Dance 'Til Dawn. Anyone know this one? 1988 NBC made-for-TV movie? Alyssa Milano? Christina Applegate? Tracey Gold? Matthew Perry? Kelsey Grammer? Tempestt Bledsoe? Chris Young? Alan Thicke? Brian Bloom? Edie McClurg? Mary Frann?
If you have at least a passing familiarity with 1980s sitcoms, this is one to throw in your Netflix queue.
My review of this delightful monstrosity is up at Forces of Geek.
Comments
Another excellent review, Morgan! Loved this film when it was on TV and loved reading your review.
Odd how real life proms don't resemble TV and film proms, isn't it?
I think Dance 'Til Dawn is my second most favorite TV movie of all time, taking a back seat only to that one where Jason Bateman and Chynna Phillips were on the run from ruthless hitman Jack Wagner ("Moving Target"). Yeah. That was a good one. I wonder if it can be found on Netflix?
Odd how real life proms don't resemble TV and film proms, isn't it?
And yet all TV and film proms resemble each other. Yeah. It's a genre that relentlessly cannibalizes itself, to the extent that it quickly becomes distanced from reality. Mind you, I think I like the pretty, happy, bouncy proms in films and on TV better than my real-life prom, which was perfectly nice, but kind of cold and rainy. Plus, my prom dress (the one you wore two years before me, Ingrid) didn't fit all that well, and it got rumpled in the rain. And no, I didn't get unexpectedly elected prom queen in a massive upset. On the plus side, nobody dumped pig blood on me either, so we'll call it even.
Ah, the prom dress! I had seen a similar one worn by Princess Grace (dark blue, strapless, very pretty and simple) and mom was kind enough to sew a version for me. Needless to say, I looked nothing like Princess Grace in it. You looked great in it, though, Morgan.
The one thing I did like about prom? Watching movies and hanging out with friends until the wee hours of the morn, then going out for breakfast in full prom garb afterwards. Even back in high school, I was a midnight-movies type of person...
Mom was awesome for making you that Princess Grace dress, Ingrid. And she was also awesome for, uh, letting me dye her wedding dress pink for that one Homecoming dance. There was another Homecoming where I wore a very strange black velvet sheath dress (might've belonged to Aunt Bertha, actually -- it was old), with a mom-sewn teal satin wrap and matching belt over it.
Teal satin. Yep. It was the Eighties.
(mind you, Ferris was our rival high school)
Boy, I hope other people will chime in here about prom. This could get embarassing fast...
I have never won Best Legs at anything, nor should I. I was, however, elected Most Intelligent of my senior class, which is practically the very same thing.
How happy am I to find you've covered this movie? Way too much.
This takes me back to the days when made-for-tv movies were part of the regular viewing schedule and a who's who of tv teens could be brought together for one wonderfully entertaining film. I seriously miss it!
On a side note, whenever I see/hear mention of Brian Bloom I immediately think of this film and his role as Ronnie Barlog on "Oz" in which he played the unwitting/unknowing pawn in Tobias Beecher and Chris Keller's sordidly fucked up love relationship. Not only does Barlog shower with Keller (hello Meloni, prior to his SVU days, naked as the day he was born), but they make out and there's a simulated sex scene. Too bad Barlog didn't realize that in the end there's not much room for anyone else when Beecher and Keller are circling each other.
Fun times.
Ah, Oz. I'd totally forgotten about Bloom's appearance. Fine stuff. I don't know if you've seen the A-Team movie (if you haven't, don't rush out), but Bloom co-wrote the script and wrote himself a juicy role as a villain. I'm absurdly proud of him. Not that the script is any great shakes, but I always tip my hat to any actors who also write.
I love Dance 'Til Dawn. Chris Young (who is close friends with Covert Affairs' Chris Gorham and who is just a thoroughly cool guy) is my Twitter and Facebook friend. This pleases my Eighties-loving heart more than words can say.
Bloom co-wrote "The A-Team"? I might actually need to see the movie. Good for him. On a superficial note, how does he look? His blue eyes (and dark hair) were always a lovely contrast.
You're friends with Chris Young? GET OUT! That's awesome.
As soon as Mabes tweeted that she'd met up with you at Comic Con, I thought about catching a train down to San Diego just to hang out. Next time.
Bloom looks good, though he's no longer as dewy and pretty as he was circa 1985. I mean, join the club, Bloom. He was playing a hardened Black Ops military guy, and he looked the part: thick neck, musclebound, short hair.
Did you ever see "Student Exchange," the nearly-contemporaneous TV movie about two nerds who reinvent themselves by pretending to be super-cool European exchange students? It didn't have nearly as much teen-star power as Dance 'Til Dawn, but "Adriano" grew up to be a three-time Oscar nominee.