Welcome to Screen Gems, our weekend dive into queer and queer-adjacent titles of the past that deserve a watch or a re-watch.
The Glittering: Studio 54
Maybe it’s Kylie Minogue’s new disco single. Maybe’s it’s ABBA’s new album. Whatever the reason, we crave a little glam, 70s style.
This epic documentary chronicle of the rise and fall and rise of fabled nightclub Studio 54 danced its way across the festival circuit back in 2018. Director Matt Tyrnauer tells the story of the mother of all dance clubs, which also marks a watershed moment when queer culture began to cross into the mainstream. As conceived by founders Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, Studio 54 united the worlds of celebrity and nobody, creating a space where a rollerskating grandmother could dance alongside Liza Minnelli, where drag queen Divine could chat with Gloria Swanson, and–perhaps most important of all–LGBTQ people could indulge in living openly…and maybe slip off to the balcony for sexy time.
Needless to say, Studio 54 attracted people from all walks of life. It also became a scandal magnet. Rubell, Schrager, and the club’s reputation for sex and drugs would attract the attention of everyone from the IRS to the DEA, eventually bringing about the end of the world’s hottest party. Using a mix of archival footage, photos, and interviews with the nightclub staff & patrons, Studio 54 paints an image of queer culture on the edge of superstardom, all before AIDS and the Reagan Revolution sent it back into the closet. Director Tyrnauer recounts this epic tale with utter reverence–he sees it as both as a celebration of an era, and as the preservation of vital queer history.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
He has good reason to do so. Studio 54 changed the way the world looked at nightclubs and has spawned countless imitators (including the “transplanted” Studio 54 in Las Vegas). None, however, have come close to capturing the hedonism, innocence, and joy of the time. In the absence of a functioning time machine, none of us alive today can ever visit the mother of all discos. Studio 54 offers the next best thing–a window into a moment where mainstream and queer history united, and a taste of one Hell of a great party.
Streams on Netflix, Amazon, YouTube & VUDU.
ttm9
I enjoyed every night I spent at 54 but there were other clubs during the same time period, The Saint and Flamingo, 2 of my favorites!, both membership only clubs.
MacAdvisor
I visited both Studio 54 and The Saint in their heydays — yes, I am that old — and I much preferred The Saint. I loved the place, still miss it. The dance floor under the planetarium was magic. I had some of the best nights of my life there.
ttm9
I co-owned a gay restaurant bar at the time, Company, at 365 Third Ave.
Bofield8
I actually used to love going to Company! Lol
ttm9
Bofield, I’m Chuck, my partner and significant other of 11 years was Jeff. Who are you?
Urban Geezer
Before Flamingo and The Saint, the predecessor to the “membership clubs” was 12 West that pretty much started that trend of having a membership to go and dance your head off.
ttm9
A friend of mine owned 12 West and at the time I lived at 299 W 12St., just 2 blocks away.
wikidBSTN
The younger generation doesn’t realize what they are missing. Even if they can find a decent club, they are standing around looking at their cell phones. 🙁
SFMike
So true the entire club and bar scenes have been destroyed. Their loss.
barryaksarben
Our generation was lucky being just before the AIDS virus but each generation gets the clubs they need and no need to try to denigrate them. AIDS destroyed an entire culture and what remained is of course different. I was going to Studio one and Gregs blue dot and Probe in west hollywood
nm4047
some of that must be attributed to the music of today, disco was what made studio 54. Once disco was ‘dead’ the demise of the money grubby owners put the final nail in the coffin of 54.
inbama
Disco was killed by Ethel Merman.
Such a shame she didn’t live long enough to do a rap album.
stanhope
Studio 54 was great but THE SAINT was otherworldly.
ttm9
I totally agree! The dance floor was incredible and the the light show UNMATCHED!!
CityguyUSA
I doubt the clubs are coming back in the bigger cities. The land value was too much just like it was a couple generations back for family farms.
jdr11201
Ah The Saint,
I really had loads of fun there , “what I can remember” Fun, fun. Fun ?
ttm9
I think that goes for most of us, “what we can remember”!! Back then the drugs were amazing, not the sh-t the kids get today!
Cam
It’s a shame that when a big budget movie about Studio 54 came out it was all about straight guys trying to get laid. Then again, no surprise.