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John Travolta, Karen Lynn Gorney, Barry Miller, Joseph Cali, Paul Pape ... see more see more... , Bruce Ornstein , Donna Pescow , Val Bisoglio , Julie Bovasso , Nina Hansen , Lisa Peluso , Sam Coppola , Denny Dillon , Bert Michaels , Donald Gantry , Shelly Batt , Robert Costanzo , Stanley de Santis , Fran Drescher , Murray Moston , Monte Rock III , Martin Shakar , Ann Travolta , Helen Travolta , Robert Weil , Ellen March , William Andrews , Karen Gorney

John Travolta graduated from minor celebrity to superstar with Saturday Night Fever. Travolta plays Tony Manero, a Brooklyn paint-store clerk who'd give anything to break out of his dead-end existence... read more read more.... In life, Tony is a peasant; on the disco dance floor, he's a king. As the soundtrack plays one Bee Gees hit after another (including "Stayin' Alive"), we watch white-suited Tony strut his stuff amidst flashing lights and sweaty, undulating bodies. Tony's class aspirations are mirrored in his relationship with his dance partner, Stephanie (Karen Lynn Gorney), a secretary eager to move into the glamorous world of Manhattan. Saturday Night Fever's huge success grew meteorically thanks to the towering popularity of its soundtrack; during the first half of 1978, when the movie's disco songs saturated the singles charts up to four at a time, it was no longer clear whether the hit movie was feeding the hit songs or the hit songs were feeding the hit movie. This crossover between music and movies set the pace for many movies to come, as it also marked the rise and fall of 1970s disco culture. Two versions of this film exist: the original R-rated version and a PG version, edited down to more "family-friendly" fare and fed to the public with the tagline, "Because we want everyone to see John Travolta's performance." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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67% liked it

159,489 ratings

Critics

90% liked it

39 critics

R, 1 hr. 59 min.

Directed by: John Badham

Release Date: December 19, 1977

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DVD Release Date: August 10, 2002

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Stats: 4,923 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (4,923)

  • danperry17
    April 15, 2012
    danperry17
    I was shocked. This film was way better than I expected. I was tempted to fast-forward the many dance sequences, but around them, John Travolta builds an interesting and compelling character with a performance worthy of its Academy Award nomination. Tony Manero has Rocky and Serp... read moreico posters on the bedroom wall in his parents' Brooklyn home, and he joins them as an Italian-American everyman on-screen, breaking free from a traditional family and learning - when he meets Stephanie, who's leaving Brooklyn for Manhattan thanks to a job at an advertising agency - that his big-fish-in-a-small-pond days may be coming to an end. And though the film culminates in a dance competition, the movie's not about disco dancing at all; it's about class, and upbringing, and social status: a place to stand in the world... but yeah, fast-forward the dance sequences. Some Bee-Gees songs deserve to stand the test of time, but those included in this film, if not for this film, would have been otherwise forgettable.
  • DragonEyeMorrison
    April 13, 2012
    DragonEyeMorrison
    Silly but, for some strange reason, charming.
  • cosmo313
    September 25, 2011
    cosmo313
    First off, a disclaimer: no, I had never actually seen this before (but still had preconceived notions about it), and I don't really care for the disco scene.

    You might be wondering then why I finally decided to give it a chance and watch it. Well, a couple of reasons. As a burg... read moreeoning historian wishing to specialize in 20th century pop culture studies, specifically the 60s and 70s, I kinda can't ignore this. Also, even though I'm still not a fan of disco music or dancing, I've grown to respect and appreciate it. Thus, all my old views that this movie was some stupid, cheesy piece of disco kitsch, while still a bit existant, had overtime softened some, and I felt like I would be mature enough to give it a chance, maybe even realize that there's more to it than it seems.

    Wouldn't you know it, I ended up being right. It's wrong to just marginalize this movie as disco kitsch. Yes, the disco scene is a major part of it, but it is, really, just the backdrop. If you take away the fashion, music, and dancing ,you'll see that this is really a great coming of age story and touches upon some deep issues that are very important to people. Unfortunately it's the music, fashion, and dancing that were capitalized on in the ad campaigns and seem to be what people would prefer to remember, and I don't think that's right.

    Tony Manero is an immature working class 19 year-old who lives with his family in Brroklyn's Bay Ridge neighborhood. By day he works at a paint and hardware store, but every Saturday night, he puts his reality on hold and becomes the king of the local disco, wowing people with his moves, and really living it up. He pals around with a bunch of immature macho thugs, and, while he likes them, you can tell that he really wants more out of life, and knows that he needs to grow up and moe on if he really wants to make his life more fulfilling, perhaps by using his dancing to get the job done.

    I wasn't expecting this movie to be a serious drama that does deal with some deep issues as serious subtext. The material is taken seriously, and, while some of this movie is fun (it really is hard to not get swept up in the mess that was the late 70s), there's also a lot of sadness, and some grim and grittty moments that, while uncomfortable, are very much real and unavoidable. If only I would have known from the beginning that this movie was a touching coming of age character study I probably would have been mroe eager to give it a chance sooner.

    John Travolta became a star here, and yes, he does give a fantastic performance. He's not the only one, though. Karen Lynn Gorney is great as Stephanie the woman who agrees to partner with Tony for a dance competition. Donna Pescow is really good as a woman who's love for Tony is unrequited, and Val Biscoglio and Julie Bovasso as wonderful as Tony's bickering parents.

    The music does grow on you, and in context, the whole disco era does too. It was a messed up time in the world. I'm still not that big on disco tunes, but compared to contemporary club music, this at least comes off as being real music. You really should give this one a chance. You don't have to care about or enjoy disco appreciate this movie. The worst hting you can do is be like me and make unwarranted judgments before actually sitting down and watching this. Give it a shot. Like me, you might find yourself pleasantly surprised by what you see.
  • FilmFanatik
    August 4, 2011
    FilmFanatik
    Like most people, I derided this film without actually having seen it. Most people assume it to be nothing more than a soundtrack vehicle. Fortunately, that's not the case. This is actually an extremely good and well-made film, as well one of John Travolta's best performances. Ye... read mores, the music is great, but it's the film itself that's the real ballgame here. Not only is it a great snapshot of New York in the 70's, but it's also one of the best "growing up" films out there. Most films like that are sanitized, and this one isn't. It's gritty & raw, and character-driven to the hilt. Surprisingly, it's fast-becoming one of my top ten favorites films. Definitely worth checking out!!!
  • ajv2688
    January 5, 2011
    ajv2688
    A fantastic drama and disco music dance movie. It's very unique movie, and I loved it.
  • bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1
    July 23, 2010
    bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1
    B
  • RossCollinsUK
    May 9, 2010
    RossCollinsUK
    So so silly, but so, so fun. A timeless homage to 70s disco culture. Just sit back and enjoy the Bee Gees and outlandish dancing.
  • sononothing
    April 18, 2010
    sononothing
    To say that Saturday Night Fever is dated is an understatement. It was dated by the 1980 and it's this expiration date that has really held the movie down to a lower standard than it really deserves. I've seen this movie close to half a dozen times and when the DJ says "I love th... read moreat polyester look" I still bust out in laughter. Unintentional, yes, but it's still funny.

    Getting past the polyester look and the Bee Gees soundtrack, Saturday Night Fever is about a young Brooklyn named Tony Manero (John Travolta) who is your typical twenty something working a dead end job at a hardware store and supporting his family with his wages. Of course all of this plays second fiddle to Tony whose really passion isn't paint swatches and hammers, but dancing. An example would be Paul Newman having pool in The Hustler, Tony has dancing. He thrives on it. It is his life, no matter what everyone else says.

    Of course Tony's life is full of problems. His family doesn't understand him with his blown dry hair, Bruce Lee posters, and that damn polyester look. They're more concerned with his brother the priests. His friends are perpetually going to be exactly the same, cruising bars and clubs through out the non-glamorous end of the George Washington bridge. And of course there's women. Tony doesn't have a problem getting a little action, but it's one girl in particular (Karen Lynn Gorney) that Tony has to work on, not for a booty call but for a dance partner.

    The thing that really sets Saturday Night Fever apart is the idea of Tony wanting to aspire to more than his life of shaking paint during the day and shaking his ass at night. He wants it. He knows dance is the way to get it, but he doesn't bludgeon everyone (including the audience) with his need to claw out of Brooklyn for the greener grass in Manhattan. You never really know what he's thinking even when he says something that can lead us to believe his true feelings. He's the classic example of the repressed Italian-American male. Don't rock the boat.

    Directed by John Badham, Saturday Night Fever is probably one of the defining films of the 1970's. It's a pure time capsule that can be seen as a punchline to most with it's rainbow colored floors, Brothers Gibb sound and that polyester look. It's really much more than that. It's a basic tale of a guy that doesn't know what the hell he wants to do. It's a fine film that's been scorched into our memory because of that white suit and the arm in the air. It's a lot better than that.
  • movieguru12
    April 7, 2010
    movieguru12
    Great story about a Brooklyn boy trying to make it in the dancing world. Not only is John Travolta a phoneomenal dancer, he's adorable as well!!! I love this movie!!! :) Reccomend to anyone who loves the 70s :)
  • SirPant
    September 28, 2009
    SirPant
    If I had a time machine I would definitely go back to 1970's New York and Disco dance my butt off. I haven?t though so watching this movie is just going to have to do!

View All Saturday Night Fever Reviews

Critic Reviews

Dave Kehr
April 27, 2009
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

A small, solid film, made with craft if not resonance. Full Review

A.D. Murphy
March 5, 2009
A.D. Murphy, Variety

Travolta's characterization, given the script and directorial demands, is okay. It will please the already-committed; but it won't win him any new fans. Full Review

Janet Maslin
May 20, 2003
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Mr. Travolta is deft and vibrant, and he never condescends to the character, not even in a scene that has Tony and Stephanie arguing about whose Romeo and Juliet it is, Zeffirelli's or Shakespeare's. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

There's a lot in the movie that's sad and painful, but after a few years what you remember is John Travolta on the dance floor in that classic white disco suit, and the Bee Gees on the soundtrack. Full Review

Charles Cassady
December 15, 2010
Charles Cassady, Common Sense Media

Disco drama is not just daaancin' yeah! Full Review

Eric Henderson
May 10, 2009
Eric Henderson, Slant Magazine

Saturday Night Fever's heart is actually in the right place. It's ears, though? That's another story. Full Review

John J. Puccio
May 7, 2009
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

Today, it's like a kind of '70s jukebox that hasn't quite aged that well. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
November 29, 2006
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

John Badham's film (his best to date), a zeitgeist picture that captures the disco subculture of the 1970s like no other work, features a star-making performance from John Travolta who dominates every... Full Review

Derek Adams
February 9, 2006
Derek Adams, Time Out

In the end, the real killer is the movie's abject sincerity. Full Review

Michael A. Smith
April 29, 2005
Michael A. Smith, Nolan's Pop Culture Review

My "how to" book as a teenage.

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