Famous Iconic Film But Unfocused

Rating: 6/10 (18 December 2005)

Think about the mid to late 1970s and you'll think about this movie . It's a film that changed western culture and that is no exaggeration . The OST sold tens of millions of copies , turned the almost forgotten Bee Gees into superstars , inspired Jerry Brukheimer to make films where the soundtrack was the most important aspect and gave us the striking image of an Italian American in a white suit strutting his stuff across the dance floor . It's a movie I've seen parodied a million times in other films and TV shows but one I had never seen until tonight . Sorry to say this but apart from marrying cinema and popular music into one there's little artistic worth to it
It's a very flawed film because it's a very unfocused one . What is the main plot about ? Is it about Italian-American Values ? Is it about religious pressure versus indiviualism ? Is it about gang warfare ? Or is it simply about trying to get ahead in life ? All these issues are explored in a series of subplots but I'm vaguely at a loss trying to decide what the main story is about . It's by no means as confused and rambling as THE DEER HUNTER but like so many films from this period you are left with a feeling that there's a lack of concentration in the production . Say what you like about Jerry Bruckheimer ( And if you say he's out to make a fast buck I'll agree with you ) but his he knows what type of market he's going for whilst the original SNF was re-released a few months later in a PG version so that young teenagers could flock to the cinema to watch it . By having the original version gritty and foul mouthed must be seen as a failure on the part of the producers