Footloose (1984)

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writer:

Dean Pitchford (written by)

Release Date:

17 February 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music | Romance

Tagline:

One kid. One town. One chance.

Plot:

A city boy comes to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned.

Plot Keywords:

Dancing | Small Town | Prom | Repression | Teenager

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. June 2	5:30 PM	CMTV
Sun. June 3	2:15 PM	CMTV

Cast

Kevin Bacon	...	Ren McCormack
Lori Singer	...	Ariel Moore
John Lithgow	...	Reverend Shaw Moore
Dianne Wiest	...	Vi Moore
Chris Penn	...	Willard Hewitt (as Christopher Penn)
Sarah Jessica Parker	...	Rusty
John Laughlin	...	Woody
Elizabeth Gorcey	...	Wendy Jo
Frances Lee McCain	...	Ethel McCormack
Jim Youngs	...	Chuck Cranston
Douglas Dirkson	...	Burlington Cranston
Lynne Marta	...	Lulu Warnicker
Arthur Rosenberg	...	Wes Warnicker
Timothy Scott	...	Andy Beamis
Alan Haufrect	...	Coach Roger Dunbar
Linda MacEwen	...	Eleanor Dunbar
Kim Jensen	...	Edna
Michael Telmont	...	Travis
Leo Geter	...	Rich
Ken Kemp	...	Jeff
Russ McGinn	...	Herb
Sam Dalton	...	Mr. Gurntz
H.E.D. Redford	...	Widdoes
Jay Bernard	...	Harvey
David Valenza	...	Team Member
Meghan Broadhead	...	Sarah Warnicker
Mimi Broadhead	...	Amy Warnicker
Gene Pack	...	Bernie
Marcia Reider	...	Virginia (as Marcia Yvette Reider)
John Perryman	...	Fat Cowboy
Mary Ethel Gregory	...	Mrs. Allyson
Oscar Rowland	...	Mr. Walsh
J. Paul Broadhead	...	Mayor Dooley
John Bishop	...	Elvis
Carmen Trevino	...	Girl
Melissa Renee Graehl	...	Girl (as Melissa Renée Graehl)
Monica M. Da Silva	...	Girl
Terri Gay Ulmer	...	Girl
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Deborah Frazier	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Brian L. McCarty	...	Nerdish High School DJ (uncredited)
Alison Trouse	...	Cowgirl Bar Dancer (uncredited)
Brian Wimmer	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Herbert Ross

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Dean Pitchford		written by

Produced by
Daniel Melnick	....	executive producer
Lewis J. Rachmil	....	producer
Craig Zadan	....	producer

Cinematography by
Ric Waite		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Paul Hirsch

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton
Marci Liroff

Production Design by
Ron Hobbs

Set Decoration by
Mary Swanson		(as Mary Olivia Swanson)

Costume Design by
Gloria Gresham

Makeup Department
Barbara Lampson	....	hair stylist
Daniel C. Striepeke	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Murray Schwartz	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Engelman	....	second assistant director
Donald Hauer	....	additional second assistant director (as Donald Paul Hauer)
L. Andrew Stone	....	first assistant director

Art Department
C.J. Maguire	....	property master

Sound Department
Robert Bradshaw	....	sound effects editor
David E. Campbell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gordon Ecker	....	supervising sound editor (as Gordon Ecker Jr.)
Stan Gilbert	....	supervising adr editor
David W. Gray	....	sound stereo consultant: Dolby
Randy Kelley	....	sound effects editor (as Randall F. Kelley)
Bob Newlan	....	sound effects editor
Al Overton Jr.	....	sound mixer
John T. Reitz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gregg Rudloff	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gregg C. Rudloff)
Wylie Stateman	....	sound effects editor
Anthony Milch	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Greg Orloff	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Wayne Beauchamp	....	special effects (as James W. Beauchamp)

Stunts
Robert Allen	....	stunts
Wayne Brown	....	stunts
J. Suzanne Fish	....	stunts
Donna Garrett	....	stunts
Paul Goodwin	....	stunts
Norman Howell	....	stunts
Max Kleven	....	stunt coordinator
Clair E. Leucart	....	stunts
Daniel K. Moore	....	stunts
Lane Parrish	....	stunts (as Lane M. Parrish)
Carol Rees	....	stunts (as Carol L. Rees)
John-Clay Scott	....	stunts
Peter Tramm	....	stunt dancer

Camera and Electrical Department
Eric D. Andersen	....	camera operator
Carl Boles	....	gaffer
Harold Rabuse	....	key grip (as Harold H. Rabuse)
Richard R. Robinson	....	still photographer
Baird Steptoe	....	first assistant camera
Donald E. Thorin Jr.	....	first assistant camera
Richard Walden	....	camera operator
Dale Alexander	....	key grip (uncredited)
Mako Koiwai	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Cate Praggastis	....	location casting
Margery Simkin	....	casting: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kendall Errair	....	costumer: women
Barton Kent James	....	costumer: men (as Barton K. James)

Editorial Department
David Handman	....	assistant editor
Peck Prior	....	assistant editor
Gregory Scherick	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Nancy Fogarty	....	music editor
Miles Goodman	....	music adaptor: score
Jim Henrikson	....	music editor
Becky Mancuso-Winding	....	music supervisor (as Becky Shargo)
Lee De Carlo	....	song producer (uncredited)
Brian L. McCarty	....	music playback operator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Sam Edelman	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Frawley Becker	....	location manager
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Chuck Gaylord	....	consultant: gymnastics
Spencer Henderson	....	associate choreographer
Ronnie Kramer	....	secretary: Mr. Schwartz
Michael Maslansky	....	publicist
Christopher Meledandri	....	associate: Mr. Rachmil and Mr. Zadan
David Oliver	....	title designer
Lynne Taylor-Corbett	....	choreographer
Esther Vivante	....	script supervisor
Ronald Walkshorse	....	set security (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures
• IndieProd Company Productions

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Austria) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Spain) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Finland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (UK) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Greece) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Japan) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (198?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2003) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2003) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-edited)
• CIC Video (19??) (Germany) (VHS)
• CIC Video (1985) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• CIC Video (19??) (UK) (VHS)
• CIC Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1987) (USA) (TV)
• Esselte CIC Video (19??) (Belgium) (VHS)
• Home Video Hellas (HVH) (1987) (Greece) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (Spain) (2002) (Spain) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (special collector's edition)
• Paramount Home Video (1985) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (deluxe edition)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Wallaworks  supervising sound editing

Also Known As:

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 | USA:PG (re-rating) (1983) | USA:R (original rating) | UK:12A (re-rating) (2007) | UK:PG (cinema rating) (cut) | Peru:14 | Spain:13 | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

American Fork, Utah, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

In the liner notes for the re-released "Footloose" soundtrack (1999), there's a brief introduction by Kenny Loggins which mentions that the script for the film was loosely based on actual events which transpired in the young life of his long time friend, Footloose (1984) screen writer, Dean Pitchford.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the break-dancers showdown Willard is wearing his tux jacket. Then he gets picked for a solo and his jacket is off again.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Ren:Hey, hey! What's this I see? I thought this was a party. LET'S DANCE!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Family Guy: Boys Do Cry (#5.15)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Dancing in the Sheets

Unfair reputation.

Prior to seeing this movie, all I had heard suggested that I was better off not watching it unless it was to ridicule. I looked at my uncle dancing round his living room to some of its music and asked myself if anybody expected me to take that seriously. It's got a place in movie history even for the title song alone, though, so I decided I couldn't live with myself unless I gave it a chance. It was definitely worth it.

The style is reminiscent of a whole host of other '80's teen flicks, but only a handful are better. Most of the cast do great things with their roles. Kevin Bacon actually manages to make the clichéd concept seem kinda cool, here showcasing an easy charm that was to become the hallmark of much of his later work. Crucially, the music is actually pretty good too! (Even if I am torn between wanting to cringe and dance when I hear the theme!)

On reflection it's no cheesier than something like "All the Right Moves" (which has a great cast doing their best but suffers from a plodding story) In fact, it's miles better! At least the music in "Footloose" gave the makers a viable way to pep things up whenever the story begins to flag. This film is much, MUCH better than I had been led to believe, so give it a chance if you ain't seen it yet but thought you knew the score. Chances are, you don't...