Sponsored message
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Arts & Entertainment

Nobody Puts Baby in a Remake: 'Dirty Dancing' Re-Do is Happening, OG Choreographer Will Direct

Dirty-dancing-lift-small.jpg
The famous lift at the end of the original movie

One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.

Clearly, Hollywood has run out of ideas, and is totally in love with dancing. Case in point: a remake of Footloose is about to hit theatres, and now the movie that launched a thousand hips, Dirty Dancing, is getting closer to its reboot, with its original choreographer Kenny Ortega serving as director, reports Deadline Hollywood.Ortega must have had the time of his life on the 1987 coming-of-age classic set in the sleepy Catskills in the 1960s since he's coming back for this Lionsgate remake of the little movie that could...make money. (It cost $6 million to make, it's made $213.95 million to-date.)

The Gene Kelly-trained choreographer has been directing for the past two decades. His work includes cult favorite Newsies, as well as newer fare like a couple of those kinda popular High School Musical flicks.

No word yet on how closely the original story of a mousy teen who finds her own voice, and libido, thanks to a hunky, bad-boy dance instructor while on a family vacation will stay in place for the remake, nor on who will play the very-familiar parts. Since the 1987 movie came out, many of its key players have passed away, including original director Emile Ardolino, actor Jerry Orbach (who played Baby's dad), and Patrick Swayze (who, of course, played Johnny).

The news of a pending remake might make movie moguls and tweens giddy with anticipation, but for some of the DD loyalists out there, this could signal some black days ahead.

[Since embedding is disabled, if you are ready for some feel good nostalgia, head over here to watch the last scene of the movie.]

One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today