November 18, 2020

A perfect pairing of sound & vision - Summer Of Sam & Dancing Queen


Spike Lee's Summer Of Sam was one of the best films of the 90's but it's all but forgotten these days. A drama based on the true story of David Berkowitz, a murderer who terrorised The Bronx and Queens during the scalding hot summer of 1977 and the Italian America characters who lives were effected by his actions. Chief among them are Vinny and Dionna, a couple trying their hardest to make their marriage work. Due to a repressive Catholic upbringing Vinny is having trouble sexually with Dionna and going elsewhere to get his kicks. Kicks he thinks he's keeping a secret. One night in an attempt to spice things up they take a trip to Plato's Retreat, a notorious swingers party in NYC and on the way home, everything comes spilling out. 

Warning - the language here may offend.

   

3 minutes and 50 seconds of brilliance. 3 minutes and 50 seconds, the exact length of the Abba song 'Dancing Queen' playing on the car radio. A joyous anthem scoring the absolute disintegration of a marriage. Vinny, who's fucked his way across the Bronx can't cope with the jealousy of what he's just seen and he erupts. He's the dictionary definition of a hypocrite and he expression says he knows it when Dionna lets loose with the knowledge she's been hiding throughout the film. If he'd any bit of cop on they'd be in a club dancing to the song playing but here they are, roaring at each other in the middle of a cemetary, a fitting place for the death of their relationship. Watch his face at the start and look at hers. He's a portrait of disgust and she's as meek as a mouse. Then as the song comes to a crescendo the tables turn. Dionna's in charge now and Vinny's the pathetic figure chasing her. She's the queen. She's won't be dancing with Vinny anymore.

Spike Lee gave Mira Sorvino and John Leguizamo a general idea of what he wanted in this scene and let them loose to improvise. This was the result. An amazing pairing of sound & vision.

Previous pairings 

Beetlejuice
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