Saturday Night Fever (1977)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

John Badham

Writers:

Nik Cohn (magazine article "Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night")
Norman Wexler (screenplay)

Release Date:

16 December 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music | Romance

Tagline:

Where do you go when the record is over...

Plot:

A Brooklyn youth feels his only chance to get somewhere is as the king of the disco floor.

Plot Keywords:

Disco | Moving | Dance | Vulgarity | Nightclub

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 8 nominations

US Showtimes:

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Cast

John Travolta	...	Tony Manero
Karen Lynn Gorney	...	Stephanie
Barry Miller	...	Bobby C.
Joseph Cali	...	Joey
Paul Pape	...	Double J.
Donna Pescow	...	Annette
Bruce Ornstein	...	Gus
Julie Bovasso	...	Flo
Martin Shakar	...	Frank Jr.
Sam Coppola	...	Dan Fusco (as Sam J. Coppola)
Nina Hansen	...	Grandmother
Lisa Peluso	...	Linda
Denny Dillon	...	Doreen
Bert Michaels	...	Pete
Robert Costanzo	...	Paint Store Customer (as Robert Costanza)
Robert Weil	...	Becker
Shelly Batt	...	Girl in Disco
Fran Drescher	...	Connie
Donald Gantry	...	Jay Langhart
Murray Moston	...	Haberdashery Salesman
William Andrews	...	Detective
Ann Travolta	...	Pizza Girl
Helen Travolta	...	Lady in paint store
Ellen March	...	Bartender
Monti Rock III	...	The Deejay
Val Bisoglio	...	Frank Sr.
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Roy Cheverie	...	The Wrong Partner (uncredited)
Adrienne King	...	Dancer (uncredited)
M.J. Quinn	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Alberto Vazquez	...	Gang Member (uncredited)

Directed by
John Badham

Writing credits
Nik Cohn		(magazine article "Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night")
Norman Wexler		(screenplay)

Produced by
Milt Felsen	....	associate producer
Kevin McCormick	....	executive producer
Robert Stigwood	....	producer

Original Music by
Barry Gibb		(as Barry)
Maurice Gibb
Robin Gibb		(as Robin)

Cinematography by
Ralf D. Bode		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
David Rawlins

Casting by
Shirley Rich

Production Design by
Charles Bailey

Set Decoration by
George DeTitta Sr.		(as George Detitta)

Costume Design by
Patrizia von Brandenstein		(as Patrizia Von Brandenstein)

Makeup Department
Max Henriquez	....	makeup artist (as Henriquez)
Joe Tubens	....	hair designer

Production Management
John Nicolella	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph Ray	....	second assistant director
Allan Wertheim	....	assistant director

Art Department
James Mazzola	....	property master
William Canfield	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael Colgan	....	sound editor
Robert W. Glass Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer
Les Lazarowitz	....	sound mixer
John T. Reitz	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Wilkinson	....	sound re-recording mixer (as John K. Wilkinson)

Stunts
Paul Nuckles	....	stunt coordinator
Lightning Bear	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Holly Bower	....	still photographer
James Finnerty	....	key grip
Tom Priestley Jr.	....	camera operator
William Ward	....	gaffer (as Bill Ward)
Gary Muller	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Robert Paone	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jennifer Nichols	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Angelo Corrao	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Jean-Marc Vasseur	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)

Music Department
John Caper Jr.	....	music editor
David Shire	....	composer: additional music
David Shire	....	music adaptor
Lester Wilson	....	stager: musical numbers
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Arlene Albertson	....	production office coordinator
Lorraine Fields	....	assistant choreographer
Jimmy Gambina	....	technical consultant (as James Gambina)
Gary Kalkin	....	unit publicist
Lloyd Kaufman	....	location executive
Carl Lotito	....	assistant: Mr. Stigwood
Joy McMillan	....	assistant: Mr. Stigwood
Colleen Murphy	....	assistant: Mr. Badham
Jo Jo Smith	....	dance consultant (as Jo-Jo Smith)
Ron Stigwood	....	assistant: Mr. Stigwood (as Ronald Stigwood)
Renata Stoia	....	script supervisor
Lester Wilson	....	choreographer
Deney Terrio	....	dance instructor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Robert Stigwood Organization (RSO)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (C.I.C.) (1978) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1978) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1980) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• CIC Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (Australia) (VHS)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2002) (Canada) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Cherokee Studios  music recorded at
• Cirrus Productions  main title designed by
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.)
• Litelab  discotheque lighting provided by (as Litelab of New York)
• Pro Arts  Farrah Fawcett poster compliments of
• RSO Records  original soundtrack album on (as RSO Records and Tapes)
• Todd/Champion Ltd.  extras casting (as Todd-Champion Ltd.)

Also Known As:

Saturday Night (USA) (working title)
Tribal Rites of Saturday Night (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language, sexuality/nudity and some drug content. (2002 version)

Runtime:

118 min | USA:113 min (PG version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Spain:18 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Italy:VM14 (uncut) | Iceland:L | Netherlands:16 (orginal rating) | Brazil:12 | New Zealand:R16 | UK:A (re-rating) (1979) (cut) | UK:X (original rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA (re-rating) | Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:G (Quebec) (edited US version) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Netherlands:AL | Norway:16 (cut) | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:11 | UK:18 (video rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (cut) | USA:PG (edited version) | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (edited US version) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (Canadian Home Video rating)

Filming Locations:

221 79th Street, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Robert Stigwood Organization (RSO)

Trivia:

When Tony's dad hit him in the back of the head the third time during dinner, his retort of "Just watch the hair!" and then his complaint about being hit on the hair after he had worked on it for so long was John Travolta's own reaction and not scripted, but since it was so in character for Tony Manero to say, it was left in.

Goofs:

Continuity: After their initial dancing practice as Tony and Stephanie are walking down the sidewalk, Stephanie's purse moves from her right shoulder to her left shoulder then right again.

Quotes:

Frank Manero Jr.: Tony, the only way you're gonna survive is to do what you think is right, not what they keep trying to jam you into. You let 'em do that and you're gonna end up in nothing but misery!

Movie Connections:

References Romeo and Juliet (1968/I)

Soundtrack:

Open Sesame

You Should Be Dancing!

Saturday NIGHT FEVER (1977) **** John Travolta, Karen Lynn Gorney, Joseph Cali, Barry Miller, Julie Bovasso, Val Bosoglio, Donna Pescow. Quintessential film about the Seventies' disco craze that made Travolta an American icon (Best Actor nominee) and superstar as Brooklynite Tony Manero, a free-wheelin' Italian kid who loves to dance but doesn't know what he wants from life despite his talent and some eye-opening advice from dance partner Gorney. Directed on location with gritty realism by John Badham this blockbuster features songs by the ultimate trio The Bee Gees.(My favorite: "How Deep Is Your Love?"). Look for Fran Drescher and Denny Dillon in the dance sequences. For the film vault: a snake-hipped, lupine Travolta cutting loose to "You Should Be Dancing."