Dancin' Thru the Dark

A gang of stags and hens end up in the same nightclub the night before a wedding with obvious and dramatic results.

Throw in a travelling band and a lead singer ( Con O'Neill ) who is an old flame of the bride to be and you have a very powerful mix indeed.

Most of the drama takes place in the toilets and themes explored previously by the writer are displayed here.

Class and escaping from the drabness of your lot like in his previous works are once again the main themes of this film .

However away from all this are some great comedy moments from a very good cast and also a great soundtrack.

All I will say is if you need cheering up watch this film and revel at some of the weird and wonderful scenes .

My favourite is the angry husband who come looking for his Madonna lookalike wife who has hooked up with one of the stags.

He turns up shouting whilst eating an apple and then drags her out. Quite what the relevance of this scene is I have no idea but it adds to the quirkiness of the whole thing .

A beautiful film, which captures the sadness, squalor and decay of post-Beatles Liverpool and the wasted young lives of those growing up there. It is a sort-of musical comedy, with a superb ensemble of well-rounded characters, all desperate in their different ways, with talents and flaws. Even Mark Womack as Eddie is not a mere stage villain, but rather an embittered and unstable but loyal friend.

The theme is simple - leaving home - and the execution brilliant. The early scenes, as a London rock group encounters the horrors of run-down Liverpool - predatory kids and a hostile pub - are hilarious. The theatrical origins of the film are retained with the most dramatic scenes staged in the ladies' and gents' toilets of a down-town disco. The plot is so straightforward as to be trite, but the writing (by Willy Russell from his stage play), the energetic direction by Mike Ockrent and the vitality of the performances make this a film to remember.

The only reason I give it a 9 is because of the lighting. It's so dark on the set that half the time I had trouble keeping track of the characters. Otherwise, I loved this oh-so-believable winking slice of working-class life. I have a couple of questions for other viewers: 1. I don't recall actually seeing the much-commented-upon boots that Peter is wearing. Did anyone? 2. I also don't recall the name of Peter's band ever being mentioned. Is this correct?

Also, when Linda's friends try to convince her to leave because it's bad luck for her to see her groom the night before the wedding, I'm surprised she didn't suggest that _he_ leave, not her.

I also was impressed with the building tension that climaxed in the two bathrooms (Ladies and Gents respectively). A Russell masterpiece.

Anyone else in love with Con O'Neill? I adore Blood Brothers too!!!

I am reflective of the age of the cast in this movie and saw it when it came out and it really hit the mark with me. Many of the actors in it have had pretty solid careers on TV but I am amazed that at least some of them like Con O'Neil never really hit the big time. Suffice to say if you are a Generation X'er like myself and have not seen this film I advice you to give it a go next time it is on the TV it really takes you back to pub and club life and the pro's and cons of life back then for working class men and women.

Based on Russell's play 'Stags & Hens' the screen version captures the essence of the traditional British pre-wedding celebrations. Linda & Dave are made for each other and are waiting for their fairy-tale wedding day so they can spend the rest of their lives together. From Linda leaving the factory she works in to Dave & the boys visiting the local Indian restaurant and taking advice about not mixing their drinks, Russell's portrayal of the Liverpudlian working classes is perfect! Pulling on your heartstrings from every possible angle, this film follows Linda's journey of self discovery...is there anything better beyond the Mersey? With a catchy sound track and brilliant performances throughout, this is definitely one to watch. A treat for any Willy Russell fan!