Greatest Film Scenes
and Moments



Flashdance (1983)

 



Written by Tim Dirks

Title Screen
Movie Title/Year and Scene Descriptions
Screenshots

Flashdance (1983)

In Adrian Lyne's R-rated sleeper hit - a musical romantic drama with energetic, glossy music-video style dance sequences - a major box-office success and cultural touchstone, and generally regarded as a formulaic, implausible Cinderella story:

  • the early iconic scene of Pittsburgh steel-mill welder/ exotic bar dancer Alexandra "Alex" Owens (Jennifer Beals), at Mawbry's Bar - supine on a chair as water splashed down on her (mostly in dark silhouette); she was accompanied by the song "He's a Dream" sung by Shandi Sinnamon (as Shandi); then, "Alex" rose from the chair and danced in her wet red leotard
  • the sweaty scene of Alex's equipment and weights workout (with two others who were providing dating advice) - in a gym to the tune of "I Love Rock 'N Roll", sung by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
  • the 90-second, influential street scene of Alex (in a long-shot) coming upon a group of B-boys (Wayne "Frosty Freeze" Frost, Richard "Crazy Legs" Colon, and the Rock Steady Crew), who showed off their break-dancing moves to the tune of Jimmy Castor’s "It’s Just Begun"
  • the iconic image of Alex's torn/cut-off-the-shoulder gray sweatshirt (and the scene of the removal of her black bra under the sweatshirt)
  • the sequence of Alex's intense foot-pounding, stretching, hair-spinning, practice exercise routine in a black leotard, to the tune of Michael Sembello's hit song "(She's A) Maniac" ("And she's dancing like she's never danced before"); it began with black leotarded Alex taping up her feet in preparation for an intense workout of running in place, twirling, and stretching (usually performed by body double Marine Jahan); there were lots of closeups, fast cuts and blurred action typical of the MTV style
"(She's A) Maniac" Dance Sequence
  • the seductive scene of Alex tantalizing older boyfriend (and steel mill boss) Nick Hurley (Michael Nouri) during a lobster dinner - while she was dressed in a black tux; she slowly nibbled and sucked soft pieces of seafood, and suggestively asked: "What turns you on? (during the conversation, she moved her leg up under the table to tantalizingly touch his crotch with her stockinged toes) You like phone booths?"; when Nick's ex-wife Kate (Belinda Bauer) showed up to introduce herself, and made insinuating comments about Alex's work as a welder and stripper, Alex removed her tuxedo coat jacket (leaving the front piece of only a white shirt and cuffs without sleeves), and candidly described her provocative first date with Nick: "I f--ked his brains out"
Sexy Lobster Dinner with Nick
  • the climactic scene of Alex' audition (with a black leotard and ankle warmers) before the Pittsburgh Conservatory of Dance and Repertory to the tune of the Oscar-winning Best Song "Oh, What a Feeling!" (sung by Irene Cara); at first she stumbled and faltered, and asked to start over ("Can I start again?") - the film's final line of dialogue, and was allowed to continue - with a combination of moves (including break-dancing at the end), she was able to gain entrance to the Conservatory
  • the loving and cliched, upbeat romantic clinch - after her important dance audition, Alex met Nick; she received a handful of long-stemmed red roses, a twirl and a loving kiss in the freeze-framed, dialogue-less conclusion - to the tune of "Flashdance - What a Feeling!"


Sweaty Gym Workout

Break-Dancing

Cut-Off Sweatshirt


"Can I start again?"

Winning Audition at Pittsburgh Conservatory



Congratulatory Kiss and Clinch

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