Saturday Night Fever (1977)

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

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 | Dance | Moving | Teenager | Bridge

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 8 wins & 8 nominations

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)
Chere Mauldin	...	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
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)
• Eye Film Instituut (2012) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (digitally restored version)
• 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:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language, sexuality/nudity and some drug content

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 (re-rating) | Italy:VM14 (uncut) | Iceland:L | Netherlands:16 (orginal rating) | Brazil:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Sweden:15 (original rating) | UK:A (re-rating) (1979) (cut) | UK:X (original rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA (re-rating) | Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | 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 (re-rating) (1978) | 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 (original rating)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Robert Stigwood Organization (RSO)

Trivia:

Originally, director John Badham filmed the dance rehearsal sequence with Tony and Annette's characters playing music in the background at the same time with the action and dialogue; a form of production conduct not usually done. The song was "Lowdown" by Boz Scaggs. However, after filming the scene, John Badham got word from Scaggs' people they did not want the song in the picture, and so the sequence was dubbed, with John Travolta and Donna Pescow recording their lines in a vocal booth, and in the end composer David Shire orchestrated an instrumental piece for the sequence; ultimately the song (the title still unknown to this day) was picked up by the National Football Leagues, and used to open and close the Monday Night Football program for over 20 years.

Goofs:

Continuity: The required (white square) NYS safety-inspection sticker appears and then disappears and then reappears from the lower driver's corner of the windshield of the 1964 Chevrolet Impala that the boys drive.

Quotes:

Tony Manero:Why are you such a cock-tease?
Stephanie:Don't you call me no goddam cock-tease!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Spin City: That's Entertainment (#3.20)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Jive Talkin'

Blue Collar frustration

Watched Saturday Night Fever again last night. It's one of those movies I watch everytime it's on & never get bored by it. This movie perfectly captures the feeling of everyday life in a Blue Collar neighborhood, & the frustration that goes with it. Your caught in the middle not rich by any means, but just getting by & the feeling that your never going to get beyond it. Just existing and getting by is an everyday struggle & in this movie it shows how disco is an outlet. I remember 2001 Odyessy was a real club in Brooklyn. Saturday Night Fever is one of those rare movies you can watch & just enjoy yourself. How can you get tired of watching John Travolta walking down the street with a paint can? That opening captured your attention right from the start. You know where these characters are coming from. Tony's friends have basically given up on doing any better & have accepted there fate. Tony & Stephanie know there's something more out there for them & their going for it the best way they can. By the end of the movie I'm rooting for them to "make it big". Being a big John Travolta fan I am a little bit biased. I'll watch anything he's in. '