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.

It was the crazy 70s. Disco was king, the Bee Gees were holding center court, and Donna Summer was queen. Then there was club 54 where only the prettiest and best were allowed to enter. Liquor, sex, and drugs were always on the playlist and it became a staple of all the deviant behaviors of the era. The real star of this movie IS the music. It pulsates throughout the picture, giving it life in some of the dead spots. One amazing performance by Mike Meyers (Groovy Baby) as Steve was suprisingly overlooked. Meyers studied this character and had him down. He didn't even look like himself. If you miss the 70s/80s, put this on and go to the way-back machine.

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.

"54" stars Ryan Phillippe, Selma Hayak, Neve Campbell, and Mike Myers. The movie describes the high doses of everything in Studio 54. Though much information from real-life was eliminated, especially the second club owner, it still has many enjoyable scenes. Had they included those extra details, "54" likely would have been given a five stars. The high extremes of glitz, glamour, flamboyance, sex, music, and drugs are desplicted brilliantly. The stage set-up of Studio 54 gives the movie further joy, especially in the lights, the glitter, and the elaborate construction. Such scenery shines light to disco music. Mike Myers role as the club owner, Steve Rubell, is his best in his career. Sadly, he was highly underrated. The other actors are average, though most have performed better. "54" is a great movie for those looking to revisit the 1970's and/or the disco era. Many will be entertained. Those looking for a further disco experience should also watch "Saturday Night Fever".

See 54 for Ryan Phillippe, he is hot. He has it all, abs, muscles, and a hot face. As usual he is the bad boy type and snags most of the ladies, if not all. Expect the usual, Ryan to show his behind, and to do it as much as he can. If you are a boy like me you will also like all of the hot ladies in this movie too.