Paramount Home Entertainment Looks To Valentine's Eve (Feb. 13) For The 4K Ultra HD Debut Of Footloose

A dark, moody film about repressive life in a small town, directed by an Academy Award-winning director, that’s what Paramount Home Entertainment has in store for all of those who like their films dark and moody.   

The film even stars a 25-year-old, relative newcomer, as a high school kid who has just moved to this small town.   He is the somewhat rebellious son of a single mom and he quickly gravitates to breaking the local taboos with the preacher’s daughter.   

And, as a special bonus for this dark and moody film — about repressive life in a small town — it will be ready for all to enjoy on the eve of Valentine’s Day, Feb. 13.  Paramount sure knows how to set the mood.  

It gets even better!  This is a 4K Ultra HD debut for this film.  

About now you are asking yourself what movie is this?

True, the star was a 25-year-old playing a high school student.   The location was a small town (filmed in Utah) … that much was true.  Everything else is what might have happened if not for the way movies actually get made.

Of course we are talking about Footloose.   On 4K, from Paramount, Feb. 13.

The story of how the film got made goes like this.  Songwriter Dean Pitchford made the big time with “Fame” and “I Sing the Body Electric” in 1980 with his songs for the film release of Alan Parker’s Fame.   So that got him noticed when he fashioned a story idea about the prohibition of dancing in small town.

Soon notable director Herbert Ross was assigned to direct and no less than nine songs were written for the film, but at some point — in pre-production — Ross left the project and went to another film.   The studio turned to Michael Cimino, who had a monster hit with The Deer Hunter.

He took one look at Pitchford’s story and decided that it needed a major re-write.   Dark and moody it would be!   He wanted a quarter of million dollars to do it (in addition to his directing fees), and the studio politely said no and fired him.   Back comes Ross and the rest is history.

Footloose, starring 25-year-old Kevin Bacon, turned out to be a high-energy musical (of sorts) with catchy songs.   Many of the film critics at the time panned it, but audiences loved it and Footloose became a monster hit.   Isn’t it amazing how movies get made!!

As to bonus goodies for this 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack (40th Anniversary) edition, there are two commentary options — the first features actor Kevin Bacon, while the second teams Dean Pitchford with Craig Zadan.

Plus there are eight featurettes — “Let’s Dance!,” “From Bomont to the Big Apple,” “Remembering Willard,” “Kevin Bacon’s Screen Test,” “Kevin Bacon Costume Montage,” “Footloose: A Modern Musical, Part 1,” “Footloose: A Modern Musical, Part 2” and “Footloose: Songs that Tell a Story.”