Saturday Night Fever (1977) User Reviews

Beautifully Defines An Era On The Backdrop Of A Realistic Class Study and Dynamic Music

[Det_McNulty · 8/10 · 20 March 2007]

Although it may seem dated and cheesy to some viewers today Saturday Night Fever remains one of the most underrated examples of '70s pop-culture. It is undoubtedly the quintessential dance flick and remains one of the most entertaining films of all-time. Yet, behind all the music and entertaining aura you are actually viewing a drama studying the American class system and young rebellion. Though at times it is slightly exaggerated, it still manages to capture a vast amount of authenticity and ultimately the sights and sounds of the time.

Saturday Night Fever follows self-proclaimed "dance king" Tony Manero (John Travolta) and his love of dancing and the trials and tribulations of his life in the Bronx. He soon meets an arrogant fellow dancer named Stephanie Mangano (Karen Lynn Gorney). Quickly becoming attracted and influenced by the women he starts questioning the way he lives his life.

The film is not always upbeat and at times can be depressing, particularly the scenes depicting peer-pressure. Although both have their differences, both are very alike and ultimately want to be something "big". There are also the elements of jealously, rivalry, religion, rebellion, respect and racism added into the film. This captures the realism of the time and with more accuracy and honesty than a lot of films. Just take a look at the brief scene where Tony is on the tube, this is an oddly poignant, effecting and compelling scene presenting Tony's confused emotions.

Saturday Night Fever still carries the vibe, rhythm and atmosphere it did back in '77. It remains one of the most influential films for both the film-world and pop-culture. Infamously holding some of the greatest dance sequences ever committed film; you can feel the energy, emotions, time and determination that were spent perfecting the dance scenes to the finest detail. The lighting is perfect at creating the "disco world", the set-piece of the 2001 Disco is one of the film's many iconic highlights.

John Travolta dedicates himself to his dancing and character, fitting the role with a graceful ease. The film goes into depth at studying characters too, it shows how desperate everyone is to fit in and be able to make an impressive image. The fantastic shots on character's feet show the "strut" in their walk, representing their desire to maintain their reputation of being "cool". All the characters want to be something, while a lot of them will never add up to anything due to their working-class backgrounds. There are a fair amount of American social-comments scattered throughout the film and retaining a surprising amount of intelligent value.

The gloriously groovy and funky soundtrack is possibly the film's finest element. The music accompanies the dance sequences with an amazing amount of memorably robust imagery. The use of The Bee Gees' music is wonderful to listen to and also for helping to create an ambiguous atmosphere of love, drugs and sex. The shooting techniques in the disco are magnificent for filming the dance scenes and fit perfectly alongside the other technical elements.

Saturday Night Fever is a far more professional film than one might expect, it has intelligence as well as entertainment, which is something that makes a more than just admirable achievement. It is a truly remarkable triumph and a film that deserves more appreciation than it gets.

It has it's moments of absolute glory

[Quinoa1984 · 7/10 · 18 March 2001]

Saturday Night Fever is thoughtful, engaging, and sometimes brilliant. While some might call it one of the greatest films ever, I must disagree. But along the lines of a groundbreaker, yes it is. The film does for disco what Suburbia did for punk. And the film gives John Travolta, the cool Italian guy from Engelwood, NJ a good break. He plays a paint guy who at nights (and sometimes days) has a love for dancing, which he is absolutely excellent at (those dance scenes are quite memorable). Not always on the money, but when it is, it delivers the goods. Bee Gees provide songs here that everybody likes (I would have to assume from Wayne Campbell's statement in Wayne's World). A-

There's no denying it...

[AlsExGal · 8/10 · 8 March 2020]

... this is a product of my generation. I was the age that Travolta's character Tony was in 1977, although in a completely different part of the US. Probably the disco era is the only one in the history of film in which people in street clothes look like they are going to a costume party. The pointy collars, the shoes, the hair so full of hairspray that it looks like it would shatter if it brushed up against something, and those jackets that are so full of holes - big ones - they look like they were attacked by moths and why are we calling them jackets anyways?

So Tony (Travolta) is a New York City born and bred Italian American with only a high school education, an employee at a dead end job - selling and mixing paint - in a store that is now extinct - the neighborhood hardware store that is about to get replaced by the big box hardware stores such as Harbor Freight. Dad is used to being the head of the family, but now he has been laid off in middle age. Suddenly Edith is talking back and disrespecting Archie and he doesn't like it one bit. And the only thing that makes Tony feel alive is Saturday nights on the dance floor of the local disco where he is the best.

And then he meets a girl - Stephanie. She is everything that I, a Texan, was told that New Yorkers are - loud mouthed, self important, snooty. And yet Tony follows her around like a puppy because he is in love. Annette (Donna Pescow) follows Tony around like a puppy because she is in love. It's funny how Tony doesn't like how Stephanie treats him, yet he turns around and treats Annette the same way. But Tony turns out to be much more self aware than you would think. And Stephanie - there is much more to her story than her being just another stuck up Manhattanite.

There is so much casual sex going on here that it answers the question "Where did herpes come from?". But it is so much more than glittering disco balls. it is a love story. A story of a guy learning about the friendship component of love. It is a tragedy. It is a story of young people at a crossroads. And last but not least, it has probably one of the great soundtracks in motion picture history and gave the Bee Gees a second act. I'd highly recommend it. Just try to ignore your probable first reaction "Yikes those clothes!!!!"".

Living Vicariously Through the Weekends.

[tfrizzell · 23 June 2004]

An uneducated Brooklyn teen (John Travolta, in an Oscar-nominated role) lives in a dream world over the weekends as the king of a disco dance floor. Disillusioned, quietly upset with where his life is, Travolta finds solace by dancing in public to Bee Gee's music and finds love with his newest dance partner (Karen Lynn Gorney). The duo practice for an upcoming contest that could mean total success at last for Travolta and the opportunity to get discovered doing what he really loves. Travolta and his friends seem destined to go down a path of destruction though as a soap opera develops for all the key people found within. "Saturday Night Fever" is a total over-achiever as it could have fallen to exploitation tactics of the 1970s, but becomes one of those iconic films that still stands the test of time. Travolta is a revelation in arguably his greatest role. The other players are adequate and the screenplay is deceptively smarter than it appears on the surface. The movie also works as a time capsule to a part of contemporary American history where discos and bell-bottoms were all the rage. Still one of the finer films of the time period. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

A film about a dumb guy whose shallowness reaches amazing depths!

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 3 July 2009]

I think that your opinion about Saturday NIGHT FEVER may have a lot to do with your age. People who were of age during the Disco Age probably will love it. Older or younger people may feel less impressed. As for me, I was rather young during this disco craze and thought that the gold chains and unbuttoned polyester shirts were all pretty tacky--so the film doesn't hold the same wonderful nostalgic memory it might for others--though I will admit that I liked the music (yes, folks, it's true--I am so uncool that I actually like disco).

As for the film, it is unusual in structure in that much of it is like a very prolonged music video. While this sort of film is more common today, in 1977 it must have been revolutionary to have such a meandering film that isn't always plot-driven. What was also unusual is that unlike most films, the main character is amazingly stupid and shallow--his friends are even worse. For Tony Manero (John Travolta), what matters most to him in life is his hair, his clothes and disco--and little else. As for his friends, their priorities would be drugs, sex, date rape, driving like idiots and disco. Not exactly a group of Einsteins, eh? This is a problem for folks like me, as I have a hard time really getting into a picture if I don't like anyone. My only emotional connection was feeling sad for the desperate women with low self-esteem that actually cared about this shallow guy or his obnoxious friends. Otherwise, I just didn't care about what happened to anyone--including his slap-happy family!

While it probably sounds like I hated the film, there were some things I did like or at least respect. As I mentioned above, the music was nice--with one of the best soundtracks in movie history. While no one today admits to liking disco (other than nuts like me), it did produce the biggest-selling soundtracks in history. Plus, while I didn't love all the dancing, I sure could respect all the work that went into choreographing it and making it look so effortless. What Travolta and the rest did to get ready for the film is incredible. I just wish, however, that the film was less like the prolonged music video and was more plot-driven at times or had greater importance than "who will be Tony's new dance partner?"! Of course, this shallowness might actually be a great metaphor for the era--an era typified by loud clothes, drugs, sex without consequences and Studio 54.

Overall, an interesting time capsule hindered by characters that are mostly low-lifes and co-dependents.

At one point in the film, Tony muses "there are ways of killing yourself without killing yourself". Wow, such amazing depth to his utter shallowness!

fun till the last act

[jonathan-577 · 6/10 · 25 August 2007]

Can you believe that only thirty years ago working-class social realism was a commercial cliché? This movie looks and feels like 'Taxi Driver' when the strobe lights are off, and there's cussin' and humpin' all over it. A lot of it is very fun, including the revelation of hearing that Bee Gees stuff in context, as seventies soundtrack music, which turns out to make perfect sense. And it's truly freaky to see John Travolta fawning over bedroom posters of Farrah, Stallone and Al Pacino, and realize that this guy was the next wave - at this remove he's one of them, but here he's standing outside looking in. And he's been caught in the turnstile ever since, of course. Unfortunately the class politics do get pretty muddled, especially in the love-interest department - however pretentious what's-er-name's upward mobility turns out to be, their partnership does turn out to be a means of 'getting out,' an unnecessary conceit. And in order to justify that conceit, things get laid on pretty thick; the paper-thin ironic distance is suddenly dropped, buddy pulls a Sal Mineo on the bridge, and you half think that Badham takes Travolta's ex for a "c*nt" too.In other words, it stops being fun. I had to entertain myself by imagining that Robert Stigwood optioned "Wedding in White" and morphed it into this script in one very loud, three-hour story meeting. Coulda happened!

I Don't See Anyone Givin You A Raise Down At Unemployment

[Bandit1974 · 10/10 · 5 January 2006]

I am 31 so I was 3 when this movie came out. The first time I saw Saturday Night Fever was the "Edited For Television" version probably when I was 6 or 7 years old. At that point, it was about the music, the dance scenes and the clothes.

It wouldn't be until years later that I understood what a great story this is. It's a coming of age movie. It's a modern day tragedy. It's a love story.

The first thing that people think about when they hear Saturday Night Fever is disco and bell bottoms, but the story is timeless. Travolta plays Tony Manero, a loser in a nowhere job who only feels alive when he is on the dance floor at the local disco. There he is adored by his friends, by women and by strangers. There he is king. Everywhere else he is nobody. Even at home.

Tony becomes infatuated with a woman named Stephanie. On the surface Stephanie appears to be much better off than Tony. For the most part Stephanie is a big talker, but Tony is bothered by her observations.

"Let me guess. You work all week long at some dead end job and then you go and blow it at all at 2001 (the disco) on the weekends. You're a cliché. You're no one, going nowhere." As much as Tony is upset by her words he can't argue with them. Soon Tony becomes frustrated with his "station in life" and tells Stephanie he wants out (of Brooklyn).

What makes Saturday Night Fever work so much for me is Tony is very typical of a lot of males who would rather have a good time and party now than build something toward the future. Bars are full of guys like Tony. Guys who are super stars in their local drinking establishments, but have no life outside of the night life.

And of course there's the superb dance scenes that most people remember Saturday Night Fever for. The soundtrack is also one of the best out there.

For whatever reason, Saturday Night Fever also has my favorite closing shot of all time. It's really nothing special, but I get choked up every time I see it.

Saturday Night Fever is also a snapshot of a period in recent American history. The movie took place in 1977. The country was a mess after the Vitenam war ended and before Reagan stormed Washington and once again instilled a sense of pride in Americans. There was no longer a war to protest, but the average American didn't have much faith in our country. I think Saturday Night Fever does an excellent job of capturing what was probably a common attitude among young adults during the late 70's. Live for the moment because the future is pretty bleak.

Better than what most people would expect of the stereotype

[padiyark · 7/10 · 14 April 2002]

Travolta's potential as an actor is seen in this film more than any other. Sure, he was good in Pulp Fiction, but this film shows that he has potential for more range.

As for the movie itself, I think there is more to the movie than just disco moves and acting like hoodlums. Tony (Travolta) is your average Italian generation joe who has conflicts about whether he should be sticking around the usual gang of crude friends or try for better. Along the way, many other topics are hit upon.

Now let's face it...the dancing and the music are the highlights. Even if you hate disco, you'll be amazed by Travolta's moves that made the Pulp Fiction moves look like granny steps. And the songs are just classics.

If you haven't seen this flick yet, definitely rent it. It should be a rite of passage, just like watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail in college and Caddyshack in high school. And do get the R version (the PG versions is for wusses).

Modern, and Misunderstood, Classic

[notarepublican · 9/10 · 17 June 2003]

While the movie is more apt to be recalled for its impact on American pop culture, few who watch the movie will ever see beyond the admittedly fantastic dance sequences. As a result, many people might never recognize Saturday Night Fever as perhaps one of the best movies ever made about class struggles among white ethnics.

While his quick study under Denny Terrio for those dance sequences showed a great deal of determination, Travolta's Tony Manero shines in so many other way. The looks of embarrassment and exasperation that his character expresses when confronted with the possibility of working in a Bay Ridge paint store all of his life, or the prejudice and regional chauvinism of his friends, or the behavior of his friends at White Castle or his initial inability to express himself to Stephanie in any way that might impress her, all of these and more contribute to a fully realized character.

While Tony's friends idolize him, the movie never really does, but it does allow empathy for his plight, because even Tony realizes that he is virtually trapped by the current conditions of his existence. While much might be made of the homophobia, racism, and misogyny of the protagonist and his friends, these things are never excused and the movie goes to some lengths to express Tony's own recognition that these are shortcomings in not only his character, but those borne of a provincial mentality which he desperately longs to escape.

Forget those who call this a musical. While the music is an intricate part of the film and setting, Travolta's performance is what sets this film apart.

Proof that disco does not suck or is dead

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 4 July 2017]

Will openly admit to having very fond memories of school discos, singing along (often forgetting words) and dancing (with some energy if not such a discernible beat) to music, a music college graduate has to start somewhere, that was great then and still is now.

'Saturday Night Fever' may not be a perfect film, or a masterpiece, but to me and many others it is high-energy and hugely enjoyable entertainment that took me back to nostalgic, and happier, times in my life. This was the late 90s-early 2000s, just to make things clear, memories of the 70s are none due to not having been born yet. 'Saturday Night Fever' is one of those films where it is easy to sit back and forget any problems and relax after a hard day (am hardly any stranger to those, so 'Saturday Night Fever' was a much needed distraction).

There are imperfections sure. Anybody looking for one of the all-time great scripts or a great story and iconic characters better look elsewhere. This said, the script is not all bad, but does have some cheesiness that will make one cringe, regardless of whether they are demanding much or not. The story and characterisation is somewhat more patchy though better than given credit for, the story does absorb but a couple of the subplots are silly and don't feel as resolved as they should, particularly that for the rival gang.

One of 'Saturday Night Fever's' biggest problems is how the character of Stephanie is written and how Karen Lynn Gorney plays her. The character is very underwritten and often very annoying, giving Gorney little to do and failing to inject much charm or likability, outside of some great dancing.

However, the production values are great with lots of glorious colour and style. John Bradham directs with a clear affectionate love for the period and subject, and the film does offer a more complex view of disco than one might think with some easy to relate to themes.

Best assets are the music, dancing and John Travolta. The soundtrack, with some of the most memorable contributions being from the Bee Gees, is one of the best, most unforgettable and iconic soundtracks of any film from the 70s, and great music in its own right. Music is a real passion and something that is always talked about in my prolific reviews here, and something that mostly garners a lot of praise but have also been known to be picky. The dancing is full of high-octane energy, snazz and pizazz, Travolta especially though the dancing is the best thing about Gorney's performance.

John Travolta is a revelation in the role that made him an overnight star and pop-culture icon. Danny from 'Grease' may be the slightly more famous role but to me Travolta is better here.

In conclusion, very enjoyable though not without its imperfections. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Decent time capsule ruined by misogyny.

[charredwind · 3/10 · 15 June 2020]

Cutting right to the chase. The movie is alright if a tad boring in sections due to overly long dance scenes. Great atmosphere- I especially loved the scenes with Tony at home struggling to communicate with his family as tensions arise. I would be willing to give this movie a light 7- were it not for the infamous ending. Perhaps audiences in 1977 were more okay with seeing rape on the cinema screen- but it does not sit well in 2020. Spoilers ahead: Literally twenty minutes from the end, Tony attempts to rape Stephanie in the back of a car. Not two minutes later his friends bring a drugged girl named Annette to the backseat and rape her one at a time. Both scenes are incredibly hard to watch- I found myself having to cover my ears so as not to hear the screams and cries of the women. The scenes add absolutely nothing to the story, by the way.

The worst part? Tony meets with Stephanie the very next day and apologizes. For attempted rape. And she accepts his apology.

Watch the PG version, the movie's surely better without it.

"Would you just watch the hair? I work a long time on my hair, and you hit it!" - Tony Manero.

[MovieAddict2016 · 10/10 · 14 January 2004]

I love this movie.

I love the way it focuses on dancing, yet it isn't about dancing at all. Yes, long amounts of time are given to showing John Travolta light up the dance floor, but the story's fundamental point is the most subtle: Trying to escape from your boring daily routine, even if it is just for an hour.

That's exactly what Tony Manero does. He saves up his weekly earnings from where he works in downtown Brooklyn at a crummy hardware store, then blows it all in one day at the local disco joint, where he reigns as king. His female dance partner calls him a walking cliché. In a sad sort of way, it's true.

But this is Tony's dream. I quote an aspiring comedian named Rupert Pupkin: "Better to be king for a night than a schmuck for a lifetime." "Saturday Night Fever" is based entirely on this idea. In an odd sort of way, Rupert Pupkin is a lot like Tony Manero. He just has a different dream. We all do.

"Saturday Night Live's" theme tune, "Staying Alive" (the title of the horrendous Sylvester Stallone-directed sequel), speaks as much truth about life as the film itself. "I'm goin' nowhere, somebody help me, I'm goin' nowhere, somebody help me yeah" chants a voice in the Bee Gee's universally known disco hit. As I listen to it right now, I realize just how perfect it is for the movie. It's a legendary song, and for good reason.

I didn't grow up during the disco generation. But "Saturday Night Fever" makes me feel as if I had--and that is one of the fundamental keys to a film so incredibly outdated and yet still poignant in our memories. It was the film that solidified John Travolta as an icon, and the film that eventually led to him being regarded as the King of Cinema Disco. (In the Travolta film "Get Shorty," a criminal threatens a producer by saying that, if he doesn't pay up, he'll be "dead as disco." Ironic.)

Travolta is in his prime spotlight as Manero, a Brooklyn kid aiming to make it big on the dance floor. There isn't much to the movie other than the need for fame--as brief as it may be--and the most obvious theme of the film, which is learning to treat women as something more than just sex objects.

Tony and his pals all join together at 2001 Odyssey, a crummy disco club with dizzying strobe lights and a constantly-waxed dance floor where Tony is often encouraged to let loose and show everyone his moves. When he's not doing that, he's sitting at the bar watching a topless stripper do her thing. And he's only 19.

Part of this movie is learning to grow up, and treat women as something more than Tony is used to treating them. But that's one of two primary plots--the other is, of course, trying to break away from a boring life. Tony comes from an Italian background, and he lives in a bad area of town. His mother is proud of her eldest son, who became a priest, and she's discouraged by the fact that her other son doesn't seem to care about making anything out of his life. We get the feeling that Tony's parents once had the same outlook as their son, and fear he may be going down their own path. After Tony gets a raise from $3 to $4, his father tells him that $4 can't even buy $3. His son swears at him and storms away.

Some of my favorite scenes in "Saturday Night Live" are the human ones, such as when Tony stares in his bedroom mirror, bare-chested, and combs his hair forever, looking over himself with the same pride that Travis Bickle displayed in the famous "You talkin' to me?" scene in "Taxi Driver," released a year earlier. In the background of the shot are posters of Al Pacino from "Serpico" and Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa. (Just think, Sly directed the sequel and did a cameo, yet he was, in a way, in the first film, too.)

I also like when Tony is interacting with his dysfunctional family. He's nice to his little sister when he walks through the door after work, but after working for quite some time on his now-out-of-date hairstyle, he barks at his father when he is slapped during dinner (in one of the rare scenes that made me laugh). He yells at him: "Would you just watch the hair? I work a long time on my hair, and you hit it!" I know that scene has been quoted before, but I quoted it again since it made me laugh so hard.

In one of the finest scenes in the entire movie, and certainly one of the most touching, Tony has lunch with an older girl (who later becomes his dance partner) and tries to impress her by acting mature. But his immaturity shines through--he doesn't have a clue what he's talking about half the time, and when he tries to act smart she counters his moves with true brainpower. In a way, this is the first time Tony realizes that women aren't as dumb as he thought they were.

This is one of my favorite guilty pleasures for all the right and wrong reasons. The wrong reasons include the dance floor numbers--I love them, and I probably shouldn't. As for the right reasons...I think we already know what they are. It's all about dreams. Everyone has some. Whether it's dancing or whatever, we all have dreams. And that's why I think "Saturday Night Fever" relates to so many different people on so many different levels.

Clunky at times, but also iconic.

[j-m-d-b · 7/10 · 6 October 2022]

I first watched this as a teenager and I just thought Tony was a cool guy doing cool things, Annette was a stupid piece of ass and Stephanie was classy. I realized there were subplots like Frank and Bobby C's story but most of that went over my head.

As I've been rewatching this from time to time over the decades, I now see there is a lot more there. It's actually pretty nihilistic, the family drama is reasonably intricate, as is the love story. On top of that, it's an interesting view on 1970's NYC, perhaps not in the same league as Midnight Cowboy or Taxi Driver, but nevertheless sharing an origin. At times, it's as gritty and dark as these two films.

The music is stellar and the disco scenes are iconic. Not a masterpiece as it sometimes is cringeworthy and shallow, but on the whole it's a culturally important piece of film history.

Decaf Scorcese with unlikeable characters. Good dancing though.

[wadechurton · 2/10 · 19 February 2012]

Okay, I was into punk not disco back in 1977, and held off seeing this movie on ideological grounds for many years. Perhaps if I'd seen it during its heyday it would have carried more weight, but when disengaged from the giddy heights of the disco era it does not travel well. This is basically 'Scorcese lite'; a sort of 'Mean Streets' done for teens, and missing out almost everything which made Scorcese's work so compelling. The viewer is faced with a parade of characters so stupid, self-centred and under-developed that it is virtually impossible to bond with any of them. Tony Manero is an idiot and his friends are even more moronic, whilst the girls are doormats (nice-but-dim Annette) or emotionally distant egotists (brash big-talking Stephanie). Add to this some downright unfathomable casting; Martin Shakar looks more like Tony's uncle than his brother (seriously, he looks a good ten years older) and whilst cast as Tony's crucial dance partner, Karen Lynn Gorney's ability is conspicuously 'school lunchtime disco'. Check the bit at the dance studio where she and Tony converse whilst she's practicing; it looks like she's been learning to dance for all of twenty minutes. Having said that, the dance scenes themselves are the high point of the movie, even if they are all Tony's show. In fact, there is an uncomfortable strand of narcissism and outright homo-eroticism to 'SNF' which is all in keeping with the essentially non-macho disco scene. With its falsetto vocals, elaborate studio-bound arrangements and invariably sex-obsessed lyrics, the music was made by producers, not neighbourhood bands, and the emphasis was on glitter and flash, not grit and trash. The dance scene's flamboyant, exhibitionist nature was far more in-tune with 'gay' sensibilities than the world of rock music, and so it was that disco suffered a boom-and-bust popularity over the late 1970s. 'Straight' society briefly sampled what the movement had to offer and then moved on to more gender-friendly cultural climes. By 1979 it was all over, and 'new wave' music was all the rage. Considerations of personal taste aside, 'SNF' is less than the sum of its parts, clumsily realised with characters who come far too close to being repellent without any redemptive qualities. It is all too apparently a vehicle for John Travolta, who served notice with his performance that his entire career would be based on slight variations on his 'Vinnie Barbarino' character from 'Welcome Back Kotter'. He struts solipsistically through 'SNF' wearing the exact same expression you see staring blankly back at you from a fish-shop window. Away from the dance floor, he could not carry the movie, which is a massive weak point since none of the other characters are as extensively written. By all means watch 'SNF' for nostalgia, for the dancing or the music or the actors, but not as a movie experience, because you will be disappointed.

Gritty urban tale

[hayden-8 · 28 April 2002]

1977 was the year in which iconoclastic punk and hedonistic disco dominated the music scene. How ironic then that the final number one single in the U.S. of that year was Debbie Boone's "You light up my life". While I think that the punk movement has never been well documented in film fiction, the more popular and mainstream disco culture had several major films dedicated to it. The best of these was Saturday Night Fever (SNF).

The snag is that SNF was NOT a disco movie. Yes, it had dazzling dance sequences, yes, it had a pulsating soundtrack, and, yes, many of the scenes were shot in a disocteque, but I have always felt that the disco theme was peripheral to the real story; the alienation of youth and the acceptance and sanctuary they find in each other and their chosen surroundings. In fact, Nik Cohn's article on which the film was based (and which he later admitted was faked), "Tribal rites of the new Saturday night" would have been a more apposite title. John Travolta perfectly captures this. As Tony Manero he almost ritually prepares himself for his night out, preening himself in front of the mirror, donning his warrior's uniform, and then escaping the drudgery of his existence to his battleground, the local disco where he is the tribal chief.

Gritty, foulmouthed and somewhat downbeat, SNF starkly presented the darker underbelly of the disco subculture.

Hard to hate this film

[Kingslaay · 7/10 · 5 January 2023]

I finally got around to watching Saturday Night Fever and I liked it. The film has one of the most iconic opening sequences to a film I have ever seen. John Travolta is the epitome of charm and style in this film. He captures and owns every scene he is in with his charisma and unique looks.

The plot is another story. It is not all bad as one can see a degree of realism. Poor or simple neighborhoods are shown and the main cast do not shy away from foul language. They almost come across as a small gang and Tony is their leader. The characters have depth and are not superficial. There is some story, strong emotions and issues they need to deal with. Ultimately Tony is a young man trying to find himself and find something more. This is why he is taken by the stuck up Stephanie. I feel if the story was rewritten with more depth and a stronger story then this could have become one of greatest films of all time. The other elements already existed: incredible music from the Bee Gees, strong talent from Travolta and a favorable setting.

One can see why this film became famous. The music is a hit on its own. The Bee Gee's released some of their timeless and wonderful music as the soundtrack to this film. This ushered in the era of disco and dancing. Saturday Night Fever was a cultural phenomenon and a big hit for its time.

BeeGees Fever!

[questl-18592 · 7/10 · 10 April 2023]

Knocking this off my list of films I'd never seen and I kinda wish I'd watched it earlier. Sadly, coming to it now the story of a talented young man from the wrong side of the tracks and watching him make mistake after mistake on the road to self-discovery has been done so many times that its hard to really invest in this one, even if it does play an archetypal role in others.

That said, the music is spectacular. Travolta really can dance and it is hard to imagine this movie being anything without him in it. The ending is something as well, a strong comment on cultural norms and his characters growth. Unfortunately, it's not until that end that I'm invested in anything more than the groovy voodoo of the soundtrack.

A masterpiece from the greatest era of American cinema.

[StarWarsDisco · 10/10 · 21 March 2003]

There are people who have seen this movie that have not been stoked by it (see some user comments). Personally I can't understand this. I know that there are people who have different tastes, and maybe some younger viewers will not be able to relate to it, or appreciate it. However, at the risk of sounding like a dick, I can confidently say that those are people I would not want to know anyways. This is a film that does what great films are supposed to do; that is to transcend our daily lives and bring us joy. There are a few films that can be called masterpieces because all the different film elements that are brought together have a unique quality and vision and the final result is something more special than the sum of the elements themselves. In a nutshell, this is a simple story about a young Italian Brooklyn man, Tony Manero, from humble roots with a gift for dancing who dreams of something better against all odds. He escapes from it all out on the dance floor, basking in the glow of the disco ball, and the frivolous, moving dance music. He meets another young woman at the danceclub, Stephanie Modano, played by an underrated Karen Lynn-Gorney, who is equal to him in dance ability, and, more importantly, in desiring a better life. The two struggle together, and against each other, in their pursuit of winning a dance contest that may spur on their dreams.

A simple story yes. One you've seen before yes. But after that, there is no other film that can touch it. John Travolta, as Tony, was in his prime, giving a performance that is so likeable because he is so normal. Who can't relate to a character who is so honest, so cool, so goofy, so conflicted; who has talent but doesn't get recognized by the people who should recognize him, like his family, only by his friends whom he knows deep down are all creeps? This is all of us!

The soundtrack features some of the best disco music ever made, in terms of making you feel joyous, and impervious to the world's problems. Mostly contributed by The Bee Gees, as well as others, it is the essential element that makes the whole thing work.

John Badham's direction is even; giving the audience plenty of music and show stopping musical bits, yet unafraid to lure you back to the grim reality of what our hero is always up against. But it's never heavy handed. The story is equal parts dramatic, comedic, exhilirating, and pensive, and moves along just as rhythmically as the music.

In the end, literally as well as figuratively, Tony is more alone and unsure than ever in his ever changing world. And so it makes sense that he reaches out to Stephanie for love and support; someone that has at least a little understanding of who he really is, even if they can't be lovers. Simple, realistic, beautiful. The 70's was the true golden age of American cinema. It was the era of the auteur. Great minds like Scorsese, Coppola, Lucas, Spielberg, Badham, and so forth had for a decade or so, the ability to make truly visionary films; in the sense that they had a lot of creative power to express themselves devoid of studio pressure, political correctness, marketing tie-ins, and big budget, sensory offending, special effects. They laid it on the line. And we get to enjoy it for eternity.

Attention younger viewers, don't let the distorted lingering stereotype fool you. This isn't a "cheesy film" with John Travolta dancing like a clown to music that "sucks". It is as good a film as you'll see, if you can allow yourself to appreciate it as a real film. Disco music was once cutting edge before it "sucked". John Travolta was actually a good dancer and actor, and the story really does have depth.

"I'm goin' nowhere, somebody help me."

[Bored_Dragon · 7/10 · 18 September 2018]

This cult disco movie, which made Travolta a star, talks about growing up in the working class and attempts to escape from mediocrity and pointlessness of everyday life, even if only on a Saturday night. The main character finds sanctuary in a discotheque, where he's undisputed king of the dance floor. Through film permeate many of the problems typical of the lower middle class, as well as disturbed relations between the sexes that are particularly noticeable in this environment. Although music and dance occupy a large part of the film, the "Saturday Night Fever" exudes the atmosphere of hopelessness. Travolta gave an excellent performance, and the soundtrack is one of the best ever, but the overall impression is relatively weak. The film is good, but not nearly up to its reputation.

7/10

Blue Collar frustration

[peggydigney · 9/10 · 4 January 2003]

Watched Saturday Night Fever again last night. It's one of those movies I watch everytime it's on & never get bored by it. This movie perfectly captures the feeling of everyday life in a Blue Collar neighborhood, & the frustration that goes with it. Your caught in the middle not rich by any means, but just getting by & the feeling that your never going to get beyond it. Just existing and getting by is an everyday struggle & in this movie it shows how disco is an outlet. I remember 2001 Odyessy was a real club in Brooklyn. Saturday Night Fever is one of those rare movies you can watch & just enjoy yourself. How can you get tired of watching John Travolta walking down the street with a paint can? That opening captured your attention right from the start. You know where these characters are coming from. Tony's friends have basically given up on doing any better & have accepted there fate. Tony & Stephanie know there's something more out there for them & their going for it the best way they can. By the end of the movie I'm rooting for them to "make it big". Being a big John Travolta fan I am a little bit biased. I'll watch anything he's in. '

A decent time capsule

[breakdownthatfilm-blogspot-com · 7/10 · 11 September 2015]

As infrequently as some oldies tunes happen to pop up on the radio, there was a time when that's all it was believe it or not. During the 1970s, the wave of disco joints multiplied by the day. Besides the 1960s and 1970s promoting peace and love, it also became a time where dancing was the "in" thing to do. Everybody was doing it. It was a craze that took a nation by storm where all people wanted to do was party and dance. For movies, the 1970s were also a time of many successes that have created quite an impact on today's culture and society. One of the most widely popular films to be remembered from that era was Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). However for movies that capitalized on the dance wave at the time, the best known and respected film to represent such a time was this film. It does have some components that could've been left out or fixed but mostly it is an entertaining film of its time.

Written by Norman Wexler (Serpico (1973)) and directed by John Badham (in his first feature film), the story is about a late teen named Tony Manero (John Travolta) who lives in a world where the only thing that matters to him is the weekend. He's a nice kid at heart and works hard but just wants live his life in the present. During the day he works at a paint shop, later he hangs with his immature goof ball friends, gets badgered by an old flame named Annette (Donna Pescow) and then has the same dinner every night with his family of high expectations. What Manero looks forward to on the weekend are the disco dances. While attending a party one night he comes across a dancer who catches his eye named Stefanie (Karen Lynn Gorney). It's at that moment Manero wants her to be his dance partner for a competition. For all the prior subplots going on around Manero, they do serve the purpose of character development but they also fall to the wayside over time.

The reoccurring moral of the script is the power of choice. Everyone has a choice to be or do what he or she wants in life. Manero's family wants him to become a priest like his brother Frank (Martin Shakar). Annette gets told numerous times by Tony that she has to decide on whether she's going to act like a woman or a prostitute. Tony is also challenged on his beliefs by Stefanie and when his boss tells him to stop spending his money frivolously on the weekend. Stefanie even gets some of her own medicine thrown back at her. Tony friends are a gradual eye opener as well. Every single supporting/main character has a specific role to play when it comes to character development and it is handled properly. The problem is once the change in character occurs, the supporting threads and their respective characters disappear and aren't concluded in the most direct of ways. The only other component to the writing is some of the slang dialog used. Yes, the 1970s were a much different time. However, this still does not excuse the fact of using various racial slurs.

Other than this every other aspect to the film is enjoyable. The acting is competently performed. It is a bit jarring to see the difference in years when it comes to how much John Travolta changed. Also voice-actor Paul Pape has a role as one of Tony's goof ball friends. The acting and writing also effectively capture the mood and attitude of the era. As stated before, disco was a craze at the time and many people hopped on the bandwagon just because everybody was doing it. Plus with all the issues surrounding Tony, going to the disco was also a good representation of how disco was an escapist activity for a lot of people. For the people who took part, it was a moment in time where people would forget about their troubles and just enjoy the night. The cinematography shot by Ralf D. Bode fit well with the scenes too. Bode was able to acquire a number of odd angles and establishing shots that in some ways felt like the camera was prepping the audience just as much as the scene was.

The choreography handled by Lester Wilson was crafted nicely as well. A year before, Wilson worked on Sparkle (1976) which proved to be a success and it didn't change here. Wilson's ability to get the entire cast to work in synchronized motion is impressive. That and all the dance moves that Travolta and Gorney perform are well staged. It's unimaginable how much practice went into making sure those dance numbers were done the right way in one shot. That takes patience. The music for this film is practically scoreless with only a few tunes composed by David Shire. The rest was handled by English pop group The Bee Gees (Barry, Maurice & Robin Gibb). The movie itself would probably not be as memorable or popular if it weren't for the numerous songs heard throughout the background. Songs like "Stayin' Alive", "Night Fever", "How Deep Is Your Love" and "More Than a Woman" are just some of the songs that'll stick in the viewers mind. It's also interesting to watch the dancing with these songs because of the viewers' knowledge of music, how sensual the emotions are in the performances.

Unfortunately for its time it suffers from racial slurs that are still not excusable and its subplots are well written until they aren't needed anymore leading to indirect conclusions. These flaws are thankfully made up for with the abundance of character development, appropriate acting, memorable music tunes and well-staged dance choreography. It is a time capsule that defined the 1970s.

Great songs, good dancing, disrespectful writing

[bencaandrew · 4/10 · 23 October 2020]

I had high hopes for this film. The Bee Gee's soundtrack and choreographed dance routines were undeniably fun, they alone would have merited a 7/8 were they tied together by some form of coherent storyline.

Alas, not only was the film edited into a series of unexplained events with little storytelling value, but the writing was consistently underlined with misogyny and ignorance. From start to finish antisocial behaviour was glorified from harassment to disorder and even the extremes of confrontational and sexual violence. These emotive scenes served no productive purpose in the film to elevate the level of character development other than to make abundantly clear the level of indifference members of production have for the women they imagined. None of the perpetrators of this violence and sexual aggression face punishment or even self-awareness, the only consequence being blaming of the victims and even in these scenes they weren't given a moment of focused storytelling.

Though the standards of the time were different, I struggle to believe this was ever an acceptable screenplay to produce. To have a male-orientated film is perfectly justifiable, yet to revolve this film around the conquest of females without giving one of those female characters a scene in which they weren't directly judged on sexuality or allowed a wider development shows a genuinely disgusting outlook on the part of the writers, in my personal opinion.

Brilliant - Changed my Life

[mickash · 10/10 · 19 May 2013]

Watched this as a 15 year old in 1977 at the local cinema - and like many of my friends it was a watershed moment in my life. Opened our eyes to a whole new world - nightclubs, disco music, women, dreams - there was a whole world out there which we;d never seen. In my small town, mobile discos sprouted everywhere - and we all wanted to be John Travolta....and it was one of the catalysts for me to leave home and explore the world.

Watched it again last night, and as a 50 year old it all came flooding back - melancholia obviously setting in because I felt like a 15 year old again - the memories came flooding back. And whilst some of the movie is obviously dated, it still after all these years gives a sense of joy, hope, youth and dreams. The opening scenes are timeless classics, the music is still sensational, and the film really does have some great characters and some brilliant sub plots.

Stil magic - a timeless classic, and personally probably the most influential film I ever saw.

Missing the third act

[hiproductions · 6/10 · 16 March 2024]

It's been 20 years since my last movie review but after watching Saturday Night Fever for the third time I thought I should come back from the dead and write my observations.

Firstly, although I've seen this movie two times before, I could never really remember the plot line. I could only recall that I mildly liked the film but I couldn't tell you what happened.

Now after my third watch I see why this has been the case. First of all, the movie starts out like a breaking away film with the Travolta character wanting somethIng better than a paint shop job. In act 1 his potential new opportunity arises with a dance contest for money and recognition at his favourite disco tech and the perfect dance partner to pursue to help him get it.

In act 2 He would then meet several obstacles like a clingy girlfriend, aloof parents, demanding boss, scumbag loser friends. You know, the obstacles we all face in life at some point. The problem is, the movie ends with all obstacles fully in tact and the audience wondering what the crap just happened? He wins the dance contest but felt unworthy of it and gives it to the 2nd place winner in a fit. Making the last 2 hours of our viewing lives a complete waste.

In act 3 - which is virtually non existent, He doesn't break away, he shakes a girl's hand as a "friend". Something which was never indicated as a goal at any time. But WHAMMY he accomplished it anyways. End of movie.

This is why I could never remember what happened, because nothing ever did happen in this flick.

I was 10 years old when this hit the theatres and I remember distinctly how impacting it was on pop culture. At age 11, I finally saved up enough money for a pair of tan Angel's flight complete with a hand me down silk shirt. I also remember not getting any babes whatsoever as I didn't look at all like Vinny Barbareno...and I was 11...and I couldn't skate backwards. All dealbreakers.

I thought Travolta did a great job in this movie - phenomenal dancer - moves which have been so parodied over the years that they are now cartoonish today but at the time - he legit had on his boogie shoes. He just had a broken story to work with. I give it 6 out of 10 stars as the soundtrack is timeless, the acting was great - even by the random Coppola paint store owner appearance! It was good, enjoyable to watch as a memory lane piece with no regard for political correctness ideology.

Fever night

[carmenneverxx · 3/10 · 8 September 2020]

It's 2020 and I finally watched Saturday Night Fever. And well... I'm disappointed to say at least. I felt genuinely uncomfortable during most scenes, mostly because of effortless and random misogyny and sexism. I get it, it's supposed to be showing the truth, how it was back then, no filter. But my biggest problem with this movie is that it doesn't address any of the messed up stuff that happened in it. More so, the main hero is condoning this type of behavior in a way. What's the point then? All the characters were extremely unlikable and I found it hard to root for any of them. Dialogues were pretty realistic, which I quite liked but they were very random at times. Another "realistic" portion of the movie was relationships. Nobody actually cared about other people. Even Bobby's death meant nothing but an inconvenience, a way for other character to change his life(?) Overall, I didn't really enjoy this movie, it felt archaic in a bad way, even as a piece from a specific era. Music was great tho.