Saturday Night Fever

This article is about the film. For the stage musical, see Saturday Night Fever (musical). For the soundtrack album, see Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack).
Saturday Night Fever

Theatrical release poster
Directed by John Badham
Produced by Robert Stigwood
Screenplay by Norman Wexler
Based on Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night by
Nik Cohn
Starring John Travolta
Karen Lynn Gorney
Barry Miller
Paul Pape
Donna Pescow
Bruce Ornstein
Martin Shakar
Julie Bovasso
Fran Drescher
Music by Barry Gibb
Maurice Gibb
Robin Gibb
David Shire
Cinematography Ralf D. Bode
Editing by David Rawlins
Studio RSO Records
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)
  • December 14, 1977 (1977-12-14)
Running time 118 Minutes (R-Rated), 112 Minutes (PG-Rated)
Country United States
Language English
Budget $2.5 million
Box office $282,400,000[1]

Saturday Night Fever is a 1977 American dance film directed by John Badham and starring John Travolta as Tony Manero, an immature young man whose weekends are spent visiting a local Brooklyn discothèque; Karen Lynn Gorney as his dance partner and eventual friend; and Donna Pescow as Tony's former dance partner and would-be girlfriend. While in the disco, Tony is the king. His care-free youth and weekend dancing help him to temporarily forget the reality of his life: a dead end job, clashes with his unsupportive and squabbling parents, racial tensions in the local community, and his associations with a gang of macho friends.

A huge commercial success, the film significantly helped to popularize disco music around the world and made Travolta, already well known from his role on TV's Welcome Back, Kotter, a household name. The Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, featuring disco songs by the Bee Gees, is one of the best selling soundtracks of all time.[2] The film is the first example of cross-media marketing, with the tie-in soundtrack's single being used to help promote the film before its release and the film popularizing the entire soundtrack after its release. The film also showcased aspects of the music, the dancing, and the subculture surrounding the disco era: symphony-orchestrated melodies, haute-couture styles of clothing, pre-AIDS sexual promiscuity, and graceful choreography.

The story is based upon a 1976 New York magazine article by British writer Nik Cohn, "Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night". In the late 1990s, Cohn acknowledged that the article had been fabricated.[3] A newcomer to the United States and a stranger to the disco lifestyle, Cohn was unable to make any sense of the subculture he had been assigned to write about; instead, the character who became Tony Manero was based on a Mod[4] acquaintance of Cohn's.

Plot

Tony Manero (John Travolta) is a skirt-chasing Italian American from the Bay Ridge, Brooklyn neighborhood of New York City. Tony lives at home with his parents (Val Bisoglio and Julie Bovasso) and works at a dead-end job at a small hardware store by day. But on Saturday nights Tony rules the dance floor with his frequent appearances at 2001 Odyssey, a local nightclub. Tony has four close friends: Joey (Joseph Cali); Double J (Paul Pape); Gus (Bruce Ornstein); and the diminutive Bobby C. (Barry Miller). Another, albeit informal, member of their group is Annette (Donna Pescow), a neighborhood girl who longs for a more permanent and physical relationship with Tony. Tony has an older brother, Frank Jr (Martin Shakar), who was the pride of the family because he was a priest in the Catholic Church, but brings despair to the family by leaving the priesthood.

Tony agrees to be Annette's partner in a local dance competition. Her happiness is short-lived, however, when Tony dumps her after seeing Stephanie Mangano (Karen Lynn Gorney). Stephanie agrees to partner with him in the competition, but nothing more. Bobby C. asks Tony for advice on getting out of his relationship with his devoutly Catholic girlfriend, Pauline, who is pregnant with his child. Though Tony tells him to dump her, Bobby C. faces pressure from his family and others to marry her, which he clearly does not wish to do. Bobby asks Tony's older brother, former priest Frank Jr., if the Pope would grant him dispensation for an abortion. But when Frank tells him this would be highly unlikely, Bobby's feelings of despair deepen.

At one point Gus is attacked by a Hispanic gang while on his way home from the grocery store, and is hospitalized. He tells the guys it was a group called the Barracudas. On the right night, they attack the Barracudas at their hangout, but Bobby C. chickens out and drives away after one member tries to attack him in the car. They visit Gus in the hospital afterwards, but are less than happy with him when it turns out he may have fingered the wrong gang, plus they expose Bobby's chickening out of the fight.

Later, Tony and Stephanie dance at the competition and end up winning. However, Tony believes that a Puerto Rican couple performed better and that the judges' decision was based on racism. Tony gives the Puerto Ricans the prize, despite hostilities between his group and local Hispanic gangs. Once outside in the car, he tries to rape Stephanie, resulting in her fleeing from him. He then sullenly takes off with both the gang and a drunken and stoned Annette. Annette initially agrees to have sex with Double J and Joey. The two friends take turns with Annette, even as Annette starts to cry and struggle as the drugs wear off, repeatedly asking to stop what has become a rape scene.

They then pull the car off onto the shoulder at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to partake in bridge-climbing antics, like they did earlier. Bobby C., who abstained from the antics the first time, decides to attempt more dangerous stunts than the rest. Realizing that Bobby is acting recklessly, Tony tries to coax him off the railing. But upset at his lonely life, his situation with Pauline, and a broken promise from Tony earlier, Bobby issues a tirade at Tony's lack of care before slipping and falling to his death in the Narrows more than two hundred feet below.

Disgusted and disillusioned by his friends, his life and his family, Tony spends the rest of the night riding the subway. As morning comes, he finally shows up at Stephanie's apartment in Manhattan, apologizing for his bad behavior. He tells her that he plans to leave Brooklyn and come to Manhattan to try and start a new life. He asks Stephanie if he can salvage their relationship by being friends and she accepts. They share a tender moment between them as the credits roll.

Versions and sequel

Movie poster of (edited) PG version of Saturday Night Fever

Two theatrical versions of the film were released: the original R-rated version and an edited PG-rated version. (The PG-rated version was not created until 1978; the middle-ground PG-13 rating was not created until 1984.)

Paramount Pictures actually paired up the film as a double- feature along with its other John Travolta blockbuster, Grease.

The R-rated version released in 1977 represented the movie's first run, and totaled 118 minutes.

After the success of the first run, in 1978 the film was re-issued to a PG-rated version and re-released during a second run to attract a wider audience. The R-rated version contained profanity, nudity, drug use and an attempted rape scene, all of which were de-emphasized or removed from the PG version.

Producer Robert Stigwood said in a recent interview[when?] on "The Inside Story: Saturday Night Fever", about the PG version: "It doesn't have the power, or the impact, of the original, R-rated edition."

The PG-rated version was 112 minutes. Numerous profanity-filled scenes were replaced with alternate takes of the same scenes, substituting milder language initially intended for the network television cut. To maintain runtime, a few deleted scenes were restored (including Tony dancing with Doreen to "Disco Duck," Tony running his finger along the cables of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, and Tony's father getting his job back).

Both theatrical versions were released on VHS, Laserdisc and DVD. But the R-rated version never saw wide release until its Laserdisc (in limited edition) and DVD issues. The R-rated special-edition DVD release include most of the deleted scenes present on the PG version. Both the PG & R-rated DVD releases also include a director's commentary and "Behind the Music" highlights. Starting in the late 1990s VH1, TBS, and TNT started showing the original R-rated version with a TV-14 rating. The nudity was removed/censored, and the stronger profanity was ether edited or (on recent arings) silenced. But this TV edit included some of the innuendos from the original film that were edited or removed from the PG version. Turner Classic Movies on occasion, airs the film in both its PG & R-rated forms (the R-rated version is commonly seen on their normal lineup, while the PG version has appeared on TCM's "Funday Night at the Movies" and "Essentials Jr." program blocks.)

The network television version (which premiered on November 16, 1980 on ABC) was basically a slightly shortened form of the PG-rated version, but contained several minutes of outtakes normally excised from both theatrical releases to make up for lost/cut material. It is among the longest cuts of the film. This version is still aired today on local stations and most recently on TV Land. But with some swear words too strong for a TV-PG rating slienced and removal some of the extra footage for time.

A sequel, Staying Alive, was released in 1983. It starred John Travolta and was directed by Sylvester Stallone. (Staying Alive was rated PG; it also predated the introduction of the PG-13 rating.)

Cast

Production

Donna Pescow was almost considered 'too pretty' for the role of Annette. She corrected this by putting on 40 pounds (18 kilograms) and training herself back to her native Brooklyn accent, which she trained herself away from while she was studying drama at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. After production ended, she immediately lost the weight she gained for the role and dropped the accent.

John Travolta's mother Helen and sister Ann both appeared in minor roles in this movie. Travolta's sister is the pizzeria waitress who serves him the pizza slices, and his mother is the woman he sells the can of paint early in the film.

John G. Avildsen was signed to direct but was fired three weeks prior to principal photography over a script dispute with producer Robert Stigwood. Despite this, one reference to Avildsen directing remains in the final film - John Travolta's character has a Rocky poster in his room (the first film in that series was directed by Avildsen.)

Filming locations

Soundtrack

Main article: Saturday Night Fever: The Original Movie Sound Track
Track listing
  1. "Stayin' Alive" performed by Bee Gees - 4:45
  2. "How Deep Is Your Love" performed by Bee Gees - 4:05
  3. "Night Fever" performed by Bee Gees - 3:33
  4. "More Than a Woman" performed by Bee Gees - 3:17
  5. "If I Can't Have You" performed by Yvonne Elliman - 3:00
  6. "A Fifth of Beethoven" performed by Walter Murphy - 3:03
  7. "More Than a Woman" performed by Tavares - 3:17
  8. "Manhattan Skyline" performed by David Shire - 4:44
  9. "Calypso Breakdown" performed by Ralph MacDonald - 7:50
  10. "Night on Disco Mountain" performed by David Shire - 5:12
  11. "Open Sesame" performed by Kool & the Gang - 4:01
  12. "Jive Talkin'" performed by Bee Gees - 3:43 (*)
  13. "You Should Be Dancing" performed by Bee Gees - 4:14
  14. "Boogie Shoes" performed by KC and the Sunshine Band - 2:17
  15. "Salsation" performed by David Shire - 3:50
  16. "K-Jee" performed by MFSB - 4:13
  17. "Disco Inferno" performed by Trammps - 10:51

(*) "Jive Talkin'" was not contained in the film.

The novelty songs "Dr. Disco" and "Disco Duck", both performed by Rick Dees, were played in the film but not included on the album.

According to the DVD commentary for this movie, the producers intended to use the song "Lowdown" by Boz Scaggs for use in the rehearsal scene between Tony and Annette in the dance studio, and choreographed their dance moves to the song. However, representatives for Scaggs' label, Columbia Records, refused to grant legal clearance for it, as they wanted to pursue another disco movie project, which never materialized. Composer David Shire, who scored the film, had to in turn write a song to match the dance steps demonstrated in the scene and eliminate the need for future legal hassles. However, this track does not appear on the movie's soundtrack.

The song "K-Jee" was used during the dance contest with the Hispanic couple that competed against Tony and Stephanie. Some VHS cassettes used a more traditional Latin-style song instead. The DVD restores the original recording.

Reception

Critical response

Saturday Night Fever is regarded by many critics as one of the best films of 1977.[5][6][7][8] The film currently holds a 90% "Fresh" rating on the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes.[9] It also holds a score of 77/100 (mostly favorable) on a similar review website Metacritic.[10] It was eventually added to The New York Times "Guide to the Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made," which was published in 2004.[11]

In 2010, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Film critic Gene Siskel, who listed this as one of his favorite movies, praised the film: "One minute into "Saturday Night Fever" you know this picture is onto something, that it knows what it's talking about." He also praised John Travolta's energetic performance: "Travolta on the dance floor is like a peacock on amphetamines. He struts like crazy."[12] Siskel even bought the famous white suit Travolta wore at a charity auction.[13]

Film critic Pauline Kael, wrote a gushing review of the film in The New Yorker: "The way Saturday Night Fever has been directed and shot, we feel the languorous pull of the discotheque, and the gaudiness is transformed. These are among the most hypnotically beautiful pop dance scenes ever filmed...Travolta gets so far inside the role he seems incapable of a false note; even the Brooklyn accent sounds unerring...At its best, though, Saturday Night Fever gets at something deeply romantic: the need to move, to dance, and the need to be who you'd like to be. Nirvana is the dance; when the music stops, you return to being ordinary."[14]

Awards and nominations

Award wins:

Award nominations:

American Film Institute Lists

Parodies

John Belushi parodied the film as "Samurai Night Fever", one of his "Samurai" sketches on Saturday Night Live. Belushi spoofed it again in the film Neighbors, during a scene in which tilted camera angles show Belushi combing his hair in front of the mirror as "Stayin' Alive" plays in the background. Ironically, the oft-repeated phrase in the movie, "Can you dig it? I knew that you could," had been made famous on Saturday Night Live during a stand-up performance by Billy Crystal.

The 1980 film Airplane! contained a parody scene, with Robert Hays mocking the famous pose and the clothing shown on the poster and album cover, to the tune of "Stayin' Alive" slightly sped up (the actual song used for that scene in Saturday Night Fever was "You Should Be Dancing").

The Goodies parodied the film in their Saturday Night Grease episode.

The Children's Television Workshop published a record album of music from Sesame Street under the title Sesame Street Fever, the cover of which spoofed the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack album cover, with muppet Grover wearing the white three-piece disco suit in the famous Travolta pose and Bert, Ernie, and Cookie Monster taking the place of the Bee Gees. Robin Gibb (of the Bee Gees) sings on two tracks for this album "Sesame Street Fever" Trash" and has a dialog with cookie monster on the into for "C Is For Cookie."

In 1998, Singaporean filmmaker Glen Goei made Forever Fever (That's the Way I Like It). Set in Singapore during the 1970s, the film starred Adrian Pang as the Tony Manero character who eventually develops a liking for disco dancing. The movie also used cover versions of songs from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack.

In 2000, at the Inner Circle press dinner, mayor Rudy Giuliani spoofed John Travolta by dancing to "Disco Inferno" by The Trammps. Giuliani wore a white 70s-style disco suit.

On June 25, 2002, in an episode of Son of the Beach, David Arquette guest-starred as Johnny Queefer in a send-off episode entitled "Saturday Night Queefer", which also included parodies of the Bee Gees songs sung by a quartet of guys breathing helium balloons to get the high voices like the Gibb brothers.

In season 6, episode 7 of The Simpsons, Jessica Lovejoy (Meryl Streep) invites Bart for dinner, upon which he says, "There's only one thing to do at a moment like this: strut!". Bart then struts to "Stayin' Alive" in the same manner as Travolta's character at the end of the sequel, Staying Alive.

In the film "Look Who's Talking" (1989), the opening of "Staying Alive" is heard as Mikey, in the stroller, hits the street being wheeled by James (played by John Travolta).

In 2011, British comedian John Bishop includes a tribute to Saturday Night Fever at the end of his performance on his latest Sunshine stand-up tour. His finale whilst playing in theaters, he included a video of him re-enacting the opening scene and dancing at the discothèque however, whilst performing at arenas, he showed extracts of the video and the section where he is supposed to dance at the disco, he emerges on stage with a troupe of dancers and performs the dance routine like John Travolta.

On April 17, 2012, Glee (TV series) put on a tribute episode to the movie, Saturday Night Glee-ver

Blu-ray release

On May 5, 2009, Paramount released Saturday Night Fever on Blu-ray Disc in 1.85:1 aspect ratio.

References

  1. ^ "Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Box Office Information". The Numbers. http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1977/0CETK.php. Retrieved January 29, 2012. 
  2. ^ Bee Gees' Maurice Gibb dies. USA Today (January 12, 2003).
  3. ^ Leduff, Charlie (June 9, 1996). "Saturday Night Fever: The Life". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A07E5D81639F93AA35755C0A960958260. Retrieved May 23, 2010. 
  4. ^ Saturday Night Fever: The Life by Charlie LeDuff, New York Times. June 9, 1996
  5. ^ "Gene Siskel's Top Ten Lists 1969-1998". Alumnus.caltech.edu. February 20, 1999. http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~ejohnson/critics/siskel.html. Retrieved April 11, 2011. 
  6. ^ "Greatest Films of 1977: "melodramatic, out-dated blockbuster"". Filmsite.org. http://www.filmsite.org/1977.html. Retrieved April 11, 2011. 
  7. ^ MaryAnn Johanson (May 25, 2007). "The 10 Best Movies of 1977 - Movies". Film.com. http://www.film.com/features/story/10-best-movies-of-1977/14896015. Retrieved April 11, 2011. 
  8. ^ "The Best Movies of 1977 by Rank". Films101.com. http://www.films101.com/y1977r.htm. Retrieved April 11, 2011. 
  9. ^ "Saturday Night Fever Movie Reviews". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/saturday_night_fever/. Retrieved April 11, 2011. 
  10. ^ EvanW.. "Saturday Night Fever Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic.com. http://www.metacritic.com/movie/saturday-night-fever. Retrieved April 11, 2011. 
  11. ^ "The Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made". The New York Times. April 29, 2003. http://www.nytimes.com/ref/movies/1000best.html. Retrieved May 23, 2010. 
  12. ^ Gene Siskel, The Chicago Tribune, December 16, 1977
  13. ^ "Saturday Night Fever (1977)". Chicago Sun-Times. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19990307/REVIEWS08/401010357/1023. 
  14. ^ . http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/293246. 

External links

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