In pop culture today, one movie is not enough. The most successful films are ones that are based on a book or series where the audience wants to follow the lives of the characters they have fallen in love with, or love to hate. Rather than make a sequel, some films try and remake the original film. This fall, Footloose has come out with a remake to recreate the magic of the 1984 film.
Remakes are a strategy used by movie companies to make more money off of an already successful film. Due to the popularity of the original, people are intrigued to see the remake to determine if it is as good, or even better. With a remake, there is an audience of adults who saw the original when they were kids and want to relive those memories as well as a new audience looking to see the movie for the first time.
Audience members have given mixed reviews for movie remakes. Some remakes, such as The Parent Trap, have been more successful than the original version. According to the-numbers.com, the original Parent Trap grossed just under $30 million worldwide, while the more recent Lindsey Lohan version reached almost $84 million. Other remade movies have not been so successful. The recent Alice in Wonderland received only a 51% approval rating on rottentomatoes.com while the original animated cartoon has an approval rating of 80%. “You just can’t remake some movies. They become more of an icon for comedy than a new version of the original” said junior Hailey Banks.
The challenge for directors with remakes is the balance between keeping true to the original and adding their own personal flair. Footloose is a great example of a good mix between new and old ideas.
Similar to the 1984 version, Footloose 2011 is being used as a vessel to introduce new actors to the film industry. Kevin Bacon, who played Ren McCormack in the 1984 version of Footloose was previously involved in forgettable roles on TV and small movies, but he broke out in his leading role on Footloose. Kenny Wormald, who portrays McCormack in the new film, previously was a backup dancer for Justin Timberlake and is new to the film industry.
Some plot changes have been made to the new version which adds more emotion to the movie. Both begin with a car accident killing several students after a dance party, which leads to the ban on public dancing and loud music, but in the 2011 film, the driver of the car is the son of the town reverend so the characters have a deeper personal connection to the accident. Also, rather than Ren and his mother moving from Chicago to Utah, he moves from Boston to Bomont, Georgia after his mother dies of leukemia. Despite these changes, the classic dance numbers are still present and the overall message remains the same which has pleased audiences.
In the 2011 version of Footloose, the soundtrack has added more country and hip hop songs, rather than the pop-rock sound of the 1984 film, which has excited some and made others nervous to see their beloved music redone. New songs have also been added to the musical film’s remake including tracks by Cee Lo Green and Victoria Justice. Sophomore Jack Duff, who participated in the Cohasset Drama Club’s production of “Footloose” said, “The idea of country music isn’t that strange to me because there is country in the play.” Those who have seen the play may not be surprised at the new music, but longtime fans of the 1984 flick may not appreciate the additions.
Overall, the new Footloose has the best of the 1984 film along with some new fun aspects that add a new flair to the 2011 version. It definitely belongs under the category of successful remakes. Just like in 1984, you will want to dance after you see Footloose.