Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
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.
Studio 54 (2018) is a competent and engaging documentary that benefits enormously from its fascinating subject matter — the rise, excess, and fall of the legendary New York nightclub. The plot structure follows a fairly conventional rise-and-fall arc, enriched by Ian Schrager's candid first-person perspective and archival footage that vividly captures the era's hedonism. As a documentary, 'acting' pertains to the on-screen subjects and interview subjects, who range from engaging to merely serviceable — Schrager is compelling but other talking heads are standard. The cinematography mixes archival material with contemporary interview setups competently but unremarkably. Novelty is moderate: while the subject itself is iconic, the documentary approach is fairly standard for music/nightlife retrospectives, though Schrager's insider access lends it some distinction. The ending, which revisits the personal toll and legacy of the club's closure and the owners' imprisonment, is emotionally resonant and provides meaningful closure without being exceptional.