Jamie Lee Curtis later said:
In her view, the movie was about:
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Self-acceptance
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Personal agency
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Standing up for oneself
This message was noble — but it got lost beneath the film’s campier elements.
The Aerobics Scene Controversy: More Than Just Dance Moves
Curtis described the aerobic routines as “substitute love scenes.” But she felt the camera lingered too long, turning them into something unintentionally explicit.
Looking back, modern audiences often debate whether the scenes were empowering, exploitative, or just awkwardly dated. Curtis’s candid reflections add nuance to the conversation.
Quentin Tarantino’s Unexpected Defense
Years later, Tarantino praised the film, calling it: “Greatly under-appreciated.”
He admired Curtis’s performance and argued the movie is more entertaining than people realized — aligning with many fans who now appreciate Perfect as a “so-bad-it’s-good” classic.
A Viral Revival: Curtis Recreates the Aerobics Scene with Jimmy Fallon
Nearly 40 years later, Curtis and Fallon recreated the iconic workout routine in a parody for The Tonight Show.
Highlights included:
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Curtis wearing a striped one-piece inspired by the original
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Champagne, pizza, and outrageous physical comedy
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A staged defibrillator moment
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A dove flying out of Fallon’s shorts
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Endless hip thrusts, just like the original scene
The skit proved something important: Curtis can laugh about it — and the movie still entertains, even when it wasn’t meant to.
The Legacy of Perfect: A Misfire That Became a Cult Phenomenon
Today, Perfect is remembered for:
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Its legendary aerobics sequences
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Its unintentional camp value
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The massive stars it showcased
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The behind-the-scenes revelations shared by Curtis
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Its inclusion in “so bad it’s good” film lists
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A nostalgic window into 1980s fitness culture
And perhaps most importantly, it sparked ongoing conversations about how women are filmed, edited, and represented on screen — a topic still relevant today.
Final Thoughts: Beyond the Camp, a Film Worth Examining Continue reading…
