Review of Staying Alive (1983) by Rebecca R — 29 Jun 2009

The sequel to Saturday Night Fever (1977), and producer Robert Stigwood, decided to get Sylvester Stallone, (then hot off First Blood and Rocky III) to writer, co-produce and direct it. It's that fact that stays in your mind throughout the film, and it makes for an odd combination, and it hangs over the film like a big, pink, glittery cloud.

There's nothing in this film you can take seriously. Former disco king Tony Manero (John Travolta) is now living in Manhattan, living a clean life and trying to make it big on Broadway as a dancer, but he finds it hard to get past the audition stages.

To make ends meet he works as a dance teacher and a waiter at a dance club, but things change when he meets English dancer Laura (Finola Hughes), who he spends the night with, even though Tony has an on-off relationship with Jackie (Cynthia Rhodes), the singer in a local band.

Tony, along with Laura and Jackie, audition for a new Broadway production called 'Satan's Alley', directed by Jesse (Steve Inwood), it's a performance that pushes Tony to the limit, but he has to choose between Laura and Jackie ultimately.

This has all the makings of a guilty pleasure, but there are parts of it which drag. It comes across as a non-pornographic version of Showgirls, and Travolta dances, prances and mugs as much as Nomi Malone did in that.

It's a daring film for Sly, but it's a bit off-kilter, plus it ends on a shot of Travolta's bum, what does that tell you??