Do good tango movies exist?

[MadamSamba]

DanceMentor started a link about Tango movies, (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=104) but I'd like to take it further. There are plenty of fabulous dancing movies, but is there such a thing as a fabulous Tango movie?

Now, I adore Tango, but I'm yet to see a Dirty Dancing-calibre movie about Tango. Anyone got any suggestions or rebuttals?

[MadamSamba]

Oh, dear...my worst fears have been confirmed. There is no good Tango movie... :(

[TemptressToo]

What about Simply Ballroom? It has been a long time and I loved the movie. I just can't specifically remember all of the dances involved except for the Paso Doble in the end. I remember it being a fairly good movie as far as dances involved. Many supposively dance movies have very little dancing and a lot of plot...

[JonD]

You've got Sally Potter's "The Tango Lesson" and Carlos Saura's "Tango" - I like them both but some people hate them! Mike Lavocah http://www.milonga.co.uk/books/tangofilms.html recommends Leonard Schrader's "Naked Tango" but I've yet to see that one.

Jon

[SDsalsaguy]

"Naked Tango"
:shock: :shock: :shock:

Is that PG rated?

:lol:

[JonD]

I think it takes a fairly literal interpretation of dance as "the vertical expression of a horizontal desire"! Sounds kind of fun - I wonder if it is shipped in a plain wrapper!!

[DanceMentor]

Tango Bar was a pretty good one too.

[jxntwinkletoes]

Assassination Tango is a movie that came out in December on DVD. It takes place in Argentina and has great Argentine Tango dancing in it! The story isn't that great though, so a non-dancer probably wouldnt' like it. but it is worth renting just for the tango scenes. Robert Duvall is the main actor in the movie.

[DanceMentor]

Welcome, jxntwinkletoes!
Yes, unfortunately, I fell asleep before the part with the dancing came on.
Was the dancing pretty good?

[Vince A]

The movie, "Tango," that JonD mentioned is pretty good . . . nice dancing. It can get boring.

It stars Juan Carlos Copes as a choregrapher/dancer.

[Bronzestudent]

One of the Addams Family movies had a great Tango in it. Ok, maybe a couple parts of it were not very realistic, but still pretty good if I remember correctly, however it was several years before I took dance lessons when I saw it. I think it was "Addams Family Values" but I'm not certain. Anyways, there's only 2 or 3 of those movies.

[Sarah]

Tango Bar was a pretty good one too.

Saw Tango Bar last night. Loved everything about it except the 1980's fashions. That sweater :shock: :D

Cheers
Sarah

[MadamSamba]

Thanks for your responses, guys. I haven't seen Tango Bar, Assasination Tango or Naked Tango, but to be honest the others weren't too crash hot. The dancing was fabulous, but the plots...argh...am going hunting at the video shop tonight...[/i]

[Christina75]

When I'm not obsessively reading DF, I'm usually obsessively reading www.imdb.com
I highly recommend it for looking up dance movies or any other kind of movies you might like. You can search by keywords and I found tons of movies when I typed in "tango". Not sure though how good any of them are. :)

Christina

[learningtodancewell]

I know I have REALLY enjoyed some dancing movies since getting started with ballroom dancing. I have watched Dirty Dancing and Dance With Me many times in the last few weeks.

I just bought and watched Strictly Ballroom and really enjoyed that movie also.

It would be handy to have a section of links for BRIEF write ups of theatre type movies and maybe another sub section for any streaming video, etc. of dancing out there on the internet.

I'd even be willing to help the forum with this.

[MadamSamba]

Thanks for the tip, Christina...also, welcome LearningToDanceWell! That's a great idea! Have seen them all and concur. I was specifically talking about Argentine Tango-related films, but the question is probably valid across the board. Mind you, Dirty Dancing is in a league all its own!!! :)

[SDsalsaguy]

Mind you, Dirty Dancing is in a league all its own!!! :)
Biased much are we? :lol:

[MadamSamba]

Moi, biased, surely you jest, SD! :) I was merely pointing out that Dirty Dancing was a good movie about dancing. Whatever gave you the impression I own it on VHS and DVD and watch it at least five or six times each year...OK, maybe a few more times, but not many... :oops:

[Shamby]

Dirty Dancing is a great movie. I haven't seen Havana Nights yet but it couldn't possibly be as good as the original.

Strictly Ballroom was great and a very real portrayal of the Australian ballroom dancing scene. In fact I believe it was based on some many of the scenes more colourful characters.

[Genesius Redux]

Dirty Dancing is a great movie. I haven't seen Havana Nights yet but it couldn't possibly be as good as the original.

Strictly Ballroom was great and a very real portrayal of the Australian ballroom dancing scene. In fact I believe it was based on some many of the scenes more colourful characters.

Oh, do tell, Shamby! We want all the gory details.... :wink:

[DancePoet]

I enjoyed The Tango Lesson and Assassination Tango. Neither were great films, but the Tango in them was wonderful! I recommend seeing both.

Can't remember seeing Tango in Dirty Dancing? Is there Tango in Havana Nights?

Haven't seen Strictly Ballroom and was wondering if there is Tango in it?

[bordertangoman]

I think we need the equivalent of the ending of Cinema Paradiso where all the great screen kisses are segged together, but to do for the all films with a bit of tango in , from Valentino onwards.

[MadamSamba]

Oh, good idea BTM. Mind you, that still ain't a lot of tango!

Thanks for your thoughts, DancePoet. The reviews on both are so mixed, but I absolutely loathed Assination Tango. (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=135) Am glad you enjoyed it, may watch it when my disappointment has waned.
I don't think there was tango in Dirty Dancing and haven't yet seen Havana Nights, so I can't comment. As for Strictly Ballroom, I can't remember, but will force myself (oh, the pressure) to watch it on the weekend again ...for research purposes, of course.

[Genesius Redux]

Strictly Ballroom is indeed a wonderful film that illustrates quite clearly that one great film does not automatically make a great director. Nothing else that I've seen of Baz Luhrmann's work is any good at all!