Saturday Night Fever [MA]

Meet Tony Manero: paint store clerk by day and King of the disco by night. Regarded as a god amidst the strobe lights and music, behind the gold medallions, flared pants, and wide-collard shirts, is a boy on the verge of becoming a man. Tony’s attitude of “fuck the future” is shaken when he sparks up a relationship with Stephanie, a woman a year older and a potential dancing partner. As the two practice for an upcoming dance competition, numerous dramas take place and Tony is forced to come to grips with where he is and where he wants to be. 

Sparking the disco craze in the late 70s, Saturday Night Fever saw John Travolta catapulted into public awareness with his sensual dance moves, knockout style, and brilliant performance. I defy any woman who watches this film and does not fall in love with him. 

Meet Tony Manero: paint store clerk by day and King of the disco by night. Regarded as a god amidst the strobe lights and music, behind the gold medallions, flared pants, and wide-collared shirts, is a boy on the verge of becoming a man. Living life one day and night at a time, Tony has a strong attitude of “fuck the future”, but this attitude is given a shake when he sparks a relationship with Stephanie, a woman a year older and a potential dancing partner. As the two practice for an upcoming dance competition, a series of dramas take place amongst Tony and his friends and, suddenly, Tony finds himself forced to come to grips with choosing between where he is and where he wants to be. 

Whenever you think of “disco” the first thing that comes into your head is John Travolta in a white suit, busting out some classic moves. Saturday Night Fever sparked the disco phenomenon in the late 70s, so that alone deserves an accolade, but it also (and I feel more impressively) made the music of Bee Gees romantic. No matter which way you slice it, it’s next to impossible to make disco romantic. It’s fun, flamboyant, and full of life and it never slows down, but in Saturday Night Fever one of the most romantic scenes was a dance scene set to More Than a Woman by the Bee Gees. Now that’s achievement! 

John Travolta stars as Tony Manero and he delivered a performance that was charming, supportive, protective, defensive, and occasionally aggressive. What sells the film straight away is the opening scene. Set to the song Staying Alive, again by the Bee Gees, we see John strutting down the street, looking fine and without a care in the world. This strut has since been imitated the world over. 

Starring Karen Lynn Gorney, Barry Miller. Joseph Cali, Paul Pape, Donna Pescow, Bruce Ornstein, Julie Bovasso, Martin Shakar, Sam Coppola, Nina Hansen, Lisa Peluso, Denny Dillon, Bert Michaels, and Robert Costanzo, Saturday Night Fever was a fantastic drama filled with music, lights, fashion, sex, violence, romance, and shocks. I absolutely love it!