You know every time someone would bring up Patrick before he died the other day, there was always one film that came up in the conversation, Dirty Dancing. That is quite unfortunate. The man was talented beyond the films he made. If you really want to go back and experience the best of the Swayz then peep these flicks below.

The Outsiders

This is a who’s who of 80’s talent and it was Swayze that led the charge. This is one of those flicks that became a classic the moment it was released. Say what you will but every performance was memorable and it launched more than a few careers.

Too Wong Foo, Thanks for everything! Julie Newmar

Sure it was a rip off of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, but what a way to be shocked by the performances of the actors in this flick and Patrick was leading the way again. For you homophobes out there, get the fuck over it and watch the movie. At the time I was not much of a Swayze fan and this flick made me reconsider what I thought of him. It is a movie I am glad I saw, if for nothing else I got to see 3 great performances from 3 actors that no one really cared about and still don’t.

Red Dawn

Another young ensemble cast filled with actors no one had heard of and there again was Patrick Swayze. I have never turned this flick off nor have I have ever found myself bored with it. It pains me that they are going remake this flick.  Just the technological advances alone since the time this film was made will make it impossible to make a believable flick that will even come close to holding a candle to the original.

Donnie Darko

Of all the things people talk about when it comes to this film it is sad they don’t talk about the small part Swayze had. He put himself out there as a man that was supposed to be standard of morality who was secretly a very naughty boy. Say what you want but he played it to the “T” and made it a role I will not forget.

Ghost

Anyone can sit and tear this flick apart from beginning to end, but if step back and just look at Swayze and ignore the rest of the film there some truly bright points in this film.

Uncommon Valor

Again one of his first roles and again a movie I would sit down and watch right now. That may have more to do with my affinity for war movies than Patrick, but he makes the film watchable and yet another film showing of how good he could be.

It is pretty easy to sit back and blast Point Break, Dirty Dancing, Roadhouse and a few others, but one appearance I will never forget is Saturday Night Live. The skit he did with Chris Farley as strippers is something I will never forget and is as much a testament to Patrick as it is to Chris.

I never got a chance to sit down and watch the show he had been doing, The Beast, but I read some favorable things and it may just be something that I sit down to watch here in the near future.

Do yourself a favor and watch one or more of the flicks above in the next couple weeks and I think you will agree that the man did have some shining moments and it is these roles he should be remembered for and not “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”