Footloose (1984)

There is a review that summed up this movie in two words which I couldn't sum up in a thousand words. Teenage Cheese. It is 100% that and more. Teenage Cheese is a movie meant for young adults and this movie does it in spades. However, this movie is one of a few movies which actually holds up over time. It is leaps and bounds better than the reboot which came out two decades later.The story is about Ren, a young man from Chicago, who moves to a small town which doesn't allow music or dance. Ren has a chance to rebel against the authoritarian leaders of the town by showing them that dance and music doesn't have to be a drug filled orgy of sex and sweat.Kevin Bacon does a great job of playing the lead part, it was said that Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe were also in line for the lead role but Tom Cruise was doing All The Right Moves, Rob Lowe was injured.As the lead interest, Lori Singer/Ariel Moore, plays the preacher's daughter, Jon Lithgow, which was originally supposed to be Madonna, or a hundred other famous young actresses which didn't seem to work out. However Lori Singer does a great job as a country girl trying to get noticed by her father.The rest of the supporting cast does a fine job and there is Sara Jessica Parker (Sex in the City) and Chris Penn (Reservoir Dogs) to name a few.The soundtrack is loaded with many top 10 songs of the era including "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 soundtrack includes five rock singles—the title song, "Footloose" and "I'm Free", both by Kenny Loggins, "Holding Out for a Hero" by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, "Girl Gets Around" by Sammy Hagar, and "Never" by Australian rock band Moving Pictures (the song played during Bacon's solo dance scene); three 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 of Heart.I hear complaints that this movie sucks and that it doesn't hold up over time. Maybe it is my youth, that I graduated in 1985, that clings to the time when I saw this movie. However I do not believe that to be the case. The movie is clean and crisp with a message that applies to all generations.Yes, it will eventually become dated, but for the time being this movie holds it own against newer films which have a thousand dollars greater budget and still suck.

I saw "Footloose" in the theaters in 1984. I was in high school and enjoyed. However in the years since its been released it has left a huge imprint on America. It is easy to understand why. The film itself had a huge best selling soundtrack album that not only included the title song but also classic tunes "Let's Hear it for the boy" and the often covered "Holding on for A Hero". People love this film however those who love this need to see it again. Time has not been kind. Even though the Crazy Right WIng Jerks seem to be taken over the United States today in 2017 they also had a grip on the United States in 1984 "The Reagan Era". In this film a teen moves to town with his mom and they live with her brother. The town seems to be ran by a jerk who is not the mayor but a Preacher on a Bully pulpit. The adults act like drones. They think the preacher was right in outlawing "Dancing" and "Liquor". Well all of that gets tested when Ren (Kevin Bacon) moves into town and decides to challenge everything that is banned.The film itself has great moments but on the whole (but even in 1984) the film is campy. Today the camp is now dated but the crazy. Keven Bacon and Lori Singer are good but the film scenes with the Reverend drag this film down! IT makes it boring. In the remake they should have had Ren of the Reverends daughter shoot him! In real life the Crazy Christians seems to have multiplied across the United States. I am sure if they read this review they will vote NO about this review being helpful, Well they can suck it!

Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, Chris Penn, Sarah Jessica Parker, Dianne Wiest, Frances Lee McCain and John Lithgow star in this 1984 drama. Bacon (Wild Things) plays Ren, a rebellious teen who moves from Chicago to small town, Bomont with his mother, Ethel (McCain). He learns that Rock music and dancing have been banned in the town for some time by Reverend, Moore (Lithgow). Ren also has difficulty fitting in at first, but soon makes some friends and finds romance. Ren eventually persuades Moore and the townspeople to allow dancing and rock music for the town's offspring. Singer plays Moore's carefree daughter, Ariel who falls for Ren, the late, Penn (Reservoir Dogs) plays Ren's new pal, Willard whom he teaches to dance, Parker (Sex and the City) plays Rusty, Willard's girlfriend and Wiest (The Lost Boys) plays Moore's wife, Vi. This is a good 80's flick with a good cast & great music. I recommend this.

This is the first movie I ever seen in the theater I must have been 13 or 14 when this came out,, and to me it still holds up well, I haven't seen the remake,, nor do I really want to,, this soundtrack is totally amazing, I had to buy it as soon as it came out,, the music fits almost every scene in the movie,, Kevin Bacon star just took off after this movie,, Lori Singer is really beautiful and did some decent acting,, although her character I didn't care for, Chris Penn did a wonderful job,, but John Lithgow steals the show for me. a young man moves to a town where he doesn't know anybody , has to make friends, and finds out that the town has a ban on dancing because of a horrendous accident many years ago,, he has to convince to the town that times have changed . excellent picture,, I never get tired of this movie...