If you’re a child of the ‘80s, there are some songs that are deeply tied to your adolescence and almost all of them come from musician Kenny Loggins. “Danger Zone” from Top Gun (1986), “I’m Alright” from Caddyshack (1980), “Meet Me Halfway” from Over the Top (1987), and, of course, “Footloose” from director Herbert Ross’s (Undercover Blues) 1984 musical drama Footloose. Each of these songs perfectly captures the vibe of the films from which they are forever tethered — the intensity of naval competition, the silliness of gopher hunting, the drama of trying to do right by family, and the pure joy of uninhibited dance. For its 40th anniversary, Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment is releasing Ross’s Footloose in a first-time 4K UHD remaster, accompanied by all the legacy special features, so that audiences can cut loose in a new era with a new format.

But are vibes enough?

Kevin Bacon as Ren in FOOTLOOSE. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

High school senior Ren (Kevin Bacon) expected some changes when he moved with his mother from Chicago to the rural life in Midwest town Bomont, like a new school, new friends, and a new way of doing things. What he couldn’t anticipate is how two of his passions, music and dance, would not just be frowned up, but forbidden within town limits. Though he does his best to keep a low profile and get through the year, the folks who want to maintain the status quo keep provoking Ren, trying to push him out of town, turning him into a reluctant leader for a revolution.

Lori Singer as Ariel in FOOTLOOSE. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

One of the great things about revisiting a film after any period of time is discovery: new details, new concepts, even new theories. In the case of Footloose, a film this reviewer hasn’t watched in likely more than a decade, there comes multiple discoveries, like a better understanding of how Bacon’s Ren and John Lithgow’s Reverend Shaw Moore are not so diametrically opposed as one presumes. At first, it seems like Footloose is going to be a film about big city secularism vs. small town conservatism or generational conflict, but with an older perspective, it’s easier to see how Moore’s push toward removing music and dance from Bomont is far less about religious control and power and is built from parental fear and grief. The script by Dean Pitchford (Sing) doesn’t hide the fact that Moore’s eldest child died as a result of drinking or that the town has lost children after a night of dancing, but it’s the kind of detail that younger audiences might not understand the depth of until they’re older and, perhaps, have children of their own. Similarly, the scene between Moore and his wife Vi (Dianne Wiest), their discussion of what it was like for them when they were young and in love is not so different from what he’s trying to protect – is another moment that may only be appreciated in one’s older years. Not just because this is one of the first major moments in which Moore starts to really think about why he did what he did and its effectiveness but because it humanizes Moore in the way in reminds him that showing love in all its forms does not equate to bad things happening.

The script doesn’t get deeply into how Moore’s religious leadership and focus on protection opened the door to fascism and closed-thought in the town, but it’s present and persistent, only making itself abundantly clear when Moore interrupts a book burning. A communal act that signifies just how far the town has gone from his intended message ­- it’s pretty recognizable as a thing bad guys do. Counter to Moore’s seeming repression, Ren represents nothing more than curiosity and intellect. In the scene at his aunt and uncle’s with the conversation about banned books, he references having read Slaughterhouse Five and other works that kids his age may not have been so eager to read. We later learn he’s a gymnast and avid dancer. He’s not much of a drinker, we don’t see him smoke, and doesn’t mind putting in a hard day’s work. His use of the Bible in the committee meeting scene (made available by the work of Lori Singer’s Ariel) conveys a willingness to listen to anyone for support (he’s not anti-religion nor does he look down on anyone who is religious) and this use is shown to be smartly received, and, perhaps, even is left impressed by Lithgow’s physical reaction as Moore. In many communities, religious leaders are the same as teachers, looking for people to open their minds to complex thought, and here is this kid whom wants to undo his work using the teachings of the Bible to make his case and doing so well. Sure, the committee still voted against holding the dance that Ren advocated for, but you could see in that sequence a certain amount of admiration on the face of Moore for what Ren was articulating. All of these things play so differently now, between my advanced age and experience, as well as the current socio-political climate in the U.S..

In short, Footloose is way more than my prior remembrance of a story about a kid who convinced a religious bigot to free the town to dance. There’s complexity and nuance which reveal the film to be rich and full of joy, treating all of its central characters as three-dimensional, even if they start off as a broad stereotypes amplified by film genre and audience expectations.

As a remaster, however, enjoyment may vary.

L-R: Dianne Wiest as Vi and John Lithgow as Rev. Shaw Moore in FOOTLOOSE. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

With no information in the press notes, it’s unclear how this 4K UHD remaster was created and whether any one on the crew approved it before release. It’s also unclear if Dolby Vision, HDR 10+, or any other UHD visual tool was used in the remaster for the color adjustment process. What we can tell for sure is that the UHD (which increases the details of a film), while present, doesn’t necessarily make the 4K pop. Instead, it leans on the natural tones of Bomont, the yellows, browns, and generally flat aura of repression. This means that areas around the school or neighborhood which may have grass aren’t particularly vibrant, the smoke coming off the fire at the book burning is a stark white, and shadows bring with them a heavy darkness. To the latter example, those shadows make the introduction of Rev. Moore far more intimidating, and the scene between Rev. Moore and Vi in bed is more intimate by closing them in within the frame. To some, this may seem like a poorly graded film, reducing the overall look, but it seems far more in line with the tone of the film, which leans not just into a tampering down of adolescent behavior, but of personal expression. Interestingly, what’s far more noticeable is that the visible haze present in many films of that era remains. Yes, it’s part of the cinematography and an aspect of the age of the materials, but there are plenty of restorations carried out by Radiance Films, for instance, of films with far fewer available materials, and they come out looking more clean and clear.

As mentioned above, this anniversary edition includes no new bonus features to mark the anniversary, and all of the features can be found on the included Blu-ray disc. Based on other reports, the included disc is the same as a prior Blu-ray release, so nothing will be new in the on-disc presentation from the last Blu-ray release, if that’s something you already own.

A scene from Herbet Ross’s FOOTLOOSE. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

Ever since my eldest was old enough to tell myself and his mother to stop singing, we’ve referenced him as being as close-minded as the preacher from Footloose. It’s a comment we say to each other or to him in jest, but it takes on a whole new meaning upon revisiting the film. Rev. Moore is the “bad guy” of the film, responsible for the concerning ways that law enforcement and parents misuse protective intent to consolidate power for themselves, but he’s not an actual bad guy. He’s a parent who wants to ensure that his daughter, Ariel, grows older than her brother. It’s tyranny by way of personal fear, not evidence. So, while we’re more likely going to keep referencing Rev. Moore when we reply to our son’s demands to let the professionals sing (Rude.), we can now recognize that there’s no cruelty intended or meant when we do so. Our son isn’t a bad guy, he just prefers singers who are on key (Fair.). The nice thing about an anniversary edition is that it invites this kind of reconsideration from audiences. While the remaster isn’t as vibrant as the incredible soundtrack, I do think that it captures the intent of matching the visual tone with the energy of the narrative: bleak and repressed.

Just a few things to keep in mind before you decide if this remaster is a day-one purchase or something to wait on.

Footloose Legacy 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
• Footloose: A Modern Musical – Part 1
• Footloose: A Modern Musical – Part 2
• Footloose: Songs That Tell A Story
• Theatrical Trailer

Available on 4K UHD Blu-ray and digital February 13^th, 2024.

For more information, head to the official Paramount Pictures Footloose webpage.

Categories: Home Release, Recommendation

Tags: 4K UHD, Chris Penn, Dean Pitchford, Dianne Wiest, Douglas Dirkson, drama, Elizabeth Gorcey, Footloose, Gene Pack, Herbert Ross, home release, home video, IndieProd Company Productions, John Laughlin, John Lithgow, Kenny Loggins, Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, Miles Goodman, musical, Paramount Pictures, remaster, Sarah Jessica Parker, steelbook, Tom Snow