I am of the exact generation depicted in Saturday Night Fever, living in Bensonhurst and going to school in Bay Ridge. I was at ground zero when the disco crazr took over in New York City - the author of this piece claims to be from some ‘neighborhood’ in Brooklyn called Ocean Hill?
If someone showed up in either Bensonhurst or Nay Ridge claimninbg to be from somewhere called ‘Ocean Hill’ in Brooklyn, both the Italians and the Puerto Ricans would call a truce just to kick his a$$ out of the neighborhood.
The guys in my corner of Brooklyn were precisely depicted in that movie—it’s like “Animal House” where everyone who’s seen the film recognizes college classmates, except in Saturday Night Fever I see every friend I had in Bensonhurst.
Ocean Hill? LOL
I had a college roommate in 1980 who was from the Bronx. He claimed SNF was a documentary. When the Godfather came out, every Italian was connected. When SNF came out, every Italian was king of the Disco.
He got into Studio 54 one time and swore he got the Clap from a urinal :)