I was young. Too young to be watching Dirty Dancing, surely. I had had a sleepover the night before and had most likely begged my Mom to let me bring her small bedroom TV into my room to watch a movie on it as my friend and I fell asleep. TVs were generally strictly forbidden in our bedrooms, so this would’ve certainly been quite the treat. I was like three. Joke. I was, I think, in sixth grade.
Next day came the Saturday chores. As was always the case with me, I could make Saturday chores drag on and on and on. A simple cleaning-of-the-room could take hours. Instead of filing away a stack of clutter and nothingness, I would discover my first journal in that pile and then proceed to read every entry from June 8, 1992 to September 15, 1993. Last year’s yearbook? At least an hour of my time. Reading the notes written, looking at everyone’s picture. Making my own list of superlatives. Best dressed? Nah, it should’ve gone to her instead.
My Mom was out running errands and what would make Saturday chores breezy and fun? Why, turning on the TV and finding something to accompany me in my arduous task of course! So, I flipped it on, straightened the antenna (whether or not this happened, I do not know, but I’m trying to date the story) and found a movie I had never before seen. What scene was it? I’m not sure. Probably this one. Ooh, or this one (and one more possibility, let’s be honest). Basically, pick any one of the racy scenes and you’ve got it. Otherwise, naturally, I would’ve kept on flipping. So, here I am, watching something that would surely put my 11-year old self right in the confessional with at least ten Hail Mary’s and four Our Father’s to recite, enjoying myself immensely. I got sucked in to Patrick Swayze and his juicy lips and pivoting hips, the music (“Sylvia?” “Yes Mickey?” “How do you call your loverboy?” “Come here loverboy!”), and Jennifer Grey’s rebellion against her doctor Dad. I think, for the first time ever I got a weak-in-the-knees (and loins, really) moment. That Patrick Swayze was downright sexy to my virginal eyes.
When my Mom came home, you can be sure my room was spic and span and that the TV was off. Whether or not I got to see the final, culminating, best-ending-scene-of-a-movie-ever, I can’t quite remember (and pity if I missed it!). But, I had seen enough. Dirty Dancing (and Patrick Swayze) had captured my innocent, little heart then… and still does today.
And you should all child-lock your televisions.
Dirty Dancing was on The New Girl last night! And the "final culminating scene" was shown.
Best ever.
@elizabeth, i saw it! that must be why i had p.swayz on the brain.
I in fact have a very similar story when it comes to Dirty Dancing! Still love that movie and have probably seen it a 100 times!
confession: i've never seen Dirty Dancing. i think it's high time that goes on my Netflix list.
@wildchild, WHAT??!!?
Patrick Swayze is oh-so-sexy in Dirty Dancing. Can't handle it. Although, I was just talking about this movie to a co-worker the other day and he said he'd always sided with the love birds. Then he became a FATHER. Now he's all "back off Patrick Swayze! that girl's a baby! keep your hands to yourself!"
sigh..so many memories – my "older" cousins took me to the Drive-In to see it when I was waaaay too young – I think I ended up falling asleep anyway, hehe! Then when I taught at Summer Camp a few years back, we won "a movie night in our cabin" to which the girls chose DD – it was surreal as the camp I was at was almost EXACTLY the same – right down to the Max look-a-like camp owner – freaky!!! Hands down best movie EVER – Patrick will always have a special place in our hearts 🙂
@just enough foolishness, oh no he dient! way to turn not cool just cause you're a dad.
@lovelilly, max look a like?! perfect.
yeah the sylvia scene. and when they dance in his cabin before they start doin' the nasty… hottest scene EVER. i saw it at 14. it came on tbs. twice in a row. i watched it both times thinking, "this is the greatest thing I've ever laid eyes on."
i would never let a 14 year old watch it now.
oh my, so when i am home all alone with my daughter, i often will randomly say "nobody puts baby in the corner" when she starts crying…
what a movie!
Dirty Dancing = LOVE!
I first watched it when I was about 8… And I was hooked! My friend and I would hold "Crazy for Swayze" nights and would watch the movie over and over!
Confession though… I really never understood what the movie was really about until I was 19… And I was like.. Whoa mom… You totally let me watch this? What were you thinking?
When I was young I knew the soundtrack by heart by the time I was ten. I cannot tell you how much I loved the music. I can't recall when I saw it, probably around that time, but looking back it is a pretty racy movie- I just didn't realize it!
What a wonderful post- brings back a lot of memories.
@fit with flash, hahaha, i think i was thinking something similar when i watched it. best thing everrrr.
@i'm hannah, love that.
@jenny, yo mom is crazy!
@dancing branflake, YES, i LOVED the soundtrack. "i can hear your heels clicking on the sidewalk. beating to the rhythm of my heart"–danced around to that…endlessly.
haha love this. glad it was a little patrick that opened your eyes to the wild world around you. hopefully parker won't start out quite as young as you did 😉
@meme-and-he, he'd better not!
Best dressed? Nah, should have gone to her…
Ha!
This might be my favorite Bridget post ever.
I still get all weak watching any and all of those scenes.
Loved the New Girl rendition. Hilar.
Ah! Love the movie and Patrick! My 10 year old self was so disappointed when I found out that he and Jennifer Grey didn't actually sing "Time of My Life" – this was when you thought all co-stars were really in love (co-stars and figure skating partners, of course).
On second thought, I grew up in a house that blocked MTV until I left for college – why was I watching this at 10??
funny.. i was thinking "i bet she saw new girl last night."
patrick was totally a babe. r.i.p.
have you seen stupid crazy love? xx
gosh i love this movie…one of the ones you can watch over and over and over!
My sisters and I were obsessed with that movie. Watched it a thousand times and try to learn all the dance moves obsessed. And we so wanted to be able to do the lift. Except we didn’t have a river, just our living room full of pointy furniture. And we weren’t buff, we just had underdeveloped pre-pubescent muscles. So we had a couple of concussions going on.
And my mom would always come in and fast forward past all the juicy parts.
Oh, the memories! How I loved Johnny! I do believe "Dirty Dancing" was my first movie-going experience. My cool aunt took me when I was visiting her, otherwise I'm sure it would have been something more suitable for my 4th grade-self. I used to play the soundtrack over and over – I think I still know every song by heart!
thank you for the flashback. isn't this the best movie ever!!
sometimes i would make my barbies have sex.
same thing? no?
Its so funny that you posted this because I've had "Dirty Dancing" on the brain since last night. I decided to give the new show "The New Girl" a go and it ended with her being stood up on a date and her three manly man roommates singing that song to her in the middle of the restaurant. LOVE that movie 🙂
I love so much about this post! I love how you confessed your "secret" viewing of Dirty Dancing as a youngster! Same for me 🙂 My mama would have KILLED me if she had known I was watching Patrick girate and grind on sweet little "Baby." I also LOVE how you talked about getting absorbed in old journals, yearbooks, keepsakes—that is SO me! Still is 🙂
So scandalous. I had a similar experience with Pretty Woman. It was forbidden in our house because my mom thought it "romanticized prostitution". Then at about 16 I finally saw it. And immediately became a high-paid call girl in an NYC loft.
So, I guess my mom was right. Per usual.
@erin, sucks when moms are right! btw, how is the call girl biz these days?!
@mellyB, HA.
@megan, same exact thing.
There are two movies I get obsessive about. Walk The Line and Dirty Dancing. Obsessive in that I will watch them one day and think, "Why don't I watch this more often?!" And then spend the next month (or two or three) watching the same movie every night before bed, reveling in its greatness.
I have always loved Dirty Dancing. I remember playing the cassette soundtrack to death. Then my VHS tape finally gave out. Now the DVD gets heavy rotation.
This post just makes me happy. I love Dirty Dancing. I've loved it for quite a long time too; I was probably too young to be watching it. I blame my older sister. She's 10 years older, she should have known better than to show me such a sexy movie at such a tender age. But, like you, I was hooked. Such a good movie.
One of my favorite movies ever, no doubt. Don't worry about seeing it young…I'm pretty sure I was in the 5th or 6th grade as well. It took me several viewings later to understand much of what was going on. Ha!
i remember hearing about it on the playground. my friends recounted every scene. of course, i was the loser who had never seen it. until that fateful day in college. yes, it took college to watch it!
i can tell what you mean. I lost my mind too, when i first watched Dirty Dancing on the cinema, i was fourteen, i couldn't concentrate, i was sketching hearts and dancing for more than a month. I still dance and sing the songs of the movie (23 years later!!). Patrick was a hunk.
This movie is TOO good.
Seriously, the jorts, the awesomely-bad love songs and dance rehearsal in a lake? It doesn't get any better.
I was about to make a comment asking if you'd seen the premiere of New Girl last night…. but E beat me to it! Loved New Girl and now I'm itching to watch Dirty Dancing again! 🙂
Better Than a Milk Mustache
Well, you definitely got me beat. At least on the film viewing choice. I dragged my Saturdays with cleaning too, but at 11 I was still secretly playing with Barbie (probably because I didn't have her for the first 10 years of my life) and The Secret Garden, Home Alone, Cinderella, Full House sitcom, etc.
yes dirty dancing. i like how when you watch movies again as an adult you get things that totally went over your head as a kid. that is one of those movies for me.
also – we have bunny ears not because we are trying to be hipster ironic. Because we po.
lol
I feel a special affinity to that movie because I've helped shoot several weddings in the hotel where it was shot at, next to Lake Lure in North Carolina. They have several rooms named after the actors, tons of the movie paraphernalia in the lobby, and of course the famous steps and cabin. 🙂
-giedre
http://www.walkingdotphotography.com