Product Details

• Actors: Ryan Phillippe, Salma Hayek, Sela Ward, Breckin Meyer, Sherry Stringfield
• Directors: Mark Christopher
• Writers: Mark Christopher
• Producers: Bob Weinstein, Bobby Cohen, Dolly Hall, Don Carmody, Harvey Weinstein
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Miramax
• DVD Release Date: August 17, 1999
• Run Time: 93 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (135 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00000JGOL
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,861 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "54" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Saturday Night Fever it's not--call it more like Sunday Morning Leftovers. This portrait of the legendary Manhattan disco and its colorful cofounder, Steve Rubell, plays like the outtakes of a much more interesting film--where's the sex, the drugs, the classic disco music? (It shouldn't surprise viewers that Miramax and writer-director Mark Christopher had a falling-out over the final cut of the film; Miramax prevailed.) Considering that the essence of Studio 54 was about the rich and beautiful, it seems a bit unwise to focus on the poor and only-somewhat-beautiful, namely Shane (Ryan Phillippe), a Jersey boy who gets taken in by the razzle-dazzle of the disco era. Crossing the river, Shane finds another, more exciting life at Studio 54 as a shirtless bartender, and soon finds himself partying with the crème de la crème--and smitten with comely soap star Julie (Neve Campbell). The permutations of the story are familiar; if you've never seen VH1's Behind the Music documentary take on Studio 54 you'll find this film enjoyable, but unlike that exhaustive portrait, too many elements are missing. Most of Phillippe's performance seems to have ended up on the cutting-room floor (although his chiseled torso gets maximum exposure), Campbell's role is basically a glorified cameo, and Breckin Meyer and Salma Hayek, as Phillippe's only true pals, are wasted. The one true gem of the film, though, is Mike Myers's take on the late Steve Rubell, an inspired high-wire performance that balances humor and tragedy without ever giving in to camp or pathos. Had this been a more well-received movie, he'd be remembered come Oscar time--his drunken proposition of Philippe is a minor treasure. The soundtrack does feature some unknown chestnuts and a few new remixes, including an inspired disco version of--believe it or not--Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind." --Mark Englehart

Product Description

Hot Hollywood stars Mike Myers (AUSTIN POWERS 2: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME, WAYNE'S WORLD), Neve Campbell (WILD THINGS, SCREAM 1,2&3), and Salma Hayek (WILD, WILD WEST, DOGMA) give must-see performances in this provocative look behind the bright lights of the hottest nightclub ever! When Steve Rubell (Myers), the mastermind behind New York's infamous STUDIO 54 disco, plucks young Shane O'Shea (Ryan Phillippe, GOSFORD PARK, CRUEL INTENTIONS) from the sea of faces clamoring to get inside his club, Shane not only gets his foot in the door ... but lands a coveted job behind the bar! By following Shane's rapid rise from naive busboy to the notorious nightspot's sexy main attraction, you're allowed an unforgettable look at the spectacular rise and fall of Steve Rubell's decadent empire! An entertaining hit that pulses with the best dance music of the era, 54 is not just your ticket inside this legendary place ... it places you at the very epicenter of the greatest party on Earth!

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars I WAS THERE March 4, 2005

By George Dalzell

Format:DVD

Yup, I got into Studio 54 as an underage teenager just before Schrager and Rubell got busted. The direction and cinematography make this film a classic --- as close to being there as being chosen by doorman Mark Benecke out of a crowd a thousand deep. $15 cover charge in 1979! And you'd walk through the hall of mirrors like Ryan Phillippe, pass the coat check, and come upon that row of black doors, a gateway to the most fantastic party in your wildest dreams. I finally figured out one reason for the club's success -- with the undeclared cash income, the owners threw the most extravagant parties of all time, night after night. This film gives an inkling, an idea of the place, for history, though the real Studio 54 was neither as freakish or out of control as the film depicts. When you entered the place, you felt like you'd gone to heaven. After a while, it felt like home.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Music, dancing and decadence all lit up by stobe lighting August 7, 2004

By Linda Linguvic HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

Remember Studio 54? And doesn't it seem a long time ago?

This was a dance club like no other in the late 1970s. The patrons were either celebrities or those chosen at the front door because they had the "look" of the beautiful people. Inside was a fantasy of dancing and drugs, all lit by strobe lighting. And, as it had formerly been a theater, there was a even balcony for those almost private moments of brief romantic encounters. The waiters and bartenders were all gorgeous young men and wore nothing but shorts and a bow tie. This is a story of one of these guys.

Ryan Phillips is cast in the role of Shane O'Shea, a 19 year old from New Jersey who yearns for a star-studded life. He's chosen at the door and is big eyed with wonder and desire. Eventually, he becomes a waiter and later is promoted to bartender. There are a lot of women. And there is a lot of money. He even gets his picture in a magazine. Everything comes easy for him but he really is interested in a New Jersey girl who's a rising soap opera star.

The best role in the film goes to Mike Myers, who plays the legendary Steve Rubell who made it all happen. He's a strange bird with an eccentric personality and he does a lot of drugs. The money rolls in and he is in trouble with the IRS. But he's so puffed up with his own importance that he even brags about it on TV. Eventually, he's arrested and the party ends. But before it does, the filmgoers are treated to a small view of what it was back then.

I found the story silly, but I loved the nostalgia. Here was the music and the lights and the feeling of decadence that characterized a time that no longer exists. I lived through that time period. I remember. And so for those who are curious and those who want to step into the past for an hour and a half, I recommended this 1998 film.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Coulda Been, But Wasn't.... July 6, 2000

By ClosedBook

Format:DVD

Okay, first of all, to Masonx, Ryan Phillippe is not Canadian. Back to the point....This movie had tons of potential. I was really looking foward to seeing it. Having been born in 1978 I did most of my growing in the 90's so there was never a time that sex was safe and drugs were not addictive. I find that period of freedom fascinating and 54 was where the party was. I'm sure this movie was going somewhere very interesting before the studio got a hold of it. Laced with sex, drugs, homosexuality and energy, as that time was, the original cut was probably very good. But, alas, someone got nervous and added these horrible scenes, and cut the heart out of the film. They beefed up Neve's role, which was bad, beefed up Mike Myers role, which he played well but it just didn't work, and just plain messed up the movie. You can tell all the stuff that was reshot by Ryan's afro wig which looks nothing like real hair. Watch the original trailer to see things that look good but never made the final cut. I'm sad to see the DVD has no deleted scenes, and no Director's Cut edition, I would like to see the real film. And until these become available, don't waste your time. Good Idea...Bad Execution.