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121-479: In 1977, Ah Hock, a supermarket employee in his 20s, desires to buy a new motorbike, though he does not have enough money. When Saturday Night Fever is released in Singapore (under the title Forever Fever ), he is inspired to enter a dance contest to raise the money. Guided by his heroes, John Travolta and Bruce Lee , Hock competes in the contest and fights against local bullies. After experiencing difficulty as

242-410: A body double , rehearsing his choreography with Lester Wilson and Deney Terrio for three hours every day, losing 20 pounds in the process. Wilson is credited for providing the look of the dance scenes and "breathing life" into the film. Said Travolta, "He taught me what he called his 'hang time.' He would smoke a cigarette to greet the day, and he infused my dancing with African-American rhythm. I'm

363-563: A home video release on Laserdisc . It was first released to DVD by Paramount on October 8, 2002, as an R-rated special-edition, which included most of the deleted scenes present on the PG version, as well as a director's commentary and "Behind the Music" featurettes. On May 5, 2009, Paramount released Saturday Night Fever on Blu-ray Disc in 1.78:1 aspect ratio. This release retains the R-rated version of

484-505: A society at a given point in time. As celebrities online identities are extremely important in order to create a brand to line-up sponsorships, jobs, and opportunities. As influencers , micro-celebrities, and users constantly need to find new ways to be unique or stay updated with trends, in order to maintain followers, views, and likes. For example, Ellen DeGeneres has created her own personal branding through her talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show . As she developed her brand we can see

605-531: A 24-hour schedule full-time in December 1981). The R-rated theatrical version premiered on the network at midnight Eastern Time on January 1, 1980. For the film's network television premiere, airing on ABC on November 16, 1980, a new milder version was created to conform with network broadcast standards. The network television version was a slightly shortened cut of the PG-rated version. In order to maintain runtime,

726-510: A brawl, but are angry to learn that Gus may have identified the wrong gang. After much practice, Tony and Stephanie dance at the competition, sharing a kiss at the end of their performance. They win first prize, but Tony believes that a Puerto Rican couple performed better and the judges' decision was racially biased, and he gives the couple his trophy and award money. Outside in Bobby's car, Tony tries to force himself on Stephanie, who declares that she

847-599: A broad spectrum of the public. Important contemporary contributions to understanding what popular culture means have been given by the German researcher Ronald Daus , who studies the impact of extra-European cultures in North America , Asia , and especially in Latin America . Within the realm of popular culture, there exists an organizational culture. From its beginning, popular culture has revolved around classes in society and

968-504: A commercial, trailer, or other content not serving as attraction for viewership). Television programs may be fictional (as in comedies and dramas ), or non-fictional (as in documentary , light entertainment , news and reality television ). They may be topical (as in the case of a local newscast and some made-for-television movies), or historical (as in the case of many documentaries and fictional series). They can be primarily instructional or educational , or entertaining as

1089-456: A commodity reinforced by capitalist corporations complicit in imperialism and patriarchy. Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky critiqued the mass media in their 1988 work Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media . They argue that mass media is controlled by a powerful hegemonic elite who are motivated by their own interests that determine and manipulate what information

1210-517: A few additional scenes deleted from both theatrical releases were added to make up for the lost/cut material, making the ABC version among the longest cuts of the film. These added scenes included Tony dancing with Doreen to " Disco Duck ", Tony running his finger along the cables of the Verrazzano–Narrows Bridge , and Tony's father getting his job back. The last two deleted scenes were included in

1331-602: A film, Tony Manero , about a Chilean dancer obsessed by the main character in Saturday Night Fever who tries to win a Tony Manero look-alike contest. On April 17, 2012, Fox aired series Glee ' s episode 16, " Saturday Night Glee-ver ", which pays tribute to the film and features various songs from its soundtrack (especially the songs performed by the Bee Gees ), covered by the series' cast. The Red Hot Chili Peppers 2016 music video for their song " Go Robot "

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1452-551: A form of imperialism. Writing of the film' homage, Steve Daly of Entertainment Weekly rated it C− and wrote, "Despite the America-friendly ' Singlish ' dialogue, which requires only occasional subtitles, the conceit doesn't export well." Producer Jason Blum is a fan of the film. Saturday Night Fever Saturday Night Fever is a 1977 American dance drama film directed by John Badham and produced by Robert Stigwood . It stars John Travolta as Tony Manero,

1573-459: A form separate from mass-produced popular culture, propagating by word of mouth rather than via mass media, e.g. in the form of jokes or urban legends . With the widespread use of the Internet from the 1990s, the distinction between mass media and word-of-mouth has become blurred. Although the folkloric element of popular culture engages heavily with the commercial element, communities amongst

1694-426: A known massive influencer to popular culture yet not all films create a movement that contributes enough to be part of the popular culture that starts movements. The content must resonate to most of the public so the knowledge in the material connects with the majority. Popular culture is a set of beliefs in trends and entail to change a person's set of ideologies and create social transformation. The beliefs are still

1815-492: A motorcycle accident some years before. After the success of Saturday Night Fever , Gorney took a break from film acting to work as a dance instructor at a performing arts academy in Brooklyn . Jessica Lange , Kathleen Quinlan , Carrie Fisher , and Amy Irving were all considered for the part before Gorney was cast. Donna Pescow was considered almost "too pretty" by Paramount heads Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg for

1936-406: A movie version of Grease , but because a film adaptation of Grease was not permitted to begin filming until 1978 when its stage run had completed, they made this film first. Travolta's performance as Tony Manero brought him critical acclaim and helped launch him into international stardom. Travolta researched the part by visiting the real 2001 Odyssey discotheque, and claimed he adopted many of

2057-766: A person or commodity must conform to the hegemonic groups that determine what makes up a phenomenon." According to John M. MacKenzie , many products of popular culture have been designed to promote imperialist ideologies and to glorify the British upper classes rather than present a democratic view of the world. Although there are many films which do not contain such propaganda, there have been many films that promote racism and militarist imperialism. bell hooks , an influential feminist, argues that commercial commodities and celebrities cannot be symbols of progressiveness when they collaborate with imperialist capitalism and promote ideals of beauty; hooks uses Beyoncé as an example of

2178-454: A smart, poignant story, a classic soundtrack, and a starmaking performance from John Travolta, Saturday Night Fever ranks among the finest dramas of the 1970s." Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 77 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. It was added to The New York Times "Guide to the Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made", which

2299-400: A society at a given point in time. Popular culture also encompasses the activities and feelings produced as a result of interaction with these dominant objects. The primary driving forces behind popular culture, especially when speaking of Western popular cultures, are the mass media , mass appeal, marketing and capitalism ; and it is produced by what philosopher Theodor Adorno refers to as

2420-492: A sovereignty to consumers that they do not really have. In Baudrillard's understanding, the products of capitalist popular culture can only give the illusion of rebellion, since they are still produced by a system controlled by the powerful. Baudrillard stated in an interview, critiquing the content and production of The Matrix : The Matrix paints the picture of a monopolistic superpower, like we see today, and then collaborates in its refraction. Basically, its dissemination on

2541-539: A theatre director in the UK, director Glen Goei taught a course on film at New York University . From this experience, he became interested in directing his own film. After a project failed in London, he wrote his own script and moved back to Singapore to produce it. The Singaporean film industry was not well-established, and Goei had to rely on friends, such as actress Tan Kheng Hua , who served as casting director. To help finance

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2662-463: A tremendous impact on the popular culture of the late 1970s. It helped popularize disco around the world and initiated a series of collaborations between film studios and record labels. It made Travolta, already well known from his role in the popular TV sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter , a household name. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance, at the time becoming

2783-444: A trend that change more rapidly in the modern age that carries a continuation of outpouring media and more specifically films. The trend does not last but it also carries a different effect based on individuals that can be grouped to generalized groups based on age and education. The creation of culture by films is seen in fandoms, religions, ideologies, and movements. The culture of film is more evident through social media. Social media

2904-423: A wider audience, but also to capitalize on attracting the target audience of the teenagers who were not old enough to see the film by themselves, but who made the film's soundtrack album a monster hit. The R-rated version's profanity, nudity, fight sequence, and a gang rape scene in a car, were all de-emphasized or removed from the PG version. Numerous profanity-filled scenes were replaced with alternate takes of

3025-410: A world scale is complicit with the film itself. On this point it is worth recalling Marshall McLuhan: the medium is the message. The message of The Matrix is its own diffusion by an uncontrollable and proliferating contamination. With the invention of the printing press in the sixteenth century, mass-produced, cheap books, pamphlets and periodicals became widely available to the public. With this,

3146-470: A young Italian-American man who spends his weekends dancing and drinking at a local discothèque while dealing with social tensions and disillusionment in his working class ethnic neighborhood in Brooklyn . The story is based on " Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night ", a mostly fictional 1976 article by music writer Nik Cohn . A major critical and commercial success, Saturday Night Fever had

3267-545: Is also defined as the culture that is "leftover" when we have decided what high culture is. However, many works straddle the boundaries, e.g., William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens , Leo Tolstoy , and George Orwell . A third definition equates pop culture with "mass culture" and ideas. This is seen as a commercial culture, mass-produced for mass consumption by mass media . From a Western European perspective, this may be compared to American culture . Alternatively, "pop culture" can be defined as an "authentic" culture of

3388-487: Is an Italian-American from the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn , living in his family's house and working in a paint store. He escapes his day-to-day life by dancing at 2001 Odyssey, a local discotheque , where he receives the admiration he craves as king of the dance floor. Tony and his friends Joey, Double J, Gus, and Bobby C spend their nights at the disco, trying to have sex with women in Bobby's car, and climbing on

3509-452: Is an instant source of feedback and creates discussion on films. A repeating event that has been set in modern culture within the trend setting phase is the creation of movements in social media platforms to defend a featured subject on a film. Popular culture or mass culture, is reached easily with films which are easily shared and reached worldwide. A television program is a segment of audiovisual content intended for broadcast (other than

3630-407: Is artificially reinforced by transnational media corporations. Globalized pop culture can contribute to the homogenization of cultural identities, erasing or diluting diverse local traditions and practices in favor of standardized, marketable forms of entertainment and consumption. Jack Zipes , a professor of German and literature, critiqued the mass commercialization and corporate hegemony behind

3751-512: Is beaten up and hospitalized, telling his friends that his attackers were the Barracudas, a Puerto Rican gang. Annette grows more and more desperate for Tony's attention, as does Bobby, who tries to ask him for guidance. Tony helps Stephanie move to Manhattan , and comforts her after discovering her past relationship with an older married colleague. Tony and his friends take revenge on the Barracudas, crashing Bobby's car into their hangout and starting

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3872-479: Is constantly evolving and occurs uniquely in place and time . It forms currents and eddies, and represents a complex of mutually interdependent perspectives and values that influence society and its institutions in various ways. For example, certain currents of pop culture may originate from, (or diverge into) a subculture , representing perspectives with which the mainstream popular culture has only limited familiarity. Items of popular culture most typically appeal to

3993-415: Is generally viewed in contrast to other forms of culture such as folk culture , working-class culture , or high culture , and also from different academic perspectives such as psychoanalysis , structuralism , postmodernism , and more. The common pop-culture categories are entertainment (such as film , music , television , literature and video games ), sports , news (as in people / places in

4114-483: Is heavily inspired by the film and recreates the opening scene and classic characters from the film who are portrayed by each band member. Popular culture Popular culture (also called pop culture or mass culture ) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of practices , beliefs , artistic output (also known as popular art [cf. pop art ] or mass art , sometimes contrasted with fine art ) and objects that are dominant or prevalent in

4235-524: Is massive and systematic: not only are choices for publicity and suppression comprehensible in terms of system advantage, but the modes of handling favored and inconvenient materials (placement, tone, context, fullness of treatment) differ in ways that serve political ends. According to the postmodern sociologist Jean Baudrillard , the individual is trained into the duty of seeking the relentless maximization of pleasure lest he or she become asocial. Therefore, "enjoyment" and "fun" become indistinguishable from

4356-419: Is narrower. Pop is specific to something containing qualities of mass appeal, while "popular" refers to what has gained popularity, regardless of its style. According to author John Storey, there are various definitions of popular culture. The quantitative definition of culture has the problem that too much " high culture " (e.g., television dramatizations of Jane Austen ) is also "popular". "Pop culture"

4477-583: Is not used in face-to-face conversations, thus, adding to a persona users create through the screens of technology. For example, some individuals respond to situations with a hashtag or emojis. Social media influencers have become trendsetters through their direct engagement with large audiences, upending conventional marketing and advertising techniques. Consumer purchase choices have been impacted by fashion partnerships, sponsored material and outfit ideas offered by influencers. Social media has also made fashion more accessible by fostering uniqueness, expanding

4598-413: Is present in the mainstream. The mass media is therefore a system of propaganda. In sum, a propaganda approach to media coverage suggests a systematic and highly political dichotomization in news coverage based on serviceability to important domestic power interests. This should be observable in dichotomized choices of story and in the volume and quality of coverage... such dichotomization in the mass media

4719-541: Is significant in recent times because there is an influx of sport history to keep track of, as sports journalists produce quality pieces, more sports museums are developed, and there are various radio, film, and television documentaries. Sport history has embraced popular culture as it has expanded its horizons on elite athletes and governing bodies, to the study of every day activities. It has broadened its perspective by connecting sports and athletes with class, gender, ethnicity, and disability. Sports are becoming more popular in

4840-433: Is something that designers are actively pursuing as well. Connolly, a British menswear brand, is just one example of the many who are challenging designers and stylists to revamp and upcycle pieces of clothing from past collections. Further, the past few decades have seen the reintroduction of old designs, which have been revitalized and improvised to fit the current market needs. Additionally, celebrities and influencers are at

4961-403: Is the case in situation comedy and game shows . Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry . These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training . It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional or "folk" music . Art music was historically disseminated through

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5082-595: The Chicago Sun Times rated it 3/4 stars and called it "a funny homage". Lawrence Van Gelder of The New York Times wrote that the film's affection "amounts to recycling rather than reinvention". Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times called it "a tale that's sweet-natured, funny and surprisingly touching". Thomas also describes the film's use of American music as empowering to Singaporean citizens rather than

5203-502: The Bee Gees : " How Deep Is Your Love ", " Stayin' Alive " and " Night Fever ", which they also performed, as well as Yvonne Elliman 's version of " If I Can't Have You ". All four reached No. 1 in the US. In the UK, the album spent 18 consecutive weeks at No. 1. The album epitomized the disco phenomenon on both sides of the Atlantic and was an international sensation. The album has been added to

5324-533: The Frankfurt School during the twentieth century. Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer analyzed the dangers of the culture industry in their influential work the Dialectic of Enlightenment by drawing upon the works of Kant , Marx , Nietzsche and others. Capitalist popular culture, as Adorno argued, was not an authentic culture of the people but a system of homogenous and standardized products manufactured in

5445-470: The Harry Potter franchise . He argued that the commodities of the culture industry are "popular" because they are homogenous and obey standard conventions; the media then influences the tastes of children. In his analysis of Harry Potter's global brand, Zipes wrote, "It must conform to the standards of exception set by the mass media and promoted by the culture industry in general. To be a phenomenon means that

5566-549: The Library of Congress via the National Recording Registry . Two theatrical versions of the film were released: the original R-rated version and an edited PG-rated version in 1979. The R-rated version released in 1977 represented the movie's first run , and totaled 119 minutes. After the success of the first run, the film's content was re-edited into a 112-minute, toned down, PG-rated version, not only to attract

5687-615: The National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress in 2014 for being culturally significant. According to the DVD commentary for Saturday Night Fever , the producers intended to use the song "Lowdown" by Boz Scaggs in the rehearsal scene between Tony and Annette in the dance studio, and choreographed their dance moves to the song. However, representatives for Scaggs' label Columbia Records refused to grant legal clearance for it, as they wanted to pursue another disco movie project, which never materialized. Composer David Shire , who scored

5808-480: The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge . Neighborhood girl Annette is infatuated with Tony, much to his annoyance, and he agrees to be her partner in an upcoming dance contest. Annette's happiness is short-lived when Tony is mesmerized by a better dancer, Stephanie Mangano, who rejects Tony's advances but eventually agrees to be his new partner in the competition. Tony is pleased to no longer be the black sheep of

5929-405: The commercial . Films and cinema are highly influential to popular culture, as films as an art form are what people seem to respond to the most. With moving pictures being first captured by Eadweard Muybridge in 1877, films have evolved into elements that can be cast into different digital formats, spreading to different cultures. The impact of films and cinema are most evident when analyzing in

6050-540: The fourth-youngest nominee in the category. The film showcases aspects of the music, dancing, and subculture surrounding the disco era, including symphony-orchestrated melodies, haute couture styles of clothing, pre- AIDS sexual promiscuity, and graceful choreography. The Saturday Night Fever soundtrack , featuring songs by the Bee Gees , is one of the best-selling soundtrack albums worldwide. Travolta reprised his role of Tony Manero in Staying Alive in 1983, which

6171-428: The pay television rights to Saturday Night Fever in 1980, both versions of the film were aired by the network: the PG version during the day, and the R version during the evening (HBO, which had primarily operated on a late afternoon-to-early overnight schedule at the time, had maintained a programming policy restricting the showing of R-rated films to the nighttime hours, a rule that continued long after it switched to

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6292-477: The " culture industry ". Heavily influenced in modern times by mass media, this collection of ideas permeates the everyday lives of people in a given society. Therefore, popular culture has a way of influencing an individual's attitudes towards certain topics. However, there are various ways to define pop culture. Because of this, popular culture is something that can be defined in a variety of conflicting ways by different people across different contexts. It

6413-417: The 1900s fashion began to take a more individualistic tone. Primarily marked by the turbulence of the 1960s and momentous social change, younger generations started to develop their own sense of style. Catapulting influences of things like different prints or patterns that can still be seen in the present day. The future of fashion is promising and is significantly inspired by past trends. Despite that influence,

6534-589: The 1950s as a reaction and a counter to traditional and high-class art by including common and well-known images and references. Artists known during this movement include  Eduardo Paolozzi , Richard Hamilton , Larry Rivers ,  Robert Rauschenberg  and  Andy Warhol . Pop music is a wide-ranging genre of music whose characteristics include styles and tones that have a wider and more massive appeal to all kinds of consumers. Oftentimes, many examples of these music contain influences from other pre-existing works. The origins of popular music began in

6655-493: The 2017 director's cut. Starting in the late 1990s, VH1 , TBS and TNT began showing the original R-rated version with a TV-14 rating , although with nudity removed/censored, and the stronger profanity either being edited or (on recent airings) silenced. However, this version of the TV cut included some innuendo included in the original theatrical release that was edited or removed from the PG version. Turner Classic Movies has aired

6776-504: The Bronx, West Indians on Staten Island, and, yes, Italians in Brooklyn." Shortly after Cohn's article was published, British music impresario Robert Stigwood purchased the film rights and hired Cohn to adapt his own article to screen. In the mid-1990s Cohn acknowledged that although his account was presented as factual reporting, he fabricated most of the article. He said that as a newcomer to

6897-471: The New Saturday Night " by British writer Nik Cohn . The article centers on working class Italian-Americans in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, and on the lives of young men who work dead-end jobs but live for their nights dancing at the local discotheque. Cohn later wrote that "the [disco] craze had started in black gay clubs, then progressed to straight blacks and gay whites and from there to mass consumption—Latinos in

7018-528: The PG-rated version, stating that it undermined the film's impact and lacked the power of the original R-rated edition. In 2017, the director's cut (running 122 minutes) premiered at the TCM Classic Film Festival at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Fathom Events hosted special screenings of this version in 2017. Both theatrical versions were released on VHS . The PG-rated version never had

7139-565: The United States and Canada and $ 237.1 million worldwide. Adjusted for inflation, it is the highest-grossing R-rated film released in the U.S. in the 1970s, with a total box office gross of $ 673,899,098 in 2024. Saturday Night Fever received positive reviews and is regarded by many critics as one of the best films of 1977. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 82% of 55 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "Boasting

7260-453: The United States and a stranger to the disco lifestyle, he was unable to make any sense of the subculture he had been assigned to write about; instead, the article's protagonist (who would become Tony Manero) was based on an acquaintance of Cohn who was an English mod . John G. Avildsen was originally hired as the film's director but was replaced one month before principal photography by John Badham over "conceptual disagreements." Badham

7381-469: The Victorian equivalent of video games, The Guardian in 2016 described penny fiction as "Britain's first taste of mass-produced popular culture for the young". A growing consumer culture and an increased capacity for travel via the newly invented railway (the first public railway, Stockton and Darlington Railway , opened in north-east England in 1825) created both a market for cheap popular literature and

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7502-504: The Way I Like It , Miramax released it in the US on October 15, 1999, and it grossed US$ 19,319. Forever Fever was the first internationally successful Singaporean film. China on Screen authors Chris Berry and Mary Ann Farquhar attribute this to its mix of Eastern and Western values, symbolized by the use of both Bruce Lee and John Travolta as Ah Hock's heroes. Rotten Tomatoes , a review aggregator , reports that 47% of 15 surveyed critics gave

7623-426: The ability for its distribution on a large scale. The first penny serials were published in the 1830s to meet the growing demand. The stress on the distinction from "official culture" became more pronounced towards the end of the 19th century, a usage that became established by the interbellum period. From the end of World War II , following major cultural and social changes brought by mass media innovations,

7744-415: The actors it was their film debut. The only actor in the cast who was already an established name was John Travolta , thanks to his role on the sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter . Travolta, who had previously auditioned for Stigwood's film version of Jesus Christ Superstar , was remembered by the producer and signed to a three-movie contract with his company in 1976. Stigwood wanted Travolta to first star in

7865-516: The audience becomes accustomed to these formulaic conventions, making intellectual contemplation impossible. Adorno's work has had a considerable influence on culture studies, philosophy, and the New Left . Writing in the New Yorker in 2014, music critic Alex Ross , argued that Adorno's work has a renewed importance in the digital age: "The pop hegemony is all but complete, its superstars dominating

7986-493: The average man, but its vocabulary...is always familiar. It is tempting to confuse pop music with popular music . The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians , the musicologist 's ultimate reference resource, identifies popular music as the music since industrialization in the 1800s that is most in line with the tastes and interests of the urban middle class. This would include an extremely wide range of music from vaudeville and minstrel shows to heavy metal . Pop music, on

8107-407: The best-selling soundtrack albums worldwide, with sales figures of over 40 million copies. In the United States, the album was certified 16× Platinum for shipments of at least 16 million units. The album stayed atop the charts for 24 straight weeks from January to July 1978 and stayed on Billboard ' s album charts for 120 weeks until March 1980. The soundtrack included material written by

8228-434: The branches she created to extend her fan base such as Ellen clothing, socks, pet beds, and more. Social media is interactive computer -mediated technologies that facilitate the creation or sharing of information, ideas, career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks. Social media platforms such as Instagram , Facebook , Twitter , YouTube , Pinterest , TikTok and Snapchat are

8349-446: The bridge, Tony insults a distraught Annette and blames her for Double J's assault of her. An erratic Bobby behaves even more recklessly than his friends, and Tony tries to talk him down, but Bobby's strong sense of despair and Tony's broken promise to call him earlier all lead to a suicidal tirade, before Bobby falls to his death. After the police arrive, a disgusted and disillusioned Tony leaves Double J, Joey, and Annette behind, riding

8470-446: The character's swaggering mannerisms from the male patrons. Travolta said when he would get recognized, "[Guys'] girlfriends would come up, and they'd say, 'Hey, stay away from him, don't bug Travolta,' and they’d actually push the girls away. Tony Manero's whole male-chauvinist thing I got from watching those guys in the discos." He insisted on performing his character's own dance sequences after producers suggested he be substituted by

8591-487: The classical baggy and oversized pieces to trendy and slim-fit clothes for both males and females. Fashion trends and what has been considered popular have been directly influenced and affected by the environment and the state of the world. Dating back to the First and Second World Wars, clothing was designed for functionality as well as to be made in the cheapest way possible. This was due to collective preparation efforts through

8712-511: The conservation of materials. This trend can also be seen throughout the 1930s, or the Great Depression era of history. Due to the state of the economy, clothing yet again faced fundamental changes in shape and function. The term utility clothing was coined, meaning that fashion had taken a turn to more reserved silhouettes. For efficiency, handmade clothing became encouraged through government-backed campaigns. Post-war and continuing throughout

8833-453: The consumption may arise from an active choice, the choice is still the consequence of a social conditioning that the individual is unconscious of. Baudrillard says, "One is permanently governed by a code whose rules and meaning—constraints—like those of language—are, for the most part, beyond the grasp of individuals". Jean Baudrillard argued that the vague conception "Public Opinion" is a subjective and inaccurate illusion, for it attributes

8954-459: The dance floor is like a peacock on amphetamines. He struts like crazy." Siskel even bought Travolta's famous white suit from the film at a charity auction. Film critic Pauline Kael wrote a gushing review of the film in The New Yorker : "The way Saturday Night Fever has been directed and shot, we feel the languorous pull of the discotheque, and the gaudiness is transformed. These are among

9075-667: The depiction of trends, and facilitating the rise of niche influencers. The influencer-driven fashion industry, nevertheless, has also come under fire for encouraging excessive consumerism, inflated beauty ideals, and labour exploitation. The fashion industry has witnessed tremendous, rapid, and applaudable changes over the years, culminating in the production of masterpieces unimaginable in the past decades. This dynamic trend has compelled renowned clothing lines such as Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Balenciaga to intensify research and creative imagination to develop appealing designs that are outstanding and fascinating. Fashion has changed from

9196-663: The distinction between high and popular culture". Storey claims that popular culture emerged from the urbanization of the Industrial Revolution . Studies of Shakespeare (by Weimann, Barber, or Bristol, for example) locate much of the characteristic vitality of his drama in its participation in Renaissance popular culture, while contemporary practitioners like Dario Fo and John McGrath use popular culture in its Gramscian sense that includes ancient folk traditions (the commedia dell'arte for example). Popular culture

9317-446: The effects and influences of pop culture in society and history. Ray B. Browne is one of the first academicians to conduct courses on the studies about pop culture. Pop Culture–although big, mercurial, and slippery to define—is really an umbrella term that covers anything currently in fashion, all or most of whose ingredients are familiar to the public-at-large. The new dances are a perfect example... Pop Art itself may mean little to

9438-545: The eyes of society, and impacting human culture as they get more invested in the game, and perhaps even play the sports themselves in their neighborhoods. Museums also show sports as popular culture, such as Stuart Clarke’s “The Homes of Football” photographic collection in the National Football Museum. Corporate branding refers to the practice of promoting the brand name of a corporate entity, as opposed to specific products or services. Personal branding includes

9559-528: The family when his older brother Frank Jr, the pride of their parents and grandmother, quits the Catholic priesthood. Frank Jr admits that he only became a priest to make their parents happy, and later advises Bobby, who is under pressure to marry his pregnant girlfriend, that the Pope is unlikely to grant him dispensation for an abortion. Leaving to start a new life, Frank encourages Tony to do what makes him happy. Gus

9680-418: The fashion industry is moving towards a goal of sustainability. This is due to past actions of intense consumerism and fast fashion usage, as well as increasing environmental threats. The state of the economy continues to have a great effect on fashion, as consumers will be looking to make more of an investment in the items that they purchase, rather than participating in a constant cycle of buying. Sustainability

9801-448: The film a positive review; the average rating is 5.7/0. Metacritic rated it 52/100 based on 18 reviews. Derek Elley of Variety described it as "a cheeky and thoroughly engaging riff on Saturday Night Fever that even manages to wear some smart subtext beneath its tight pants". David Noh of Film Journal International called it a ripoff of Saturday Night Fever that is "an Asian equivalent for 'Uncle Tom-ing'". Roger Ebert of

9922-514: The film from exhibition for a period of 90 days before they could showcase the alternate rated version, thereby causing a delay in their release plans. Eventually, in 1979, the PG-rated version was made available to the public. Paramount later decided to present it as a double feature along with their other successful John Travolta film, Grease . In the Biography documentary Inside Story: Saturday Night Fever , producer Robert Stigwood criticized

10043-474: The film in both versions: the original R-rated version (rated TV-MA on the network) is the cut commonly broadcast, although the PG cut has been presented as part of TCM's family-oriented "Funday Night at the Movies" and "Essentials Jr." film showcases. The film grossed $ 25.9 million in its first 24 days of release and grossed an average of $ 600,000 a day throughout January to March going on to gross $ 94.2 million in

10164-403: The film was in development, at some point after the film's release. In 2024, David Letterman said that he was sent to an audition for the series. The 1980 comedy Airplane! by directors David & Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams , included a flashback scene that directly parodied the dance competition scene at the disco in Saturday Night Fever . In 2008, director Pablo Larraín made

10285-465: The film, Goei had to mortgage his London apartment. He later described his behavior as naive, as he took major risks, such as licensing expensive pop songs. The songs paid off, however, when Harvey Weinstein of Miramax cited the music as a reason why he connected with the film and picked it up for international distribution. Forever Fever grossed S$ 800,000 in Singapore, where it was released in 1998 by Shaw Organisation . After retitling it That's

10406-422: The film, and included bonus features from the 2002 release as well as new extras. The 4K director's cut (122 minutes) was released on Blu-ray on May 2, 2017. This disc includes both the director's cut and the original theatrical version, as well as the bulk of the bonus features from the prior release. On November 8, 2022, Paramount released the film as a special edition 4K HD Blu-ray. When HBO acquired

10527-562: The film, had to write a song to match the dance steps in the scene, replacing the Biz Scahgs track. However, Shire's track does not appear on the movie's soundtrack. The song "K-Jee" was used during the dance contest with the Puerto Rican couple that competed against Tony and Stephanie. Some VHS cassettes used a more traditional Latin-style song instead. The DVD restores the original recording. The album, like its parent film, has been added to

10648-527: The film, including the addition of a $ 15,000 lighted floor, which was inspired by a Birmingham, Alabama establishment Badham had visited. A similar effect was achieved on the club's walls using tinfoil and Christmas lights . Since the Bee Gees were not involved in the production until after principal photography wrapped, the "Night Fever", "You Should Be Dancin'", and "More Than a Woman" sequences were shot with Stevie Wonder tracks that were later overdubbed in

10769-433: The forefront of setting fashion trends through various platforms. Clothing will continue to act as an area for personal expression no matter the trends, constantly shaped by the world around us. Pop culture has had a lasting influence to the products being released in their time. Many examples of art, books, films and others, have been inspired by pop culture. These include: Pop art is an art movement that first emerged in

10890-438: The graffiti-riddled subway into Manhattan. By morning, he appears at Stephanie's apartment and apologizes for his behavior, planning to relocate to Manhattan to start a new life. Stephanie forgives Tony, admitting that she danced with him because he gave her respect and moral support, and they salvage their relationship, agreeing to be friends. The film was inspired by a 1976 New York magazine article entitled " Tribal Rites of

11011-442: The kind of dancer who needs thought and construction—an idea—before I dance. I need an internal story. Lester would put on some music and he would say, 'Move with me, motherfucker—move with me!'" Karen Lynn Gorney was nine years older than Travolta when she was cast as his love interest Stephanie. Although Gorney had dance experience before she was cast, she found it difficult to keep up with her co-star due to injuries sustained in

11132-513: The late 1800s with the inventions of Edison’s phonograph and Berliner’s gramophone, both of which allowed for music to be available for purchase to the public rather than access to just the elites. Due to the almost nonexistent copyright laws, the early 1900s flourished with composers and publishers aiming to make and sell as much music as they could. The hub for this activity was a small area of New York known as Tin Pan Alley, which quickly became one of

11253-427: The major spots for popular music as the demand grew intensely. Technological advances in the 1940s only furthered the success and popularity of the genre. The reel-to-tape recorder was groundbreaking in terms of innovation and served as the baseline for many more transformations this genre and the music industry as a whole will endure. Along with the continued innovation of popular music, multiple subset genres emerged as

11374-413: The meaning of "popular culture" began to overlap with the connotations of "mass culture", " media culture ", " image culture ", " consumer culture ", and "culture for mass consumption ". The abbreviated form "pop" for "popular", as in " pop music ", dates from the late 1950s. Although the terms "pop" and "popular" are in some cases used interchangeably, and their meaning partially overlap, the term "pop"

11495-417: The media and wielding the economic might of tycoons...Culture appears more monolithic than ever, with a few gigantic corporations—Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon—presiding over unprecedented monopolies". There is much scholarship on how Western entertainment industries strengthen transnational capitalism and reinforce Western cultural dominance. Hence, rather than being a local culture, commercial entertainment

11616-455: The morning as possible before people caught on – often at the crack of dawn. They would also generate fake call sheets . The tactics worked well enough that Badham was usually able to get the scenes done before significant crowds had time to gather. The soundtrack was released on November 15, 1977. Prior to the release of Thriller by Michael Jackson , Saturday Night Fever was the best-selling album in music history , and still ranks among

11737-472: The most hypnotically beautiful pop dance scenes ever filmed ... Travolta gets so far inside the role he seems incapable of a false note; even the Brooklyn accent sounds unerring ... At its best, though, Saturday Night Fever gets at something deeply romantic: the need to move, to dance, and the need to be who you'd like to be. Nirvana is the dance; when the music stops, you return to being ordinary." American Film Institute Lists A television show based on

11858-401: The most popular applications used on a daily basis by younger generations. Social media tends to be implemented into the daily routine of individuals in our current society. Social media is a vital part of our culture as it continues to impact the forms of communication used to connect with those in our communities, families, or friend groups. We often see that terms or slang are used online that

11979-477: The need to consume. Whereas the Frankfurt School believed consumers were passive, Baudrillard argued that consumers were trained to consume products in the form of active labor in order to achieve upward social mobility. Thus, consumers under capitalism are trained to purchase products such as pop albums and consumable fiction in order to signal their devotion to social trends, fashions, and subcultures. Although

12100-545: The new faces of popular music, all with the foundation of jazz and blues. Some of those genres include Rock and Roll, Punk, and Hip Hop. Due to the increasing mainstream success of popular music, artists of the genre grew in fame and popularity. A few of the major singers and musicians of this genre include Michael Jackson , Madonna , Britney Spears , Justin Bieber , Elvis Presley , Beatles , Beyonce and Taylor Swift . Popular music will continue to be shaped by, and evolve to fit

12221-409: The news), politics , fashion , technology , and slang . In the past, folk culture functioned analogously to the popular culture of the masses and of the nations. The phrase "popular culture" was coined in the 19th century or earlier. Traditionally, popular culture was associated with poor education and with the lower classes , as opposed to the "official culture" and higher education of

12342-459: The people, but this can be problematic as there are many ways of defining the "people". Storey argued that there is a political dimension to popular culture; neo-Gramscian hegemony theory "sees popular culture as a site of struggle between the 'resistance' of subordinate groups in society and the forces of 'incorporation' operating in the interests of dominant groups in society". A postmodernist approach to popular culture would "no longer recognize

12463-593: The performances of written music , although since the beginning of the recording industry , it is also disseminated through recordings . Traditional music forms such as early blues songs or hymns were passed along orally, or to smaller, local audiences. Sports include all forms of competitive physical activity or games which, through casual or organized participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants, and in some cases, entertainment for spectators. The connection between sports and popular culture

12584-483: The priesthood. "I think what Norman did so well was to create a family situation that had real truth, an accurate look at how men related to women in that moment, in ways that you would never get away with now," said producer Kevin McCormick . The film's relatively low budget ($ 3.5 million) meant that most of the actors were relative unknowns, many of whom were recruited from New York's theatre scene. For more than 40% of

12705-483: The public have their own tastes and they may not always embrace every cultural or subcultural item sold. Moreover, certain beliefs and opinions about the products of commercial culture may spread by word-of-mouth, and become modified in the process and in the same manner that folklore evolves. Popular culture in the West has been critiqued for being a system of commercialism that privileges products selected and mass-marketed by

12826-454: The push-back between them. Within popular culture, there are two levels that have emerged, high and low. High culture can be described as art and works considered of superior value, historically, aesthetically and socially. Low culture is regarded by some as that of the lower classes, historically. Adaptations based on traditional folklore provide a source of popular culture. This early layer of cultural mainstream still persists today, in

12947-468: The role of Annette. She corrected this matter by putting on weight. She also had to relearn her native Brooklyn accent, which she had overcome while studying drama at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts . The film was shot entirely on-location in Brooklyn , New York . The 2001 Odyssey Disco was a real club located at 802 64th Street, which has since been demolished. The interior was modified for

13068-547: The same scenes, substituting milder language initially intended for the network television cut. Paramount initially intended to release the PG-rated version of the film in 1978, as it was already being screened on airlines . However, due to the regulations set by the MPAA at the time, it was not permissible to have two versions of a film with different ratings shown concurrently in American theaters. Consequently, Paramount had to remove

13189-453: The search of what the films aim to portray. Films are used to seek acceptance and understanding of many subjects because of the influence the films carry—an example of an early representation of this can be seen in Casablanca (1942): the film introduced war subjects to the public after the United States entered World War II, and it meant to increase pro-war sentiment for the allies. Films are

13310-494: The service of capitalist domination by the elite. The consumer demand for Hollywood films , pop tunes, and consumable books is influenced by capitalist industries like Hollywood and the elite who decide which commodities are to be promoted in the media, including television and print journalism. Adorno wrote, "The industry bows to the vote it has itself rigged". It is the elite who commodify products in accordance with their narrow ideological values and criteria, and Adorno argues that

13431-708: The sound mix. During filming, the production was harassed by local gangs over use of the location, and was even firebombed. The dance studio was Phillips Dance Studio in Bensonhurst , the Manero home was a house in Bay Ridge , the paint store was Pearson Paint & Hardware, also in Bay Ridge. Other locations included the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge , John J. Carty Park , and the Bay Ridge Promenade. To try to throw off Travolta's fans who might disrupt filming, Badham and his team took to shooting exterior scenes as early in

13552-477: The soundtrack, they told Stigwood they disliked the title Saturday Night . It was after this that the film's final title of Saturday Night Fever was decided upon. After Cohn finished a single screenplay draft, he was replaced by Norman Wexler , a screenwriter with Oscar nominations for Joe (1970) and Serpico (1973). Among the elements Wexler added to the story was Tony's younger sister, as well as older brother Frank who disappoints his parents by leaving

13673-641: The tastes and preferences of the public. Pop culture fiction is a genre in books , comics , films , shows , and many other story-telling media that depicts stories that are purposely filled with easter eggs and references to pop culture. The genre often overlaps with satire and parody , but the most-well known are considered to be more serious works of literature . Writers of this genre include Ernest Cline , Bret Easton Ellis , Bryan Lee O'Malley , and Louis Bulaong . Pop culture studies are researches thesis , and other academic works that analyzes various trends of pop and mass culture, pop icons , or

13794-427: The transmission of common knowledge and ideas was possible. In the 1890s, Nikola Tesla and Guglielmo Marconi created the radiotelegraph , allowing for the modern radio to be born. This led to the radio being able to influence a more "listened-to" culture, with individuals being able to feel like they have a more direct impact. This radio culture is vital, because it was imperative to advertising, and it introduced

13915-404: The upper classes. With the rise of the Industrial Revolution in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Britain experienced social changes that resulted in increased literacy rates, and with the rise of capitalism and industrialization , people began to spend more money on entertainment, such as (commercialised) public houses and sports. Reading also gained traction. Labeling penny dreadfuls

14036-520: The upper-class capitalist elite; such criticisms are most notable in many Marxist theorists such as Herbert Marcuse , Theodor Adorno , Max Horkheimer , bell hooks , Antonio Gramsci , Guy Debord , Fredric Jameson , Terry Eagleton , as well as certain postmodern philosophers such as Jean-François Lyotard , who has written about the commercialisation of information under capitalism, and Jean Baudrillard , as well as others. The most influential critiques of popular culture came from Marxist theorists of

14157-467: The use of social media to promotion to brands and topics to further good repute among professionals in a given field, produce an iconic relationship between a professional, a brand and its audience that extends networks past the conventional lines established by the mainstream and to enhance personal visibility. Popular culture: is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of the practices , beliefs , and objects that are dominant or prevalent in

14278-428: Was a lesser-known director who, like his star, had mostly worked in television. His sole prior film credit, The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings , was released while Saturday Night Fever was already well into production. The film went through several different titles, including Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night and Saturday Night . After the Bee Gees wrote " Night Fever " and submitted it for

14399-436: Was only using him to win, before fighting him off and running away. Tony's friends arrive with an intoxicated Annette, who has agreed to have sex with everyone. Tony tries to lead her away but is subdued by Double J and Joey, and they all drive to the bridge as Joey has sex with Annette in the back seat. Double J takes Joey's place while Tony and Bobby appear uncomfortable. As the others begin their usual cable-climbing antics on

14520-531: Was panned by critics despite being successful at the box office. In 2010, Saturday Night Fever was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry . Adjusted for inflation, it is one of the highest-grossing R-rated films released in the U.S. in the 1970s, with a total box office gross of $ 673,899,098 in 2024. Tony Manero

14641-498: Was published in 2004. In 2010, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Film critic Gene Siskel , who would later list this as his favorite movie, praised the film: "One minute into Saturday Night Fever you know this picture is onto something, that it knows what it's talking about." He also praised John Travolta's energetic performance: "Travolta on

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