Saturday Night Fever‘s producer, Robert Stigwood, the Australian-born music grandee who had been crucial to bringing the rock operas Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) and Tommy (1975) to the screen, was eager to make a disco movie.
With this revival comes the opportunity to consider anew - or to choose or switch sides in - a partisan battle that’s been fought since December 1977, the month Saturday Night Fever premiered: Did this resolutely straight, white movie about a musical idiom and subculture that was predominantly gay and black betray and banalize disco or democratize it?īy the time Saturday Night Fever began filming in mid-March 1977, disco had been ascendant for at least three years some of its early top-ten singles include the instrumental “Love’s Theme” by Barry White and the Love Unlimited Orchestra, from 1973, and Gloria Gaynor’s Jackson 5 cover “Never Can Say Goodbye,” from ’74. House murdered it,” per a T-shirt worn by a celebrant at a dance party deep in Prospect Park that I stumbled across a decade ago.) But one of its totems now officially enters middle age: John Badham’s Saturday Night Fever, first released forty years ago, returns to theaters nationwide on May 10 with an updated sound mix and four minutes added to the original 118. (Or, put less charitably: “Disco didn’t die. For cheap drinks and a late-night dance, Charlize’s is the place to be, no matter the day.Disco's democratizer - or its death? Courtesy Fathom Eventsĭisco isn’t dead and never has been - not even the mass psychosis evinced during the grotesque spectacle known as “Disco Demolition Night,” held in Chicago’s Comiskey Park in the summer of 1979, could snuff the music out. It even featured some interaction with the audience, as a late-night dance competition was held. The Western-themed bar has a huge dance floor, and some of the staff have brilliantly hosted drag shows. Plus, the espresso martini is one of the best drinks in Chicago.Ī hole in the wall off Broadway, Charlize was shockingly racy on a late weekday. The long dining room and shareable menu, including everything from pancakes to hummus bowls, is perfect for large parties. Kit Kat is probably better known for the weekend brunch crowd than the weekend night at the first pub It was almost empty at 9 pm on a Tuesday. Make sure to bring plenty of bills, as Kit Kat drag queens perform every 20 minutes at this Boystown staple. Its indoor and outdoor patio space is the perfect setting for a relaxing summer day. Roscoe’s boasts an extensive cocktail list and solid food menu, making it a potential one-stop shop if you don’t feel like hopping.
Resting on weekdays, with accordion windows allowing you to enjoy the summer weather.
Roscoe’s Tavern is one of the most popular bars in the neighborhood. It’s a little more expensive than some of the eating places in Boystown, but the vegetarian menu at The Chicago Diner is hard to beat. The Cuban sandwich in seitan is delicious and meat-like. Though, its menu will make even the most demanding of carnivores feel at home. As stated on its canopy, the restaurant has been meat-free since ’83, making it one of the oldest vegetarian/vegan restaurants in town. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, The Chicago Diner is another great pre-bar restaurant.