Plotwise there wouldn’t be much to Flashdance: A model working in a steel factory wants to attend to a dance school but is paralysed by her fear of trying and failing. She then falls in love with her boss, they have a few fights along the way and finally she conquers her fears and dances in the audition.

With the thin plot out of the way let’s move on to the music; and there’s plenty to love here! The highly energetic title song ’Flashdance.. What a feeling’ composed by Giorgio Moroder and performed by Irene Cara, became a huge hit and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Michael Sembello’s Maniac is equally lively, and became almost as big a hit with both songs reaching place #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other featuring artists include Laura Branigan, Kim Carnes and Joe Esposito, and the soundtrack album went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Album of Original Score and became a best seller.

The movie is professionally shot and the camera just loves Jennifer Beals who looks absolutely gorgeous on the screen. Unfortunately, although the movie is an easy watch, it’s still nothing to write to home about, and it’s clearly the soundtrack here that gives the movie additional value – and not the other way around.

80s-o-meter: 85%

Total: 62%