Flashdance (1983) [4K Steelbook review]

The 1983 blockbuster Flashdance cemented Jennifer Beals as a star and defined the flashy, neon-drenched aesthetic of 80s pop culture. With its hit soundtrack, glamorous dance sequences, and melodramatic love story, Flashdance became a cultural phenomenon upon release. But viewed today, the film’s outdated gender tropes and superficial sheen leave a more complicated legacy.

Flashdance for Zoomers

Directed by Adrian Lyne, Flashdance follows Alex (Beals), an erotic dancer who dreams of attending a prestigious ballet academy. By day, she works as a welder while practicing dance moves in her spare time. When a romance blooms with her well-off boss Nick (Michael Nouri), class differences threaten their happiness as Alex faces skepticism over her abilities.

With MTV-ready visuals and an iconic synth score, Flashdance delivered escapist entertainment tailor-made for the 80s. Alex’s flashy dance routines clad in legwarmers and off-the-shoulder sweatshirts drove fashion trends. The music, including the Oscar-winning hit “Flashdance…What a Feeling” performed by Irene Cara, further propelled the film into pop culture immortality.

But despite its indelible mark on the era, Flashdance relies on problematic tropes that have not aged well. The notion that Alex requires a rich love interest to achieve her professional goals undermines her independence. Classist depictions portray her blue-collar world as gritty and wild compared to Nick’s wealthy uptown existence.

Troy Break: Talking about 40 year old movies in 1983

I wanted to take a moment to slide in here for our younger viewers whose experience with movies ends and begins with Disney Plus. Just because you see something you don’t agree with, that doesn’t make it bad. Flashdance was a cultural experience in 1983 because it dared to do something different from the typical romantic comedy fare of its era.

It wanted you to identify with a rough and tumble lady in a semi-shady profession. Sure, she was aspiring to be something better, but that’s the story you always here. Regardless of what she does or whom she interacts with, Alex’s goals are never gone astray.

Dancing! It’s on!

Even the much-lauded dance sequences involve heavy use of body doubles, denying viewers of Beals’ authentic performances. The film’s male gaze-driven sexuality also led to R-rating controversy that now feels exploitative rather than empowering. While Alex exhibits determination against all odds, the story’s narrow conception of her options reveals the era’s gender limitations.

With hindsight, this film reflects how mainstream 80s films constrained women’s stories into stereotyped genres like musicals, melodramas, and sex comedies. Alex’s journey to self-actualization plays out under the male approval of Nick, her boss, and the ballet academy gatekeepers. Her dream becomes not just dancing but specifically gaining acceptance into the prestige establishment.

Though a product of its era, Flashdance still resonates due to the airs of authenticity brought by Beals and director Lyne. Moments with Alex’s wisecracking coworker Gloria feel humanizing, while the music remains iconically upbeat. But the film’s confused feminism and class dynamics ultimately sank its potential to fully capture the female experience.

Flashdance now endures more as a time capsule of 80s pop culture than a timeless story. While still entertaining, its fairy tale narrative reveals the decade’s limited conceptions of women’s liberation. With its indelible soundtrack and fashions, Flashdance shaped the slickly artificial aesthetic of 80s cinema. But its regressive themes expose flaws beneath the flashy surface.

Flashdance slays it on 4K UHD

Paramount brings Flashdance to 4K UHD with a brand-new Steelbook. You get a look at the production, a chat with Adrian Lyne and some older DVD bonus material. However, the winning factory of the release is the stunning A/V Quality. The 2160p 4K transfer coupled with that rather robust DTS-HD 5.1 master audio track makes up the difference.

I prefer having a DTS-HD 5.1 track over the Atmos for one reason. Unless there is complicated sound design or an epic boombastic score, overdoing it with Atmos seems like overkill. I know I’m probably alone on that, but give it a shot.

Flashdance is now available on 4K UHD Steelbook