When teenager Ren (Kevin Bacon) and his mom move from big-city Chicago to a small midwestern town, he's in for a real case of culture shock. Though he tries hard to fit in, Ren can't quite believe he's living in a place where rock music and dancing are illegal. Ren soon connects with Ariel (Lori Singer), a rebellious, but interesting girl --who unfortunately also has a jealous boyfriend. In fact, it turns out that it is Ariel's dad (John Lithgow), a Bible-thumping minister, who is responsible for keeping the town dance-free. Ren and his classmates want to do away with this ordinance - especially since the senior prom is around the corner- to make this happen, Ren must confront Rev Shaw and the town council.
The dancing shoes in the beginning are uniquely awesome..
I've always liked this pic that showcases the great teen cast of "Footloose". Sarah Jessica Parker and Chris Penn shine in supporting roles. It does make me sad watching Chris Penn so young bobbing up and down with dual headphones with Kevin Bacon .. knowing that he suddenly left us at the age of 40.
I've always thought the scene with Ren's mom where she says "September, when you go off to college.. you can dress like David Bowie" as he's getting ready for his first day at a new school was just so good. Maybe because my job as a teenager required that I wear a tie and I loved my thin black ties that were so popular in the 80's.
Btw, have any of you actually read "Slaughterhouse-Five"?
The drive-in had several arcade games.. but the only one I could identify for sure was Astro Blaster.
While the placement of a gymnastic highbar in an old warehouse seems a bit far fetched.. I still enjoy the high energy cut loose dancing.
"I'll sing to you of silver swans, of kingdoms and carillons. I'll sing of bodies intertwined, underneath an innocent sky."
You can make fun of me.. but when I was in Vegas a couple of years ago.. I found a Footloose Music Box that plays "Almost Paradise" at one of the vendors on the strip and I had to make it mine.
One of my fav scenes is when the tune "I'm Free" starts to playing and turns into a brilliant montage of smiles, motorbikes, pink & green balloons, synchronized sweeping, and lights!
Let's face it.. "Footloose" seems to have a polarizing effect on 80's fans. There are those that enjoy it like myself and then there are those that seem to loathe it like my pal Veronica Sawyer. I remember "Footloose" being a monster success in the 80's with a soundtrack that actually finally knocked Michael Jackson's Thriller from the top spot on the album charts.
For the fans of the movie.. most of us would agree that the final dance scenes are 80's magic. It it is quite evident that they had some talented dancers in those final scenes and it appeared they were just freestyling which created some great moves.
I know a remake is schedule to be released in October .. and you know my thoughts on remakes, but until then..
Let's Dance!!!
[ 17. February 2011, 16:03: Message edited by: Valley ]
Posted by Ronnie (Member # 465) on :
good job, val.
has anyone else here ever watched footloose with the kevin bacon commentary? he does the commentary by himself and i thought it was awesome.
i'm glad you brought up the slaughterhouse-five. i love the scene where ren calls it a classic. his certainty and self assurance in the film makes ren a great character. kevin's portrayal is fantastic. i am in love with him in this movie, and so the thought of the remake kind of ticks me off.
why, oh why?
say it with me... "up on the roof....oh yeah..."
Posted by kevdugp73 (Member # 5978) on :
Any plans in the works for this on Blue-ray? A classic that most everyone loves.....
Posted by Logan 5 (Member # 1467) on :
quote:why, oh why?
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
quote:Let's face it.. "Footloose" seems to have a polarizing effect on 80's fans. There are those that enjoy it like myself and then there are those that seem to loathe it like my pal Veronica Sawyer.
Ex-friend, surely? Some things a friendship just can't stand up to. Not liking Footloose is a deal breaker.
Posted by Devolution (Member # 1731) on :
Devolution,
Fill this in for one of the soundtracks in my top ten of the 80's. Yeah it's a lock.
We are DEVO
Posted by Nick (Member # 404) on :
Hey Valley, You're normally so on-the-money with your edition names for these threads that the studio's should hire you to name their DVD's...
...However, with Footloose, I'm not so sure that you hit the mark with "Red Boots in a VW Edition"...
Credit where credit is due, you avoided the obvious "Cut Loose Edition" etc, but the very first viable one that came into my mind was (drum roll)...
"Kingdoms and Carillons Edition"
I'm not sure of the spelling of "Carillons", coz I got it from an online transcript...
For those who are wondering what the heck I'm on about, remember the scene where Ren and Ariel are in dangerous proximity for the first time at the rail yard, Ren reads some of the graffiti on one of the carriages before Ariel plays chicken with a train:
REN: "I'll sing to you of silver swans, of kingdoms and carillons...
...I'll sing of bodies intertwined, underneath an innocent sky."
REN: "You wrote that?"
ARIEL: "It's not even one of my best."
Whaddaya think? Posted by Nick (Member # 404) on :
...Man, I seem to have killed the thread!
Sorry folks, I was jus' havin' a little fun.. Posted by Valley (Member # 1322) on :
Nick.. Jump Back!!
I totally agree with your name for the special edition and thought about something similar briefly.. but I had used the quote in my thread text.. so I came up with the less than stellar 'Red Boots in a VW"
Thanks for the suggestion and consider the edition updated!!
[ 17. February 2011, 16:27: Message edited by: Valley ]
Posted by Valley (Member # 1322) on :
Okay.. Let's talk a little "Footloose"..
I've always enjoyed the scene when Ren does his speech in front of the Reverend Shaw and the town council. Especially after listening to the Kevin Bacon commentary that Ronnie mentioned above. Bacon was beyond nervous about the scene and it came across brilliantly in the movie.
Also, the scene where Ren is discussing things that can't be explained with Reverend Shaw .. then Ariel comes in the door.
Oh and back to "Slaughterhouse-Five".. I still recognize that scene as where Ren shows that he isn't afraid to give his opinion as an important moment for the audience ..
Especially when Mrs. Allyson says that the Slaughterhouse-Five .. maybe in another town it's a classic.. but Ren stands his ground and says: "In 'ANY' town"
One more.. the look on Ren's face when Wes starts talking about the trouble over at Burlington Cranton's property.
Posted by Ronnie (Member # 465) on :
quote:Originally posted by Valley: Especially when Mrs. Allyson says that the Slaughterhouse-Five .. maybe in another town it's a classic.. but Ren stands his ground and says: "In 'ANY' town"
i love that small part!
heh, i love in the commentary, where kevin talks about going to parties and/or weddings, slipping the dj cash to NOT play the song, 'footloose.' lol
i also love ren's reaction when he sees ariel walk out of her home in her dress. "i mean it.. you are beautiful."
then ren and ariel walk into the dance with no fear, and start dancing, getting everyone to finally join in.
ariel: "wanna kiss me?"
ren: "..someday..."
of course, i love all the dance sequences, especially when they are at the bar, dancing to "hurts so good."
Posted by Ronnie (Member # 465) on :
quote: One of my fav scenes is when the tune "I'm Free" starts to playing and turns into a brilliant montage of smiles, motorbikes, pink & green balloons, synchronized sweeping, and lights!
haha, the sweeping is funny! and i love the dangling stars!
Posted by Valley (Member # 1322) on :
Ronnie.. Too Funny! I was so close to including the dangling silver stars.. but you weren't there to give me the word 'dangling' which makes those stars sound so much more amazing.
Oh and when Bacon stumbles over his words when Ariel comes out of the house in her prom dress.. great moment! I just can't believe that if Christopher Atkins had played Ren that we would look at this movie the same. It is interesting to find out all the 'almost' casting choices for some of our fav movies.
The dancing feet in the opening credit sequence contained many of the cast and crew. I've heard that they actually fimed over 150 different pairs of feet and this is unconfirmed, but rumor is that the dancer with the gold shoes was actually Kenny Loggins. And he was buddies with the writer of "Footloose" who claims the script is loosely based on a true story.
Posted by Logan 5 (Member # 1467) on :
quote:of course, i love all the dance sequences, especially when they are at the bar, dancing to "hurts so good."
I always thought it was a shame it wasn't on the soundtrack.
Posted by Ronnie (Member # 465) on :
true logan, i agree.
Posted by Valley (Member # 1322) on :
It might not be on the soundtrack, but everytime I hear it playing on XM Radio.. I totally think of "Footloose". I love hearing a random tune out somewhere that reminds me of an 80's flick.
My fav restaurant is a place called Rafferty's and they play wicked 80's tunes most of the time. I like it mainly because of the food, but I'm just now realizing that 'Rafferty' was the guy that guided Bobby in "The Heavenly Kid" .. so maybe there are otherworldly subliminal messages at work here as well.
Posted by Nick (Member # 404) on :
I guess, I'm just weird maybe, but I've always loved the bit with the music box in the railyard...
She shows him the box.. It starts playing, he's bemused, but then she hits him with the line "think you might ever kiss me" (or similar) and the orchestra joins in with the music box and the music from both kinda intertwines... It seems the orchestra has taken over and then the music box comes back into the mix for its reprise... Great stuff Posted by Kash (Member # 297) on :
thread Valley!
Footloose is a classic. That's all there is to it IMO. Personally, I'd have called it the 'Kick Off Your Sunday Shoes' collector's edition.
I'm sure you've all seen this, but some of the cast got back together a few years ago:
Kash .. I have never seen that before.. thanks for posting it.
Awesome to hear Kevin Bacon discuss the change in the ending from a slo-mo ending with very little dancing to the improv dancing that we now know.
Posted by Logan 5 (Member # 1467) on :
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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i love that small part! ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)