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By
NICK ZEGARAC
Herbert Ross' "Footloose" is
one of those feel good flicks from the '80s that
has dated at about twice the rate of most films
from other decades.
Its story is based in fact: that of a town
ordinance that banned any form of public dancing.
When Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon) arrives with his
family, he can barely contain his distemper over
the outdated law. He's young, rebellious and full
of energy that just needs to be expressed.
Together with the rest of the town's high school
brethren, Ren resolves to challenge the law and
its most ardent supporter, Rev. Shaw Moore (John
Lithgow) -- who lost his only son after a night of
drunken abandonment and a fatal car accident and
thereafter blamed rock music for everything.
Moore's daughter Ariel (Lori Singer) is behind
Ren's move to ditch the law. Actually, she's the
model of good girl/bad girl, staying out late,
smoking and making out with her studly boyfriend.
The film also co-stars Chris Penn as Willard, a
klutzy cowboy who becomes a high steppin' catch
after Ren teaches him all the right moves. And
somewhere in this little trifle you'll find Sarah
Jessica Parker as Rusty, another high school
senior in desperate need of a better hairdo and a
lot less lipstick.
Before you pull out you're wallet and cut loose
you may want to consider that Paramount's new
Special Edition of "Footloose" offers no
improvement over the previously issued DVD. The
transfers are identical in their image and sound
quality and a complete and thorough disappointment
to watch. An incredible amount of film grain
plagues many of the opening scenes. There's also
more than ample digital grit, aliasing and edge
enhancement problems to go around. Age related
artifacts crop up everywhere and are distracting.
Colors are muted and, at times, extremely muddy
and dated. Black levels are never black but a
tonal mess of brown and gray. Really, there's
nothing to get excited about here.
Extras include a three part documentary (it's
beyond me why Paramount continues to take one
documentary and chop it into three short
featurettes that can't be simultaneously played)
that includes interviews with the cast and crew
and the film's theatrical trailer. Truthfully,
though, this is not an outstanding or even ample
effort for the folks on the mountain. |
