Footloose

Kathleen MackJoshua LauciusMarquise Goods

Kerri Russo

Characters

• “Ren” : Kevin Bacon

• “Willard” : Christopher Penn

• “Ariel” : Lori Singer

• “Reverend Shaw Moore” : John Lithgow

• Director : Herbert Ross

Synopsis Classic tale of teen rebellion with dance choreography.

A teenager named Ren and his family move from Chicago, which is a big city, into a small town in the

West and immediately can notice the difference. As Ren tries to fit in, he can’t believe that dancing and rock

music is illegal. With the prom being around the corner Ren and his classmates want to go against this law and party. Ren is the only one with enough courage to step

up and say something to the townspeople.

The 1980s In America:

Film 1984

Temper of an age = temporal dimension

Political

• Ronald Reagan– 1981-1989– “Just Say No”

• Restrictions on youth

Social

• Dance clubs and hip hop

• Popular fashion– Oversized tops– Stretch pants– Leg warmers– Big hair– Shoulder pads

Movements in Music• The MTV Video Music Awards started• Band Aid – “Do They Know It’s

Christmas”– Raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia

• Michael Jackson – Thriller sells over 37 million

• Music huge part of people’slives in America and worldwide

Movements against music

• PMRC (Parents' Music Resource Coalition), – Tipper Gore, wife of then-Tennessee Senator Albert

Gore– Susan Baker, wife of Treasury Secretary James Baker– Oregon and South Carolina Senator wives

• Campaign to 'educate' parents about rock music• Tripper Gore daughter came home with “Purple

Rain” – Sexually explicit lyrics

Elmore City, Oklahoma

• -Dancing was outlawed in this mostly Caucasian Community in 1900.

• - The townspeople who came to this decision viewed the display of public dance immoral and provocative.

• - Dance was finally legalized in 1980 and to this day some people that reside in the town believe it should be outlawed.

Dance in cinema is a part of American’s everyday lives through expressions of

rebellion, celebration, and expression of self

Connection to Film

• Rebellion against authority– Ban on rock n roll– Ban on Dance

• Celebration– Prom– Clubs, fun, social life

• Expression of self– Emotional dancing– Love, anger, happiness

Dance and Narrative• Integrated Musical

• Dance displays character’s emotions–Warehouse scene

• How characters interact– Dance club– Ren teaching Willard

Convincing the Council

• Ren: dance is “our way of celebrating life, that’s the way its always been, it’s the way it should be now”

• Dance since “olden times”– Kings leaping and dancing for their Lord

Suspension of Disbelief• Realistic – actually happened– Elmore City 1978

• Real high school events– Prom– Hanging out at diner

• Some dance moves hard to believe• High school students?

Role of Ecstasy

• Escape from pressures– At home– In school– At church

• Dance = total release

Dropping Out

• Youth rebelling against previous generations, falling out of normal society

• Ariel– Preacher’s daughter turned bad girl

Othering

• A way humans define themselves made up of what they are not

• Ren at newschool– From the

“big city”

Warehouse Scene

Dance

• Street dancing and jiving• Emoitional– Hitting car, slamming door,

throwing bottle

• Rebellion– Cigarettes, beer,

abandoned warehouse

• Lively and aggressive– Running, jumping, flips

• Clips of authority– Preacher, teacher, cops

Buddy Film• Relationship between Ren and Willard– Ren looks like better dancer

• Romance between Ren and Ariel– Ren looks more masculine– Feminine dance style?

Conclusion • Dance is a strong factor for change• Kids succeed in rebellion through dance• Dance is a good form of rebellion• Even though people try to fight dance,

it is a part of everyone’s life