"I think she's been kissed a lot"

Footloose 18/10/2011

Director: Herbert Ross            Writer: Dean Pitchford

1984

That’s right, I’m reviewing the old one. The arguably classic one. The cult one. I certainly wouldn’t have seen myself watching this film (let alone writing about it) since I have a pretty solid rule about hating films about dance (not counting Black Swan or Saturday Night Fever) but I was persuaded by a female type to give it a go. I’m really glad I did!

            The reason this film works is it is fun. It might be based on a true story but the plot isn’t exactly amazing and there is nothing particularly interesting about the cinematic techniques used (although I think the editing in some dance scenes was very good). But it is fun and likeable and sort of gets under your skin. I’m sure I don’t need to go through the plot, which avoids the mistake of being anti-church and goes straight for anti-boredom. It also avoids the mistake of appealing solely to a female audience, we have a male protagonist named Ren, played by Kevin Bacons hair. Seriously, his hair is so ridiculously fluffy it steals most scenes!

            There is also a pretty good supporting cast, Lori Singer as a repressed preachers daughter, John Lithgow as her father, Sarah Jessica Parker shows she once had hope, and the late Chris Penn who for me plays the best character; Willard. Again, Dean Pitchford avoided mistakes by keeping Lithgow’s preacher redeemable, and lets us see his motivations right alongside his daughters, who we just about believe is a good kid despite her doing some ridiculous things (I would be worried about my child straddling two vehicles as a truck barrels towards them more than I would worry about a little dancing).

            There is in fact only three main dance scenes, all of which tie in to the story without making it look like Grease(1978) and none go on for too long. They never distract us from the point of the film: dance is expression and freedom, and teenagers need these things more than most people. That’s why I liked Chris Penn as Willard so much, he is a simple farm boy and can’t dance, but Ren teaches him and broadens his horizons, the city kid teaching the rural kid, but Willards character is never compromised. They learn to respect each other by standing up to each other, and see that they have plenty in common.

            Such messages are never pushed on the audience and there is no danger of Footloose turning in to a “serious” film. Its light and fun and wasn’t any crotch grinding...I don’t think the new version will be able to say the same, even if the script has been unchanged...not through laziness or anything. I sometimes couldn’t work out of the cheese factor was intentional or accidental, and I was so so puzzled about every teenage main character appearing on a motorbike near the end. Where did they get them? Why are they allowed vehicles with an awful safety record but they can’t dance?! But that’s kind of the point isn’t it, fun. All hail the fluffy hair.