Dirty Dancing (2017/ABC/Lionsgate DVD)

Picture: B Sound: B Extras: C Telefilm: B+

Frances "Baby" Houseman (Abigail Breslin) goes on a family trip to a summer camp, but ends up falling in love with the camp's dance instructor, Johnny Castle (Colt Prattes). It's a summer of love, heartache and heartbreak as Baby gets dance lessons from Johnny, she not only learns the steps to the dance, but what it means to be true to herself in the new 2017 TV movie remake of the 1987 hit Dirty Dancing.

Baby and her family comes from a rich, wealthy upper class socio-econopmic strata, she always was her father's baby and expected to follow in his footsteps when she grew up. But everything changed when she meets Johnny the dance instructor at summer camp. She immediately falls hard for him, but they both know they are from two different social classes and their relationship is not accepted by social norms. Meanwhile, her own family has their own family drama with her parents relationship falling apart and her sister getting involved with boy of different color, but when tragedy strikes Baby must find the courage to not only follow her heart and but stand up for what she believes is right.

This was a remake (not sequel or prequel) of the hit film "Dirty Dancing" from 1987 film. While Colt Prattes is no Patrick Swayze, the remake make an improvement on set, costuming, cast and more backstories to the side characters (and has a twist ending). It is considered a homage to the original, with old songs choreographed to new dance moves, try to be more musical than the original hit, which Director Wayne Blair pulls off as well as possible. Tony Roberts, Katey Sagal, Bruce Greenwood, Debra Messing and Billy Dee Williams also star.

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image and lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 sound are as good ads they can be in the format, so why no Blu-ray? Extras include Dirty Dancing: The Legacy Lives On, Dirty Dancing: Don't Step on the 1, Start on the 2 and trailers.

The fourth feature film since the original along with a failed TV series, another remake may be on the way, but expect the original film in a 4K Blu-ray at some point and maybe soon. Until then, there's this decent production.

- Ricky Chiang