Stuff You Gotta Watch: Studio 54
The tale is as dizzying and fleeting as the venue itself: In the spring of 1977, college buddies Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager opened a discothèque in Midtown Manhattan, promptly cultivating a hedonistic, celebrity-laden extravaganza of sex, drugs, and disco. However, after numerous scandals that included cocaine busts, tax evasion, and more, Studio 54 would eventually close its doors in early 1980, precipitating the end of an era that was both overwhelmingly influential and shockingly short.
Matt Tyrnauer’s documentary explores what went on during those 33 months of excess by granting us a privileged look at the rise and fall of legendary New York club Studio 54. Through astonishing behind-the-scenes footage and a candid narrative led by Schrager, the film showcases how the club not only helped reinvent the jet set paradigm but also instigated the thorough and complete revival of a city that, in the late 70s, was considered broken, ungovernable, and decadent. Joining the party are the invaluable testimonies of those who witnessed the last days of disco, such as Nile Rodgers, promoter Carmen D’Alessio, makeup artist Sandy Linter, and journalist Bob Colacello.
Review by Ana Leorne. Check out the full archive of the Stuff You Gotta Watch column.