The Last Days of Disco (1998)

Story of two female Manhattan book editors fresh out of college, both finding love and themselves while frequenting the local disco.

Director:

Whit Stillman

Writer:

Whit Stillman

Stars:

Chloë Sevigny, Kate Beckinsale, Chris Eigeman

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chloë Sevigny	...	Alice
Kate Beckinsale	...	Charlotte
Chris Eigeman	...	Des
Mackenzie Astin	...	Jimmy
Matt Keeslar	...	Josh
Robert Sean Leonard	...	Tom
Jennifer Beals	...	Nina
Matt Ross	...	Dan (as Matthew Ross)
Tara Subkoff	...	Holly
Burr Steers	...	Van
David Thornton	...	Bernie
Jaid Barrymore	...	Tiger Lady
Sonsee Neu	...	Diana (as Sonsee Ahray)
Edoardo Ballerini	...	Victor
Scott Beehner	...	Adam

Storyline

Last Days of Disco loosely depicts the "last days" at a disco palace, where drugs, sex and weirdness ran rampant. The story centers around a group of friends who frequent the disco and each other. All the characters are searching for something to make their lives more fulfilling. Some are searching for everlasting love and some are just wanting something different. As the disco is closed, they all wonder can disco ever really be dead?

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Plot Keywords:

disco | friend | lawyer | love | money | 

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Taglines:

History is made at night.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some elements involving sexuality and drugs

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 June 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Les derniers jours du disco

Filming Locations:

Jersey City, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$277,601 (USA) (29 May 1998)

Gross:

$2,987,297 (USA) (7 August 1998)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Castle Rock Entertainment, Polygram Filmed Entertainment, Westerly Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The unemployment office Jimmy visits to file his unemployment insurance claim was located at 247 West 54th Street which is literally across the street (254 West 54th Street) from the real Studio 54 (the legendary nightclub which serves as the model for the club in this film). Although it no longer serves as a nightclub and now serves as an off-Broadway theater (Roundabout Theatre Company) the doors at the main entrance of the original nightclub still remain as a testament of its iconic history. In early 2012, the building where the unemployment office was located was torn down in order to make way for a new high-rise condominium.

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Goofs

When the nightclub manager is in the DJ box and says, "Michael, "Good Times"", meaning play the song "Good Times" by Chic, the record cover that the DJ picks up shows an image of a white, blonde female artist, clearly not Chic. Also the visible label on the actual record is blue, not the red/black or red /green Atlantic Records logo, Chic's record company label.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Alice Kinnon: I hear you have a much better chance of getting in if you come by cab.
Charlotte Pingress: You're really worried about getting in?
Alice Kinnon: Yes.
Charlotte Pingress: I thought you've been here several times before.
Alice Kinnon: Not the front way. They were private parties. We came in through the back.
Charlotte Pingress: We look real good tonight. I'm sure we're gonna get in.
[Alice and Charlotte round the corner and see a large crowd waiting outside the Disco Club]
Alice Kinnon: [beat] Let's get a cab.
Charlotte Pingress: Yeah.

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Connections

Follows Barcelona (1994)

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Soundtracks

Love Train
Written by Kenny Gamble (as Kenneth Gamble), Leon Huff
Performed by The O'Jays
Courtesy of Philadelphia International Records / Epic Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

Witty Movie about Wasp-y relationships in early 1980s

Well, before you see this, ask yourself if you either: a) want to engorge yourself with lengthy witty banter, or b) see a Wasp-y version of the weaving of people in and out of relationships like Seinfeld or Woody Allen but with a bigger cast? If your answer is yes, this is your movie. If not, not.

This movie is FAR more like Stillman's others (Metropolitan and Barcelona) than like anything you've seen about disco - which is simply the background. I was surprised that these yuppie characters were so freely admitted to Studio 54 (the set of the film), but perhaps it indicates disco's waning popularity by the early 1980s.

I enjoyed it very much - but it's not everyone's cup of tea.