Motion Pictures featuring contortionists or acrobatic dancers

Any additions or comments are welcome at mking@ilcnet.com

Absolute Beginners {Corrine Russell}
A Chorus Line {?}
A League of their Own {Geena Davis}: "Thanks friend. I would add the movie 'A League of their Own' where Geena Davis is featured doing a front split while catching a foul. Very short scene but she looks beautiful."
All That Jazz {?}
Amici miei atto II ("My Friends Act II") {?}
An American in Paris {Leslie Caron}
Attack of the Mushroom People (Matango) {?}: "The scene shows a short Japanese contortionist, not very limber, doing a severly edited routine, the director kept fading out, every 10 seconds to focus on the charactor who was hallucinating on mushrooms and the evil lady who gave it to him."
Babes in Arms {June Preisser}
The Big Chill {Meg Tilly}: scene in a living room, where Tilly is stretching out on the floor, pulling her leg up into a standing split.
The Big Town - {Diane Lane}
Big Top PeeWee {April Tatro}
Black Limelight {?} (1938): "There was a film called 'The Limelight' or 'Under The Limelight' made in the 30s or 40s. This is NOT the Chaplin film but it may well have the same title. The film was shown on ITV in the U.K. during the 60's where I saw it 3 times. It was about a pair of adagio dancers and I seem to remember the female did some very close bending and good leg lifts. Several scenes in the film last more than a few minutes and it is a gem if someone knows more."
The Blacksmith {Virginia Fox}: " '...I can also recall seeing an Buster Keaton movie with a very limber woman trying to make a 'sit up' for a horse back riding, where she finally ended up in the head to tail position after doing some nice front splits. Can anybody on the list helping me out with the english titles of these two silent movies..?'... 'The name of the Keaton picture is "The Blacksmith" and played recently here in LA at The Silent Movie on Fairfax. In an e-mail I sent a few months ago I stated that I think the female lead ended up marrying Cecil B. DeMille, or some famous producer like that.' ... "
Blade Runner {Daryl Hannah}: acrobatic flips and jumps in scene where she jumps and lands on Harrison Ford's shoulders (about 2 minutes)
Blue Thunder {Anna Forrest}: "nude from a distance with legs behind head and splits (about 30 seconds) I seem to remember this sequence as being longer"; *Pics on the net: [http://members.aol.com/kalaus/second.htm]
Blind Fury {?}
Broadway Rhythm {The Ross Sisters}: "the Ross Sisters act is near the middle of the movie, and lasts about four minutes. It has some very nice back bending and splits."; *Pics on the net: [http://members.aol.com/eyetreats/pagetwo.htm#movies] and [ http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/webmedia/]
Buck Benny Rides Again {Merriel Abbott Dancers}: 1940 Paramount motion picture with brief acrobatic dance sequence.; *Pics on the net: [http://members.aol.com/eyetreats/pagetwo.htm#movies]
Captain Sinbad {?}: "In the 1963 film, Captain Sinbad, starring Guy Williams (Disney's old Zorro), there's a procession at the end of the film with several dancers doing some quite good backbending in the crowds. Not a lot, but still worth a look for the sake of completeness."
Carousel {Sylvia Stanton}: She is shown in the Internet Movie Database listing as having the uncredited role of "Contortionist."
Casablanca {Sylvia Stanton}: "In the original cut of Casablanca. He (Humphrey Bogart) walks into a dimly lit night-club where a contortionist is performing. She (Stanton) performs a goofus balance and then a head-stand. That scene was cut out of the version shown in Finland, and I suspect the version shown in the U.K."
Casanova (Fellini's 1976 version) {?}
CB4 {Khandi Alexander}: Scenes on the trailer for this Chris Rock film include a long-legged woman wearing a leopard-print lycra outfit stretching her leg straight up over her head in scene, and spreading in a straddle on her back on the floor in another total time frame on the trailer that was shown on TV was around 10 seconds
Charleston (1927) {?}
Charlie Chan At The Circus {?}: "chan's #1 son falls in love with a contortionist. you never really see her do any real bendy things, but later #1 son is looking at bendy photos of her and trying it pull his foot behind his head."
The Coca-Cola Kid {Greta Scacchi}: "To anyone who has been looking for a copy of the movie 'The Coca Cola Kid' just to see Greta Scacchi do a side split, forget it. At BEST the split is implied, and you never get to see anything but her face while she is supposedly doing it. (Not that thi= s is a BAD thing) She does, however, pull her leg backwards up to her head, which is pretty nice. Needless to say, I was VERY disappointed, and VERY happy that I didn't actually BUY the movie for this."
Crystal Heart {Tawny Kitaen}
Dance Fire (adult video) {Kathleen Jentry}
Dirty Dancing {Cynthia Rhodes}: "As a professional Mambo dancer doing some standing splits and one really deep backbend."
The Entertainer {?}: "In the early part of the film (about 5 to 10 min. into the flick) there is a female contortionist doing some nice back bending to a song called "I'd bend over backwards for the good ole USA".
Face Dance I (adult video) {Tina Tyler}
Fame {Gene Anthony Ray and others}
Father Goose {Leslie Caron}: "Has anyone mentioned Leslie Caron? At one point in the movie 'Father Goose', she announces that she is double-jointed, and proceeds to do a few bendy things. Nothing startling, but cute..."
--- "I remember that, "... I play the cello very well, I'm double jointed, and I know how to ride a camel!"
The Flamingo Kid {Beth Noreen Einhorn}: *Pics on the net: [http://members.aol.com/eyetreats/pagetwo.htm#movies]
Flashdance {Cynthia Rhodes}: "some short shots of ballet dancers stretching -- and -- Cynthia Rhodes performing an erotic dance to a song called 'Manhunt', containing several splits, somersaults and backbends (ca. 1 min long)"
Flying {Olivia D'Abo}: "(which is like a low budget `American Anthem') features Olivia D'Abo doing some limber things along with other actresses (lots of splits going on in the background), there's one particularly good scene with a a rear and below shot of a girl getting in a straddle split balanced on the beam"
For The Boys {?}: "scene where Bette Midler and James Caan are having a chat backstage just before the variety show starts. The acrobatic dancer in the show is warming up and right behind Midler, the dancer lifts one leg up to her ear and then the other and wiggles her feet with a "come hither" look to Caan. Caan's expression is "pain" and one presumes that he has enjoyed the company (and probably the flexibility) of the dancer before Midler came on the scene."
Give A Girl A Break {Helen Wood}: "The movie Give a Girl a Break (1953) contains some first class contortion shots and an acrobatic dance routine which is performed by the very limber Helen Wood".
[On the web at http://members.aol.com/eyetreats/addendum.htm ]
Goldy III - The Search for the Golden Bear {?}
The Great Pet Hunt, Part 1 (Penthouse adult video) {?}
Hardbodies {Darcy DeMoss}: ">Does anyone have the name on the woman who does the splits with backbend in the opening credits for the movie 'Hard Bodies'? I believe it is Darcy DeMoss, the same girl from the Ron Harris Aerobicise tape (Ultimate Workout?)."
Heavenly Bodies { Cynthia Dale & others}: "features several dance scenes with mildly limber stunts in it, there is also a clip with Cynthia Dale maintaining a near straddle split"
Henry & June {Claire Joubert & Erika Maury}: "A scene in a bar where two female contortionists show some backbends and later a scene where the same two women do a nude backbend walkover and a nude handstand backbend on the other woman which is also in a close backbend. (both scenes about 15 sec long)"
"'Henry and June' is a 1990 film by Philip Kaufman, starring Uma Thurman, Fred Ward, Kevin Spacy and foreign actress Maria deMedeiros. There are 4 contortion scenes in the film, all totaling less than a minute added together. Here is how you find them: 1hr into the film, there are a pair of contortionists, one of them lying on the floor, with her feet pressed atop her head; 1hr37min into the film - you will see both of them nude walking on their hands and feet - bent backwards".
Pictures on the net at http://members.aol.com/Kalaus/mandrago.htm.
Hot Pursuit {Wendy Gazelle}: "'Hot Pursuit' has Wendy Gazelle as half of the love-struck teen protagonists doing a handstand into one front split and then moving to another on board a boat about halfway through the film."
Houdini {'The Pretzel Twins'?}: "...there are a couple of decent contortion scenes right at the beginning. Houdini (played by Tony 'I love you Spartacus!' Curtis) is working for a carnival featuring a pair of female contortionists called 'The Pretzel Twins'..."
Howard The Duck {Lea Thompson}: "Lea Thompson does the splits on the end credits to 'Howard the Duck'."
The Jazz Singer (1927): "During a break from a dance rehearsal, two girls try kicking the back of their own heads."
Kid from Brooklyn {Vera-Ellen}
King Of Jazz {Marion Stattler}
Lady Dragon Cynthia Rothrock: "A picture of Cynthia on Tige's FTP site in a standing split (rothrk4.jpg) is from the back of the video box of 'Lady Dragon'"
Lady of Burlesque {Barbara Stanwyck}
Le Voyage Dans la Lune (Voyage to the Moon) {?}
Lolita {Sue Lyon}: "There's a little scene in Lolita, when Humbert Humbert bends Lolita's fingers right back (and she doesn't seem to mind). "What a talented lady," he says, "What else can you do?" (Is she going to get on the floor and start contorting all over?) No, unfortunately - "Just this" she says, and bends her thumb a bit."
Looping {Sydne Rome}: "...film 'Looping' featuring Sydne Rome as an exotic dancer. A photo in the CINEMA-magazine shows her performing a standing backbend."
Madhouse{Deborah Otto}: "...Oh, and there's a girl who just can't sit like a normal human being in Madhouse (the movie with John Larroquette and Kirstie Alley)....You know I was just mentioning her the other day on IRC to Ed Geneer. I like the part outside the bathroom where she sits on the stool, leg up against a cabinette or something (close to her head), and just talks to Dennis Miller for about 30 seconds....Yah, a cabinette. My personal fave's are her first appearance when she doing straddle split leaps on the trampoline and the part outside her house (while it's burning) when she brings her leg straight up behind her shoulder. She did it all so effortlessly..."
Maedchen in Uniform (1932 - German) {?}
Making Whoopie {?}
Million Dollar Legs {?}
Miss Firecracker {Holly Hunter}
Ms. Burlesque Contest (adult video) {?}
My Stepmother Is An Alien {Kim Basinger}: "In My Stepmother is an Alien Kim Basinger is performing a series of back flips that are performed by Kim herself as I understood from an interview in Showbiz Today."
Neurotic Cabaret {Tammy Stones}: "A movie I once came across which may be of some interest is "Neurotic Cabaret" starring one Tammy Stones. It's not an 'adult' flick but a rather silly (though quite likeable) story about a dancer who tries to raise money to make a movie (it may well be self-documentary, Tammy wrote the script herself). The cute star does some assorted gymnastics (splits/bends and some uneven bars if I remember) during the opening titles and there are odd moments throughout (splits and frontbends) with her and/or other dancers."
Never Say Never Again {Kim Basinger}: "shows Kim Basinger doing Jazz dance training with a coach where she shows a leg-lift to the side and a standing split backbend (not 100% straightened legs -- but she looks better than most other women I saw doing splits ;-). She also shows two perfect side-splits (about 25 sec long)"
Nob Hill{?}: "There was a movie called Nob Hill, set in San Franciso, made in the 50's or so which starred George Raft. It contains a great acrobatic dance routine which lasts about 3 minutes. It was well photographed, and was performed possibly by the troupe from the Tropicana in Las Vegas."
On The Town {Vera-Ellen}
Panama Hattie {The Berry Brothers}: "This film has a spectacular dance number with the three Berry Brothers. They were a well known dance act in the 40's known for their flying splits. There is a portion of their act where they leap off a high platform and land in splits."
Paris Is Burning {Willi Ninja and others}: "legs behind shoulders & splits; this Jennie Ferguson-directed documentary is an interesting examination of the "voguing balls" of the early 90's in New York City, and the gay men that participate in them"
Pas De Coups Durs Pour Johnny {"John the Boy Wonder" / John Seidel}: "In the mid-50s there was a minor (French?) film called 'Pas De Coups Durs Pour Johnny', which starred 'John the Boy Wonder' who was a hand balancer in Europe at that time. He had an act in which he balanced in side splits and juggled rings, and also did a one-hand balance in a backbend while balancing a ball on a stick held in his mouth and twirling rings on his free arm. He appeared at one of the big British circuses about 1954/5 and in Europe. His real name was John Seidel. He was still doing what seemed to be the same act in the early 80s and appeared on British TV. I believe he is the lead in the film, which includes his act."
Personal Best {Mariel Hemmingway}
Pleasure Bender (adult video) {Synthia}: There ARE a couple of pictures, and a description of the video on the net, but due to their content, I will withhold the URL of the web site.
Pope of Greenwich Village {Daryl Hannah}
Prince of Foxes {?}: "Saw a Tyrone Power movie a few days ago, think the title was 'Prince of Foxes', mid-fifties, one scene has him visiting a feudal lord. The feudal lord is being entertained by circus performers. Tyrone is led thru the middle of these performers with his gaze fixed upon the lord. When he gets face to face with him, the lord's minister starts to introduce him to the lord when Tyrone notices a contortionist behind him. Tyrone turns his head and stares at the contortionist until the minister stops speaking and he reluctantly turns his head away from the contortionist to speak to the lord. Unfortunately, you can only see half of the contortionist, the comic focus was Tyrone and the powerful lord."
The Prince Who Was A Thief {?} (1951): "The short but excellent contortion routine in 'The Prince who was a Thief' performed by the character played by Piper Laurie as a street acrobat were not performed by Piper Laurie but by a stand in. The girl also could bring her arms, tight together on the back, in front of her body over her head."
Reach For The Sky: "`Reach for the Sky' is a hard-to-find video with the same theme (gymnast trying to make good) as Flying and American Anthem, and a few more scenes"
Real Tickets 2 (adult video) {Debbie Jointed} (back bending)
Revenge Of The Dragon {?}: "A couple of years ago I saw on TV a Chinese Karate movie with the name 'Revenge of the Dragon'. In the movie the bad guys were battled by an able gang of kids. One of the girls, in close up, was laying on her back. In a continuous move she pulled her body towards her feet, raising it to a close hairpin bend and then came to erect standing position. In the process one could hear the vertebrays rolling. I have never seen that movie again. There must be a dozen or more Chinese Karate movies that carry that title though."
"One of our new members, Ruud, mentioned the Hong Kong movie, 'Revenge of the Dragon'. I was fortunate enough to tape it a few years back. the best scene is the one that Ruud described of a girl doing a backbend. What made it stand out was the way it was filmed, Starting with a close-up of her face, upside down, and a quick pull back as she moved into her backbend. The entire scence shot from ground level. The script was awful as usual, but you might get a laugh out of it."
Robocop 2 {Yogi Baird}: "Television scene of a telethoh both of comedian Baird's legs are behind his shoulders he is wearing a western jeans & cowboy hat (about 45 seconds)"
Ruby {Janet Baldwin}: "This horror film, starring Piper Laurie, was billed as another "Carrie", but it is more a ripoff of "The Exorcist". The doe-eyed Janit Baldwin plays Laurie's daughter, a mute girl possessed by an especially demented demon. It forces the girl to try to strangle her mother, and later makes the girl do a close bridge backbend, without using a stunt double."
Satie & Suzanne{Jinny Jacinto, Isabelle Chase, Laurence Racine and Nadine Binette}: French language love story set in Paris, featuring the four Cirque du Soleil girls.
Sensations {Eleanor Powell}: "...Dancers were omitted from the film credits. Near the end of the film about 20 dancers in black leotards do a routine for several minutes which features front and back walkovers, flying splits and acrobatics. The finale featured a dancing horse! 1945 (b&w) Dance director David Lichine Recommended."
Shall We Dance? {?}
Shaved Sinners 2 (adult video) {Chessie Moore}
Silent Tongue {April Tatro}: "...although it is pretty good, it only show two very short (1 second) passing shots of April, one in a chest supported backbend, another in a forward bend. They are not even worth trying to capture...."
Sing Neighbor Sing {?}
Stripper {?}: "A 1985 documentary featuring a Las Vegas Stripper's Contest. One of the performers is a VERY limber dancer and performs a number of contortion moves. (about 5-10 minutes)"
Super Vixens 1 (adult video) {Wendy Whoppers}
Tango and Cash {Teri Hatcher} (high kicks): "I caught "Tango and Cash" a while back and recognized Teri "Lois Lane" Hatcher as sister of Sylvester Stalone's character. Her first appearance was as a dancer in a night club. She showed some nice high kicks (which I think she also showed in one of the Superman shows where she goes undercover, again as a dancer)."
Tank Girl {?}: I can't confirm or deny the "harem" scene in this movie which may or may not include a contortionist.
Titillation (adult video) {Chessie Moore & Viper}
Three Little Girls in Blue {Vera-Ellen}
Three Little Words {Vera-Ellen}
Tuff Turf {Kim Richards}
Twister (adult video) {Tiffany Million}
WarGames{Ally Sheedy}: "In the 1981 film "Wargames" there is a short scene where Ally Sheedy does straddle split and a bit of frontbending."
When Night Is Falling: "The unrated film is about a housewife who has a lesbian romance >with a female circus acrobat, and one magazine review called her a Cirque >Du Soleil acrobat."
Where The Heart Is {?}: "... It's a nice little comedy movie from John Boorman about three children of very rich people whose parents decide to test them - and leave them alone in an old house without any money. So they try to find lodgers - and among them is not only an old escape artist, but also a girl who is into far-east philosophies and yoga.
There are two or three bendy scenes of this woman (lotus and pulling the foot to the head) - only very short and definitely NOT worth buying a tape or watching the whole movie - but it's a nice comedy about finding out what's REALLY important in life - and so I can recommend it especially to over-stressed people like me :-)..."
White Christmas {Vera-Ellen}
Wonder Man {Vera-Ellen}
Words and Music {Vera-Ellen}
Yoga and the Kung-Fu Girl{?}: "A typical Chinese Kung Fu movie, but starring (yes, starring!) a girl contortionist who develops a 'Soft-Bone' Kung Fu Style."
Zigfield: A Man and His Women {Barbara Parkins}