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Footloose

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Footloose
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHerbert Ross
Written byDean Pitchford
Produced byLewis J. Rachmil
Craig Zadan
StarringKevin Bacon
Lori Singer
Dianne Wiest
John Lithgow
CinematographyRic Waite
Edited byPaul Hirsch
Music byTom Snow
Jim Steinman
Kenny Loggins
Nigel Harrison
Mark Mothersbaugh
Jamshied Sharifi
Production
company
IndieProd Company Productions
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
February 17, 1984 (1984-02-17)
Running time
107 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$8.2 million
Box office$80,035,402 (USA)

Footloose is a 1984 American drama film directed by Herbert Ross.

It tells the story of Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon), an upbeat Chicago teen who moves to a small town where, thanks to an uptight clergyman (John Lithgow), dancing and rock music have been banned.

The film is loosely based on events that took place in the small, rural, and religious community of Elmore City, Oklahoma.[1]

Plot

Ren McCormack (Bacon), a teenager raised in Chicago, moves with his mother to the small town of Bomont to live with his aunt and uncle. Soon after arriving, Ren makes a friend named Willard, and from him learns the city council has banned dancing and rock music. He soon begins to fall for a rebellious girl named Ariel, who has a boyfriend named Chuck Cranston, and an overprotective father named Reverend Shaw Moore (Lithgow), an authority figure in the town.

After insulting Ariel's boyfriend, Ren ends up in a game of chicken involving tractors, and despite not knowing how to drive a tractor, he wins. Shaw distrusts Ren, forbidding Ariel to see him. Ren and his classmates want to do away with the law, especially since the senior prom is around the corner.

Ren goes before the city council and reads several Bible verses that claim in ancient times people would dance to rejoice, exercise, or celebrate. Although Rev. Moore is moved and tries to get them to abolish the law, the council votes against him. Shaw's wife is supportive of the movement, and explains to Shaw he cannot be everyone's father, and that he is hardly being a father to Ariel. She also says that dancing and music are not the problem. Shaw soon has a change of heart after seeing some of the townsfolk burning books that they think are dangerous to the youth. Realizing the situation has gotten out of hand, Shaw stops the burning.

On Sunday, Rev. Moore asks his congregation to pray for the high school students putting on the prom, which is set up at a grain mill outside of town. Shaw and his wife are seen outside, dancing for the first time in years.

Cast

Production

Dean Pitchford wrote the screenplay (and most of the lyrics) for Footloose, Herbert Ross directed the movie, and Paramount Pictures co-produced and distributed it.

Michael Cimino was hired by Paramount to direct the film when negotiations with Ross initially stalled. After four months working on the film, the studio fired Cimino, who was making extravagant demands for the production, including demanding an additional $250,000 for his work, and ended up rehiring Ross.[2]

Casting

Footloose also starred Lori Singer as Reverend Moore's independent daughter Ariel, a role for which Madonna also auditioned. Dianne Wiest appeared as Vi, the Reverend's devoted yet conflicted wife.

Footloose is one of the earliest film appearances of Sarah Jessica Parker as Ariel's friend Rusty, a role for which she was nominated for Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama at the Sixth Annual Youth in Film Awards. It was also an early role for Christopher Penn as Willard Hewitt, Ren's best friend, who doesn't know how to dance until Ren teaches him.

Filming

The film was made at various locations in Utah County. The high school and tractor scenes were filmed in and around Payson, Utah and Payson High School. The church scenes were filmed in American Fork, Utah. The steel mill was the Geneva Steel mill. The final sequence is filmed in Lehi, Utah, with the Lehi Roller Mills featured in the final sequence.

Soundtrack

Main article: Footloose (soundtrack)

The soundtrack was released in cassette, 8-track tape, vinyl, and CD format. The soundtrack was also re-released on CD for the 15th anniversary of the film in 1999. The re-release included four new songs: "Bang Your Head (Metal Health)" by Quiet Riot, "Hurts So Good" by John Mellencamp, "Waiting for a Girl Like You" by Foreigner, and the extended 12" remix of "Dancing in the Sheets".

The soundtrack includes five rock singles - the title song and "I'm Free", both by Kenny Loggins, "Holding Out for a Hero" by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, "Girl Gets Around" by Sammy Hagar, and "Never" by Australian rock band Moving Pictures (the song played during Bacon's solo dance scene); three R&B singles - "Let's Hear It For the Boy" by Deniece Williams, "Somebody's Eyes" by Karla Bonoff, and "Dancing In the Sheets" by Shalamar; and the love theme "Almost Paradise" by Mike Reno from Loverboy and Ann Wilson of Heart. Some of the songs were composed by Eric Carmen and Jim Steinman and the soundtrack went on to sell over 9 million copies in the USA.

The first two tracks both hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received 1985 Academy Award nominations for Best Music (Original Song). "Footloose" also received a 1985 Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Original Song - Motion Picture.

Reception

The film received mixed reviews, garnering a 58% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[3] Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert called it "a seriously confused movie that tries to do three things, and does all of them badly."[4]

Despite critical reviews, the film grossed $80,035,403 domestically.[5]

Musical version

Main article: Footloose (musical)

Starting in 1999 a musical version of Footloose, that features many of the same songs from the movie, has been presented on London's West End, on Broadway, and elsewhere. The musical is generally faithful to the film version, with some slight differences in the story and characters.

Remake

Main article: Footloose (2011 film)

Paramount Pictures has announced plans to fast-track a musical remake of Footloose, with plans to start filming in March 2010. The remake will be written and directed by Craig Brewer.

Paramount revealed the full cast on June 22, 2010,[6] with Kenny Wormald as Ren McCormick, Julianne Hough as Ariel, and Dennis Quaid as Rev. Shaw Moore. It is set in the fictional town of Beaumont, Tennessee, but will be filmed in Georgia. It is budgeted at $25 million.[7]

References

  1. ^ Demaret, Kent (18 May 1980). "You Got Trouble in Elmore City: That's Spelled with a "t," Which Rhymes with "d" and That Stands for Dancing". People. 13 (20). Retrieved 12 May 2009.
  2. ^ Holleran, Scott (12 October 2004). "Shall We Footloose?". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
  3. ^ "Footloose Movie Reviews". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  4. ^ "Footloose". Chicago Sun-Times.
  5. ^ "Box office/business for Footloose (1984)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
  6. ^ "Footloose Remake Gets A Cast". The Film Stage. June 22, 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2010. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  7. ^ 'Footloose' runs off with well-heeled suitor: Georgia
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