shall we dance ? ( 1996 film )
tied with kyôko kishida for haunted school 2 (1996) and yatsuhaka - mura (1996) .
shall we dance ?
swept the japanese academy awards in 1996, and was the sleeper hit of 1997' s sundance film festival .
looking for movie tickets? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing shall we dance? (1996) near you .
japanese gentle comedy
shall we dance ?
(
shall we dansu ?
) directed by masayuki suo with koji yakusho and tamiyo kusakari in leading roles .
not to be confused with the 1996 japanese film by the same title, or its 2004 american remake .
shall we dance ?
opens friday, october 15, and is rated pg - 13 .
[ us ] shall we dance? (1996): a repressed accountant finds a way to open up his world. trouble is, he can' t tell anyone about it .
'' shall we dance?'' concludes this year' s new directors / new films series .
[ us ] shall we dance? (1996): a repressed accountant finds a way to open up his world. trouble is, he can' t tell anyone about it. : netflixbestof
the new
shall we dance ?
stars richard gere as chicago lawyer john clark and jennifer lopez as paulina, a dance instructor .
nothing against richard gere and jennifer lopez in shall we dance 2005, but mr. aoki steals the show and reminds us that we should always maximize our effort on the dance floor .
shall we dance ?
is rated pg - 13 (parents strongly cautioned). it includes mild sexual innuendo .
in response to this, realizing he is in a film and the other character just said the title of the movie, he restates
shall we dance .
shall we dance ?
remains blissfully untethered to reality. dance in the movies has always been synonymous with transcendence, as characters step out of their mundane lives into a wonderland where time stops .
shall we dance ?
is a gaudy, sequined invitation to freedom .
los angeles, california (cnn) - -
shall we dance ?
, an american remake of the sweet 1996 japanese film of the same name, is an ill - fated attempt to translate a wonderful foreign - language film for american audiences - - and it falls apart on its own, too .
unlike the recently released taxi, shall we dance? is not an aggressively bad remake of a foreign film. still, giving this version a pass and tracking down a copy of the original film would better serve movie watchers .
unfortunately, lost in translation has already been used as a film title recently, as it could very much be used to describe shall we dance? , an american remake of a critically acclaimed 1996 japanese film. those familiar with the original version will find no real surprises here, as this americanization apes its source’s every story beat .
an interview with masayuki suo, the writer - director of the japanese hit movie
shall we dance ?
could best be termed a multimedia affair .
shall we dance? proves that japanese film makers can fashion charming, feel - good movies every bit as effective as their hollywood counterparts. unlike the australian comedy, strictly ballroom, which used ballroom dancing competitions as arenas for romance and satire, shall we dance? uses them to explore one man' s struggle for freedom from the suffocating repression that characterizes japanese society. this is a film for anyone who prefers to leave the theater smiling .
something is missing in the life of john clark, he just can’t figure out exactly what it is until he follows a beautiful dancer, jennifer lopez, to dance studio and becomes a secret ball room dancer. shall we dance? is a remake of a japanese 1996 film, shall we dansu? at first glance i would’ve never had realized that susan sarandon and richard gere had never shared the big screen together. there true life chemistry and friendship is obvious even on film. gere and sarandon spoke to latino review about their roles on this contemporary romantic comedy. below is what they had to say to us .
featured in contact / this world, then the fireworks / a simple wish / 4 little girls / the big sleep / shall we dance? (1997). see more »
attention monday. i' m officially adding jack black' s mixtape dance to my morning routine and it shall defeat you .
nevertheless, subplots excepted, shall we dance? navigates the tricky waters of the dramatic comedy with surprising ease. writer / director masayuki suo, who has designed the film primarily as a heartfelt tale of one man' s solution to a mid - life crisis, keeps shall we dance? fresh and free of heavy melodrama by leavening the script with universal humor. and the ending satisfies in part because it doesn' t conform to all the expected clich├ęs .
shall we dance ?
doesn' t work as a remake, and it doesn' t work on its own. its missteps turn the delicate footwork of the original into a clunky thud .
the story eventually grows a tad redundant, but this is an extremely enjoyable, self - assured little film. or, at the risk of getting cute enough to have a blurb printed on a movie poster ,
shall we dance
is very light on its feet .
we suggest utilizing this song, and dance routine, as a victory dance after your next promotion at work, or switch things up perform the dance routine in hopes of securing a promotion at work .
newsboy: paper, read all about the secret marriage! peter: did you hear that? we' re about the only two people in the world who don' t think we' re married. linda: we don' t think we' re not. we both know we' re not. peter: except me. i' m beginning to have my doubts .
more than steps: salaryman masculinity in masayuki suo’s shall we dansu (2004) | 24 frames of silver: a cinema blog for the soul by lee o .
and then ask her if it was as good for her as it was for you .
shall we dance ?
is a reasonably close remake of
dansu wo shimasho ka
( aka
shall we dansu ?
), a 1996 japanese film that set box - office records at home and won audiences around the world. if you' ve seen it, you know precisely what happens in the hollywood version, but the movie is a star vehicle; the plot isn' t the point, gere and lopez are. when they dance together, it' s a reminder that when dancing became rare in the movies, so did a lot of grace and sexiness .
well, perhaps it' s unfair to compare the american
shall we dance ?
with its japanese counterpart, just as it' s often unfair to compare a movie with the book it' s based on .
try it yourself: we suggest a fully committed interpretation of this dance using seth rogan and paul rudd as your muse .
this film is not only out of step, it has two left feet .
'' shall we dance?'' inevitably incorporates that very important dance competition toward which it might be expected to build. but to its credit, this isn' t a film about'' rocky'' - style winning. though its proficient style can be slickly uplifting, mr. suo' s film also offers gentle thoughts about feeling responsible to one' s partner and enjoying the exultation of dance.'' dance is more than just the steps,'' says the school' s kindly senior teacher.'' feel the music and dance for sheer joy.''
sure, the dance skills may be from the 80' s, but this learning to dance montage captures the repetition and payoff of a process we call all relate to .
miramax films will almost certainly back shall we dance? with a sizable advertising campaign - - of all the distributor' s late - spring releases, this has the most potential to be a crowd pleaser. the pleasant emotional aftereffects are a testimony to suo' s ability to fashion a story whose appeal reaches far beyond the shores of his native country. shall we dance? promises a convivial evening at the movies, and a rare chance to mix culture with pleasure .
we wouldn' t recommend a shot for shot reenactment of this performance, from an insurance standpoint, but we would absolutely suggest learning the hustle .
i mention these mundane facts because i can' t discuss shall we dance? without thinking of kumiko. sometime during my college years, she lent shall we dance? to me, and i watched it with my family over break. it was one of the first non - fantasy japanese films i watched, and it made a deep impression on me at the time, and helped inform the movie review i would write for a small - town newspaper about the 2004 remake a few years later. long before i would move to japan and join a dance club there, or visit kumiko' s family, i watched this warm little gem. all these memories shimmer and merge as i consider shall we dance? now—but even without those memories, the movie is well worth watching .
we’re interested in your feedback on this page. tell us what you think .
the japanese film shall we dance? debuts on dvd with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1. 85: 1. the japanese soundtrack is rendered in dolby digital surround. english, french, and spanish subtitles are accessible. supplemental materials are limited to a preview of the film' s american remake. this dvd was released the same day as the dvd of the remake that featured richard gere and jennifer lopez
shall we dance is a very exciting look at living life through dance with great performances by koji yakusho, reiko kusamura, and the nearly show - stealing naoto takenaka. it takes time to warm up to tamiyo kusakari, but once she changes, you will love her performance as well. regardless to whether you’ve seen the richard gere - jennifer lopez version, this is truly one japanese film to check out .
among the secondary characters who give'' shall we dance?'' its color are a buffoonish fat man, a comical short man, a brassy and overbearing woman who turns out to be secretly very kind, and one of sugiyama' s fellow accountants who leads a lively hidden life. bald and meek by day, he dons a wig and ruffled shirt at the dance academy to become a flamboyant, clowning latin lover.'' shall we dance?'' holds forth the sunny possibility that beyond the most timid exterior there may be a tangoing walter mitty to be found .
the best film i have ever seen. you don’t have to like dancing to appreciate the acting, music, humour & a little sadness that flows throughout this brilliant film. excellent !
nner and deborah kerr' s dancing in the 1956 film
the king and i
.
we are pretty sure there aren' t many ladies out there who would want the men in their lives to dance the tango, or look a little antonio banderas like in the process. then again, we could be mistaken .
a lovely film with a story that stands up in its own right, so it doesn' t matter whether you' re a dance fan or not .
writer / director masayuki suo, whose previous film sumo do, sumo don' t also picked up a japanese academy award for best film in 1992, has focused on making a film for an audience which remains largely uncatered for - the middle - aged professional. as a result shall we dance? is far warmer than most of the japanese films showcased abroad, and its simple - minded escapism is hard to resist. it is colourful and buoyant, moving and inspiring, and still, a few years after the initial critical clamouring has subsided, just as strong as ever .
this award - winning japanese film is a fun delight about living life through the art of dance, and it would be the inspiration for a 2004 hollywood remake .
lovely film, just a shame it' s the short version. but a good buy anyway .
when jon favreau and heather graham were filming their swing scene in the 1996 miramax pic, swingers, they probably had no idea that the scene, and the movie, would help contribute to the 90' s swing revival .
( cnn) - -
shall we dance
is an utterly charming japanese comedy about the healing powers of spinning a partner around a ballroom. but the film somehow avoids being as precious as i fully expected it to be. it isn' t really fair to suggest that the movie' s main subject is dance, though. as much as anything else, it' s about the healing powers (and poetry) of simple self - expression .
that point in a movie where we are treated to a montage filled with great music, great moves, and great visual storytelling. we assembled 50 of our favorite dance sequences, and the dances that fit them. who knows? instead of watching the next dance scene, maybe you can make your own ?
this is that other dance number from singin' in the rain. donald o' conner shows that gene kelly wasn' t the only talent in that iconic film .
this movie blew me away. the lead actor is incredible and the film tugs at the heart strings .
shall we dance? received a 93% rating from rotten tomatoes (fresh: 28, rotten: 2). roger ebert stated in the chicago sun times that shall we dance? is
one of the more completely entertaining movies i' ve seen in a while—a well - crafted character study that, like a hollywood movie with a skillful script, manipulates us but makes us like it .
critic paul tatara noted that
it isn' t really fair to suggest that the movie' s main subject is dance, though. as much as anything else, it' s about the healing powers (and poetry) of simple self - expression .
( wikipedia )
accessibility concerns? email us at accessibility @ urltoken. we would love to hear from you .
for moments of forceful and dramatic movement, we suggest tango. when that drama turns to passion, we suggest the argentine tango. in either case, wear black to finish the look .
try it yourself: we recommend lindy hop... but at a slightly slower pace .
while there are plenty of great dance scenes from the full monty, this one seems to capture the essence of this article. in addition, we' re sure that every reader can relate to public dance practice moments like this .
an interview with writer / director boots riley about his incendiary new film ,
sorry to bother you .
lee o. is an avid film enthusiast who specializes in hollywood film history, critically examining films of any country and era and putting it in its historical context – while also conveying what it means to her. she is a film studies graduate at a southern california university, with a concentration in the relationship between history and media .
the parts of shall we dance? that are done well, are done very well, muting the negative impact of certain less successful elements. one of the most interesting aspects of the film for a western viewer is that we' re offered an opportunity to peer through an open window into japanese society, especially as it addresses issues of intimacy. for those of us who are used to the idea that dancing is an integral part of the cultural fabric, understanding how the japanese view this activity can cause a shift in perspective .
there was a dance… kind of a store - front dance place, up there, upstate. and i was going there, two, three, four, five times a week. that was three or four months before we started shooting .
despite the country' s long cinematic history, commercially successful releases from japan are pretty rare on this side of the world. put simply, japanese culture seems far too alien and too damn odd to resonate much with western mainstream audiences, which is what makes the universal appeal of shall we dance? all the more fascinating .
but the film asks for this comparison. for one thing, it would have us believe that its cast of cross - cultural misfits is somehow making the same type of rebellious social statement as the dancers in the japanese film .
loved this film and great performance by richard gere and susan saranden... ... brilliant! ! !
shall we dance
is a sweet, gently - told tale about a man' s defeat of his mid - life crisis. it all goes down smooth, and is wall - to - wall with dancing, both terrible and majestic. rated pg. 136 minutes, but goes by quickly. cha - cha - cha .
'' shall we dance?'' also has a more western mantra in its frequent evocations of'' the king and i,'' complete with talk of yul brynner and deborah kerr. the title song is played inspirationally, while vague strains of'' hello young lovers'' filter through tender moments between sugiyama and mai .
the last third of
shall we dance?'' provides audiencepleasing payoffs that could make this film as popular as
strictly ballroom,'' and the most successful japanese film at the western box office since
tampopo
10 years ago. but it is the opening material that fascinates. to seek out the secret of a beautiful woman in a window is much more interesting than to discover the secret. familiarity dissipates eroticism. of course i realize i am asking the impossible: of course sugiyama will mount the stairs, and so of course there must be a story .
i adore this film and am really disgusted that the version released here is nearly half an hour shorter than the one shown in japan. if the dvd company ever looks at this site - please can we have the complete film. if the mutilated version is this good (and it is wonderful) how much better to have the whole thing .
a film criticism blog for the classics, the classics - in - the - making, and the never - classics .
shall we dance? is not without its share of flaws, however. several subplots are largely ineffective, due in part to the director' s unfortunate tendency to use caricatures to generate both sentiment and comedy. several supporting characters (especially an overweight dance student named tanaka and a wild latin dancer named aoki) are poorly - developed types whose primary purpose appears to be to act as foils for some of the film' s more elaborate jokes. and, while this humor does generate laughs, it results in ill - defined individuals whose dramatic effectiveness is diluted .
the dance scenes are beautifully shot with vibrant color and depth in terms of choreography. kudos goes to toshio watari, who served as the film’s dance choreographer. he makes the cast look exciting, even takenoko has to dance latin in a very comical flamboyant kind of way. all these elements of story, characterization, and movement truly mesh well and it is clear why it would win the best film as well as 13 other awards at the japanese equivalent of the academy awards in 1997 .
as a public service, even if you can salsa to classic r & b music by full force, we suggest that you do that outside of a kid n' play dance routine battle .
this list collects every film from the starting list that became they shoot pictures don' t they' s 1000 greatest films. this…
veteran koji yakusho is great as accountant shohei, who starts out fascinated with the lead dance instructor only to realize that something has sparked him and that’s dancing. one may seem annoyed for the first half of the film with tamiyo kusakari’s lead character of dance instructor mai. the reason is because in the first half of the film, she is more stone - faced and stern. however, an hour into the film, when she smiles for the first time after being impressed with shohei’s improvement, it is clear that “the teacher can also learn from the student” .
we' re told that it is
beyond embarrassing
for a husband and wife to dance, and to dance with someone else is
even more shameful .
in other words, don' t be looking for repeats of
bandstand
the next time you' re in tokyo .
i told my roommate about the film and how nice it is so we had planned on seeing it tonight. however, i gotten into a mood where i was listening to
fuck and run
by liz phair on repeat all day. so yeah .
despite a few plodding moments, most apparent in an unnecessarily long - winded denouement in which the various threads of the story are rather hamfistedly tied up, the film is a delight from start to finish. the characters achieve a degree of buoyant absurdity that is quite endearing and the fact that they are so deeply expressed in terms of their physicality rather than by language is what gives shall we dance? its cross - cultural appeal. suo' s film, particularly in the colourfully vivacious dance sequences, is packed full with visual detail, taking in each of the characters and their individual dancing styles. from his first awkward steps onto the dance floor, sugiyama' s emotional journey from respected but unfulfilled office drudge to an assured and valued member of the dance school is uplifting in the extreme. perhaps the most exhilarating aspect to the whole thing is that all of the characters look as if they' re enjoying themselves so much .
pingback: that dame upstairs: a film noir primer | 24 frames of silver: a cinema blog for the soul by lee o .
it was funny, sad and happy. the film moved along at a gentle pace and all of the characters were very well played .
no. (laughs) i don' t think i' ve danced at all. when we finished dancing, we had a wedding reception, the year after we got married, because we finally had time to do it. and my wife and i had kind of a wonderful spotlight dance, and my wife had been taking lessons from one of the teachers also, one of the guys that was in the movie. her family had always told her that she couldn' t dance, and she got up with me, and we started doing all the dips and twirls, and all the things, and her family was just beside themselves. it was a very emotional kind of coming out for her, to do that in front of her family. it was pretty great .
although i had seen the 2004 hollywood remake of this film, it had been some time and i couldn' t really remember much outside the fact that a middle - aged man takes dance lessons from an attractive younger woman .
shall we dance, a remake of the popular 1996 japanese movie of the same name, could have easily gone off the deep end. it’s a rare man, who in the midst of a midlife crisis, walks away sexually unscathed after becoming attracted to a beautiful—younger—woman. here, he dances cheek to cheek with her on more than one occasion, and pines after the idea of her (he feels as though her soulfulness and sensual sadness might give meaning to his own sense of melancholy), but he refuses to take things to a carnal level. similarly, it’s a rare wife, who, distanced from and deceived by her husband, and offered another man’s attentions, firmly walks away with nary a flirtation .
sugiyama is developed as a low - key, likable character who fills the role of the japanese
everyman .
his relationship with mai proceeds along a natural path, shunning romantic hyperbole in favor of a refreshingly believable tangle of feelings. watching both sugiyama and mai grow as a result of each others' influence is one of shall we dance?' s subtle pleasures. ultimately, the results of all the dance competitions pale in comparison to understanding the unique relationship that develops between these two .
this dance sequence can sometimes get lost in the majesty which is james cameron' s titanic. this sequence showcases how a dance can bring people closer, and put a smile on
some would argue that in 1992
strictly ballroom
paved the way for popular dance television shows and movies today. after watching this final dance it would be hard to disagree .
we know life happens, so if something comes up, you can return or exchange your tickets up until the posted showtime .
looking to impress your love interest? we suggest you take jon cryer' s approach and
try a little tenderness
.
try it yourself: we suggest a vintage hustle, or a romantic rumba. polyester clothing and perfect hair are both optional .
japan may not recognize ballroom dancing, but if masayuki suo' s film is any evidence, it knows about midlife crises set to music .
by the end of the film i had a big smile on my face and my heart felt warm. it was just what i needed .
in the romantic comedy
shall we dance? ,
jennifer lopez, in full sizzle, minces no words in evoking what ballroom dancing is all about. instructing richard gere in the rumba, she defines it as
a vertical expression of a horizontal wish .
and in the too - brief sequence in which they meld as an iconic dance - floor couple, they approach the swooning grace of fred astaire and cyd charisse, whom the movie holds up as ultimate dancing partners afloat in pure rapture .
good media discernment is about guarding our eyes and hearts before we watch or listen. and it' s also about grappling with the entertainment we do see or hear. that' s why the plugged in blog is devoted to guarding, discussing and grappling .
there are victory dances for accomplishments like touchdowns and promotions, but what kind of victory dance comes to mind when you score in the bedroom for the first time? we nominate this clip from the 40 year old virgin .
try it yourself: this song is not a traditional sounding mambo, and while we think mambo and salsa are both fantastic dances to learn, use this song only to pay tribute to this dance, and nothing else .
i find myself revisiting this movie as i prepare to return to japan in just over a month. the film reminds me that there is so much more to japan than monsters and ninjas and samurai or shining robots and bright anime action. japan is made up of beautiful people, good friends like my dear friend kumiko, and fine art expressed in a wide array of styles. shall we dance? proffers a hand to westerners, asking them to experience a different side of japan with a well - crafted, heartfelt story. i would extend the same invitation .
unfortunately, midway through the movie the plot kicks into high gear, demanding the drama quotient be ratcheted up as john’s wife discovers where he has been sending his wednesday nights. the film swings from light comedy to dour drama and never fully recovers its balance in time for the climactic dance competition scene. the original film much more competently balanced its dramatic moments with lighter, comic beats .
we hope this review was both interesting and useful. please share it with family and friends who would benefit from it as well .
conventional as it may be ,
shall we dance ?
offers genuine delights. the fact that paulina is uninterested in romance with john comes as sort of a relief, freeing the story to be about something other than the inexorable collision of their genitals. it can be about how john feels about his life, about why it might be useful for a middle - aged lawyer to jump the rails and take up ballroom dance. and about the gallery of supporting characters, who get enough screen time to become engaging .
that is not the case in the 2004 american remake - - and the lack of subtext drains the film of the heartfelt power of the original .
any attempt to reinterpret this untouchable dance scene with uma thurman and mr. travolta would only bring a world of pain to you courtesy of a certain marcellus wallace... and we wouldn' t wish that on anyone .
i took up dance a few years ago, and like the hero of this film, i yearned to do it, but felt quite awkward about it. the film accurately portrays how dancing draws you in. you think you' re doing it for one reason, but you soon find yourself dragged in a different direction. the film is very japanese, so you get lots of perspectives that reflect that society. this means it goes places you don' t expect. i loved the authentic detail, the insight and the humour. it' s romantic and realistic, which is a wonderful achievement - one of my top dance films !
try it yourself: conventional wisdom says to learn the hustle, but if you want to stick it to someone in your next disco dance battle, might we suggest taking a closer look at ben stiller' s far out moves .
the ballad of narayama
is a japanese film of great beauty and elegant artifice, telling a story of startling cruelty. what a space it opens…
watched this version in a film appreciation class in college before the gere version came out. i agree with you completely that this version is much better .
mix jitterbug with everything that jack black is doing, and you could clear any dance floor forever .
as much as i like shall we dance? , however, it has always bothered me that shohei’s relationship with his wife did not take a more central role. of course, their marriage is shown as important to the story, and hideko hara gives a good performance as the rather spurned wife masako. however, she seems almost always to be pushed aside for the centrality of dance, or shohei’s relationship with mai or toyoko. at the end of the film, the main tension is not about shohei reconciling with masako, but rather whether shohei will go and see mai one last time. the impression, then, is to make it seem as if shohei’s fleeting relationship with mai is actually more important than the lifelong commitment he has made to his wife. further, masako is mostly cut off from shohei’s dance activities throughout the film, and she is treated more as someone who exists in order to ultimately encourage shohei to live his life rather than someone whose feelings really matter very much. shohei never confesses to masako that his dance passion was initially enflamed by an extramarital lust for mai, and when he “makes up” with his wife towards the end, the main purpose of the reconciliation seems just as much to be a means to reignite shohei’s interest in dance (which he gives up for a time) as it is to reconnect with his wife. the blasé way in which shohei and masako’s relationship is treated in the film is the biggest flaw in the film, in my opinion .
our family doesn' t go to the movies until we go online and check out your assessment of a given film. i think this is the best christian media review website that i' ve found, and i recommend it to my family and friends. keep up the good work !
it takes an awful lot of fancy footwork from mr. suo to sustain the idea that the main source of his characters' excitement is the rhumba. but the cheery, squeaky - clean'' shall we dance?'' unfolds in broadly heartwarming fashion and uses the dancing school strictly to rekindle tired spirits. sugiyama' s fellow dancers, each of them somehow both goofy and poignant, develop a new sense of fellowship in their secret community. and the dancing, as in'' strictly ballroom,'' is filmed with a wishful fred - and - ginger sweetness that gives the film a studiously effervescent mood .
q - - at the end of the film, has mr. sugiyama' s ballroom dancing experience helped define his life? has it made his family stronger ?
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richard gere shines as the bored mid life man who wants more from life and joins a dance class .
one can never have enough ammunition in the disco dance battle arsenal. watch this for a full resupply .
at the start of'' shall we dance? ,'' a japanese businessman goes to a ballroom dancing school so furtively he might be visiting a bordello.'' in japan, ballroom dancing is regarded with much suspicion,'' an opening title explains. yet 42 - year - old shohei sugiyama (koji yakusyo) is so unsatisfied by his wife, child, house, car and accounting job in a sterile office that he desperately needs a change of pace .
when i first heard of this film, i assumed it would just be a boy - meets - girl flick. instead it has more complexity than that, while still remaining a gentle, easy - to - watch film the comedy elements maintain the gentleness, with few' jokes' per - se, but a sense of underlying humour that still allows for genuine feeling and emotion to surface and play it' s part. a lovely feel - good film, with some good dancing in it .
we are all spoiled children of the digital graphics in cinema today. we can spot bad effects, wires, and any other devices meant to deliver believable magic. so, to see a movie over 30 years old that can deliver a
wow
moment, it definitely belongs on this list .
if you' re a seller, you can increase your sales significantly by using fulfilment by amazon. we invite you to learn more about this programme .
while an overriding theme of the film centers on the importance of enjoying art for art’s sake alone, as with most dance films, there is a dance competition—though winning said competition is never of huge importance to the plot. instead, the competition helps to spur shohei on to learn dance more, and to work with the often - prickly toyoko as his partner, and mai ends up coaching them to do their best. interestingly—again, unlike most dance films in america—the leads never learn particularly flashy moves, and dancing is not reduced to just the equivalent of a special effect—pizazz included simply to wow audiences. instead, dance is shown as something warm and beautiful, bringing people joy, not just gymnastics to a beat .
paso doble! that dance that brings out a different, bullfighter side, in all of us. ole !
a - - it is somewhat embarrassing for japanese people to dance together, men and women, like westerners .
both films are about the healing powers of self - expression. but the original also had strong cultural touchstones regarding dance. public displays of affection, and the close proximity of bodies required for ballroom dancing - - even between a husband and wife - - are considered shameful in traditional japanese culture. the dance students in the original film defied their tightly bound society with a powerful act of nonconformity .
tequila
is a classic mambo, or salsa, depending on your mood. we recommend saving the pencil thin suit and platform shoes strictly for show .
tom cruise' s career skyrocketed after dancing around in his underwear, while people stood by watching with their pants on. we should all reconsider our strategies .
we only saw each other a little bit. i know jennifer from before this movie, actually, because her agent at one time was also tim’s agent. so she played videogames with my boys way back when. they’ve spent time together and i know her. i really like jennifer. we hung out more in the trailers. we were only in the one scene at the end. and i ran into her once at the dance studio because at one time they had me in to learn the waltz. i think she’s just very exotic and obviously a great dancer and very sexy and a good actor. i think she brought a lot to the movie. you believe her as a dancer and as somebody whose life’s tragedy revolves around the dance contest. it’s not everybody you could believe that of. i’m sorry that we didn’t work more together. they usually just allow two women per film, and they usually don’t work together. that’s just the way things work out in the scenarios, and that was true in this one .
directed by peter chelsom; written by audrey wells, based on the film by masayuki suo; director of photography, john de borman; edited by charlie ireland; choreography by john o' connell; production designer, caroline hanania; produced by simon fields; released by miramax films. running time: 106 minutes. this film is rated pg - 13 .
nice feel good film but the ending where the inference is that anyone in a partnership cannot do anything unsexual outside of the partnership is just a bit too hollywood for me. it would have been so much better if the film had had a different ending with the couple acknowledging that sometimes to develop they have to something individually. in the end hollywood trash .
every dance television show on tv opens with some type of group dance number, a formation. watch this sequence and see for yourself if the shows of today may have taken some inspiration from this iconic scene from 50 years ago .
how many of us wish that we could throw away social and cultural obligations and be free? most of us, i suspect. shall we dance? is not a movie about dancing. it is about learning about ourselves, recognising what we are looking for in life and having the courage to go in search of it. mr sugiyama is a middle - aged member of a japanese society where ballroom dancing is viewed as unsuitable behaviour. one day mr sugiyama sees a beautiful girl leaning out of the window of a dancing acadamy. he is fascinated by her and eventually signs up for dancing lessons. he is ashamed of his dancing and afraid of ridicule. he hides the fact that he is attending dancing classes from his colleagues and family. there is a hilarious scene in the mensroom at the office when sugiyama and watanabe, a workmate who also dances, are interrupted practising some dance steps. there are many other funny and warm - hearted scenes. the ending is not a fairytale, but it leaves the viewer feeling good. this movie helped me to understand the japanese people a little better. it is a warm and very worthwhile film to see .
the dancers in the film get together at a local watering hole after their lessons and discuss what they' re doing as if they' re training for guerrilla warfare. this is dance as an act of nonconformity, and they' re exhilarated that they have the guts to take part in it .
side # 1 - - 1. to dance or not to dance [ 2: 34 ] 2. mr. suglyama, workaholic [ 6: 19 ] 3. two left feet [ 11: 35 ] 4. group lessons [ 3: 58 ] 5 .
one - trick rumba
[ 7: 31 ] 6. free consultation [ 4: 59 ] 7. sensei [ 3: 43 ] 8. not giving up [ 4: 04 ] 9. too good to dance [ 8: 40 ] 10. toyoko' s breakdown [ 1: 05 ] 11. no hesitation [ 6: 34 ] 12. reason to dance [ 6: 06 ] 13. amateur competition [ 3: 40 ] 14. waltzing for an audience [ 10: 00 ] 15. letter from mai [ 6: 09 ] 16. apologies accepted [ 7: 14 ] 17 .
shall we dance ?
[ 8: 54 ] 18. credits [ 4: 02 ]
i tend not to be drawn to films described as' heartwarming'.' life enhancing' or' magical' but as this is a japanese film, i had no need to worry. no chance that, whilst being all of that the film would not also be realistic. true there is much sentiment but not false sentiment and the heartwarming moments are genuinely touching, nobody is tugging at the heart strings, we simply feel for the characters because they are so well drawn and we have become involved. simple enough story describing a normal japanese salaryman' s gradual involvement in ballroom dancing but so well photographed and written that we find ourselves both laughing at and with the participants. fairly slow build and no dramatic finale, just one beautifully told tale that will involve and amuse even the most hardened yakuza movie fan, or anyone else for that matter .
whether you' re trying to get your kids to take dance lessons, or not sure how to explain your dance hobby to your friends and family, take a look at this scene from jamie bell in the classic, billy elliot .
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a successful but unhappy japanese accountant finds the missing passion in his life when he begins to secretly take ballroom dance lessons .
while a few broadway audition leaps may seem more appropriate, you could dance a tango or swing to this travolta classic .
24 frames of silver: a cinema blog for the soul by lee o. is a film critique and history blog that will post at least every sunday, and potentially days in between .
clark' s wife, of course, does become suspicious about his behavior and discovers his secret by hiring a private detective. the film' s resulting confrontation and anti - climax at chicago' s biggest ballroom dance competition - - where john' s secret if finally exposed - - feels embarrassing rather than heartfelt .
: peter' s show makes it clear to linda that he sees her this way. arthur helpfully drives it home by telling her ,
he said if he couldn' t dance with you, he' d dance with images of you .
initially released in its home country in 1996, it picked up an impressive 13 japanese academy awards. whilst on its us release, where it was distributed by miramax, it pretty much cleaned up to become one of the highest - grossing foreign language titles of all time (though through a loophole in the rules, was deprived of a best foreign language academy award nomination in 1997 because it had already been shown on television in japan the previous year) .
it' s an incredible novel. i' m amazed at how many people have read that. myla goldberg wrote the script. if we pulled this off, it should be a terrific film. they found an amazing little girl to play… it' s really about my daughter, it' s about the girl. who is quite magical, and her magic is expressed through spelling .
as humans, we place a premium on the original versions of things. it' s very difficult to remake a classic and have it receive any positive reviews. this song and dance from young frankenstein took the original, killed it, and brought it back to life as a tap dancing monster of a hit .
try it yourself: if you wanted to go the authentic route, please share the video with us. if you wanted to go for something a bit more practical, we suggest merengue .
richard gere plays john clark, not an unhappy man, in
shall we dance ?
he loves his wife and daughter, he enjoys his job as a lawyer, and when his wife gets that funny look in her eye and asks him if everything is ok, he says sure, of course, everything is fine. but there is something missing. one night as he is returning home on the l train, he notices a woman standing alone in the window of miss mitzi' s dance studio. there is something intriguing about her solitude, her pensive attitude and, let it be said, her figure. a few days later, he gets off the train, walks into the studio and signs up for classes in ballroom dancing .
there are several minor plot lines concerning the lonely members of the dance class, and a couple of them probably could have been cut, but the characters are all nicely written, and of the performances are thoroughly enjoyable. sugiyama' s growing relationship with the beautiful instructor is at the heart of the film, and it develops in quite unexpected ways .
well, i' ll probably see you all in about four or five months on' bee season.' which is a small film. as functional as these people are, that' s about dysfunctional people .
john goes to the dance club with his son evan. as the camera enters the club, john' s son evan and his girlfriend are dancing in the crowd. in the next shot, they are sitting with john just getting ready to go out onto the dance floor .
now, we' re supposed to feel that gere' s character is afraid his wife will somehow assume his need to dance is a sign of being unfulfilled in their marriage, rather than going against a social norm. and there' s also that annoying little emotional involvement with paulina, which is somehow not supposed to be sexual .
agree, really fun movie. i also watched it in a japanese cinema university course. i minored in film studies, and took a lot of cinema courses in university. the japanese one was by far my favourite .
some people prefer the limelight in the center of a lighted disco floor, for the rest of us - dance the hustle on the sidelines .
but then, on just another hazy ride on the train, he sees mai ishikawa gazing distractedly out the window of a local ballroom dance studio. he is enchanted. each ride in the train, he looks for her, sees her, longs for her. despite how dance is frowned upon in his culture, he goes to dance class—not because he really wants to dance, but because he is taken by mai’s beauty and he wants to be with her. he tells his wife nothing, tells his coworkers nothing—he just goes, disappearing every wednesday night. mai rejects shohei’s advances, however—disgusted that he would dance out of infatuation for her beauty rather than for the love of the art itself. shohei decides to learn to love dance for dance’s sake, and throws himself into learning how to properly cut the proverbial rug in order to show her he is not so shallow, and, in the process, develops a real love for ballroom. but by this time, his wife has hired a private investigator to follow shohei, and much more is at stake than just a turn on the dance floor. his whole life may come crashing down because of his secrets.
shall we dance ? ( shall we ダンス ? sharu wi dansu ? ) is a 1996 japanese film . its title refers to the song " shall we dance ? " which comes from rodgers and hammerstein 's the king and i . it was directed by masayuki suo . 
shall we dance? (shall we ダンス? sharu wi dansu ?) is a 1996 japanese film. its title refers to the song " shall we dance? " which comes from rodgers and hammerstein's the king and i. it was directed by masayuki suo.
shall we dance? (shall we ダンス? sharu wi dansu ?) is a 1996 japanese film. its title refers to the song " shall we dance? " which comes from rodgers and hammerstein's the king and i. it was directed by masayuki suo.