Discover a little bit more about the Footloose movie script and just what made this film so iconic.
About the Footloose Movie Script
The Footloose movie script was written by screenplay writer Dean Pitchford. Here's a little bit more about the man behind the movie:
- He's a Yale graduate
- Pitchford is also a songwriter and has collaborated on many number one hits including:
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- All the Man that I Need - Whitney Houston
- Through My Eyes - Martina McBride
- Fame - Irene Cara
- He has won the following awards:
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- Six Grammy's
- Two Tony Awards
- One Academy Award (Oscars)
- One Golden Globe
So, with all these accomplishments, not to mention being a Yale graduate, just how did Dean Pitchford get the idea for writing a screenplay about dancing teenagers in rural America? Well, he got it from the news. Footloose was based on a story Pitchford had heard about a town in Oklahoma that really did have a nearly 100-year ban on dancing. No lie, here's the story.
How Footloose Began
The city of Elmore, Oklahoma, banned dancing in all forms within the town limits right around the year 1900. So, while the rest of the country was enjoying dance crazes like The Charleston, The Twist and The Hustle throughout the decades, the nearly 1,000 residents of Elmore, Oklahoma were decidedly not. That is, until one Elmore high school junior by the name of Rex Kennedy came along and challenged the ancient ban on dancing.
Kennedy, along with his classmates, rallied and petitioned to have the ban lifted on pop music and dancing so their school could have a prom. The town was torn in half by those in support of lifting the ban and those in support of keeping the ban intact. Eventually, the kids won their hard fought battle and in April of 1980 and Elmore had the very first prom in the town's history. Out of that, the Footloose movie script was born.
Making the Movie
After shopping his script around, Dean Pitchford finally found a taker in Paramount Studios. The studio gave him a budget of around eight million and no one really ever believed the film would be the cult classic it has become. The screenplay for Footloose ended up being one of Pitchford's only feature film length scripts. The film would also go on to launch lead actor Kevin Bacon's (Ren MacCormick) film career.
Classic Lines from the Script
Here are just a few of the more memorable lines from the script for Footloose:
- Ren MacCormick - Hey. Hey! What's this I see? I thought this was a party? Let's dance!
- Rusty - He's from out of town and don't tell me that doesn't curl your toes, because I know it does.
- Ren to Ariel - Well, I get this feeling you've been kissed a lot and I'm afraid I'd suffer by comparison.
- Reverend Shaw Moore - It's not that we don't talk. It's just that sometimes, people run out of things to say.
Finding the Footloose Script
Here are some places to check out partial and full scripts to the film Footloose"
- Script-O-Rama - This script was painstakingly transcribed directly from the film. It even includes a few lyrics to the theme song by Kenny Loggins, Footloose.
- Rapid Library - You have to download this script to your computer, so be sure to run a virus check first.
Footloose for a New Generation
Word in the film industry is that Paramount is fast tracking the remake of Footloose, hoping for a 2010 premiere date. Film production plans got a bit jammed up as the actor who was going to reprise Kevin Bacon's role of Ren MacCormick, Zac Efron, dropped out of the film. Efron has since been replaced with Gossip Girl star, Chace Crawford.Finally, if you still just can't get enough of Footloose there is also a musical adapted from the film that goes by the same name. Granted, there is no Kevin Bacon, but the musical is no doubt just as entertaining.
