Footloose (1984)

A city teenager moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit shakes up the populace.

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writer:

Dean Pitchford

Stars:

Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John Lithgow

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Bacon	...	Ren
Lori Singer	...	Ariel
John Lithgow	...	Rev. Shaw Moore
Dianne Wiest	...	Vi Moore
Chris Penn	...	Willard (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

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".

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Plot Keywords:

teenage rebellion | small town | high school dance | church | cowboy boots | 

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Taglines:

All he wanted to do was dance.

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Genres:

Drama | Music | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 February 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

Footloose

Filming Locations:

American Fork Community Presbyterian Church - 75 North 100 East, American Fork, Utah, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,200,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,556,935, 19 February 1984

Gross USA:

$80,035,402

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Phoenix Pictures, IndieProd Company Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scenes where Chris Penn's character had to learn how to dance, were added to the script, because Penn really could not dance.

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Goofs

The second breakdancer's jacket is on/off between shots.

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Quotes

Ren: [addressing the town council, reading from his notes in the Bible] "From the oldest of times, people danced for a number of reasons. They danced in prayer... or so that their crops would be plentiful... or so their hunt would be good. And they danced to stay physically fit... and show their community spirit. And they danced to celebrate." And that is the dancing we're talking about. Aren't we told in Psalm 149 "Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song. Let them praise His name in the ...
[...]

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Alternate Versions

CBS edited 10 minutes from this film for its 1987 network television premiere.

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Connections

Referenced in Hope & Faith: Almost Paradise (2004)

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Soundtracks

Somebody's Eyes
Written by Tom Snow and Dean Pitchford
Performed by Karla Bonoff

User Reviews

Dance Machine

City boy moves to small town and doesn't fit in. A film based on the same old story that follows the same old lines yet somehow manages to make you enjoy. Nothing new happens in this movie but you will watch with a smile on your face (especially during Kev's big drinking/dancing scene.) A great representation of what an 80s flick is all about.