LET’S DANCE
a list for Hero Magazine of some of the best dance scenes in film …
Chungking Express by Wong Kar Wei, 1994
“To say that Chungking Express is like a pop video is kind of insulting, but it literally is so visually stunning and beautiful – AND yet odd. Faye Wong’s carefree bopping to one of the best soundtracks of any film (there I’ve said it) is as good as her version of The Cranberries’ Dreams in Mandarin.”
Bande à part by Jean Luc Godard, 1968
“A cliché to say this is one of the great dance scenes of all time – NON!
This is perfection – Anna Karina, Sami Frey and Claude Brasseur dancing the Madison inspired Quentin Tarantino to name his production company after the film (we know you know!)… and to include an homage in Pulp Fiction… “
Mauvais Sang by Leos Carax, 1986
“Long before his genius Sparks opera Annette starring Adam Driver and Marion Cottilard, Leos Carax directed this story of a virus infecting people who have loveless sex. The scene of Denis Lavant running, punching and dancing through Paris for just over a minute to David Bowie’s Modern Love is joyous and terrifying…
See also, Frances, Ha!…”
Frances, Ha! by Noah Baumbach, 2012
Greta Gerwig does an almost moment-for-moment copy of the run/dance in Mauvais Sang (AND to Bowie’s Modern Love!) – and I can’t hate her for doing it and Noah Baumbach for directing her to do it. She is brilliantly annoying and loveable and kind of shit at dancing in this brilliant film (which also stars Adam Driver, linking it to Mauvais Sang via director Leos Carax)
Northern Soul by Elaine Constantine, 2012
It’s not surprising that Elaine Constantine directed Northern Soul with an authenticity of high-kicking split-dropping energy – she WAS part of the Northern Soul scene and her photographs from the 90s capture movement and kinetic energy like no one else. Elliot James Landridge learned to dance northern soul from scratch… come catch Rebel Reel talking to them at the Rio in Dalston on 27th September.”
