Saturday 12 March 2011

Saturday Night Fever


This is not just a film, it's a cultural landmark. A perfect marriage of music, dancing, John Travolta, disco, floors with lights, Brooklyn and fabulous clothes.

It's easy to mock Saturday Night Fever and it has been parodied to death. However, at the time it was considered ground-breaking. It is also easy to forget that this is a dark film - I rarely sit and watch the whole thing as I find it quite depressing. Instead I forward through to find the sublime dance scenes.

Oh John. I think he deserves a wall of Oscars for his performance in this. Not only is he a really good actor, he can dance like a dream. I don't think anyone on film has ever been a better dancer than Mr Travolta. And he is so sweet, there is a goofiness to him that I think the picture above captures perfectly.

SNF has one of the best openings of a film. Stayin' Alive and those red boots swaggering down the streets of Brooklyn is pure film-making genius. And the cultural references are beautifully done - Tony getting ready for his night out with Farrah and Al Pacino watching him.

The soundtrack is of course, perfection. This is simply one of the best soundtracks ever made. We bow to the Bee Gees. Yes, we do.

My flaw with SNF is the women in it. Both are beyond irritating and Karen Lynn Gorney who plays Stephanie is just bad. The credits say 'Introducing Karen Lynn Gorney". Introducing and saying farewell all in one film I say. She can't even dance very well.

This is Mr Travolta's film and a career defining moment for him. His crazy Scientology ways can all be forgiven when I watch this scene. Check it out at about 1:40 and report back if you can do that. I shall be very impressed if you can!

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