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List Price: $12.98 | | Label: Paramount
Salesrank: 23537
Released: October 8, 2002 |
| Our Price: $5.74 |
| Used Price: $1.54 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Saturday Night Fever is one of those movies that comes along and seems to change the cultural temperature in a flash. After the movie's release in 1977, disco ruled the dance floors, and a blow-dried member of a TV-sitcom ensemble became the hottest star in the U.S. For all that, the story is conventional: a 19-year-old Italian American from Brooklyn, Tony Manero (John Travolta), works in a humble paint store and lives with his family. After dark, he becomes the polyester-clad stallion of the local nightclub; Tony's brother, a priest, observes that when Tony hits the dance floor, the crowd parts like the Red Sea before Moses. Director John Badham captures the electric connection between music and dance, and also the desperation that lies beneath Tony's ambitions to break out of his limited world. The soundtrack, which spawned a massively successful album, is dominated by the disco classics of the Bee Gees, including "Staying Alive" (Travolta's theme during the strutting opening) and "Night Fever." The Oscar®-nominated Travolta, plucked from the cast of Welcome Back, Kotter, for his first starring role, is incandescent and unbelievably confident, and his dancing is terrific. Oh, and the white suit rules. --Robert Horton
Saturday Night Fever Reviews:
Modern 
2008-09-12 - 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.
Perennial Favorite
2008-08-17 - I must've seen this moved at least 20 times before I decided to buy it. Travolta at his very best. Plus the music and dancing are spectacular. All with a believable coming-of-age story. Worth every penny. I'll show it to my grandkids when they're old enough. One, at 3, is already into music big time.
Nice Music, Lousy Story 
2008-04-07 - I am a Bee Gees fan, and I loved the music! The dancing was good but not great. The story and acting were terribe! The foul language was unnecessary.
Great Movie
2008-03-10 - Still powerful 31 years later. A peek into another world ...Brooklyn and NYC in the 70's. Enjoyable from beginning to end
Saturday Night Fever 
2008-02-25 - John Travolta and The Bee Gees team up, and the result is the biggest selling soundtrack in history. Travolta's feverish dancing put a face on the Gibb Brothers' disco beat. We still imitate him in his white suit, our fingers pointing to the sky. For awhile, I thought The Bee Gees were singing "Bald Headed Woman." I was informed that it was "More Than A Woman." It is unlikely that the movie would have done much without the music. I particularly like Yvonne Elliman's rendition of If I Can't Have You. It was painful to watch The Bee Gees renounce the disco era a few years later. They apologized for their best work.
