Tag: Footloose

Oscar Predictions: The Greatest Night in Pop

Before its January 29th bow on Netflix, Bao Nyugen’s The Greatest Night in Pop got its screening night at Sundance. Nguyen, who helmed the Bruce Lee centered Be Water, chronicles the historic recording of 1985’s famine relief track “We Are the World”. The doc features interviews with some of the participants including cowriter Lionel Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, and preeminent 80s soundtrack (Caddyshack, Footloose, Over the Top, Top Gun) crooner Kenny Loggins.

Early word-of-mouth from Utah (not enough yet for an RT score) indicates this is an appealing enough watch. The buzz doesn’t seem strong enough to turn this into an awards contender though I’m sure nostalgia buffs will happily stream it at the end of the month. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

This Day in Movie History: February 17

30 years ago Today in Movie History – February 17 – Kevin Bacon danced his way into the hearts of moviegoers in Footloose. The picture was an unexpected smash grossing $80 million domestically. Its soundtrack was equally successful featuring Kenny Loggins’ title hit – as well as “Let’s Hear It For The Boy” by Deniece Williams and “Almost Paradise” by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson. A remake would debut in 2010.

As for birthdays, Cleveland Browns legend Jim Brown is 78 today. While he’s surely known best for his sports achievements, Mr. Brown has had quite a film career. He costarred in 1967’s The Dirty Dozen and some blaxpoitation titles in the 70s like Slaughter and Black Gunn. More recent appearances include The Running Man with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mars Attacks!, and Any Given Sunday.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is 33 today. He became known as a youngster on the hit sitcom “3rd Rock from the Sun”. In recent years, his film career exploded with pictures including Brick, (500) Days of Summer, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Inception, 50/50, The Dark Knight Rises, Looper, and Lincoln. He made his directorial last fall with Don Jon and will soon appear in the Sin City sequel.

As for Six Degrees of Separation between them:

Jim Brown was in The Running Man with Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger was in The Expendables 2 with Bruce Willis

Bruce Willis was in Looper with Joseph Gordon-Levitt

And that’s today – February 17 – in Movie History!