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.
"Studio 54 is an opulent and balanced tribute to '70s pop culture."
— Thomas Hobbs
"Studio 54 is resonant because it offers such a reasonable and poignant answer."
— David Ehrlich
Studio 54 was the epicenter of 70s hedonism - a place that not only redefined the nightclub, but also came to symbolize an entire era. Its co-owners, Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell, two friends from Brooklyn, seemed to come out of nowhere to suddenly preside over a new kind of New York society. Now, 39 years after the velvet rope was first slung across the club's hallowed threshold, a feature documentary tells the real story behind the greatest club of all time.
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 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.
In the club, we all fam.
Sundance
1 nomination
