Rock Around the Clock

What fun to come upon this 1950s gem on cable TV today! At first I thought I was seeing Debra Paget, but it turned out to be her sister, Lisa Gaye, who played a prominent role in this film and demonstrated real dancing skill. This movie is so special, not only because it showcases rock & roll's important early performers, but also its place in musical time -- right at the pop music transition from the big bands to the much smaller combos. In fact, the term "combo" was apparently not in popular use yet. In the film, these small rock & roll bands are referred to as "combinations" of musicians. And the dancing was a joy to watch! Influences from the Big Band era were still strong as couples did variations of swing and jitterbug with the brand new additions of non-touch formula steps that later led to the Twist, the Mashed Potato and all the rest, right up to the present time when almost no one knows how to dance together as a couple. This film should be required viewing for anyone following the history of post-World War II popular music and the end of the big bands.