Taglines: He’s a big-city kid in a small town. They said he’d never win. He knew he had to.
Footloose movie storyline. Classic tale of teenage rebellion and repression features a delightful combination of dance choreography and realistic and touching performances. When teenager Ren McCormack and his family 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, the streetwise Ren can’t quite believe he’s living in a place where rock music and dancing are illegal.
However, there is one small pleasure: Ariel Moore, a troubled but lovely blonde with a jealous boyfriend. And 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, but only Ren has the courage to initiate a battle to abolish the outmoded ban and revitalize the spirit of the repressed townspeople. Fast-paced drama is filled with such now-famous hit songs as the title track and “Let’s Hear It for the Boy”.
Footloose is a 1984 American musical drama film directed by Herbert Ross. It tells the story of Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon), a teenager from Chicago who moves to a small western town where he lives with his mother, aunt, and uncle. Throughout the film, McCormack is seen attempting to overturn the ban on dancing, which resulted from the efforts of a local minister (John Lithgow).
Dean Pitchford, an Academy Award-winning lyricist for the title song for the 1980 film Fame, came up with the idea for Footloose in 1979 and teamed up with Melnick’s IndieProd who set the production up at 20th Century Fox in 1981. Pitchford wrote the screenplay (his first) and most of the lyrics however, Fox put it into turnaround. In 1982, Paramount Pictures made a pay-or-play deal for the film.
When negotiations with Herbert Ross initially stalled, Michael Cimino was hired by Paramount to direct the film, his first film since Heaven’s Gate. After a month 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 hiring Ross.
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 album includes “Footloose” and “I’m Free”, both by Kenny Loggins, “Holding Out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler, “Girl Gets Around” by Sammy Hagar, “Never” by Australian rock band Moving Pictures, “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 romantic 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 No. 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. The late film composer Miles Goodman has been credited for adapting and orchestrating the film’s score.
Footloose (1984)
Directed by: Herbert Ross
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest, Sarah Jessica Parker, Chris Penn, John Laughlin, Elizabeth Gorcey, Frances Lee McCain, Jim Youngs, Lynne Marta, Arthur Rosenberg
Screenplay by: Dean Pitchford
Production Design by: Ron Hobbs
Cinematography by: Ric Waite
Film Editing by: Paul Hirsch
Costume Design by: Gloria Gresham
Set Decoration by: Mary Swanson
Makeup Department: Barbara Lampson, Daniel C. Striepeke
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: February 17, 1984
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