Steel-mill welder by day and exotic dancer by night -- how's that for a resume? In the romantic drama Flashdance, Jennifer Beals plays Alex Owens, a bar dancer determined to go legit by attending the Pittsburgh Conservatory of Dance. The film made a star of Beals, a then-unknown Yale student, who didn't actually do much of her own dancing -- but proved that she could rock a torn sweatshirt like no one else. It seems very unlikely that Flashdance director Adrian Lyne shot the films big on-stage dance number with any deeper thematic ideas other than the desire to provide steamy entertainment. When youre working with an actress as nimble and sultry as Beals, all one needs to do is point, shoot, and try not drop the camera and pass out. The bucket of water drenching Beals remains a classic scene, relived over and over again in everything from Saturday Night Live skits to the aforementioned film, Were The Millers. It was even referenced numerous times in those viral ice bucket challenge videos. This one is a true testament to the philosophy of the sexiness in leaving something to the imagination. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGs28F3fAX4
Jesse Gumbarge is editor and chief blogger at JarvisCity.com - He loves old-school horror films and starting pointless debates. You can reach out at: JesseGumbarge@JarvisCity.com
