What are good Swing Dance movies, like Swing Kids?

[Wild Root]

Check this link out!!!

This is kind of a big file but, click on the black and white image from "Swing Fever" and watch Jean Veloz do one of her best clips!

http://www.swingcats.no/dansehistorie/dansehistorie.htm

I love the song they dance too. "Undecided" isn't on any CD I've seen of the Kay Kyser band... I'd love a copy of it! It's one of the hottest numbers they played!!!

Play the clip and you'll see what I mean!!!

=WR=

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

Play the clip and you'll see what I mean!!!

=WR=

Whoa, a threesome!! Amazing


- Cousin Hepcat

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Anyone ever seen this one?

Junior Prom (1946/I)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038664/

Wow! These cats are hip! These kids sure know how to jitterbug! Lots of be-bopping cuties here! And they know how to croon too. Judy's scene on the phone is a classic teenager scene. Everybody is great in it. I love the jazz in the 78 scene too. This is the beginning of a genre, the teen movie.

The film has "Harry The Hipster" Gibson in it, so it must be somewhat unusual.

 

[Griemersma]

Groovie Movie/Junior Prom etc...

Check out the link that Root posted earlier. Here it is outright without the Google stuff:

http://poy.no/vintage/

The Natch clips on that site have just about everything I've ever seen. It would take long time to dig through all of them, but some are definitely worth it. Groovie Movie and the dance scenes from Junior Prom are both on there. Groovie Movie is a great place to start, I'd say, to get a feel for the style. Jean was (and is) an awesome dancer! I'll have to check out Junior Prom again.

For me, I have always loved the movie Summer Stock. The kids in the theatre troupe wear some super casual clothes. It is cool to see what the younger set were wearing back then (and amazingly coordinated in Technicolor...) From the swing dance angle, the barn dance is really fun, and the girl with the glasses does some awesome swivels. I could do without the actual "show" that they put on at the end of the movie, but the rest of it is really enjoyable.

--G.R.

 

[Benny Holiday]

"Rock Around the Clock" 1956

Bill Haley's rock'n'roll cash-in-on-the-craze movie. The 'rock'n'roll' dancing is wild and is clearly based on freestyle jitterbug under a different name.

I love the bass player's comment upon seeing all the teenagers jumping around the dancefloor:
"Hey, they're slaughtering cattle!" I take that to mean their giving the leather soles of their shoes a mighty big workout!

 

[Tin Pan Sally]

The best source I've found I've come across so far is "America Dances 1897-1948" which is a collection of social dance clips I haven't seen anywhere else. There is footage from newsreels, dance marathons, contests with the best dancers of those days doing the Lindy, SusieQ, Big Apple, Collegiate Shag, Charleston, Black Bottom, Shimmy. A must see! I think it is avavilable at http://www.dancetimepublications.com
Also try your public library; I'm always surprised what they can dig up for me if I ask.

 

[Wild Root]

Get a load of them cats!

Check this link out, I think this is of Dean, not sure but, it's a hot clip! This is the style I try and emulate in my jitterbugging.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kvv0oBfjbuA&search=1940

=WR=

 

[Wild Root]

Solid Jackson!

One word... Cab Calloway!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VulxJnJ0AZE&search=jitterbug

There's some hot dancing in this clip!

=WR=

 

[jitterbugdoll]

I was watching the movie "Delinquent Daughters" (1944) the other day, and there was actually a pretty fun Lindy scene in it. It wasn’t too fancy, but it was still a treat to watch!

 

[Veronica Parra]

One word... Cab Calloway!!!

Those are two words, Root.

 

[Powerhouse]

Well this is...

sort of off topic, but CAMP HOLLYWOOD IS A COMIN' !
It's a swell place dig some solid rug cuttin' in person!!!!!

I can't wait... can ya' tell?

 

[Veronica Parra]

Yes....

 

[Snookie]

Check this link out, I think this is of Dean, not sure but, it's a hot clip! This is the style I try and emulate in my jitterbugging.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kvv0oBfjbuA&search=1940

=WR=

Root, that is Dean Collins, but his partner is labeled incorrectly. That's not Jewel, it's a partner he had before her (don't know her name unfortunately).

 

[Snookie]

Here's a few more.

Malcom X.

Harlem Style:
Hot Chocolates
Keep Punching
After Seben (Mostly Charleston)

LA Style:
Twice Blessed
The Powers Girl
Jive Junction
Jazzy Joe
Chool Song

Balboa:
Maharaja
Start Cheering (Look close - it's quick!)
the Venice Beach clip

Many of these aren't commecially available but use the titles to search for the clips online. The Natch website is the best (IMHO).

A few are available here> http://www.swingdanceshop.com/vintagevideos.html

As for movies that have the right mood, Swing Kids and Summer Stock are my favorites.

 

[artdecodame]

Well, this isn't exactly swing, but the dances of the 1920's did evolve into it.
Plus, it's just plain fun!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0TW5I1VuDI

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

Here's a few more.

Malcom X.

Harlem Style:
Hot Chocolates
Keep Punching
After Seben (Mostly Charleston)

LA Style:
Twice Blessed
The Powers Girl
...
As for movies that have the right mood, Swing Kids and Summer Stock are my favorites.

Cool thanks - based on your grouping it with SK, just put the Summer Stock DVD on the amazon wish list - Root, man I thought I'd gotten Every Cab Calloway soundie & movie through the 40s, that's a new one on me! crazy man crazy


Swing High,
- Cousin Hepcat

 

[Wild Root]

Yeah, that Cab Calloway one was new to me too brother!

=WR=

 

[Hondo]

Buck Privates

I'm bumping this, while I’m not a dancer, I envy all those who really swing with the beat, I’m just dead weight, with two iron cast feet, but I like Roots selections when I did a search, I just caught Abbott & Costello’s “Buck Privates” on TMC last weekend, it has a nice little swing dancer scene. I'm sure most of you know, just thought it was a sweet, all these WWII era, moral boost type of films for war effort, funny and cool.

“You may be a lover but you ain’t no dancer…” :rage:

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I envy all those who really swing with the beat,
I’m just dead weight, with two iron cast feet ...

Are these from the lyrics to a song? lol

.

 

[Hondo]

Are these from the lyrics to a song? lol

.

I wish it were, now go man go! lol