Comments on: Fred Astaire’s Smooth Criminal Collapses Space Time Continuum http://blog.spout.com/2008/05/30/fred-astaires-smooth-criminal-collapses-space-time-continuum/ Daily coverage of what is truly interesting in the film world Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:23:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: D. Thomas, Classic Movies Examiner http://blog.spout.com/2008/05/30/fred-astaires-smooth-criminal-collapses-space-time-continuum/#comment-129875 D. Thomas, Classic Movies Examiner Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:13:48 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=3026#comment-129875 Karina, You make excellent points. The slender upper crust Astaire image does seem to be embraced more for the current craze to flaunt material goods than does the stout, working class image of Gene Kelly. I think the last time we really saw a direct Gene Kelly influence in pop culture on a wide scale was in the 1980s with Michael Jackson's white socks and loafers. When Jackson wanted to get gritty, he'd take a page from Kelly and Michael Kidd. Great post. Karina,
You make excellent points. The slender upper crust Astaire image does seem to be embraced more for the current craze to flaunt material goods than does the stout, working class image of Gene Kelly.

I think the last time we really saw a direct Gene Kelly influence in pop culture on a wide scale was in the 1980s with Michael Jackson’s white socks and loafers. When Jackson wanted to get gritty, he’d take a page from Kelly and Michael Kidd.

Great post.

]]> By: Bob Westal http://blog.spout.com/2008/05/30/fred-astaires-smooth-criminal-collapses-space-time-continuum/#comment-101935 Bob Westal Sat, 31 May 2008 00:11:53 +0000 http://blog.spout.com/?p=3026#comment-101935 You know, I can't think of a Kelly analogy to anyone around these days, but lots of performers who seem to partake of that ultra-cool Astaire grace -- Christopher Walken, Hinton Battle, and Alan Cumming come immediately to mind. I'm wondering if maybe's it for a reason or two. First, Kelly was as much a great filmmaker and choreographer as a great dancer and, while he made better movies overall, he was also, I think, the lesser dancer. Also, his hypermasculine style may simply be out of tune with a time when the biggest male stars are Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Matt Damon rather than William Holden, John Wayne, and Humphrey Bogart. (Well, okay, there's Russell Crowe. But still...) You know, I can’t think of a Kelly analogy to anyone around these days, but lots of performers who seem to partake of that ultra-cool Astaire grace — Christopher Walken, Hinton Battle, and Alan Cumming come immediately to mind.

I’m wondering if maybe’s it for a reason or two. First, Kelly was as much a great filmmaker and choreographer as a great dancer and, while he made better movies overall, he was also, I think, the lesser dancer. Also, his hypermasculine style may simply be out of tune with a time when the biggest male stars are Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Matt Damon rather than William Holden, John Wayne, and Humphrey Bogart. (Well, okay, there’s Russell Crowe. But still…)

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