How often do you look at someone’s shoes? Most of us don’t go out of our way to stare at other people’s choices of footwear, so when a movie does a close-up of those loafers, wellies, slippers or Cuban heels, there has to be a really good reason for it.
Nothing makes a character look more awesome than a great pair of shoes. Take the opening sequence of Saturday Night Fever (1977). John Travolta’s walking down the street to the sound of the Bee Gees, paint can in hand, and he stops at a shoe shop to check his cool shoes against the other cool shoes in the window. He is on the cutting edge of fashion, and we know he’s going to take us along for the ride. We instantly recognize him – he’s just like us. With better hair. It’s a perfect movie beginning.