‘Supremely satisfying’: why Strictly Ballroom is my feelgood movie

The latest in our series of writers explaining their favourite comfort watches is a recommendation of Baz Luhrmann’s irresistible audience hitStuck on the wall above the desk where I write is a Post-it note, which I look at for inspiration whenever I feel that the chapter I’m working on needs some extra oomph. If you’ve seen Strictly Ballroom, Baz Luhrmann’s 1992 directorial debut, the words on it – Scott’s knee-slide – will be immediately and ecstatically familiar. If not, allow me to introduce you to what is, for my money, one of the most purely enjoyable films ever made.Scott Hastings, the son of two retired ballroom dancers who now run a teaching studio, is a future champion. Or he would be, if he didn’t keep deviating from the stiff steps laid down by the Australian Dance Federation’s Barry Fife (a Trumpian ogre in a toupee) and throwing in his own moves. When his dancing partner dumps him after he goes rogue during a competition, Fran, the studio’s wallflower, offers to take on the might of the Federation with him. Cue lingering looks, secret rooftop rehearsals and a montage set to Time After Time, with plenty of neon eyeshadow thrown in – picture an early episode of Neighbours on speed, set in the Winter Gardens Blackpool, and you’re halfway there. Continue reading...

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