Everybody Cut Loose!
Oh what a fun movie! I have been watching this film my entire life. Literally, it was released the year I was born. My mother loves this film so I grew up watching it. Thus instilling in me the love of goofy dance films and the young Kevin Bacon. Let’s all admit this is a silly film that is incredibly likable.
Chicago city boy Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon) moves to a sleepy little town full of tight laced people and strict laws against rock music and dancing. Ren takes it upon himself to enlighten the folks of Bomont to the expressions of dance and the celebration of life as he rallies his friends for their support in changing the minds of the uptight minister and townsfolk to abolish the no dancing/music ban.
It’s a very simple plot. Very clean entertainment, unlike a lot of what you see today. The story was great along with all the great corny writing. Then again I find most of those films a bit extreme on the corny side, but that is what makes them so great. Footloose is a one of a kind film. It really is great entertainment for any generation.
The cast was wonderful. Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest, Chris Penn, and Sarah Jessica Parker all added an unmistakable charm to the film. I don’t think the film would have made such an impact without them. I found it amusing how the cast was actually put together. The special features highlight this quite a bit. They really put Kevin Bacon through the ringer. I can’t imagine the film without him in it!
As much as I adore Kevin Bacon I have to admit my favorite is Chris Penn. He was outstand in the film. I absolutely loved his story in the special features on meeting and developing his character. He really did have to learn how to dance for this film! My favorite part of the entire movie is watching him learn to dance. “Let’s Hear It For The Boy” was the perfect song to compliment his dance journey. His relationship with Rusty (Sarah Jessica Parker) is so adorable. They were a great pair in the film.
All the characters were fantastic and the dancing was great. From start to finish it was an incredibly endearing film. It was a great beginning to the ever lengthening road of classic dance films.
Footloose Gets a Makeover
Paramount is releasing Footloose in 1080p high definition blu-ray with English 6.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 2.0 Dolby Surround, Spanish Mono, Portuguese Mono. Subtitles in English, English SDH, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.
This was one very fancy makeover. It looks fantastic. The transition to high definition really does this iconic film justice. The coloration is remarkable. The deep color enhancement really bring the film into the 21st Century with a bang. Some scenes are better than others, but all are incredibly clear in your direct field of vision. The bold colors make the film look less aged. The sound was fantastic as well. The extra boom of 6.1 DTS-HD Master Audio really gave the scenes a little more sound behind you. To my husbands horror I wanted to jump up and dance during every big musical moment. It’s not often transfers look as great as this one did.
Special Features
Commentary by Craig Zadan and Dean Pitchford
Commentary by Kevin Bacon
Let’s Dance! Kevin Bacon on Footloose
From Bomont to the Big Apple: An Interview with Sarah Jessica Parker
Remembering Willard
Kevin Bacon’s Screen Test
Kevin Bacon Costume Montage
2004 DVD Archive- Footloose: A Modern Musical Part 1 & 2, Footloose: Songs That Tell A Story, Theatrical Trailer
I really liked these special features. They were really interesting to watch. The cast really gives you great details on each other you otherwise would never know. The DVD original features are also added along with all the new extras. You get to hear a lot from Kevin Bacon, Sarah Jessica Parker, and about Chris Penn. They each made the film and the characters they played all the more charismatic. All in all great added features that are easy to watch and enjoy.
