DVD Review | Dirty Dancing (Ultimate Edition)
Written by: Kage Alan

I remember watching “Dirty Dancing” for the first time with my mother back just after I graduated from high school in 1988 and both of us wondering what the heck all the hype was about.  We just didn’t get it.  Before we took it back to the video store the next day, though, my father announced he wanted to see it, so we popped it in and watched it again.  This time, WE GOT IT!  And the song “Hungry Eyes”?  It’s still a personal favorite of mine.  Do they make them like this anymore?  What was the last really huge independent film?  Oh, yeah.  “The Blair Witch Project”.  Not much of a comparison, I’m afraid.  This remains the real deal here, folks.

Since this film has been previously released on DVD, I really don’t want to focus as much on the story and plot as I usually do.  Rather, I want to hit on the extras, which is going to be the main reason for buying this Ultimate Edition.  In a nutshell and for those of you who haven’t seen “Dirty Dancing” yet, it’s about a young woman, Baby (Jennifer Grey, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”), on vacation in 1957 with her parents and sister at a Catskill resort who meets a guy from the wrong side of the tracks, a dance teacher named Johnny (Patrick Swayze, “Ghost”).  They don’t like each other, inevitably fall in love and have to deal with the consequences.  Oh, yes, there’s lots of dancing and a phenomenal soundtrack too!

Now, Artisan has released a previous version of “Dirty Dancing” in a Collector’s Edition form (I think there was just a movie-only version out before that, but I could be wrong) that was recently going for just under $10.  I know because I’d picked it up.  How are the two sets different?  I’m glad you asked.  As with the Collector’s Edition, this new Ultimate Edition also contains a commentary track by creator Eleanor Bergstein, the music videos for “Hungry Eyes”, “She’s Like The Wind” and “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life”, trailer and “Dirty Dancing Live In Concert”.  What the new set doesn’t seem to have from the Collector’s Edition, however, is the Behind-The-Scenes featurette, cast and crew information and Production Notes.  Hmm…

What the new set does include that the Collector’s Edition doesn’t have, however, is split up over 2 discs.  Remember, this is what the other edition DOESN’T have that this new one DOES.  Disc one contains a “DVD Introduction with Jennifer Grey” (8 sec), brand new and informative commentary with Choreographer Kenny Ortega, Assistant Choreographer/Actor Vivian Presman, Director of Photography Jeff Fur, Costume Designer Hilary Rosenfeld and Production Designer David Chapman and, rounding out the disc, a “Trivia Track” that runs during the movie.  Disc 2 features interviews with Jennifer Grey (11 ¼ min), Kenny Ortega (15 ½ min), Eleanor Bergstein (18 ½ min) and Miranda Garrison (13 ¼ min), Jennifer Grey’s Screen Test (3 ¼ min), an “Emile Ardolino Tribute” (13 ½ min) and a 2 minute sneak peek at the upcoming “Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights”.  The aforementioned “Dirty Dancing Live” is located on the second disc too.

Artisan has also gone back and done some work on the widescreen transfer, which looks fairly decent, though a little bit grainy, which I believe adds to the time period fell in which the film takes place.  Audio quality is top notch.  If there’s anything that keeps this Ultimate Edition from achieving greater heights is the lack of involvement on the rest of the cast, especially Swayze, in interviews or even a commentary.  Yes, I’m nitpicking, but I’m just surprised that it’s not there to begin with.  All in all, this is an excellent edition to your DVD library, though I can’t help but feel there could always be another edition to be produced in the future.  I wonder what they’d call it?  What more is there than an “Ultimate Edition”?  Perhaps Artisan will invent a new term for it.

Film Rating: B+
DVD Special Features: N/A