Why Saturday Night Fever Wouldn’t Be a Blockbuster Today

National Review ^ | 05/12/2017 | Kyle Smith

[central_va]

The first “disco” song was the theme from the movie Shaft. Right on.

[gathersnomoss]

....”can you dig it?”

[angcat]

We still blast the soundtrack!!!!!!!!!!!!! Those were the fun days.

[Pelham]

ironic considering Travolta’s reputation

[central_va]

He’s one bad < watch your mouth >

[discostu]

There’s a lot of discussion on which was the first. And it’s basically impossible to tell since really it’s funk with one instrument laying down a pedestrian beat. Given that Isaac hung out in both worlds I certainly wouldn’t discount Shaft from possible candidates.

I used to have the usual rocker party line on disco, but as I started getting into funk I had to change. Especially once you get to the late 70s, the line between the two is so thin at that point as to be basically non-existent.

[donna]

Films were generally muted, earthy, gritty, and downbeat in the 1970s, when even blockbusters frequently concluded with the defeat, compromise, or death of the hero, and any triumphs achieved were seldom unalloyed.

1970’s:

Abortion was legalized by judges, judges had already removed prayer from public schools, Nixon was hounded out of office, Hollywood turned on America.

A turning point!

[Some Fat Guy in L.A.]

If “Saturday Night Fever” is too triggering for today’s snowflakes, what would “Blazing Saddles” do to them?

[dfwgator]

Best Night, Ever.....Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey

[LanaTurnerOverdrive]

We want adult films, and most of today’s offerings are juvenile.

Phrasing.

[Yaelle]

I saw it years later and don’t see what all the fuss was about. It seemed like something to promote abortion as usual, like Dirty Dancing.

[CrimsonTidegirl]

Great point. I love funk.

[Albion Wilde]

LOL! Blake Shelton's lyrics are so funny! Here is one of my all-time favorite of his spoof lyrics that he did on SNL a few years ago (the video is terrible and it is a bootleg, but the humor is excellent):

Blake Shelton “My Darlin’ Joan”

[x]

Seventies movies could be very dark.

Back then people didn't think the movie was depressing, because the era was so depressing.

It was the "Summer of [the Son] of Sam [Killer]" after all.

They still make movies like that -- small indy dramas -- but the industry is so dominated by big blockbusters that few people notice or care.

We are so used to having so many pictures to choose from that the only ones that make a splash are the big budget pix.

[x]

But if the bouncy Bee Gees songs typified a musical era, the crushing story typified a cinematic one.

Two Thirds of the bouncy Bee Gees are dead, as is their little brother.

That's depressing.

[WVMnteer]

The interesting thing about Saturday Night Fever is that it “revived” disco. Disco was fading culturally when this movie soundtrack suddenly sent it into complete overdrive.

If you notice, even in the movie, this is not the music of the cool kids.