Today I will be reviewing the remake of Footloose. I picked Celebration Bouquet as the fractal "cookie" mainly because there wasn't an obvious choice that jumped out and me and the movie pretty much ends with a prom. Yes, the link is, at best, tenuous but in this case it's all I've got.
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Movie remakes are a long-standing Hollywood tradition--I'm not sure why. Usually the real "greats" (titles like Gone With The Wind or The Wizard of Oz--two oldies but goodies) seldom get tagged. Footloose did well enough the first time out (and the soundtrack album sold very well) but didn't do so well as a Broadway musical. I'm not sure why they felt the need for a movie remake: maybe the Producers were looking for something they could do on the cheap--at least that's what the end result looks like.
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Fans of the original version of Footloose are going to find a lot to like about the re-make. The plot gets a bit of an expansion but a lot of the current version is a shot-for-shot copy of the original--same dialog, same camera angles--I wouldn't be surprised to find out even the same clothing was used. Several songs from the original make the transition (some in their original versions--some new, but frankly weaker, versions). At least the new version offers us a glimpse of why the town of Bomont (moved from the Midwest to the Deep South--and the folks in the South obviously can't spell Beaumont!) and that helped answer a few questions. Some might find the language a bit rough: I know I was certainly surprised to see how much they got away with and still managing a PG-13 rating (but the "F Bomb" was never dropped.). There are more holes in the plot than a good Swiss Cheese so folks like me will have points to pick at. All that being said, this is a pretty standard musical at heart so you can forgive that.
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Kenny Wermald gets the role Kevin Bacon role and manages to carry off the Boston accent (at least most of the time). He's a good dancer and he manages to (mostly) commit to the role: (I only saw him grimacing a few times). Juliane Hough gets the role "Preacher's Kid" Ariel: we already know she can move--thanks to all those years on Dancing With The Stars--but who knew she could cuss like a sailor so convincingly? Dennis Quaid--a real Southerner (unlike John Lithgow in the original)--gets the thankless role as the town Minister. New character Ray McKinnon adds a sens of verisimilitude in his role as Ren's Uncle Wes. The rest of the cast does the best they can with their sketchily-drawn, black-and-white cardboard roles--and who knew so many of these kids were such darn good dancers?
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Footloose is a complete, check-your-bran-at-the-door, sit-back-and-relax movie. Taken for what it is (a "new wave" movie musical) the movie is pretty good. Yes, you can complain about the too-many copycat scenes but it's fun to see how they manage to bring so many things get translated from the old to the new version. If you're going to hate on it for what it isn't you probably wouldn't go see the movie in the first place.
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FINAL GRADE: B
Picking fractal "cookies" for my posts can sometimes be a difficult thing but luckily sometimes something just jumps right out at me--like in this case. I chose Dragon Scales for today's post because it's green (like the eponymous Shrek) and because there's a dragon in both the image and the show. So, now that you've got the dirt on with the review!
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Shrek has an interesting history: it began life as an 18 page children's book that was mostly pictures and got expanded into a full-length motion picture (thanks to Mike Myers and Dreamworks SKG). Owing to such successes as Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King it wasn't long until Producers decided to bring Shrek to the Broadway stage. Shrek didn't run as long as the other two shows I just mentioned but it is perfect for a long National Tour and an even longer life in Regional Theater. You might well ask--how could they turn a big animated movie into a stage play? Turns out--pretty well for the most part.
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The plot is simple enough for the kiddies to follow but there are enough jokes to please the adults and everything moves quickly enough that nobody really has time to lose interest. Those expecting highbrow theater are doomed to be disappointed by Shrek (but they probably didn't see the movie on which the show is based). Shrek is vulgar without being obscene: the good news is that parents won't have to try to explain to their kids. The songs generally are splightly and pleasant to listen to--even though I found myself forgetting them even as I was listening. The sets, while no where near as complex as the animated backgrounds of the movie but they are more than adequate to do the job. Likewise the lighting and costumes are more than up to the challenge as is the music played by the nine-piece band (large for a show).
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Lukas Poost, in the title role, doesn't try to do a Mike Myer immitation--and to my mind that's all to the good. He does manage a consistant accent (although it's not Scottish) and he manages to run all the gamut of emotions the role requires. He also has a big and quite pleasant voice for his singing. Liz Shivener as Princess Fiona has a voice and acting ability up to snuff with her partner and I couldn't find a fault in her performance. Andre Jorden (Donkey) has a great soulful voice for his songs: he lacks the manic physicality of the animated character but he still manages to do well with what he's given. Merrit David Janes as the villains dwarf Lord Farquahd deserves note, not only for his acting and strong voice but also for managing to pull off virtually his entire performance ON HIS KNEES! (You try doing that for eight shows a week for months on end and see how wracked-up YOU get!) The dragon doesn't breathe fire but the massive puppet (controlled by four people) looks pretty impressive on stage. The chorus all have multiple roles and they are all up to the task.
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Shrek is hardly great theater but it sure is good fun for the entire family. This is the kind of show the entire family can enjoy together and it's especially good for those who don't attend theater with any regularity. Go see it if you get the chance.
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FINAL GRADE: A
