só por que entrou numa agência foda. Prove que você é bom, conquiste aos poucos. Terceira e MAIOR dica, tenha consciência que você vai ter que apanhar muito, antes de dar um soco, mas não deixe que isso te faça cair, e desitir de tudo.

Depois dos “tapinhas na cara”, ele mostrou alguns jobs que participou, comentou sobre as dificuldades e a paixão que tem por cada um. Abaixo estão alguns comerciais que considero MASTER FODA (boa parte dos jobs estão no post que falei sobre a palestra do Wilson Negrini, da Loducca):

FizTV

Peugeot 307 Sedan

Brilho Facil (FlashDance)

Panamericana – www.MAISCRIATIVIDADE.com.br

Sobre as outras palestras realizadas hoje não tenho muito a comentar, mas passarinhos verdes me contaram que a da TV1, da Milk e do Google, foram muito boas. Já não posso dizer a mesma coisa da palestra de mídia da Talent.

Cruassado por Carla Zanetti

dolcie odille brought yodels + sheep to the ATL.  i love these plush props + scenic backdrop.  fortunately, it happens to be my birthday party planning season . . .

smilebooth

more photos on our-blog-of-love from photographers our labor of love whom recently teamed up with our beloved max wanger + dj michael antonia to form the incredible collab flashdance!

Last Friday I was out with some friends when one of them asked if I’d seen the new Fame movie.  Before I could answer my friend Holly’s husband, The Bone, interrupted with “Fame was a movie? I thought it was a tv show?”  We explained to him that it was a movie first and he said “oh yeah, with the welder girl, right?”.  No, Bone, that was Flashdance.  Both movies had hit theme songs by Irene Cara, but they weren’t the same movie.  Bone looked confused but then said “so Fame is the one with Kevin Bacon and the tractors?”.  No, Bone, that’s Footloose.  Three different movies.  All set in the 80’s.  All with awesome soundtracks.  All with titles that started with an F.  Fame.  Flashdance.  Footloose.  How can anyone possibly be expected to tell them apart?  Well, I’m going to throw Bone a bone and give him the Cliffs Notes version so that he doesn’t embarrass him at future happy hours where the subject of these three classics will surely come up again and again.

You owe me one, Bone.

 Fame

The original movie came out in 1980.  I remember really wanting to see it but not being allowed because of the “adult content”.  The kids in the movie had sex, did drugs, one girl had an abortion and one of the guys came out as a homosexual.  For 1980 that was pretty big stuff.  My mom thought the movie was entirely too raunchy but still couldn’t resist Irene Cara singing the title song, especially in the iconic scene where the cab driver father of the student who composed the song plays it in front of the school from his cab and all the kids run out and start dancing.  People who never saw the movie know that scene.

Bone, a good way to distinguish this theme song from the others is that the chorus goes “FAME!  I’m going live forever….”  The constant repetition of the word “FAME” is a good clue that the 80’s dance movie you’re watching is in fact – Fame.  Later, Fame became a tv series, a stage musical and just this year a remake movie.  I haven’t seen the new Fame but I think kids today are a little less shockable then my peers were in the 80’s so I doubt it’s as controversial as the original.  I know the girl who sings the reworked title track is the same girl who played Lil Kim in Notorious which was a pretty nasty role so whenever I see her in the video I’m a little bit skeeved out.  Which is too bad because Naturi Naughton kind of rocks.  Damn you, Lil Kim.

Flashdance

Next came Flashdance, another 80’s dance movie with a memorable theme song performed by Irene Cara.  This theme song doesn’t give you the obvious clue that Fame does by dropping the movie’s name again and again in the hook.  It does however mention “All alone I have cried silent tears full of pride.  In a world made of steel, made of stone….” And that’s where you should be clued in, Bone, because the protagonist of this movie, Alex, is a steel worker by day and a dancer in a kind of seedy bar by night.  Although she really wants to be a ballerina but all the snobby judges at the dance school she’s trying to audition for look down on her cause she has no formal training, isn’t anorexic and has crazy hair.  When she shows up for her audition at the end of the movie she trips during the beginning of her dance but then gets up and rocks it, pointing at all the judges at their table and doing awesome moves none of which are performed by Jennifer Beals.  This dance scene was later the inspiration for Paula Abdul’s “Cold Hearted Snake” video and the scenes from the whole movie were recreated by Jennifer Lopez for her video “I’m Glad”. Interestingly, the role of Alex’s boss/love interest in the movie is played by Michael Nouri who also played Summer Roberts dad on The OC.  And the role of one of her dancer wannabe friends is played by Cynthia Rhodes who nailed the line “why don’t you go back to your play pen, Baby?” as Penny in the 1987 dance movie Dirty Dancing. In real life she’s  married to 80’s music star Richard Marx of “Hold onto the Night” or “Endless Summer Nights” fame.  Cynthia Rhodes life plays like an 80’s movie soundtrack.  Totally awesome.

Footloose

Opening in 1984 it was the last of the F 80’s Dance Movie Trifecta, and by far my favorite.  It should be an easy one for you, Bone, because when you hear the theme song you’ll notice it says “Everybody cut, everybody cut, everybody cut Footloose”. 

 Poor Ren McCormack moves from Chicago to this lame small town where dancing is outlawed.   Ren tries to fit in but just can’t stay out of trouble.  Part of the problem is that he gets hooked up with the preacher’s wild daughter, Ariel, who straddles cars and smuggles cassettes of suggestive Shalamar songs like “Dancing in the Sheets” to play for all the kids at the malt shop.  Poor Ren has to retreat to remote farm locations at night to dance his frustrations away.  Then Ren and his friends decide to petition the town to lift the dancing ban and let them celebrate the end of high school with a prom.  In order to do this, Ren has teach his big galoot of a best friend, Willard, to dance, and convince the townspeople at a meeting.  There he gives the classic bible quoting speech:

 “Ecclesiastes assures us… that there is a time for every purpose under heaven. A time to laugh… and a time to weep. A time to mourn… and there is a time to dance. And there was a time for this law, but not anymore. See, this is our time.  Our time to dance.”

 And seriously, I don’t know why anyone in that town was worried about the dancing because their prom ended up being the tamest teenage party I’ve ever seen.  No drinking.  No hooking up.  Just dancing.  Really goofy, foot tapping, dancing. 

Footloose is being remade now because apparently the last time anyone in Hollywood had an original idea was 1984.  The new movie comes out in 2010 and stars Chase Crawford of Gossip Girl and Julianne Hough of Dancing with the Stars as Ren and Ariel.  I’ll be interested to see who they get to take the parts originally played by John Lithgow (Rev. Moore), Chris Penn (Willard) and Sarah Jessica Parker (Rusty) because they all kicked butt, especially Chris Penn (RIP). 

It’s worth mentioning that Lori Singer the actress who played the original Ariel also played the cello player on the TV show Fame.  And Kevin Bacon who played the original Ren sings the song “Footloose” when he performs with his brother as The Bacon Brothers.  Ironically when I saw the Bacon Brothers in concert at the Rams Head in Annapolis all the tables had little signs on them prohibiting dancing during the show.  My table ignored that because, of course, it was our time to dance.

Most costumes are cheap.

Michael J. Fox

Teen Wolf

That’s not a jean jacket he’s wearing, but a jean jacket will do.

Fur around the cuffs, maybe even feet.

False nails.

You can figure out the furry face.  Have fun!

Marty McFly: Here a good one!

Molly Ringwald

You choose!

We chose Claire from the ‘Breakfast Club’: Bomber jacket, gloves, knee high boots- Simple.  I already have these pieces.  A temp red hair die or wig and an “Omigoh!” Happy Halloween!

Eddie Murphy – Axel Foley

Beverly Hills Cop

A grey t-shirt and jeans will do.  You may want a banana your tailpipe.  Also, a dark hoodie and white sneaks, as seen on the video cover box and poster.

Dustin Hoffman- Dorothy

Tootsie

Kurt Russell- Jack Burton

Big Trouble In Little China

Tank Top w/ some picture (or draw on it with a Sharpie)

Jeans, boots and mullet hair. You should have actual muscles!

Weapon optional.

Tom Hanks -Big

Josh Baskin

White Sneakers, Jeans, retro button-down  and jacket.  Short curly wig and keep telling people you’re “Josh Baskin”.

Sigourney Weaver- Ripley

Aliens

Cargo Pants (grey), White high tops, dirty white t-shirt and suspenders.  Weapon, ammo and kid optional.

Same wig as Tom Hanks’ Big wig.

9 to 5

Great for any female friends in groups of three.

Ferris Bueller

With a swanky retro feel, any slick guy could pull off this look.  Don’t forget the comb-over.

Jennifer Beals- Alex

FlashDance

Tattered grey sweaty, leggings and red pumps.  Toss on some leg warmers for full 80s effect!

Curly hair pinned up on the sides.

Ladies & Gentleman:The Fabulous Stains

Corrine Burns

You might need the movies trailer to get the costume down!

Awesome movie, BTW!

The Legend of Billie Jean

Looks like shes wearing some cut off wet suit with high-waisted cargo pants and combat boots. Standard 80’s stuff.  Check out the clip for more details.

Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure

Pee-Wee or anyone in the cast, practically!

Grey suit, white shirt, red tie and white (Ferris Beuller) shoes. Don’t forget the crew cut and a hint of red on the lips.

Xanadu

Olivia Newton-John- Kira

You’re gonna need knee-high roller skates… but you can fudge around that by using leg warmers.

See the clip below for more deatails.

Happy Halloween,

Seriously

BONUS: Couldn’t leave out Molly in 16 Candles.…

Samantha

Of all the looks Samantha had in this  movie, this is the prettiest.  Rock it!

Pink dress with tulle, hair twisted back and up.  She looks like a pixie princess.

And…Pretty in Pink…

Andie

I think doing the retro look with the hat in this movie is cool!  Unless you have time to make the prom dress at the end.

so it was great to see this this morning    (via Cute Overload)