MovieChat Forums > Saturday Night Fever (1977) Discussion > Were people really this stupid back in 1...

Were people really this stupid back in 1977

posted 5 years ago by grhqofb5 (327)
70 replies | jump to latest

Tell you what, I've seen some characters portrayed as possessing low intelligence, but nothing compares to some of the ones in this move. Starting with the lead on down. That coffee shop scene between Tony and Stephanie was brutal. The idiotic pretentiousness of their conversation. I know that it was "a different time" and all, but damn. Just damn.... And Annette.... And Tony's entire family. And Tony. And Tony's male friends. I think that the only character that had any real smarts was Tony's boss.

[–] bobbydallas (8085) 4 years ago

i dunno. the characters were just fairly immature.

the parents, boss etc seemed realistic enough.

[–] BooBooCat (652) 4 years ago

This is actually one of those successful and praised movies I personally don't see the appeal, and what you pointed out is among the main reasons why.. 😕

[–] mitzibishi (1617) 4 years ago

I don't think you got the subtleties of that conversation. Just dumb kids talking, the film was saying something else.

[–] modica (4169) 4 years ago

Obviously not. I have to admit as a 15 year old boy, I didn't get a lot of what was going on either when I first saw it. Years later, I picked up on so much. Those conversations and relationships are brilliantly portrayed and developed. It was an entirely different movie watching it years later. As a teen it was all about the music and the dancing. I didn't even realize there was also a story there.

[–] Redsfan001 (6012) 4 years ago

"I work hard on my hair and you hit it, you hit my hair."

It's a true to life film.

Kind of like if a MTV Jersey Shore episode was written for the big screen.

[–] trevorh321 (5495) 4 years ago

They look like mental giants compared to the liberals infesting America today.

[–] Jones70 (6195) 4 years ago

I’m sure some where, just as some are now.

[–] liscarkat (16576) 4 years ago

They're stereotypes, meant to be amusing. People in general were actually smarter in 1977.

[–] BourbonKing (5637) 4 years ago

I dunno, none of what you listed reflects the idea of low intelligence being celebrated or being pretentious at all. Did you at least get the gist of this movie is about? It's a growing up story at its core and NYC's young disco era is the backdrop.

Urban Cowboy is essentially the same movie and Paul Thomas Anderson recalibrates the story in 70s revision of the porn industry with "Boogie Nights". The main character starts out naive, yet charismatic and hopeful and even though they face setbacks they learn a lot along the way and evolve into a more worldly adult.

[–] grhqofb5 (327) 4 years ago

Urban Cowboy was another movie that involved really dumb characters. Except for the bar owner, who made a great baseball manager about 10 years later for the Indians.