Tuesday, September 25, 2007
DISCO DEMONS
Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was
with John Travolta and Karen Gorney.
Watching this film gets all twisted up with the era which John and I lived through, somewhat older than these kids, in gay clubs in Boston.
The music and dancing in this film are superb.
The Bee Gees are perfect.
In fact, it is a milestone in the evolution of the film musical from improbable insertions of song and dance mid-story to highly probable integration of song and dance in the actual plot.
It is also the peak of Travolta as a young actor.
He is at that magic cusp between boy and man.
As a late bloomer, he is coming of age and finding his present life in the discos wanting.
They hit all the notes to what is basically a genré story very nicely with few misteps (we could have done without the extra tragedy toward the end).
It is surprising how well it holds up.
Ebert even gave it a second retrospective review.
He brings up another evocative theme of the film that I identify with—the need to get away—to run to the city.
I had it and I did it.
So the evaluation is highly personal and this film rates very highly for me.
I will give it a 5 out of Netflix5.
Labels: best films
