IMDb > Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000)
Dancing at the Blue Iguana
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 10 | slideshow) Videos (see all 2 NEW)
Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)
Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000) -- Virgin.net Movies - Trailer (WMP)

Overview

User Rating:
5.8/10   2,022 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 14% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Michael Radford
Writers:
Michael Radford (screenplay) and
David Linter (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Dancing at the Blue Iguana on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
11 October 2001 (Israel) more
Genre:
Drama | Mystery more
Tagline:
five souls exposed more
Plot:
A non-glamorous portrayal of the lives of people who make their living at a strip club. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
2 wins & 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(5 articles)
Daryl Hannah's Stripper Pole Workout
 (From WENN. 18 February 2002)

Darryl Hannah Takes Pole Position
 (From WENN. 22 October 2001)

User Comments:
A haunting, thought-provoking slice of life more (56 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Charlotte Ayanna ... Jessie

Kristin Bauer ... Nico

W. Earl Brown ... Bobby

Daryl Hannah ... Angel

Chris Hogan ... Dennis

Sheila Kelley ... Stormy

Elias Koteas ... Sully
Vladimir Mashkov ... Sacha

Sandra Oh ... Jasmine

Rodney Rowland ... Charlie

Jennifer Tilly ... Jo

Robert Wisdom ... Eddie
David Amos ... Dave
Carolyne Aycaguer ... Sophie
R.C. Bates ... Jimmy (as RC Bates)
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for pervasive sexual content/nudity, language, some drug content and brief violence.
Runtime:
123 min | Argentina:126 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | Russian
Color:
Color
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital
Certification:
Iceland:16 | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Canada:18A | USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA (cable rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | France:U | Singapore:R21 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R | Finland:K-15 | Canada:A (Ontario)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Partly filmed in an actual strip club called the Valley Ball Cabaret in Van Nuys, California (although the stage with the bar was a set). more
Goofs:
Factual errors: They say that the guitar they buy from the music store a Gibson Les Paul, but it isn't. more
Quotes:
Angel: I did not inhale. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Strip Notes (2001) (V) more
Soundtrack:
SEX A.M. more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
31 out of 34 people found the following comment useful.
A haunting, thought-provoking slice of life, 12 January 2002
9/10
Author: redpanda from Canberra, Australia

OK, so "Dancing at the Blue Iguana" features wall-to-wall naked gyrating women. But don't let that put you off. Despite the subject matter - the lives of five strippers who work in the eponymous club (played by Daryl Hannah, Jennifer Tilly, Sheila Kelley, Charlotte Ayanna and Sandra Oh) - and the frequent nudity, "Blue Iguana" is not a T&A movie. Rather, it's a compelling insight into the lives of the underclass of Los Angeles, or indeed, any one of the world's major cities.

If your cinematic tastes run to tightly plotted fare where all the loose ends are tied up with a big gift-wrap bow in the last five minutes, you'll probably it find frustrating. But if you can appreciate a film in which some issues are never quite resolved and some questions are never quite answered - just like real life - then you may be seduced by the "Blue Iguana".

The film has been panned by so many critics that I must admit I started watching with some trepidation, expecting to be embarrassed for the actors. But I became so engrossed in the world of the Blue Iguana that I was actually disappointed when the film ended.

Much of the criticism of "Blue Iguana" is based on the fact that it was made without a script. The actors started with only two things: the title of the film and the fact that it was set in a strip club. Everything else, they worked out themselves - their characters, their storylines, and their dialogue - in an intense series of improvisational workshops. This approach may be unconventional, but it gives "Blue Iguana" a freshness and immediacy which is rarely found in mainstream films. As Michael Radford explains, improv relies on nailing the scene in the first take; once it becomes too polished, it loses its sense of realism.

The female cast has been another target for critics - not because they're not superb actors, but because, in their late 30's to early 40s, Daryl Hannah, Jennifer Tilly and Sheila Kelley would be too old to work as strippers in LA where beautiful young women exist in a buyer's market. But they bring a depth of sadness to their characters - you can't help wondering where they'll be a few years down the track.

Sandra Oh's performance as Jasmine is a standout. Jasmine leads a double life, stripping on the Blue Iguana stage and secretly writing poetry in the dressing room. After persuading her to read one of her painfully beautiful works at his poetry group Dennis (Chris Hogan) starts to fall in love with her mind. But Jasmine realises the fledgling romance is doomed. In the film's most heartbreaking scene, when Dennis seeks her out at the club, she performs her routine to Moby's "Porcelain" with its haunting refrain "So This is Goodbye". The camera focuses on her face. It's an impassive mask, but her eyes betray incredible sadness. She's wordlessly saying to him, "This is the real me. Do you still want me now?"

Putting aside its improv-based development, "Blue Iguana" succeeds on its own merits. If you want to see a T&A film, rent a copy of "Showgirls". If you want to see a haunting, thought-provoking slice of life, see "Dancing at the Blue Iguana".



Was the above comment useful to you?
more (56 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Sandra Oh's best performance? CoyDog
Leonard Cohen?? cajunk
Song Stormy dances to domdecay
does jennifer beat any one up in this movie? silviatorres
who was that guy that gave angel that money at the end? donland
Kristin Bauer is incredible!!! johnnybeyond
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Trois couleurs: Bleu Feast of Love The Last Picture Show Bad Timing Road House
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Drama section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.