I'm going nowhere...somebody help me....

Rating: 10/10 (31 March 2011)

Saturday Night Fever is one of those films that exists in the very top bracket of film making yet has many flaws that are overcome by the sheer raw power of the message in the film and the development of the characters.
John Travolta will never be better as Tony Manero. We first meet Tony strutting down the street holding a can of paint, checking out all the ladies to the sound of Stayin Alive by The Bee Gees. (iconic shot - simple and has been imitated many times) and from that moment you are hooked into his world, his friends and are charmed into his lifestyle of sex, booze and great dancing. At first like Tony you are enjoying yourself and think he has it made.
This is what makes this movie great. As Tony discovers the little world that he is king of is nothing but a shallow empty shell of existence, you do too. You discover this with him. His friends are all idiots, the girls flinging themselves at him every Saturdays are whores and he can be so much more than this.
Another theme of the movie is the way people treat each other. Even Tony is not a hero in any sense of the word. He is not a good friend himself, he treats girls like dirt and is very selfish. A few examples include his treatment of Donna Pescow's character who seems lovely if a little dumb. He also permanently ignores a friends call for help until the guy goes berserk and falls off a bridge high on drugs - even then all Tony can think about is himself.
However you still like him. This is down to John Travolta and his career defining performance as he is a real person. People are selfish, people rarely listen and Saturday Night Fever captures this in gritty real detail.
Another great aspect of this film is the 'love interest' Stephanie. Now Stephanie is not a six foot amazonian blonde with great big artificial hooters teenage boys can lust after. She is a normal looking woman who has her own flaws. She is also quite selfish, snobby if you like trying to rise above her roots and upbringing to a better life. Tony is attracted to her as she does not react to his advances and often lets him down as he does other women. Stephanie as a character I understand is not well liked amongst a section of the SNF fans but she is very necessary to the plot and is played in a comical manner by Karen Lynn Gorney as we discover she is really no cleverer or sophisticated than Tony.
A special mention also needs to go to Donna Pescow who is cute as a button and the arc her character takes makes your heart break. She didn't deserve that! I thought she was the stand out hottie of the film hands down - that rack! Anyway I was supposed to be giving a serious insight into the movie...where was I....ah yes
Saturday Night Fever also contains some of the most iconic moments in seventies cinema - I am not fan of disco or dancing at all but even I think these scenes are brilliant.
Overall it is a film that you have to re visit every now and then, perhaps now over looked by a modern generation that file it alongside Grease as cheesy dance film. A shame really as it is also a powerful character study and a great ride if you decide to take it.