"Let's Hear it for the boys": Zac Efron and Kenny Ortega- Page 2

[rKrispyt]

Posted: 10/29/08 at 12:29pm

Two things:

1. is this a film version of the musical, or a remake of the film? So confused...I'd heard it was a film version of the stage show, but the article makes it sound otherwise - anyone know for sure?

2. I LOVED Footloose as a child. In 2nd grade, I'd come home from school and watch it over and over until I had to go to bed and constantly on weekends. It got to the point my mother instigated a rule that I could only watch it twice a week. Let's Hear It For The Boy from the soundtrack was the first song I ever choreographed for a block party when I was 8. Footloose was the first full-scale musical I choreographed without a co-choreographer or as an asst. It has a really special place in my heart. But looking back on the movie amidst my initial research into choreographing the musical, I realized the only redeemable quality about it is the performance of John Lithgow, a role which I feel assured will be downplayed to make the movie more Ren-central for the star Efron.

Furthermore, I have seen the stage show several times and the only time it ever worked was when the director didn't make it a show about 'not being allowed to dance' but found the human story there - the reason for the strict rules of the reverend and the rebelling of Ren, and all the hurt it derived from, and that story isn't really so much a joke as the show gets laughed at about (it being against the law to dance). From what I've seen of the HSM movies, while money-makers, I dont' have high hopes that they'll get this right, and it's just going ot be another horrible representation to youth of what musical theatre really is; culture and art, not a tween fad.

Here's to hoping I'm proven wrong!

Updated On: 10/29/08 at 12:29 PM

[blondebaby589]

Posted: 10/29/08 at 12:37pm

rKrispyt, that is EXACTLY the way my director of Footloose took the show. And it really works! He told us from the first rehearsal that he was not going to portray it as a "fluff" show like many other theaters do. He made it a dramatic show with some light moments instead of the other way around. It really does have some dark issues in it. The Reverand's son dies in a car crash because he was drunk/high, Ariel is going around sleeping with everyone, and Ren's father left him and his mother causing money issues. But I agree that with the same director as HSM, it will probably not be portrayed this way and will just be about the right to dance.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 10/29/08 at 12:41pm

What a pity he won't be starring in a remake of GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN....SJP could play his mom!

[shpants]

Posted: 10/29/08 at 1:37pm

Correct me if I'm wrong: Footloose in the 80s was a movie with no musical numbers, just a kickass soundtrack. Footloose the musical turned the music from the soundtrack into musical numbers for the show, and then added some more songs. Is that right so far? :) I guess the new movie with Ephron will be a remake of the musical to movie (following in the footsteps of Hairspray - movie, musical, musical movie)??
Either way, I will try to keep an open mind...I thought Hairspray would be a travesty to the musical, but I thought it was cute and entertaining..maybe Footloose will be the same?

:)

[timesquare01]

Posted: 10/29/08 at 4:00pm

rKrispyt said what I was trying to say a lot better. Footloose, just like every other musical, should not be an excuse to sing songs and do cool dances. It should be a movie about human, real life problems in a town where no one wants to deal with them. A town where no one knows what words to use, so they sing or dance. Now I'm not saying you should walk out of theatres feeling depressed or anything, but you should certainly take away something more than "Zac Efron has pretty blue eyes and nice hair" and "Dancing in a gym is cool and fun."

My hopes for this are as follows:
1. The issues aren't lost.
2. Efron somehow develops a strong upper range through means other than a computer.
3. The rest of the cast makes the movie beyond amazing.
4. That it doesn't have that "modernized 80's" feel that some movies have. 80's or now. please pick one.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 10/29/08 at 4:07pm

[timesquare01]

Posted: 10/29/08 at 4:09pm

YOU BEAT ME TO IT! no lie i was coming back to post a screen cap of the same thing.