SAVOYSTYLESHOP Vintage Videos Instructional Videos BIOGRAPHIES
The Golden
Age:
|
Hellzapoppin'1941Directed by H. C. Potter |
||
| This movie, based on a hit
Broadway play, showcases Whitey's
Lindy Hoppers dancing the most famous and most
spectacular Lindy Hop scene ever preserved on film.
The dancing was choreographed by Frankie
Manning.
The scene starts when http://www.savoystyle.com/instruction.htmlmusicians Slim Galliard and Slam Stewart, in workmen's garb, discover some musical instruments while supposedly delivering a package backstage. They play a few tentative notes, and a spontaneous, swinging jam starts cooking . More backstage "workers" join the jam, including Rex Stuart on trumpet and C.C. Johnson on the ''Bongo drums''. The music builds in excitement until, as if out of nowhere, four Lindy Hopping couples, dressed in overalls and uniforms, swing out into the cameras at a frenetic tempo. Each couple executes amazing acrobatic shines. Then the group unites for precision ensemble work filmed at an angle that emphasizes legwork and speed. The choreography and the dancing are as near to perfect Lindy Hop as you can see anywhere! The scene will take your breath away no matter how many times you see it. It is no wonder that this film was responsible for the simultaneous revival of Lindy Hop in Sweden and Britain in the 1980's. There is also a short scene with Dean Collins and Martha Raye dancing Lindy Hop to the tune Watch The Birdie. An interesting sidenote: Whitey's Lindy Hoppers' routine in Hellzapoppin' was originally danced and choreographed to different music, namely "Jumping at the Woodside". Universal Studios had a composer who was on staff write new music for the routine. Seen here is a reconstruction of the routine with the original music: Thanks to Dmitry Smolin. |
|
||
| A DVD
of the full film Hellzapoppin' is available at SavoyStyle Swing Dance
Shop. Written and researched by Judy Pritchett with Frankie Manning. May be reproduced only with explicit written permission. Last updated: 15 August 2011. Send your suggestions, corrections or comments to judyp@savoystyle.com |
|||