Dance Movies

Shall We Dance? is a 1996 award – winning Japanese film. Its original Japanese title is Shall We Dansu? which refers to the earlier 1934 movie “Shall We Dance” starring Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. It may also refer to the song, “Shall We Dance” in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I. It was directed by Masayuki Suo.

A 2004 film, also called Shall We Dance? is an American remake of the film. It stars Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, and Jennifer Lopez.

Reception

Shall We Dansu received a 93% rating from Rotten Tomatoes (Fresh: 28 Rotten: 2). Roger Ebert stated in the Chicago Sun Times that Shall We Dansu is “one of the more completely entertaining movies I’ve seen in a while–a well-crafted character study that, like a Hollywood movie with a skillful script, manipulates us but makes us like it.”

It performed strongly in American theaters earning roughly $9.7 million during its US release.

Awards

At the Japanese Academy Awards it won 14 awards: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Film, Best Lighting, Best Music Score, Best Screenplay, Best Sound, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Newcomer of the Year (in short, every award it was eligible to win).