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Footloose
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Footloose is a film that tells the story of Ren McCormack (played by Kevin Bacon), a teenager who was raised in Chicago. McCormack moves to a small town where the town government has banned dancing and rock music. Ren and his classmates want to have a senior prom with music and dancing. They must figure out a way to get around the law and Reverend Shaw Moore (played by John Lithgow), who makes it his mission in life to keep the town free from dancing and rock music.
The movie was loosely based on events that took place in the tiny, rural farming community of Elmore City, Oklahoma.
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Encyclopedia
Footloose is a film that tells the story of Ren McCormack (played by Kevin Bacon), a teenager who was raised in Chicago. McCormack moves to a small town where the town government has banned dancing and rock music. Ren and his classmates want to have a senior prom with music and dancing. They must figure out a way to get around the law and Reverend Shaw Moore (played by John Lithgow), who makes it his mission in life to keep the town free from dancing and rock music.
The movie was loosely based on events that took place in the tiny, rural farming community of Elmore City, Oklahoma. Much of the film was filmed in Utah County.
Production details
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.
Oscar winning director Michael Cimino was hired by Paramount to direct the movie 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, and ended up hiring Ross.
Casting
Footloose also starred Lori Singer as Reverend Moore's independent daughter Ariel, a role Madonna also auditioned for. Dianne Wiest appeared as Vi, the Reverend's devoted yet sympathetic wife.
Footloose is one of the earliest film appearances of Sex and the City star 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 Chris 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
Track listing
- "Footloose" - Kenny Loggins
- "Let's Hear It for the Boy" - Deniece Williams
- "Almost Paradise" (Love Theme) - Mike Reno (Loverboy) & Ann Wilson (Heart)
- "Holding Out for a Hero" - Bonnie Tyler
- "Dancing In The Sheets" - Shalamar
- "I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man)" - Kenny Loggins
- "Somebody's Eyes" - Karla Bonoff
- "The Girl Gets Around" - Sammy Hagar
- "Never" - Moving Pictures
The movie's soundtrack was released in cassette, 8-track, vinyl, and compact disc format. The soundtrack was also re-released on compact disc for the 15th anniversary of the film. 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 Streets". The soundtrack includes two rock singles, the title song by Kenny Loggins and "Holding Out for a Hero" by Bonnie Tyler, 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 from Heart. The film was later released in VHS, Laserdisc and DVD formats, Some of the music for the songs was composed by people such as Sammy Hagar, Eric Carmen, Jim Steinman and Kenny Loggins 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 nomination for Best Music (Original Song). "Footloose" also received a 1985 Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Original Song - Motion Picture.
Reception
The film, despite mixed critical reviews, nonetheless grossed approximately $80,000,000 in domestic box office.
Musical version
A musical version of Footloose that features many of the same songs from the movie is played at the Playhouse Theatre in London's West End. The musical is generally faithful to the film version, with some slight differences in the story and characters.
Remake
Paramount Pictures has announced plans to fast-track a remake of Footloose, with plans to start filming in the Spring of 2009. Zac Efron has been cast as Ren in the new movie. Kenny Ortega is announced as director, with Peter Sollett re-writing the script and Dylan Sellers, producer of The Replacements, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron as co-producers.
External links
- Review, history and filming locations
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