Footloose Is a 1984 American Musical-Drama Film Directed by Herbert Ross Starring Kevin

Footloose

Footloose is a 1984 American musical-drama film directed by Herbert Ross starring Kevin Bacon. The movie tells the classic tale of teen rebellion and repression and features a delightful combination of dance choreography and realistic and touching performances.

When teenager Ren and his family move from big-city Chicago to a small town in the West, he's in for a real case of culture shock. Though he tries hard to fit in, the streetwise Ren can't quite believe he's living in a place where rock music and dancing are illegal. There is one small pleasure, however: Ariel, a troubled but lovely country girl with a jealous boyfriend and a Bible-thumping minister, who is responsible for keeping the town dance-free. Ren and his classmates want to do away with this ordinance, especially since the senior prom is around the corner, but only Ren has the courage to initiate a battle to abolish the outmoded ban and revitalize the spirit of the repressed townspeople.

The film is loosely based on events that took place in the small, rural, and religious community of Elmore City, Oklahoma.

Cast Kevin Bacon as Ren McCormack Lori Singer as Ariel Moore Dianne Wiest as Vi Moore John Lithgow as Reverend Shaw Moore Christopher Penn as Willard Hewitt Sarah Jessica Parker as Rusty Frances Lee McCain as Ethel McCormack Jim Youngs as Chuck Cranston John Laughlin as Woody Lynne Marta as Lulu Warnicker

Questions to Answer: 1. List 5 actions or describe scenes from the film in which Ren’s and/or Ariel’s actions might be considered “deviant” by the standards of Bomont. a.

e. 2. According to the functionalists, deviance has positive effects as well as negative effects. How is this illustrated in Footloose? Choose scenes from the film that highlight your points. a. 2 positive effects:

b. 2 negative effects:

3. Consider the “strain theory”. How is the town of Bomont a town under strain? What has caused this “anomie”? Give 3 examples: a.

4. The Conflict Perspective argues that those in power define what is “deviant” in ways that benefit their interests. In what ways do the actions of Reverend Shaw Moore and the other town leaders help illustrate the basic assumptions of the Conflict Perspectives’ theories on deviance? Choose 3 scenes from the film that highlight your points. a.

5. How do the Symbolic Interactionist theories of Labeling and the Differential Association Theory apply to Footloose? Choose scenes from the film that highlight your points. Labeling Theory—examine the character of Ariel to explore how the ideas of the Labeling Theory play out in Footloose:

Differential Association Theory—examine the character of Willard to explore how the ideas of the Differential Association Theory play out in Footloose: