Dirty Dancing Collection

In the world of home video commerce, no one forgets an anniversary. For classic or blockbuster films, each notable milestone is observed not with champagne and cake, but rather with a repackaged, often recycled edition of the movie that bilks consumers out of hard-earned money and pads the coffers of greedy studios. Any celebratory toasting is done by self-satisfied executives saluting their shameless exploitation of a beloved title.

The first Blu-ray release of 'Dirty Dancing' conveniently coincided with the film's 20th anniversary in 2007, but that version featured fair-to-middling video and audio that frustrated fans and critics alike. To be fair, the next release - three years later - didn't have an anniversary tie-in, but Lionsgate upgraded the subpar transfers, gussied up the packaging, and enhanced the extras to make a "limited keepsake edition." That should have been it for 'Dirty Dancing,' but why pass up another opportunity to make a buck? Before any dust could accumulate on that 2010 box set, we're now supposedly honoring the movie's 25th anniversary with yet another reissue of this fan favorite.

Same movie. Same transfers as the last edition. Same extras. So what's the hook this time around? Well, it seems some delusional suit at Lionsgate is under the woefully misguided impression there are actually people out there clamoring for a Blu-ray release of 'Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights,' the universally lambasted 2004 follow-up to the Patrick Swayze-Jennifer Grey classic. The executive, however, must have been smart enough to realize 'Havana Nights' would only sell about a dozen copies if released on its own, so why not package it with the original 'Dirty Dancing' to entice that film's faithful to triple-dip?

Now we know we don't need another release of 'Dirty Dancing' - nor do we need another review of it (if you'd like to read what we think of the film, click here for our take on the Limited Keepsake Edition). But honestly, do we really need a release of 'Havana Nights' at all? Guy Ferland's film consistently winds up on any number of "worst sequels" lists even though it's not really a sequel at all. The plot transpires a good six or seven years before Baby and company descended on Kellerman's resort, features a different family, and is set in a Cuba on the cusp of a Communist revolution led by the country's future dictator, Fidel Castro. The more exotic backdrop and encroaching political upheaval, however, only marginally pump up the limp storyline, which is basically a 'Dirty Dancing' redo, despite the fact that it's supposedly based on a true story. Though Hollywood makes plenty of purposeless films, the reasoning behind producing 'Havana Nights' is particularly puzzling.

Once again we have a coming-of-age story, courtesy of bumping and grinding - though this time it's to a tango and salsa soundtrack. There's also the requisite rich girl (Romola Garai) on the brink of womanhood, this time with a less obnoxious (and less interesting) sister (Mika Boorem) and an attractive, over-protective (and less interesting) set of parents (Sela Ward and John Slattery) who falls for a wrong-side-of-the-tracks (and less interesting) hotel employee (Diego Luna), who's a Cuban national and - surprise! - a dancer. Plenty of clandestine rendezvous follow, along with a hefty dose of familial strife, sexual awakening, and an ultimate reconciliation and begrudging acceptance.

And then, of course, there's the bizarre cameo by Patrick Swayze. He doesn't play Johnny Castle per se; how could he? The movie takes place several years before the original yet was filmed a decade and a half afterward. But he is a (nameless) dance instructor who takes the green Garai under his wing and teaches her some nifty Latin moves. Fans of 'Dirty Dancing' may welcome his appearance, but I found it gimmicky, trite, and a little creepy.

The dance sequences are fine, but lack the raw power and sensual heat of those in the first film. (In other words, they aren't very "dirty.") Adequate acting makes the movie watchable, but a thin, copycat script drains the story of any energy. Attempts are made to address such potent issues as prejudice, snobbery, and political upheaval, but they're mechanical and insincere.

And that's the basic deficiency of the entire film. 'Havana Nights' just goes through the motions. It lacks heart and any sense of real purpose. Feelings of nostalgia and discovery, along with generous helpings of humor and vitality pervade the original 'Dirty Dancing.' Its follow-up tries to recreate the magic, but falls far short, ending up a pale carbon copy that's flat and forgettable.

Bottom line...

The Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats

'Dirty Dancing Collection' arrives on Blu-ray packaged in a standard case slipped inside a sleeve. Inside are two Blu-ray discs, both of which feature 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video transfers and DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 audio tracks. An assortment of previews and promos precede each film's full-motion main menu.