Saturday Night Fever (1977)

	Directed by: John Badham	COUNTRY United States GENRE Drama/Music NORWEGIAN TITLE Saturday Night Fever RUNNING TIME 119 minutes
	Produced by: Roger Stigwood
	Written by (based on an article by Nik Cohn): Norman Wexler

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Tony Manero	John Travolta	½
Stephanie	Karen Lynn Gorney
Bobby C.	Barry Miller	½
Joey	Joseph Call	½
Double J	Paul Pape
Annette	Donna Pescow
Frank Manero, Sr.	Val Bisoglio
Flo Manero	Julie Bovasso
Father Frank Manero, Jr.	Martin Shakar
Connie	Fran Drescher

Review

The wonderful, glossy disco culture was abruptly killed off by some bitter dissenters insecure about their own manhood during the so-called "disco backlash" in the summer of 1979, but luckily it lives on thanks to this profound and stylish film from John Badham, starring a steamingly hot John Travolta and the Bee Gees' immaculate music. The script by Norman Wexler may well include one or two slight cheesy moments (including the climax at the bridge), but the writing is completely eclipsed by the atmosphere, style and testosterone captured on camera here. Few films have depicted an era better than Saturday Night Fever, and Badham recognises and makes the most of the purity and edge that are created at the intersection between 1970s youth culture, Travolta's buoyant energy, and the pulsating disco music. Today the film works as dual escapism, but it's no less relevant and no less valid than it was back in 1977, because the essence it captures is timeless – even if the wonderful music turned out to be ephemeral.