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Studio 54: The Documentary Reviews

Jan 11, 2022

The documentary was everything that Studio 54 wasn't: predictable, dry and without surprise. Didn't find the telling of it's surge to fame, or its owner's fall to be all that intriguing.

Aug 18, 2021

Studio 54: The Documentary is an amazing documentary bringing the history of the danceclub and its founders.

Jan 20, 2020

Fascinating glimpse into this pop culture phenom. Despite the poor business and/or moral decisions they made, I came away loving Steve & especially Ian!

Aug 14, 2019

A great documentary about the famous NYC nightclub.

Jul 30, 2019

Solid documentary on what the rise and the fall of the historic Studio 54.

Jul 6, 2019

Youth and Beauty were worth more than power, money, and celebrity to gain entry to Xanadu once passing the heavily guarded and out of control frustration of the angry street mob desperate and determined to dance in a disco that really had nothing else going for it then the consistent and persistent rejection of Studio54 wannabes who would never, not for one night of their pathetic lives, be given a wish to finally see what all the fuss was about. Being admitted to Studio54 was no different than dancing at one of the proliferating discos benefiting from the fact that there were more cash friendly discothèque clients wasting time and not able to spend their disposable income gathering like a herd of mindless sheep occupying otherwise closed for business 54th Street from 10pm – 4am. Xenon opened in another unoccupied Broadway theater with the exact same architectural model as Studio54, a clone of the universal destination to be admitted and experience, but Xenon's front door was not a mob scene, but a polite acknowledgement by the doormen, a short wait as if there was a fire code restriction, and a cold admittance once a gaggle of the Young and the Beautiful would cackling as they migrated out of Xenon on their way to another disco as club hopping was a unique and entitled privilege when you are Young and Beautiful. Xenon was more interested in bleeding the wallets of the wannabees than Studio54. And with clubs the size and technical sophistication as Bonds, Hurrah, New York New York, Infinity, Regine's, Paradise Garage, Ice Palace 57, Les Mouche, the Fun House, and the ultimate in space and design, the Saint, charging annual memberships on top of heavy door fees, there were options. There was no need to feel like a pauper begging to be wrangled from the insipid crowd of zombies mindless of their lack of worth to the doormen of Studio54. I saw the documentary artlessly named after the club, ‘Studio 54', in 2019, curious that a film crew would have gained access to the aloof crowd of celebrities not exactly exhibiting good public relations behavior, although the paparazzi was omnipresent to capture a film studio promotional still that would be sold, printed, and seen by the World to ensure the fanbase that their star looked chic and seemed to be in very good spirits. Never let the public know you are Missing in Action. Greta Garbo dissolved into the privacy that celebrities can't afford. But the film didn't exhibit anything more than what the paparazzi's camera still shot. I was disappointed, given that I was an 18 year old stripper/hustler at the Ziegfield of respectable homosexual theaters at that time: the Gaiety Burlesque, where I learned from street savvy colleagues how to dress, present, dance, and get complimentary entry to most clubs, Studio54 was no exception, as we were the perfect non-speaking extras who filled the background and just danced, not ogling or gossiping about a celebrity faux pas. I saw a lot of ill behavior. We just danced like it was the only reason to be there. I wrote about my introduction to New York society and charm school behavior in discotheques like Studio54 which when I realized the academic and professional opportunities I possessed, left the Gaiety, finished college, got a qualified boyfriend, and continued to go to the next new club on weekends to satisfy my addiction to disco and the culture that it thrived on: drugs, excessive hours dancing from Saturday to Sunday, obsessive about maintaining an unnecessarily overly developed physique, and to always feel like you were the object of someone's unrequited desire. A harsh world. Without stating the title, it is a cautionary tale of the possible extinction of the species ‘homosapiens', as the movie ‘Studio54' sadly ends with the party and its participants over and done with those halcyon nights. Those that survived, with the exception of successful entrepreneur Ian Schrager, are not, and probably chose not to be interviewed for their participation in a short-lived fairytale euphoria. Bianca Jagger was a spectacle of a beautiful mess looking at her sorry face in the public restroom in 1978. Today, she lives far away figuratively and physically from the tiny theater that was once ‘Studio54'.

Jul 4, 2019

I thought that this was a great docu. on Studio 54, I have seen the movie on the club many times and seen many docus. on Studio 54. Highlights the highs and the lows and the "highs" that went on in the club. Real people that was involved pov and real pics. of celebrities that went to the club shown at the end of the movie.Good music it's worth a watch if you are interested in Studio 54 and like good music docus. etc...

Jun 29, 2019

I didn't grow up in the Studio 54 era, so the documentary, for me, told from talking heads who were there was informative, albeit not very hard hitting. I wanted to know more about the drugs and the debauchery, but documentarian Matt Tyrnauer just scratches the surface of what could have been hard hitting and lots of fun. The people who are living will take a lot of the tales to their grave or just tell in small groups. I know there are better stories out there about the wild times at Studio 54 so why hide them. Overall this is a solid piece of film which is exactly what you'd expect from Tyrnauer. Final Score 7.6/10

Apr 5, 2019

A nice romantic look back at the rise and fall of Studio and subsequently Steve and Ian. This would be an interesting topic regardless who made it, but the fact that they got Ian and workers from Studio 54 is what really makes this doc shine. I watched the movie 54 in theatres back when it came out, and I was a fan of it, but this doc is on a whole new level hearing it straight from Ian's mouth. The fact that there was so much footage still from this hallowed place where celebrities could do whatever they want and still have the privacy of it not coming out, is really special. It's a nice trip back to the '70s and in essence everything that defined the decade.

Apr 4, 2019

Engaging documentary about the rise and fall of Studio 54, the pinnacle NYC disco in the late 1970's, and the two men behind its creation, Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell. The detraction I saw of the film is that it provides a very linear approach focused almost solely on Studio 54. There is just a cursory context of the time and place of disco as it grew and then burst forth on the dance and music scene in the 1970's. More on that would have made for a richer and deeper documentary film, really highlighting what Schrager and Rubell achieved. Overall, an interesting documentary of a bygone time.

Feb 24, 2019

Yet another par to sub-par doc on what is incredibly interesting material; didn’t say much more than I already knew; better than the terrible ‘54’ with Mike Myers, but only give this your time if you’re a completist on the subject.

Feb 24, 2019

I liked it, because I remember the times so well.

Nov 30, 2018

Eah, it was OK but not THAT great of a movie because you realize about half way through you dont really care about two guys who started a wild nightclub, skimmed cash and evaded taxes. Eah. It played liked a VH1 bio only these two werent artists. And there were tons of other crazy disco clubs then so they didnt create the masterpiece the movie describes it as. Just a flick about two guys running a business. Even a tad boring. Would rather watch an uplifting sports bio pic.

Oct 14, 2018

Studio 54 is a fascinating documentary about a time in which a night club could change the game of pop culture, something we get too see through the eyes of a man who still doesn't know why it worked.

Oct 14, 2018

Good doc. insight into an era not soon to be forgotten --- or most likely repeated any time soon......

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