Footloose (1984)
Footloose may be 40 years old, but with its book-burning scene and a plot centered on youthful rebellion against unreasoning authority it seems all too timely today. Kevin Bacon stars as a big-city kid transplanted to a small town where dancing and rock music are prohibited. He’s soon branded a bad influence, particularly when he starts courting town preacher John Lithgow’s rebellious daughter (Lori Singer) and inspires his classmates to demand the right to hold a senior prom. Paramount wisely released the soundtrack album — including Kenny Loggins’s title track and “Let’s Hear It for the Boy,” both number one hits — before the film’s premiere. Along with former dancer Herbert Ross’s direction and Bacon’s star-making performance, these songs helped make the film a box office smash.
d. Herbert Ross, 107m, Digital