New York City, 1977. College friends Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager open Studio 54, a nightclub that quickly becomes the most popular spot in the city.
The take
New York’s hottest club was Studio 54. It has everything– the lights, the exclusivity, the drugs, the tax evasion legal issues that brought its founders to jail… But in all seriousness, the documentary about the notorious studio-turned-disco already has an interesting story to tell, and while it’s done with the usual Netflix flair, but director Matt Tyrnauer keeps focus on the actual club, rather than the notoriety surrounding it, by interviewing the crew behind Studio 54 rather than the famous celebrities, and thankfully, former studio owner and one half of the duo Ian Schrager finally opened up to talk about the whirlwind success he went through nearly half a century ago. The documentary may be a bit more tame than the real life club, but Studio 54 is a long overdue documentary that’s refreshingly candid, if a bit more calmer than expected.
What stands out
The documentary focused more on Steve Rubell, and understandably so, considering his larger-than-life presence, and considering that he’s not here to tell his story.