This a film i bought in pieces. It started with Part 2 for £10 from CHC. I like it so much the hunt was on but only for parts 4 & 5. As pure luck would have it an 800ft spool containing 4 and 5 came up with the added bonus at the start of the actual cinema trailer for the movie making this reel a great stand alone & a very entertaining reel. I won the auction for around £45.00 and it was as listed by the collector as mint condition, not a mark on it and a superb LPP print. Well, i was more than happy with these reels, but along came part one for another £10.
I already had this on DVD but the telly screen just doesn't do this film any justice at all but i had decided that part three was just not one i was too bothered about. The 4 x 400ft is the very best of the film and i am very pleased with it in every way, unless you know the full movie you cant even notice 3 is missing. Ballet,(which is a big part of reel 3 is not something i am in the least bit interested in).
Here is a little run down for you, cut to this 4 x 400 version.
That's Dancing Is a 1985 documentary film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer that looks back at the history of dancing in movies.
Unlike the series That's Entertainment, this film not only focus specifically on MGM films, but also focus specifically on United Artists films and the Associated Artists Productions library and included more recent performances by the likes of John Travolta (from Saturday Night Fever) and Michael Jackson and from the then-popular films Fame (1980) and Flashdance (1983), as well as classic films from other studios, including Carousel, released by 20th Century Fox, and Oklahoma!, released by Magna Corporation (road show) and RKO Radio Pictures (general release).
The hosts for this film are Gene Kelly (who also executive produced), Ray Bolger (his last film appearance before his death in 1987), Liza Minnelli, Sammy Davis, Jr., Kim Carnes was commissioned to sing an original song, "Invitation to Dance", that plays over the closing credits.
This film is sometimes considered part of the, that’s Entertainment series, especially since its starting credits contain a card with the that’s Entertainment title card (not to be confused with the 1994 film), but even though it shared studio and producers, it is considered a separate production. Jack Haley, Jr., who wrote, produced and directed the first That's Entertainment! Film, also wrote and directed this one, co-producing with long-time friend David Niven, Jr. Haley's father, Jack Haley, had co-starred with Bolger in The Wizard of Oz.
A very entertaining film with some great dancing sequences, you really have to admire he skills of these performers.
These images most certainly do not do any justice at all although it is not quite as pin sharp as Thats Entertainment with parts 4 and 5 being slightly better than the early reels.
These shots are from reel two. I wanted to watch the movie not concentrate on photography tonight.

I purchased this film also a while back now from Ian of Perry's, as you say Tom if you like the History Of Dance, it is a nice evenings viewing, going all the way through to the early 80's showing the then modern day dance superstars like Michael Jackson in action.

That's the way to do it Tom, looks great by the way, another one to look out for.

IT'S THE ONE WITH MICHEAL JACKSON IN, I BELEIVE TOWARDS THE END, GOOD COVERAGE OF PAST DANCE IN THE MOVIES.

Thats right Paul, the MJ is the final full dance sequence, when this first came out on 8 it would have been bang up to date but even now it still doesn't look old.

I remember that this came out on 8mm in 1985, it was the BIG release at the Northern Film Collectors Convention, I remember seeing at the convention dinner show and deceided their that I would buy it the following day at the convention off the Derann stand, they were doing a very good business and if my memory serves me right they sold out all their prints on the day

surprisingly, when this title comes up, it never seems to sell for much. That being the case its probably one of the best value for money features you can pick up. Even if you arnt a big musical fan there is definatly something in this one for everyone.

It does begin perhaps a little highbrow in the early reels and certainly Mikhail Baryshnikov perhaps isn't everybody's cup of tea just like the Busby Berkley section may not be now in this era.

But it moves along at reasonable pace and before you know it, for anyone who is approaching any level of middle age, you'll soon be seeing familiar song and dance routines from all your old favourites so long as you have any affinity at all towards film and musical stage and theatre.