Saturday Night Fever - Classic or Crap?

[Bengal]

I'm always interested in things that make people fall on one side or the other. You know what I'm talking about. There are those generational things that draw a line in the sand and some fall on the pro side and some fall on the nay side. KISS is one. Hair Metal is another. Nirvana is another. Korn is another. And so on and so on.

Saturday Night Fever is another big one. I didn't realize it until I was talking to a coworker a while ago when the 25th Anniversary DVD came out. He is 5 years older than me and lothes that movie. Has never seen it, won't ever see it. He hated Disco and all it stood for so that's why he hates that movie. One he has never seen.

I love that movie. I watched it again last night. I was 8 when it came out and I remember the fever, pardon the pun, that it created. How popular that soundtrack was. It was everywhere. Everywhere I was. I was a big rollerskater then so you couldn't find a skating rink that wasn't spinning that album. Every station was playing songs from it. It was everywhere. I still love Manhattan Skyline by Daivd Shire.

But I couldn't see the movie because it was R and my parents wouldn't let me go to it. So I remember that they released a PG version of it not long after it came out. So I got to see that version, a very dumbed down version without the Donna Pescow rape scene and whantnot. But at least I got to see it.

I still think the dance scenes are brilliant. The acting is decent for it's time. It captures the feel and look of the 70's. It captures the feel and look of New York/Brooklyn. It's a very dark movie. Life is not peachy for these kids.

I also find it funny that this was a "throwaway" movie for Travolta according to the studio. It was just a little something to get his feet wet before he did Grease. Little did they know.

But it gets alot of backlash because of the whole anti-disco thing. But I think it gets short changed when it's called a Disco movie. It's a slice of life movie about these kids that live for dancing on the weekend. It's about the kids first, dancing second.

But what do I know? What do you think? Classic piece of cinema or just complete crap?

[MikeStrat]

Classic. Many things like this are steered by the people who grew up during that time period. I'll admit that I like a lot of 70's music, cheesy 80's music and movies but that's when I grew up. I was a KISS freak to the core. The Exorcist scared the shit out of me and still does but that's my time. Kids today think that movie is a joke.

[roodyrocker]

Put me in the camp that says utter crap! I hated Disco then and at that time I was listening to Boston, Kiss, Led Zep, Beatles, Van Halen, Rush, etc... I can proudly say today I still listen to those bands. OTOH not many of my friends can proudly say they listened to Disco today In fact I even had (still have somewhere?) the 45 of "Disco Sucks" Hated it then, hate now

[Bengal]

Rudy,
I take it you were a bit older than 8 when it came out. I was listening to KISS and Rush at the time but didn't realize that Disco was the "death of music" like some thought. I guess I hadn't become that jaded yet. Not that it's wrong to hate Disco, I'm not saying that. I think I was still of the mind that if I liked it, it was good no matter what it was.

I got jaded not too long after that.

Mike brings up The Exorcist. I still think it's one of the scariest movies ever made and young kids these days think it's more funny than scary.

[toejam]

Classic crap.

Some of the music I don't mind, but I never really could get into the movie.

[SEEGERMANY]

It's a classic. As for hating disco, how could you possibly hate music that attracted women like flies to shit. Yessir, I listened to Deep Purple, KISS, Zep, RUSH, etc, etc, etc, but when the urge for nookie kicked in, I'd be at the disco while my stubborn buddies were too proud and ended up at home doing the five knuckle shuffle!

[cookiemonster]

i still listen to disco......there are some great basslines in there, some funky hooks and the songs are melodic and well produced.

and chicks like to dance to it too.....

[toejam]

It's a classic. As for hating disco, how could you possibly hate music that attracted women like flies to shit. Yessir, I listened to Deep Purple, KISS, Zep, RUSH, etc, etc, etc, but when the urge for nookie kicked in, I'd be at the disco while my stubborn buddies were too proud and ended up at home doing the five knuckle shuffle!

I don't quite remember what I was doing when the movie came out... I was only 5. :ROTF:

[Newc]

I liked it when it came out, and the music as well (I might still have the album), but when I grew up, and got more into playing music instead of just listening, I gravitated to music which was more about the music than getting laid. I hated any band that the girls at school thought were "cute" but didn't like the music, because they were only interested in the superficial. That included all the Hair bands that came after Motley Crue's Shout At The Devil.

Yes, I was a music geek even then

For me, it was and still is all about the music. Using music as an excuse to get laid was and still is an insult to the music itself as far as I'm concerned.

[Newc]

As for the movie - while it may be a slice of life about kids who have crappy lives and their only ray of sunshine is disco dancing on the weekends: Yawn.

If you look closely, you can actually see me not caring.

Mankind has not yet invented a device capable of measuring how little I care.

All I got out of the story was Tony Baloney crying about his hair and winning the dance competition.
Yay.

It's as trivial to me as someone swatting a fly or buying a pack of gum.

[Vass]

I was 3 when the movie came out. But I do remember riding around listening to the Bee Gee's in my mom's station wagon, (BOOOOOOOMMMM!!! TRAGEDY!), and because of that I can't hate the Bee Gees. It's just good time music. Like Huey Lewis. It had its time, it was a sound that defined that time, and that's it.

I think SEEGERMANY's comment was more along the lines of not feeling like a sellout going to a club that's playing disco. I really am not into "house" music or any of that crap, but I went to a ton of clubs, and had a hell of a blast doing it. Did I fire up that music in my car on the way home? No, I sure didn't. But there are still certain songs that can come on the radio & get a smile out of me.

If you enjoy it, it can't be bad, at least not for you, and that's probably all that matters anyway.

So- Saturday Night Fever- Not cheesy. But very depressing in alot of ways.

Vass

[Jason1212]

I was born in 69 but I dont remember how old I was when it came out. You are right though, it was everywhere. My mom had the eight track and played it non stop in her car and then the record at home. I think my dad was indifferent to it as I remember it. He listened to Foghat, Speedwagon and other AM rock from that time. I remember seeing the movie back then and not really understanding what the big deal was about. Watching as a teenager I understood it more and thought there was some funny stuff in it.

[Jason1212]

I gravitated to music which was more about the music than getting laid.

That doesn't leave alot to listen to.

[Bengal]

As for the movie - while it may be a slice of life about kids who have crappy lives and their only ray of sunshine is disco dancing on the weekends: Yawn.

If you look closely, you can actually see me not caring.

Mankind has not yet invented a device capable of measuring how little I care.

All I got out of the story was Tony Baloney crying about his hair and winning the dance competition.
Yay.

It's as trivial to me as someone swatting a fly or buying a pack of gum.

Well, there was more to it that just that. Maybe it's that oversimplified but there are other issues going on.

The one guy who gets his girl pregnant then either falls or jumps off the bridge and dies.

There is the issue of the Dad feeling like he can't provide anymore because he lost his job and now his second oldest son is the major breadwinner.

There is the issue of the oldest losing his faith and leaving the church, which crushes his mom. But his brother Tony is happy because he's not the "bad" son anymore.

There is Tony, not the brightest kid at all, working at a paint store all weekend just to have enough money to help his parents and go out once a week to dance.

There is Stephanie. The girl who is trying very hard to overcome her upbringing and trying to make something of herself all the while crapping on those that were just like her.

Then there's Annette who just wants attention from Tony. So much so that she's willing to "go all the way" with either him or his friends just to be close to Tony.

It's a story of trying to find your spot in life when life hasn't given you much to use to get ahead. It's a story that's been told many, many times in many, many movies.

[Flametop]

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