White Nights

Ah, I LOVE the movie White Nights. I'm listening to the commentary and the director describes it as a "dance political thriller." Yeah, that kinda sums it up. I would add "race dynamic commentary." It's Soviet Russia in the 1980's, freedom to dance, wanting to choose your country, being African American and not wanting to be American anymore, defecting and becoming a criminal. Maybe I'm a child of the 80's but I remember being scared of communist Russia and their power. I later studied Russian history and Russian literature in college - am a bit obsessed.

In junior high, I saw Gregory Hines dance on Broadway in NY in Jelly's Last Jam. He was amazing and I've followed his career since. I felt sad when he passed away a few years ago.

Mikhail Baryshnikov dancing ballet and Gregory Hines dancing tap - together?! I love this movie. Introducing Isabella Rossellini in her first film and Helen Mirren, as a Russan ballerina, who I didn't remember was in it. In commentary, she says half her family is Russian. The director says Mikhail didn't film in Russia because he had been a defector so they filmed in Europe (Prague??).

Great soundtrack ("Say You, Say Me" by Lionel Richie and "Separate Lives" by Phil Collins), great dancing, great time. Great movie.

A few dance clips from the movie:










Gregory Hines in Jelly's Last Jam (1992).