1 00:00:14,891 --> 00:00:19,729 ♪ (UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 2 00:00:28,446 --> 00:00:31,616 I started out making a film about the New York disco scene in the '70s. 3 00:00:31,699 --> 00:00:34,744 And I discovered this sort of genius at the center of it all. 4 00:00:34,827 --> 00:00:36,662 Whether it was disco, the Bee Gees, 5 00:00:36,746 --> 00:00:38,206 Saturday Night Fever, you name it, 6 00:00:38,289 --> 00:00:40,625 Robert Stigwood's fingerprints are all over it. 7 00:00:40,708 --> 00:00:43,044 He was the Wizard of Oz of the 1970s. 8 00:00:54,472 --> 00:00:58,518 ♪ (“BOOGIE OOGIE OOGIE” BY A TASTE OF HONEY PLAYING) ♪ 9 00:01:20,665 --> 00:01:23,334 KEVIN MCCORMICK: I moved back to New York in late '75, 10 00:01:23,417 --> 00:01:25,044 beginning of '76. 11 00:01:26,629 --> 00:01:29,131 I had gotten a job to work for RSO, 12 00:01:29,215 --> 00:01:31,133 the Robert Stigwood Organization. 13 00:01:32,802 --> 00:01:35,054 Robert at that point was in the music business, 14 00:01:35,137 --> 00:01:37,890 and other than the Bee Gees, I really didn't know that much. 15 00:01:37,974 --> 00:01:40,393 I knew he had Eric Clapton he was managing... 16 00:01:41,602 --> 00:01:44,230 and it was just at a moment where he was transitioning 17 00:01:44,313 --> 00:01:45,815 into producing movies. 18 00:01:46,607 --> 00:01:47,733 I'm like, in my early twenties, 19 00:01:47,817 --> 00:01:51,362 and I'm head of development and production. 20 00:01:51,445 --> 00:01:53,698 And one of the first things Robert had done, 21 00:01:53,781 --> 00:01:55,032 when he set up the new company, 22 00:01:55,116 --> 00:01:58,870 was sign John Travolta to a three-picture deal. 23 00:01:58,953 --> 00:02:01,038 But we didn't have any pictures to support it, 24 00:02:01,122 --> 00:02:02,748 so I said to Robert, "What do I do now?" 25 00:02:02,832 --> 00:02:05,001 And he said, "Well, you go out and buy projects." 26 00:02:05,084 --> 00:02:10,381 ♪ If you're thinkin' You're too cool to boogie ♪ 27 00:02:11,674 --> 00:02:14,093 KEVIN: In '75, '76, in New York, 28 00:02:14,176 --> 00:02:17,221 there was a very cool disco culture. 29 00:02:18,514 --> 00:02:19,599 You know, music was happening 30 00:02:19,682 --> 00:02:21,976 and people were coming out to do something 31 00:02:22,059 --> 00:02:24,437 that you weren't allowed to do in any other environment. 32 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:25,980 ♪ ...'Cause we're gonna Boogie oogie oogie ♪ 33 00:02:26,063 --> 00:02:28,858 ♪ 'Till you just can't boogie No more ♪ 34 00:02:28,941 --> 00:02:32,737 ♪ Ah, boogie Boogie no more... ♪ 35 00:02:32,820 --> 00:02:35,323 KEVIN: And as I'm looking for stories, 36 00:02:35,406 --> 00:02:39,118 I met this sort of cutting-edge rock 'n' roll journalist 37 00:02:39,201 --> 00:02:41,370 called Nik Cohn. 38 00:02:41,454 --> 00:02:44,957 Nik had this particular insight about music, and about people, 39 00:02:45,041 --> 00:02:50,212 and nocturnal explorations of Manhattan and the boroughs. 40 00:02:50,296 --> 00:02:53,007 ♪ 'Cause we're gonna Boogie oogie oogie... ♪ 41 00:02:53,090 --> 00:02:55,676 KEVIN: And he'd written a New York Magazine article 42 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,429 called "Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night." 43 00:02:58,512 --> 00:03:00,890 ♪ Boogie no more... ♪ 44 00:03:00,973 --> 00:03:03,643 KEVIN: It was an incredible story 45 00:03:03,726 --> 00:03:07,146 about a kid growing up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, 46 00:03:07,229 --> 00:03:09,065 and the part of his life that comes alive 47 00:03:09,148 --> 00:03:11,859 with his dreams, which is on the dance floor. 48 00:03:13,778 --> 00:03:14,946 For me, 49 00:03:15,029 --> 00:03:18,950 what made it stand out was I totally got this character. 50 00:03:19,033 --> 00:03:22,244 He was like somebody that I could have known growing up. 51 00:03:23,829 --> 00:03:25,957 There were a lot of kids I'd gone to school with who, 52 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:27,875 what they lived for was Saturday night, 53 00:03:27,959 --> 00:03:30,002 and how they looked, and how they danced, 54 00:03:30,086 --> 00:03:32,171 and how other people thought about them. 55 00:03:32,254 --> 00:03:36,342 ♪ (PENSIVE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 56 00:03:36,425 --> 00:03:38,511 FREDDIE GERSHON: I don't know if Robert actually just read 57 00:03:38,594 --> 00:03:42,098 the story, or if Kevin said, "You ought to read this," 58 00:03:42,181 --> 00:03:44,725 but Robert's the one who called me. 59 00:03:46,727 --> 00:03:48,896 It was 4th of July weekend, I believe. 60 00:03:48,980 --> 00:03:52,566 It was like two weeks after the article had come out. 61 00:03:52,650 --> 00:03:54,151 And I said, "It was fascinating, wasn't it?" 62 00:03:54,235 --> 00:03:55,611 And he said, "Yes, it was fascinating." 63 00:03:55,695 --> 00:03:56,779 "Do you see what I see?" 64 00:03:56,862 --> 00:03:58,364 I said, "I don't know what you see." 65 00:03:58,447 --> 00:04:02,410 He said, "This is a hundred-million-dollar movie." 66 00:04:06,372 --> 00:04:08,958 KEVIN: When we got the article, Robert's first thought was, 67 00:04:09,041 --> 00:04:11,669 "This could be John's first picture." 68 00:04:11,752 --> 00:04:16,841 And we sent it on to John, and John said, "I'm in." 69 00:04:16,924 --> 00:04:23,139 ♪ (“STAYIN' ALIVE” BY THE BEE GEES PLAYING) ♪ 70 00:04:29,979 --> 00:04:32,732 ♪ Well, you can tell By the way I use my walk ♪ 71 00:04:32,815 --> 00:04:35,317 ♪ I'm a woman's man No time to talk... ♪ 72 00:04:35,401 --> 00:04:37,028 NIK COHN: If anybody else had bought 73 00:04:37,111 --> 00:04:39,530 that little magazine story I had written, 74 00:04:39,613 --> 00:04:42,950 any other producer, Fever would not have happened. 75 00:04:43,034 --> 00:04:45,161 We wouldn't be talking about it now. 76 00:04:45,244 --> 00:04:46,871 ♪ We can try to understand ♪ 77 00:04:46,954 --> 00:04:49,331 ♪ The New York Times' effect On man... ♪ 78 00:04:50,499 --> 00:04:54,045 NIK: When they bought that story, Robert said to me, 79 00:04:54,128 --> 00:04:56,088 "I smell something real here." 80 00:04:57,339 --> 00:04:59,592 He existed by sense of smell. 81 00:04:59,675 --> 00:05:02,803 To say he had a wonderful sense of smell. 82 00:05:02,887 --> 00:05:06,432 You just get the sense of, you know, you put that there, 83 00:05:06,515 --> 00:05:08,642 and that there, and that there, 84 00:05:09,477 --> 00:05:12,354 and they might work together. 85 00:05:12,438 --> 00:05:15,232 ♪ (“THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT” BY THE WHO PLAYING) ♪ 86 00:05:15,316 --> 00:05:20,988 ♪ I don't mind other guys Dancing with my girl ♪ 87 00:05:22,323 --> 00:05:28,120 ♪ That's fine, I know them All pretty well ♪ 88 00:05:29,497 --> 00:05:30,790 ♪ But I know sometimes... ♪ 89 00:05:30,873 --> 00:05:32,708 REPORTER: In the last five years, Robert Stigwood, 90 00:05:32,792 --> 00:05:36,462 a diffident, awkward Australian who shambled into a fortune 91 00:05:36,545 --> 00:05:38,005 on the other side of the world, 92 00:05:38,089 --> 00:05:40,800 has become the entertainment industry's newest 93 00:05:40,883 --> 00:05:42,843 and most unexpected tycoon. 94 00:05:43,886 --> 00:05:46,263 Stigwood is 37, a millionaire, 95 00:05:46,347 --> 00:05:48,265 and one of the world's biggest owners 96 00:05:48,349 --> 00:05:51,227 and manipulators of other people's talents. 97 00:05:55,022 --> 00:05:57,650 You don't personally come across as somebody with immense drive 98 00:05:57,733 --> 00:06:00,528 or tremendous, abrasive cutting edge or anything like that. 99 00:06:00,611 --> 00:06:03,280 You strike me rather as a rather shy person. 100 00:06:03,364 --> 00:06:09,120 Yes, but drive, I think, comes from, uh, inside oneself. 101 00:06:09,203 --> 00:06:11,664 ♪ Better leave her behind ♪ 102 00:06:11,747 --> 00:06:13,707 ♪ With the kids They're all right ♪ 103 00:06:13,791 --> 00:06:16,127 BOB ADCOCK: I first met Robert when I was a tour manager 104 00:06:16,210 --> 00:06:20,548 with a band called The Merseys, and that would have been '66. 105 00:06:20,631 --> 00:06:23,467 And he was the agent for the Merseys and the Who. 106 00:06:23,551 --> 00:06:29,265 ♪ ...be a lot better for her I don't mind other guys... ♪ 107 00:06:29,348 --> 00:06:33,853 BOB: And when Cream formed, Robert was their manager. 108 00:06:33,936 --> 00:06:36,355 And he called me to hook up with Cream. 109 00:06:36,438 --> 00:06:40,359 ♪ ...Sometimes I must get out In the light... ♪ 110 00:06:40,442 --> 00:06:42,778 BOB: Robert's reputation was a good one. 111 00:06:42,862 --> 00:06:45,447 He conducted business ruthlessly, 112 00:06:45,531 --> 00:06:47,992 but on behalf of his artists. 113 00:06:48,075 --> 00:06:52,830 ♪ The kids are all right ♪ 114 00:06:55,082 --> 00:06:57,793 I'm speaking to you from a club in, uh... 115 00:06:57,877 --> 00:07:00,588 in Hamburg, and I'm Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees. 116 00:07:00,671 --> 00:07:03,632 Robin, here. Robin, we've heard rumors that the group is splitting up. 117 00:07:03,716 --> 00:07:05,259 Would you like to verify those rumors? 118 00:07:05,342 --> 00:07:09,013 If I was to say that was true, then I would be the Premier of Russia. 119 00:07:09,096 --> 00:07:10,389 No. No. 120 00:07:10,472 --> 00:07:12,558 -♪ (EARLY ROCK MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ -(CROWD CHEERING) 121 00:07:12,641 --> 00:07:14,393 ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, would you meet 122 00:07:14,476 --> 00:07:17,730 Robert Stigwood and Barry, Robin, and Maurice, 123 00:07:17,813 --> 00:07:21,233 -The Bee Gees! -(CROWD CHEERING, APPLAUDING) 124 00:07:28,407 --> 00:07:30,951 MERV GRIFFIN: Do you all remember your first meeting? 125 00:07:31,035 --> 00:07:33,871 Somebody sent you a tape of these boys from Australia? 126 00:07:33,954 --> 00:07:36,332 -Yes, they did. -(ALL LAUGH) 127 00:07:37,541 --> 00:07:41,921 And I heard it and I was absolutely astounded, 128 00:07:42,004 --> 00:07:44,256 it was the most brilliant harmony, singing, 129 00:07:44,340 --> 00:07:46,091 and composing I had ever heard. 130 00:07:46,175 --> 00:07:48,135 MERV: Did you make them audition for you live? 131 00:07:48,219 --> 00:07:49,845 -(CROSSTALK) -I'm afraid I did. 132 00:07:49,929 --> 00:07:54,183 He came in, aided by two men... (LAUGHS) ...holding each arm. 133 00:07:54,266 --> 00:07:56,477 -MERV: Good heavens. Hmm. -He had a hangover like you wouldn't believe. 134 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:58,103 -(ROBERT GRUNTING) -He sat down in front of us... 135 00:07:58,187 --> 00:07:59,897 -(LAUGHS) -MAURICE: Don't worry, Robin. This is 11 years ago. 136 00:07:59,980 --> 00:08:01,899 BARRY: ...and put his head like this, you know, and said, "Carry on." 137 00:08:01,982 --> 00:08:05,694 So we did what we had worked up, which-- In Australia, where we had a nightclub act, 138 00:08:05,778 --> 00:08:08,530 and our act was a medley of Peter, Paul, and Mary songs, 139 00:08:08,614 --> 00:08:09,990 ending with Maurice kissing Robin. 140 00:08:10,074 --> 00:08:11,909 -MAURICE: This was a long time ago, folks. -(ALL LAUGHING) 141 00:08:11,992 --> 00:08:13,452 In those days. 142 00:08:13,535 --> 00:08:15,287 -(CROSSTALK) -I am straightened out now. 143 00:08:15,371 --> 00:08:17,665 -(ROBERT LAUGHING) -He never saw a minute of it, 144 00:08:17,748 --> 00:08:18,874 he heard something and said, 145 00:08:18,958 --> 00:08:20,251 "Come and see me in my office later on," 146 00:08:20,334 --> 00:08:22,086 -and staggered out again. -ROBIN: But we later discovered 147 00:08:22,169 --> 00:08:23,754 that he didn't have a hangover at all. 148 00:08:23,837 --> 00:08:25,631 -(LAUGHS) -He just couldn't stand what he was hearing. 149 00:08:25,714 --> 00:08:27,007 (ALL LAUGHING) 150 00:08:27,091 --> 00:08:29,551 ♪ (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 151 00:08:29,635 --> 00:08:31,804 ROBERT: It didn't take a genius to know 152 00:08:31,887 --> 00:08:35,099 that one had an incredible new, exciting talent, 153 00:08:35,182 --> 00:08:38,269 and I signed the record deal for them. 154 00:08:57,162 --> 00:08:59,415 BILL OAKES: I was actually on the payroll of the Beatles, 155 00:08:59,498 --> 00:09:01,583 which was a company called Beatles & Co. 156 00:09:01,667 --> 00:09:04,169 I was just 17, I was a dogsbody, 157 00:09:04,253 --> 00:09:06,880 I was the guy that got the fleas out of Paul McCartney's dog, 158 00:09:06,964 --> 00:09:10,175 I can't claim that-- You know, it wasn't a great career start, 159 00:09:10,259 --> 00:09:12,261 but it got me to meet people, 160 00:09:12,344 --> 00:09:14,221 and that's how I met Robert Stigwood. 161 00:09:14,305 --> 00:09:17,474 KEVIN: Stigwood was working with Brian Epstein. 162 00:09:17,558 --> 00:09:19,852 Brian had sort of hit a place in his life 163 00:09:19,935 --> 00:09:22,229 where he wasn't sure how much longer he wanted to manage, 164 00:09:22,313 --> 00:09:25,107 and obviously the Beatles were the biggest thing 165 00:09:25,190 --> 00:09:27,151 ever, ever, ever. 166 00:09:27,234 --> 00:09:28,652 ♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 167 00:09:28,736 --> 00:09:30,529 BILL: Brian Epstein was fed up with managing. 168 00:09:30,612 --> 00:09:32,323 He wanted to manage a bullfighter, as I remember, 169 00:09:32,406 --> 00:09:34,116 and the Beatles were going their own way, 170 00:09:34,199 --> 00:09:37,870 so Robert was brought in really to run the company. 171 00:09:37,953 --> 00:09:39,663 ROBERT: I became Joint Managing Director 172 00:09:39,747 --> 00:09:42,041 of NEMS on Brian's invitation. 173 00:09:42,124 --> 00:09:44,251 With Brian looking after the Beatles, 174 00:09:44,335 --> 00:09:46,295 and with me really administrating 175 00:09:46,378 --> 00:09:48,047 and running the business. 176 00:09:49,631 --> 00:09:51,925 JAMES DAYLEY: Robert was in negotiations with Brian 177 00:09:52,009 --> 00:09:54,219 to take over as the Beatles' manager. 178 00:09:55,304 --> 00:09:57,890 ROBERT: If I paid him half a million pounds, 179 00:09:57,973 --> 00:10:02,186 I would control the company, including the Beatles. 180 00:10:02,269 --> 00:10:03,937 KEVIN: The Beatles didn't know about it, 181 00:10:04,021 --> 00:10:05,731 and they didn't like him. 182 00:10:05,814 --> 00:10:09,193 And they certainly didn't like the Bee Gees. 183 00:10:09,276 --> 00:10:11,403 PAUL MCCARTNEY: We said, "Well, let's just get this straight." 184 00:10:11,487 --> 00:10:13,655 "We are not going to be sold to anyone." 185 00:10:13,739 --> 00:10:17,743 If you-- You can continue to manage us, we love you. 186 00:10:17,826 --> 00:10:20,746 We're not going to be sold. We said in fact, if you do, 187 00:10:20,829 --> 00:10:23,749 we will record "God Save the Queen" 188 00:10:23,832 --> 00:10:26,543 for every single record we make from now on, 189 00:10:26,627 --> 00:10:28,587 and we'll sing it out of tune. 190 00:10:31,507 --> 00:10:33,592 JAMES: Robert finally-- The way he explained it to me 191 00:10:33,675 --> 00:10:34,885 was he said to the Beatles, 192 00:10:34,968 --> 00:10:36,470 he said, "You know, we've kind of ruined 193 00:10:36,553 --> 00:10:38,138 our work relationship with each other, 194 00:10:38,222 --> 00:10:41,183 so why don't you guys do your thing and I'll do mine?" 195 00:10:41,266 --> 00:10:44,144 And Robert took his artists, the Bee Gees, Clapton. 196 00:10:44,228 --> 00:10:46,939 KEVIN: And they said, "You can go and take the Bee Gees with you." 197 00:10:47,022 --> 00:10:49,858 And he started his own company. 198 00:10:49,942 --> 00:10:56,240 ♪ (“I GUESS THE LORD MUST BE IN NEW YORK CITY” BY HARRY NILSSON PLAYING) ♪ 199 00:10:57,574 --> 00:11:01,453 ♪ I'll say goodbye To all my sorrow ♪ 200 00:11:01,537 --> 00:11:08,836 ♪ And by tomorrow I'll be on my way ♪ 201 00:11:08,919 --> 00:11:16,093 ♪ I guess the Lord must be In New York City ♪ 202 00:11:20,597 --> 00:11:22,933 ♪ I'm so tired of getting... ♪ 203 00:11:23,016 --> 00:11:24,643 BILL: I got word that Robert Stigwood 204 00:11:24,726 --> 00:11:27,229 was starting a company in New York. 205 00:11:27,312 --> 00:11:29,523 And I just leapt at it. 206 00:11:29,606 --> 00:11:31,942 This was a chance to sort of build his empire. 207 00:11:32,025 --> 00:11:33,777 ♪ I guess the Lord must be... ♪ 208 00:11:33,861 --> 00:11:36,238 BILL: And his attack on America was spearheaded 209 00:11:36,321 --> 00:11:37,781 by Jesus Christ Superstar. 210 00:11:40,325 --> 00:11:43,829 ♪ Well, here I am, Lord Knockin' at your back door... ♪ 211 00:11:43,912 --> 00:11:45,873 TIM RICE: When we were doing the Superstar album, 212 00:11:45,956 --> 00:11:49,126 before it was a show, Robert got in touch with us, 213 00:11:49,209 --> 00:11:52,337 and Robert definitely knew what he was doing. 214 00:11:52,421 --> 00:11:55,174 I mean, a lot of people had turned us down. 215 00:11:55,257 --> 00:11:57,593 I mean, I think we always hoped it would become a show, 216 00:11:57,676 --> 00:11:59,178 but, I mean, we had a number one album 217 00:11:59,261 --> 00:12:01,096 in America, which was a great thrill for us. 218 00:12:01,180 --> 00:12:02,556 In a way, if nothing else had happened, 219 00:12:02,639 --> 00:12:04,183 we might have thought, "Well, great, 220 00:12:04,266 --> 00:12:05,517 we did better than we thought." 221 00:12:05,601 --> 00:12:07,394 But Robert was the sort of person 222 00:12:07,478 --> 00:12:10,063 who could see beyond a hit record. 223 00:12:10,939 --> 00:12:12,524 He thought super big... 224 00:12:13,734 --> 00:12:16,195 and his timing was fortuitous. 225 00:12:16,278 --> 00:12:18,655 He was lucky to be around when he was. 226 00:12:18,739 --> 00:12:21,200 ♪ (“BORN ON THE BAYOU” BY CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL PLAYING) ♪ 227 00:12:26,997 --> 00:12:30,542 (SINGING) ♪ Now, when I was Just a little boy... ♪ 228 00:12:31,627 --> 00:12:33,212 KEVIN: From Woodstock on, 229 00:12:33,295 --> 00:12:35,464 Hollywood was totally in transition. 230 00:12:35,547 --> 00:12:37,174 ♪ My Papa said, "Son"... ♪ 231 00:12:37,257 --> 00:12:40,052 KEVIN: Part of it was that young people had other choices. 232 00:12:40,135 --> 00:12:43,055 They had the choice of how they wanted to spend their time. 233 00:12:43,138 --> 00:12:44,348 Did they want to go to concerts? 234 00:12:44,431 --> 00:12:45,933 Did they want to listen to music? 235 00:12:47,809 --> 00:12:51,271 And the movie business had realized it had to change, 236 00:12:51,355 --> 00:12:53,065 to try to become relevant. 237 00:12:55,359 --> 00:12:58,946 ♪ (“BORN TO BE WILD” BY STEPPENWOLF PLAYING) ♪ 238 00:13:00,822 --> 00:13:05,494 KEVIN: They started to use music to illustrate a movie. 239 00:13:05,577 --> 00:13:08,664 Easy Rider becomes sort of a snapshot 240 00:13:08,747 --> 00:13:10,499 of that particular moment. 241 00:13:11,750 --> 00:13:14,419 ♪ (“MRS. ROBINSON” BY SIMON & GARFUNKEL PLAYING) ♪ 242 00:13:15,254 --> 00:13:16,421 KEVIN: Or The Graduate. 243 00:13:19,341 --> 00:13:23,262 It was, "What can you provide that feels relevant and urgent?" 244 00:13:28,267 --> 00:13:30,143 How do you guys get to being a Secret Service man? 245 00:13:30,227 --> 00:13:33,397 KEVIN: It's why you see all these fantastic filmmakers, 246 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:35,732 you know, like Scorsese, Taxi Driver. 247 00:13:35,816 --> 00:13:36,775 (GUNSHOT) 248 00:13:36,858 --> 00:13:38,902 NARRATOR: It was a dog day afternoon. 249 00:13:38,986 --> 00:13:41,572 KEVIN: Sidney Lumet. Francis Ford Coppola. 250 00:13:41,655 --> 00:13:44,783 Steven Spielberg. George Lucas. 251 00:13:44,866 --> 00:13:47,244 There were just all of these voices, 252 00:13:47,327 --> 00:13:49,413 making really signature films, 253 00:13:49,496 --> 00:13:54,960 and getting to make them without handcuffs, creatively. 254 00:13:55,043 --> 00:13:57,588 You're looking for things that you wouldn't have thought 255 00:13:57,671 --> 00:14:00,132 would have worked as a movie before. 256 00:14:00,215 --> 00:14:02,801 Because you were reaching a new audience. 257 00:14:02,884 --> 00:14:06,930 WOMEN: (SINGING) ♪ Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ ♪ 258 00:14:07,014 --> 00:14:09,975 ♪ Who are you? What have you sacrificed... ♪ 259 00:14:10,058 --> 00:14:13,478 KEVIN: And so for Robert, these were the things that he understood. 260 00:14:13,562 --> 00:14:14,938 He had a great vision 261 00:14:15,022 --> 00:14:17,065 of how things could work together. 262 00:14:17,149 --> 00:14:20,277 And he helped these guys build Jesus Christ Superstar 263 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:22,154 into a worldwide phenomenon. 264 00:14:22,237 --> 00:14:24,281 BILL: He put together a concert tour, 265 00:14:24,364 --> 00:14:26,575 and then the Broadway show, and then the film. 266 00:14:32,414 --> 00:14:37,586 (SINGING) ♪ Tell me what you think About your friends... ♪ 267 00:14:37,669 --> 00:14:39,296 INTERVIEWER: There's been quite a bit of criticism 268 00:14:39,379 --> 00:14:41,506 from the religious sections of society. 269 00:14:41,590 --> 00:14:42,883 How do you feel about this? 270 00:14:44,426 --> 00:14:46,345 It's a free world, you know? 271 00:14:46,428 --> 00:14:48,972 Let everybody say what they like about anything. 272 00:14:50,098 --> 00:14:52,225 ♪ I only want to know ♪ 273 00:14:55,604 --> 00:14:58,398 ♪ (“PINBALL WIZARD” BY THE WHO PLAYING) ♪ 274 00:15:03,195 --> 00:15:04,905 (SINGING) ♪ Ever since I was a young boy ♪ 275 00:15:04,988 --> 00:15:06,281 ♪ I've played The silver ball... ♪ 276 00:15:06,365 --> 00:15:08,825 KEVIN: People had wanted to make a movie of Tommy 277 00:15:08,909 --> 00:15:11,620 for many years, and the guys would never give 'em the rights. 278 00:15:11,703 --> 00:15:14,623 And what they knew with Robert was, 279 00:15:14,706 --> 00:15:17,876 Robert understood music, and so they felt looked after. 280 00:15:21,380 --> 00:15:22,547 Robert got Jack Nicholson, 281 00:15:22,631 --> 00:15:24,383 just as a lark, to come in for three days, 282 00:15:24,466 --> 00:15:26,677 and Ann-Margaret and Tina Turner, 283 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:28,887 like, right after she left Ike, 284 00:15:28,970 --> 00:15:32,349 and she thought Robert was just her savior. 285 00:15:32,432 --> 00:15:34,685 ♪ Always playing clean He plays by... ♪ 286 00:15:34,768 --> 00:15:36,561 JAMES: My first official function 287 00:15:36,645 --> 00:15:37,979 with the Stigwood Organization 288 00:15:38,063 --> 00:15:40,357 was the opening of the movie Tommy. 289 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:43,193 The movie opened at the Ziegfeld Theatre 290 00:15:43,276 --> 00:15:46,446 and then everybody walked to the subway station 291 00:15:46,530 --> 00:15:47,656 on a red carpet. 292 00:15:48,573 --> 00:15:49,866 Robert had taken it over. 293 00:15:49,950 --> 00:15:53,787 ♪ He's a pinball wizard There has to be a twist ♪ 294 00:15:53,870 --> 00:15:55,080 ♪ A pinball wizard's... ♪ 295 00:15:55,163 --> 00:15:57,582 JAMES: The following morning, all of these celebrities 296 00:15:57,666 --> 00:15:59,835 flew from the opening in New York 297 00:15:59,918 --> 00:16:02,254 to Los Angeles for the television program 298 00:16:02,337 --> 00:16:03,797 that was a 90-minute special. 299 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:06,216 NEWSCASTER: Army Archerd is greeting the celebrities 300 00:16:06,299 --> 00:16:08,760 as they arrive, thronging into the foyer, 301 00:16:08,844 --> 00:16:11,972 for the premiere performance, right here, of Tommy. 302 00:16:12,055 --> 00:16:14,141 It's like an old Hollywood premiere. 303 00:16:14,224 --> 00:16:16,727 Well, it's a new Hollywood premiere. 304 00:16:19,521 --> 00:16:22,482 BOB: I think Robert was more into show business than music. 305 00:16:22,566 --> 00:16:26,570 The showbiz side of it, that's what he excelled at. 306 00:16:26,653 --> 00:16:30,907 TIM: He covered concerts, records, stage, film, 307 00:16:30,991 --> 00:16:32,576 he was good at it all. 308 00:16:32,659 --> 00:16:35,036 Plus, he was a good impresario. 309 00:16:35,829 --> 00:16:37,164 ♪ He can beat my best ♪ 310 00:16:37,247 --> 00:16:40,751 ♪ His disciples lead him in And he just does the rest... ♪ 311 00:16:40,834 --> 00:16:44,629 ROBERT: I'm a gambler. I act instinctively. 312 00:16:44,713 --> 00:16:46,757 You have to know what people want, 313 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:49,634 and I suppose I'm fairly tuned in to that. 314 00:16:53,764 --> 00:16:57,392 KEVIN: Robert really understood the synthesis of movies, 315 00:16:57,476 --> 00:16:59,895 music, and storytelling. 316 00:16:59,978 --> 00:17:03,023 He was always looking for where trends were going, 317 00:17:03,106 --> 00:17:06,693 and had such a great nose for what works. 318 00:17:06,777 --> 00:17:08,904 NEWSCASTER: You have to go all the way back to Elvis Presley, 319 00:17:08,987 --> 00:17:10,447 to the Beatles, to rock and roll, 320 00:17:10,530 --> 00:17:12,491 and then finally comes disco. 321 00:17:12,574 --> 00:17:16,203 A very large, very lucrative new business of dance music, 322 00:17:16,286 --> 00:17:18,038 maybe the biggest wave yet. 323 00:17:18,121 --> 00:17:20,123 'Cause it certainly seems that more and more Americans 324 00:17:20,207 --> 00:17:23,335 are getting more and more into the disco scene. 325 00:17:23,418 --> 00:17:27,172 ♪ (“NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE” BY GLORIA GAYNOR PLAYING) ♪ 326 00:17:28,090 --> 00:17:32,594 ♪ I never can say goodbye ♪ 327 00:17:32,677 --> 00:17:36,807 ♪ No, no, no, I I never can say... ♪ 328 00:17:36,890 --> 00:17:41,102 NIK: When I came over to America in the early '70s, 329 00:17:41,186 --> 00:17:44,147 New York Magazine hired me to write about music. 330 00:17:44,231 --> 00:17:46,525 ♪ ...had enough And start heading... ♪ 331 00:17:46,608 --> 00:17:48,777 NIK: It was the beginning of disco. 332 00:17:48,860 --> 00:17:52,739 Disco was essentially gay music, and Black gay music. 333 00:17:52,823 --> 00:17:55,784 But it was inclusive, it was all-inclusive. 334 00:17:57,077 --> 00:18:00,497 ♪ It's that same Old dizzy hang-up... ♪ 335 00:18:00,580 --> 00:18:03,333 NILE RODGERS: In the '70s, I was living in New York. 336 00:18:03,416 --> 00:18:07,337 We were into jazz, and we thought our world was the hippest. 337 00:18:07,420 --> 00:18:09,548 One night I went out with my girlfriend, 338 00:18:09,631 --> 00:18:11,216 and we went to a disco. 339 00:18:11,299 --> 00:18:15,136 ♪ I don't wanna let you go... ♪ 340 00:18:15,220 --> 00:18:16,388 NILE: And we just couldn't believe 341 00:18:16,471 --> 00:18:19,140 that there was this whole other, really hip world. 342 00:18:19,224 --> 00:18:22,644 ♪ Ooh, ooh, baby... ♪ 343 00:18:22,727 --> 00:18:24,688 NILE: The crowd was such a disparate crowd. 344 00:18:24,771 --> 00:18:28,900 It was Latino, Black, gay, straight, 345 00:18:28,984 --> 00:18:32,237 but the fact is, is that everybody treated us with love. 346 00:18:33,446 --> 00:18:34,531 In the Black Panthers, 347 00:18:34,614 --> 00:18:36,992 we used to call that "Liberated territory." 348 00:18:37,075 --> 00:18:38,702 And that's what a disco felt like, 349 00:18:38,785 --> 00:18:40,370 it was '"Liberated territory." 350 00:18:42,205 --> 00:18:45,959 ♪ (“CHANGES” BY SYLVESTER PLAYING) ♪ 351 00:18:49,045 --> 00:18:52,424 PATRICK BYWALSKI: Robert used to make numerous trips to Paris. 352 00:18:52,507 --> 00:18:55,343 I'm talking about '71, '72. 353 00:18:55,427 --> 00:18:57,470 Going to discotheques on the Left Bank. 354 00:18:58,388 --> 00:18:59,472 It was the place where 355 00:18:59,556 --> 00:19:01,308 gay people used to meet and dance. 356 00:19:01,391 --> 00:19:04,895 ♪ Changes Oh, yes I am... ♪ 357 00:19:04,978 --> 00:19:09,065 PATRICK: He used to love people taking enhancing stuff, 358 00:19:09,149 --> 00:19:11,985 you know, to be able to enjoy the music 359 00:19:12,068 --> 00:19:14,446 and to experiment with their bodies 360 00:19:14,529 --> 00:19:15,655 on the dance floor. 361 00:19:15,739 --> 00:19:19,576 Things that men wouldn't do before that, I think. 362 00:19:19,659 --> 00:19:21,328 ♪ No more bridges shall... ♪ 363 00:19:21,411 --> 00:19:24,748 JAMES: Robert was-- How did they put it in Britain? They-- 364 00:19:24,831 --> 00:19:26,249 He was a "confirmed bachelor." 365 00:19:26,333 --> 00:19:27,542 ♪ ...going through... ♪ 366 00:19:27,626 --> 00:19:30,420 PATRICK: England, I mean, it wasn't the place to be gay, 367 00:19:30,503 --> 00:19:33,465 if I may say so, because it was outlawed. 368 00:19:33,548 --> 00:19:34,841 ♪ ...going through... ♪ 369 00:19:34,925 --> 00:19:37,719 RICHARD GOLDSTEIN: In the '60s, it was a very harsh environment. 370 00:19:37,802 --> 00:19:42,015 You could be fired, disgraced, your family kick you out. 371 00:19:44,100 --> 00:19:45,602 So, for gay people, 372 00:19:45,685 --> 00:19:48,355 dancing, with someone of your own sex, 373 00:19:48,438 --> 00:19:51,274 that is a real emblem of liberation. 374 00:19:51,358 --> 00:19:55,445 ♪ Changes, changes, changes ♪ 375 00:19:55,528 --> 00:19:57,530 FREDDIE GERSHON: Before there was ever a Saturday Night Fever, 376 00:19:57,614 --> 00:20:02,077 before the disco craze, Robert got it. 377 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:06,539 He saw that it was a new phenomena 378 00:20:06,623 --> 00:20:08,750 taking over the world. 379 00:20:08,833 --> 00:20:10,627 MURRAY THE K: Hi, I'm Murray the K. 380 00:20:10,710 --> 00:20:11,753 Murray the K's Hustle 381 00:20:11,836 --> 00:20:13,922 is now Murray the K's Hustle C'est La Vie. 382 00:20:14,005 --> 00:20:16,299 ♪ (“THE HUSTLE” BY VAN MCCOY & THE SOUL CITY SYMPHONY PLAYING) ♪ 383 00:20:16,383 --> 00:20:17,550 ♪ Do the hustle ♪ 384 00:20:17,634 --> 00:20:19,219 ♪ Do the hustle ♪ 385 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:25,600 NIK: After "The Hustle," suddenly disco was mainstream. 386 00:20:25,684 --> 00:20:28,353 You had secretaries and ordinary guys 387 00:20:28,436 --> 00:20:30,772 going up to hustle class. 388 00:20:30,855 --> 00:20:34,943 There were these hustle contests and disco dance contests 389 00:20:35,026 --> 00:20:38,655 all over the straightest parts of New York. 390 00:20:38,738 --> 00:20:42,367 I went to one and I met a great, great dancer 391 00:20:42,450 --> 00:20:43,910 called Tu Sweet Allen. 392 00:20:45,120 --> 00:20:48,123 And I wrote an article about him in New York Magazine. 393 00:20:49,124 --> 00:20:50,750 Tu Sweet mentioned that 394 00:20:50,834 --> 00:20:54,087 there were these Italian clubs in Brooklyn 395 00:20:54,170 --> 00:20:55,296 that were the opposite 396 00:20:55,380 --> 00:20:58,675 from what I thought of as disco culture. 397 00:20:58,758 --> 00:21:00,760 ♪ (TENSE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 398 00:21:00,844 --> 00:21:03,847 NIK: And so, he and I went out there. 399 00:21:06,099 --> 00:21:08,560 It was very, very forlorn in those days. 400 00:21:11,104 --> 00:21:14,816 Bay Ridge, around the clubs, was a desert. 401 00:21:16,151 --> 00:21:18,028 Locked-up body shops. 402 00:21:20,447 --> 00:21:24,492 Bay Ridge was this sort of bastion of Italian life. 403 00:21:25,702 --> 00:21:29,706 It was tribal. Everybody was Italian. 404 00:21:34,544 --> 00:21:38,256 So we get out to one of these Italian clubs... 405 00:21:39,215 --> 00:21:40,258 and we walked in, 406 00:21:40,341 --> 00:21:42,635 and Tu Sweet went on the dance floor. 407 00:21:42,719 --> 00:21:47,599 And I would say three seconds, he was jumped on and pounded. 408 00:21:47,682 --> 00:21:50,769 We were out of there in 25 seconds. 409 00:21:50,852 --> 00:21:52,937 And this wasn't just a sort of stern warning. 410 00:21:53,021 --> 00:21:54,522 This was a beatdown. 411 00:21:56,608 --> 00:21:58,318 It was the a hundred and eighty 412 00:21:58,401 --> 00:22:02,072 from the original Manhattan clubs. 413 00:22:03,740 --> 00:22:08,078 They were misogynist, they were anti-gay, 414 00:22:08,161 --> 00:22:10,121 by God, they were anti-Black. 415 00:22:17,045 --> 00:22:18,546 JIM MCMULLAN: I was an illustrator 416 00:22:18,630 --> 00:22:20,090 for New York Magazine. 417 00:22:21,174 --> 00:22:23,468 Nik had said there's a whole scene 418 00:22:23,551 --> 00:22:26,471 happening at clubs in Brooklyn 419 00:22:26,554 --> 00:22:29,224 that people were paying no attention to, 420 00:22:29,307 --> 00:22:31,184 so the magazine said to me, 421 00:22:31,267 --> 00:22:32,602 "I think it'd be really interesting 422 00:22:32,685 --> 00:22:36,189 if you went out with him and took a camera, look around, 423 00:22:36,272 --> 00:22:37,649 see what you can do." 424 00:22:37,732 --> 00:22:39,651 ♪ (“THAT'S WHERE THE HAPPY PEOPLE GO” BY THE TRAMMPS PLAYING) ♪ 425 00:22:39,734 --> 00:22:43,071 JIM: So we went back to this converted 426 00:22:43,154 --> 00:22:46,950 sort of supper club called the 2001 Club. 427 00:22:53,498 --> 00:22:56,626 ♪ I used to spend Most of my time ♪ 428 00:22:56,709 --> 00:23:00,004 ♪ Just being alone, yes, I did ♪ 429 00:23:01,089 --> 00:23:04,008 ♪ Nothing to do No place to go... ♪ 430 00:23:04,092 --> 00:23:06,177 JIM: The club was kind of corny, 431 00:23:06,261 --> 00:23:09,973 with these wrought iron balconies and stuff, 432 00:23:10,056 --> 00:23:11,099 which is not to knock it, 433 00:23:11,182 --> 00:23:13,726 because it had a great sort of funky charm. 434 00:23:13,810 --> 00:23:16,062 ♪ ...to live a little myself ♪ 435 00:23:16,146 --> 00:23:19,816 ♪ So I went on down To the disco ♪ 436 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:21,609 ♪ Disco... ♪ 437 00:23:21,693 --> 00:23:23,820 RALPHIE DEE: Odyssey wasn't the most elegant place. 438 00:23:23,903 --> 00:23:25,488 (LAUGHING) Put it that way. 439 00:23:25,572 --> 00:23:28,491 But what was good about it, they would always have groups, 440 00:23:28,575 --> 00:23:31,286 you know, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, 441 00:23:31,369 --> 00:23:33,621 -the Joneses. -♪ ...disco... ♪ 442 00:23:36,541 --> 00:23:38,751 ALEX MARCHAK: Every disco group they had there 443 00:23:38,835 --> 00:23:40,962 on a Friday night or Saturday night, 444 00:23:41,045 --> 00:23:43,506 Gloria Gaynor, The Trammps. 445 00:23:43,590 --> 00:23:46,551 ♪ And they're just dancing along To a perfect song... ♪ 446 00:23:46,634 --> 00:23:48,052 EARL YOUNG: That was our home club, 447 00:23:48,136 --> 00:23:49,220 2001 Odyssey. 448 00:23:50,513 --> 00:23:53,725 In Brooklyn, that was one of the most popular clubs there. 449 00:23:53,808 --> 00:23:55,894 We worked there all the time. 450 00:23:55,977 --> 00:23:57,896 I mean, we were really well-liked, 451 00:23:57,979 --> 00:23:59,606 but I mean, we didn't come to socialize, 452 00:23:59,689 --> 00:24:01,649 we come there to work, it's our job. 453 00:24:02,442 --> 00:24:04,027 At that time, I don't even think 454 00:24:04,110 --> 00:24:06,029 Blacks were even allowed in the neighborhood, 455 00:24:06,112 --> 00:24:07,697 'cause it was an Italian neighborhood. 456 00:24:07,780 --> 00:24:10,742 ♪ ...I got myself together ♪ 457 00:24:10,825 --> 00:24:13,244 ♪ I danced my blues away They're gone forever... ♪ 458 00:24:13,328 --> 00:24:14,787 ELIZABETH CURCIO: It was very Italian. 459 00:24:14,871 --> 00:24:19,209 The boys were called cugines. "The cugine in the car." 460 00:24:19,292 --> 00:24:22,837 Italian guy with the blown back DA haircut 461 00:24:22,921 --> 00:24:25,506 in their daddy's Cadillac, which was very popular, 462 00:24:25,590 --> 00:24:27,759 or maybe a Monte Carlo then. 463 00:24:27,842 --> 00:24:30,678 And had a certain look that they all feeded into. 464 00:24:30,762 --> 00:24:33,556 The gabardine pants, the huckapoo shirts. 465 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:37,310 ♪ That's where The happy people go ♪ 466 00:24:37,393 --> 00:24:39,729 ♪ And they're Just dancing along... ♪ 467 00:24:41,314 --> 00:24:44,067 ♪ (CALM MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 468 00:24:45,360 --> 00:24:47,028 JIM: When I got my photographs back, 469 00:24:47,111 --> 00:24:51,908 there was so much nuance that was somewhat concealed 470 00:24:51,991 --> 00:24:54,619 in the dim light of the club. 471 00:24:54,702 --> 00:25:00,750 Nuances of expression, of anger, hostility, sadness even. 472 00:25:03,586 --> 00:25:04,629 Girls that got left 473 00:25:04,712 --> 00:25:06,798 and were sitting in their booths alone, 474 00:25:06,881 --> 00:25:08,758 while everybody else danced. 475 00:25:08,841 --> 00:25:13,096 Guys looking for clues as to how they should behave. 476 00:25:13,179 --> 00:25:17,934 You could really see them assemble in a hierarchy. 477 00:25:23,273 --> 00:25:27,360 NIK: What I'd tapped into was that eternal dreaming. 478 00:25:27,443 --> 00:25:30,822 Someone who is trapped, whose life is going nowhere. 479 00:25:31,823 --> 00:25:34,325 And who, Saturday night rolls around, 480 00:25:34,409 --> 00:25:36,411 has this dream come true. 481 00:25:38,413 --> 00:25:39,747 It was something I'd seen 482 00:25:39,831 --> 00:25:41,791 where I grew up in Northern Ireland. 483 00:25:42,959 --> 00:25:45,586 Catholic teenagers, who had no outlet, 484 00:25:45,670 --> 00:25:48,840 and nowhere to go, dressed as Teddy Boys, 485 00:25:48,923 --> 00:25:51,384 dancing on the sidewalk to "Tutti Frutti" 486 00:25:51,467 --> 00:25:52,719 by Little Richard. 487 00:25:54,887 --> 00:25:58,349 When I went to London in the early '60s, 488 00:25:58,433 --> 00:25:59,851 and Mods were just starting, 489 00:25:59,934 --> 00:26:03,438 and I'd see them work nine-to-five in a grunt job, 490 00:26:03,521 --> 00:26:06,065 and yet you were King Mod on the weekend. 491 00:26:07,483 --> 00:26:11,154 I fell in love with the idea of the alternate reality. 492 00:26:12,572 --> 00:26:15,867 And you'd watch all the rites and how they interacted. 493 00:26:16,743 --> 00:26:19,871 This extraordinary vanity. 494 00:26:19,954 --> 00:26:25,585 This male, teen thing of preening, of peacockery. 495 00:26:28,463 --> 00:26:31,924 So when I walked into 2001, 496 00:26:32,008 --> 00:26:34,510 I didn't think, "This is a specific culture." 497 00:26:34,594 --> 00:26:37,096 I just thought, "Here it is again." 498 00:26:38,723 --> 00:26:44,896 -♪ (PEACEFUL MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ -(TYPEWRITER KEYS CLACKING) 499 00:27:23,101 --> 00:27:24,936 BILL: New York Magazine called it the "Tribal Rites 500 00:27:25,019 --> 00:27:26,521 of the New Saturday Night," 501 00:27:26,604 --> 00:27:28,523 which was a rather pretentious title. 502 00:27:34,737 --> 00:27:38,366 NIK: When the article came out, Robert called me up. 503 00:27:38,449 --> 00:27:40,535 ROBERT: I said, "You have a movie here already." 504 00:27:40,618 --> 00:27:43,663 I said, "Come to my apartment this afternoon." 505 00:27:43,746 --> 00:27:46,249 NIK: Robert said, "Come around for tea." 506 00:27:46,332 --> 00:27:49,335 I think he was attracted to the street feel. 507 00:27:49,419 --> 00:27:51,879 I mean, that's where he would have smelled something real. 508 00:27:55,133 --> 00:27:57,427 ROBERT: My next film is a story about 509 00:27:57,510 --> 00:28:00,888 a ghetto called Bay Ridge in Brooklyn 510 00:28:00,972 --> 00:28:03,766 and Italian kids in dead-end jobs, 511 00:28:03,850 --> 00:28:06,602 and how far away Manhattan is. 512 00:28:06,686 --> 00:28:10,940 And a young guy who discovers himself. 513 00:28:11,023 --> 00:28:13,192 It's much more exciting than I tell it. 514 00:28:15,653 --> 00:28:17,697 FREDDIE: Robert did not know who would direct it. 515 00:28:17,780 --> 00:28:19,031 He didn't know how it would be cast. 516 00:28:19,115 --> 00:28:20,575 He didn't know what the script would be. 517 00:28:20,658 --> 00:28:23,494 He just knew the skeletal bones 518 00:28:23,578 --> 00:28:27,123 of a fabulous story, which had global appeal, 519 00:28:27,206 --> 00:28:30,126 was right there in that New York Magazine. 520 00:28:31,836 --> 00:28:34,380 BILL: That was where Robert was really inspired. 521 00:28:34,464 --> 00:28:36,090 He could see a magazine article like that, 522 00:28:36,174 --> 00:28:37,508 and he could see the whole thing. 523 00:28:37,592 --> 00:28:39,010 He said, "This is a movie." 524 00:28:40,553 --> 00:28:44,432 And Robert saw the soundtrack as being the killer ingredient. 525 00:28:44,515 --> 00:28:47,310 FREDDIE: Robert believed that the movie had to have... 526 00:28:47,393 --> 00:28:48,644 (TAPPING RHYTHMICALLY) 527 00:28:48,728 --> 00:28:51,939 ...that rhythm. The same rhythm you heard in a discotheque. 528 00:28:53,774 --> 00:28:55,401 BILL: And right away, he said, "We're gonna get 529 00:28:55,485 --> 00:28:56,986 the Bee Gees to write the music." 530 00:28:58,529 --> 00:29:02,617 At the time, the Bee Gees had a couple of bad years. 531 00:29:02,700 --> 00:29:05,161 There were probably two albums that I was involved in, 532 00:29:05,244 --> 00:29:06,454 Life in a Tin Can, I remember, 533 00:29:06,537 --> 00:29:09,165 one was Mr. Natural, that no one bought. 534 00:29:09,248 --> 00:29:12,627 They were stiffs, as they say in the record business. 535 00:29:12,710 --> 00:29:14,837 ROBERT: I didn't feel they were really 536 00:29:14,921 --> 00:29:17,340 on the right track musically. 537 00:29:17,423 --> 00:29:19,926 And this happens to stars very easily, 538 00:29:20,009 --> 00:29:24,222 they close their ears and just go their own merry way. 539 00:29:24,305 --> 00:29:25,932 And I told them so. 540 00:29:26,974 --> 00:29:28,434 I was saying, for God's sake, 541 00:29:28,518 --> 00:29:31,729 listen to what's happening in the world today. 542 00:29:31,812 --> 00:29:34,357 ♪ ("PICK UP THE PIECES" BY AVERAGE WHITE BAND PLAYING) ♪ 543 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:37,151 BILL: And so what Robert did, which was inspired, 544 00:29:37,235 --> 00:29:38,444 was he got Arif Mardin, 545 00:29:38,528 --> 00:29:40,696 who was the producer of Average White Band, 546 00:29:40,780 --> 00:29:42,156 to produce the next album. 547 00:29:52,250 --> 00:29:54,752 KARL RICHARDSON: Arif Mardin was a staff producer 548 00:29:54,835 --> 00:29:58,506 at Atlantic Records and would come into our studio 549 00:29:58,589 --> 00:30:01,425 in Miami with various Atlantic artists. 550 00:30:06,097 --> 00:30:08,391 KARL: We were working on Average White Band 551 00:30:08,474 --> 00:30:09,559 and one day he goes, 552 00:30:09,642 --> 00:30:10,977 "Boy, have I got a group for you, Karl." 553 00:30:11,060 --> 00:30:13,145 He says, "They sing like angels." 554 00:30:13,229 --> 00:30:14,855 And I said to Arif, "Who's that?" 555 00:30:14,939 --> 00:30:16,023 He goes, "The Bee Gees!" 556 00:30:17,567 --> 00:30:19,735 The Bee Gees had had major hit records. 557 00:30:19,819 --> 00:30:22,280 But they'd passed through the success zone. 558 00:30:22,363 --> 00:30:24,448 They had been sort of passed over. 559 00:30:26,033 --> 00:30:28,578 Arif Mardin, though, was a genius. 560 00:30:28,661 --> 00:30:31,247 So he says, "Yeah, it's gonna be a little more R&B, 561 00:30:31,330 --> 00:30:32,540 a little more rhythm, you know." 562 00:30:32,623 --> 00:30:34,125 'Cause that's what the studio was. 563 00:30:36,961 --> 00:30:38,838 And I said, "Well, great, let's do it." 564 00:30:41,090 --> 00:30:43,342 They came in, and I met their band, 565 00:30:43,426 --> 00:30:45,094 their house band. 566 00:30:45,177 --> 00:30:47,263 And I think it was about 20 minutes later, 567 00:30:47,346 --> 00:30:49,181 I knew Barry was the leader of the group, 568 00:30:49,265 --> 00:30:52,310 and we hit it off. 569 00:30:52,393 --> 00:30:55,646 We all just, you know, had music in our minds. 570 00:30:55,730 --> 00:30:57,231 ♪ (“JIVE TALKIN'” BY THE BEE GEES PLAYING) ♪ 571 00:30:57,315 --> 00:31:01,444 ♪ It's just your jive talkin' You're telling me lies, yeah ♪ 572 00:31:01,527 --> 00:31:05,781 ♪ Jive talkin' You wear a disguise... ♪ 573 00:31:05,865 --> 00:31:08,659 KARL: Because Atlantic Records was all about R&B. 574 00:31:08,743 --> 00:31:11,579 Arif goes, "You know, we tried a click track at one point 575 00:31:11,662 --> 00:31:13,331 in the drummer's headphones." 576 00:31:13,414 --> 00:31:15,499 He said "Karl, are you up for that?" I said, "Sure!" 577 00:31:16,667 --> 00:31:18,502 So I found a metronome hidden way back 578 00:31:18,586 --> 00:31:21,589 in the bowels of Criteria, and put a microphone on it. 579 00:31:21,672 --> 00:31:24,008 And that became a click... 580 00:31:24,091 --> 00:31:26,844 -(FINGERS SNAPPING) -♪ Oh, my child You got so much... ♪ 581 00:31:26,927 --> 00:31:31,015 ...so that the drummer would have a positive feel 582 00:31:31,098 --> 00:31:33,142 to where those beats belonged. 583 00:31:33,225 --> 00:31:35,186 (SINGING) ♪ With all your jive talkin' ♪ 584 00:31:35,269 --> 00:31:38,439 KARL: And everybody in the band heard the same click. 585 00:31:38,522 --> 00:31:41,776 So when Barry played guitar, Barry was grooving, 586 00:31:41,859 --> 00:31:45,363 'cause Barry has amazingly good time. 587 00:31:45,446 --> 00:31:48,574 That became a fundamental approach that we got a hold of, 588 00:31:48,658 --> 00:31:50,910 was this pulse. 589 00:31:50,993 --> 00:31:52,620 ROBIN GIBB: The difference in our music now and then, 590 00:31:52,703 --> 00:31:56,332 is our music is completely, sort of, Black-oriented now, 591 00:31:56,415 --> 00:31:58,209 where it wasn't completely then. 592 00:31:58,292 --> 00:32:02,338 We could play this kind of music that we're doing now. 593 00:32:02,421 --> 00:32:05,216 And we daren't do it, because at that time, 594 00:32:05,299 --> 00:32:07,093 people would say, if we did it, 595 00:32:07,176 --> 00:32:08,636 they wouldn't say it was the Bee Gees. 596 00:32:08,719 --> 00:32:12,973 (SINGING) ♪ There you go With your fancy lies ♪ 597 00:32:13,057 --> 00:32:17,228 ♪ Leavin' me lookin' Like a dumbstruck fool ♪ 598 00:32:17,311 --> 00:32:19,397 ♪ With all your jive talkin' ♪ 599 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:21,357 KARL: It became one of the guiding factors 600 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:23,109 in making a lot of those records, 601 00:32:23,192 --> 00:32:24,777 was, "Where's the groove?" 602 00:32:24,860 --> 00:32:28,906 ♪ (“YOU SHOULD BE DANCING” BY THE BEE GEES PLAYING) ♪ 603 00:32:30,241 --> 00:32:31,867 -BARRY: You heard the lyrics? -MAURICE: Yes. 604 00:32:31,951 --> 00:32:33,077 BARRY: Great! 605 00:32:38,124 --> 00:32:40,000 BARRY: Albhy, I'm ready to sing, 606 00:32:40,084 --> 00:32:41,377 got the lyrics finished! 607 00:32:41,460 --> 00:32:43,462 -Love it, you sing 'em, we play 'em, tape 'em! -All right. 608 00:32:43,546 --> 00:32:44,588 BARRY: Okay 'em. 609 00:32:44,672 --> 00:32:46,298 ♪ ...on 'til the dawn ♪ 610 00:32:48,134 --> 00:32:50,886 ♪ My woman takes me higher ♪ 611 00:32:51,846 --> 00:32:53,055 ♪ My woman keeps me warm... ♪ 612 00:32:53,139 --> 00:32:54,765 ALBHY GALUTEN: The three people who were in the room 613 00:32:54,849 --> 00:32:58,602 eight hours a day, were me, and Karl, and Barry. 614 00:32:59,770 --> 00:33:03,941 Barry and I loved R&B. We connected on that level. 615 00:33:04,024 --> 00:33:05,693 We were never making disco records. 616 00:33:05,776 --> 00:33:08,529 We were making R&B records with good songs. 617 00:33:08,612 --> 00:33:10,573 ♪ ...she's trouble... ♪ 618 00:33:10,656 --> 00:33:12,908 ALBHY: At that time, Barry was sort of tapped 619 00:33:12,992 --> 00:33:14,577 into the collective unconscious. 620 00:33:14,660 --> 00:33:18,080 When he'd write a new song, it wouldn't be, 621 00:33:18,164 --> 00:33:19,498 "How big of a hit will this be?" 622 00:33:19,582 --> 00:33:21,584 It would be, "How many weeks at number one?" 623 00:33:23,002 --> 00:33:25,087 ♪ What you doin' on your bed On your back? ♪ 624 00:33:26,964 --> 00:33:29,592 KARL: Main Course, we had three number one records. 625 00:33:29,675 --> 00:33:32,470 ♪ Dancing, yeah... ♪ 626 00:33:32,553 --> 00:33:34,305 KARL: When we did "You Should Be Dancing" 627 00:33:34,388 --> 00:33:35,639 off Children of the World, 628 00:33:35,723 --> 00:33:38,309 Stigwood came in the studio, and he got the vibe, 629 00:33:38,392 --> 00:33:41,145 he says "Oh, my gosh, this is a hit record!" 630 00:33:41,228 --> 00:33:42,563 He could just feel it. 631 00:33:44,857 --> 00:33:48,778 (CROWD CHEERING) 632 00:33:48,861 --> 00:33:51,155 BILL: Robert took advantage of a form of music 633 00:33:51,238 --> 00:33:53,616 that was all there, and he handed it 634 00:33:53,699 --> 00:33:54,784 to the Bee Gees. 635 00:33:57,953 --> 00:34:00,080 So when Saturday Night Fever comes about, 636 00:34:00,164 --> 00:34:02,708 the Bee Gees weren't exactly rookies at this. 637 00:34:04,752 --> 00:34:08,297 At the time, they were mixing a live album in France. 638 00:34:08,380 --> 00:34:09,548 Robert said, "Do you have any songs?" 639 00:34:09,632 --> 00:34:10,883 And they said, "Yeah, we've got a few, 640 00:34:10,966 --> 00:34:13,469 but we're going to keep them for our own next album." 641 00:34:14,595 --> 00:34:16,013 So, I sent the script to them, 642 00:34:16,096 --> 00:34:17,515 you know, thinking they'd like to read it, 643 00:34:17,598 --> 00:34:19,725 which was a mistake, they never read the script. 644 00:34:19,809 --> 00:34:21,477 But about ten days later, 645 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:24,230 I got a package from northern France, 646 00:34:24,313 --> 00:34:27,399 and these songs came piling out, one after the other. 647 00:34:27,483 --> 00:34:29,318 ♪ Oh, girl, I've known you Very well ♪ 648 00:34:29,401 --> 00:34:30,986 BILL: "More Than a Woman," "Night Fever..." 649 00:34:31,070 --> 00:34:35,324 ♪ (“NIGHT FEVER” BY THE BEE GEES PLAYING) ♪ 650 00:34:35,407 --> 00:34:36,659 BILL: "If I Can't Have You..." 651 00:34:36,742 --> 00:34:39,495 ♪ (“IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU” BY THE BEE GEES PLAYING) ♪ 652 00:34:39,578 --> 00:34:40,788 BILL: "How Deep Is Your Love..." 653 00:34:40,871 --> 00:34:42,331 ♪ (“HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE” BY BEE GEES PLAYING) ♪ 654 00:34:42,414 --> 00:34:45,167 ♪ I know your eyes In the morning sun ♪ 655 00:34:45,251 --> 00:34:46,335 BILL: ...and "Stayin' Alive." 656 00:34:46,418 --> 00:34:49,004 ♪ Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk ♪ 657 00:34:49,088 --> 00:34:51,298 ♪ I'm a woman's man No time to talk... ♪ 658 00:34:51,382 --> 00:34:53,384 BILL: And the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. 659 00:34:53,467 --> 00:34:55,553 This was extraordinary, to get five demos 660 00:34:55,636 --> 00:34:58,055 of obviously brilliant songs, 661 00:34:58,139 --> 00:34:59,682 which is exactly what we wanted for the film. 662 00:34:59,765 --> 00:35:02,810 ♪ ...the other way We can try to understand... ♪ 663 00:35:02,893 --> 00:35:06,063 BILL: To have those songs was an enormous boost for me. 664 00:35:06,146 --> 00:35:07,731 We were in preproduction on the movie, 665 00:35:07,815 --> 00:35:09,733 and we were really rushing. 666 00:35:09,817 --> 00:35:12,319 We had a start date, 'cause we had John Travolta 667 00:35:12,403 --> 00:35:16,115 booked for that time on his hiatus from his TV show. 668 00:35:16,198 --> 00:35:18,325 You gotta loosen up here, all right? 669 00:35:18,409 --> 00:35:20,494 All right. Start to relax. 670 00:35:24,582 --> 00:35:26,584 Start to feel who you are. 671 00:35:29,295 --> 00:35:32,631 ♪ I said a bar-bar-bar Bar-bar-barino ♪ 672 00:35:32,715 --> 00:35:35,593 ♪ Bar-bar-bar, Bar-bar-barino ♪ 673 00:35:35,676 --> 00:35:38,053 ♪ Bar- bar-bar, Bar-bar-barino ♪ 674 00:35:38,137 --> 00:35:39,513 ♪ You got me rockin' And a-reelin' ♪ 675 00:35:39,597 --> 00:35:41,891 ♪ And a-boppin' And a-reelin' Barbarino ♪ 676 00:35:41,974 --> 00:35:44,768 Vinnie! Earth to Vinnie! 677 00:35:44,852 --> 00:35:47,229 ♪ (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 678 00:35:47,313 --> 00:35:49,690 NIK: Travolta was having a moment as one 679 00:35:49,773 --> 00:35:51,817 of these teen idols. 680 00:35:51,901 --> 00:35:54,486 NEWSCASTER: The young, sweeter-than-thou, male adolescent star 681 00:35:54,570 --> 00:35:56,572 is a multi-million-dollar business. 682 00:35:56,655 --> 00:35:58,741 Donny Osmond and "Puppy Love." 683 00:35:58,824 --> 00:36:01,577 TV's Partridge Family created David Cassidy 684 00:36:01,660 --> 00:36:03,078 as the newest dreamboat. 685 00:36:03,162 --> 00:36:06,123 FaVE! and STAR! and 16 and Tiger Beat, 686 00:36:06,206 --> 00:36:08,459 they tell the kids what their hero wears to bed 687 00:36:08,542 --> 00:36:11,962 and how to get a pillowcase with his picture on it. 688 00:36:12,046 --> 00:36:15,549 NIK: Somebody else would have signed him maybe to a film. 689 00:36:15,633 --> 00:36:19,219 But Robert signed him to three films. 690 00:36:19,303 --> 00:36:21,847 JAMES: Robert paid John a million dollars 691 00:36:21,931 --> 00:36:23,641 to do three movies. 692 00:36:23,724 --> 00:36:26,143 At the time, it was the biggest dollar amount 693 00:36:26,226 --> 00:36:28,395 that was ever given to a television star 694 00:36:28,479 --> 00:36:29,605 to do a movie. 695 00:36:29,688 --> 00:36:31,899 PATRICK: Everybody was laughing about it. 696 00:36:31,982 --> 00:36:33,150 Because nobody had done that, 697 00:36:33,233 --> 00:36:36,695 you know, coming from television into feature films. 698 00:36:36,779 --> 00:36:38,989 BARRY DILLER: Travolta, all of the research said 699 00:36:39,073 --> 00:36:42,242 he's a television person, he's not a movie person. 700 00:36:42,326 --> 00:36:44,745 KEVIN: There were a lot of actors that had not transitioned 701 00:36:44,828 --> 00:36:46,288 to movies. 702 00:36:46,372 --> 00:36:48,582 But Robert just had this instinct 703 00:36:48,666 --> 00:36:51,210 about John Travolta. 704 00:36:51,293 --> 00:36:53,796 PATRICK: In 1971, Robert was touring 705 00:36:53,879 --> 00:36:56,298 Jesus Christ Superstar in the states. 706 00:36:56,382 --> 00:36:58,717 Travolta wanted to be cast. 707 00:36:58,801 --> 00:37:03,055 He was very young at the time. He probably was like 15 or 16. 708 00:37:03,138 --> 00:37:05,265 I remember the day my father started saving 709 00:37:05,349 --> 00:37:07,184 for my college education. 710 00:37:07,267 --> 00:37:09,019 It was my tenth birthday, 711 00:37:09,103 --> 00:37:11,814 and he opened a savings account for ten dollars. 712 00:37:11,897 --> 00:37:14,650 "Brian," he said, "You're gonna have it better than me." 713 00:37:14,733 --> 00:37:16,777 "You're not going to have to stand on your feet all day 714 00:37:16,860 --> 00:37:18,487 just to make a buck." 715 00:37:18,570 --> 00:37:20,489 PATRICK: Robert made a note on his yellow pad, 716 00:37:20,572 --> 00:37:22,950 that this kid will be a great star. 717 00:37:24,326 --> 00:37:26,745 FREDDIE: Robert said, "I don't want to have this star 718 00:37:26,829 --> 00:37:30,040 and then not own him for two more movies. 719 00:37:30,124 --> 00:37:31,291 I'll make him a star, 720 00:37:31,375 --> 00:37:33,377 and then I'll make him a star a second time, 721 00:37:33,460 --> 00:37:34,795 and then a third time." 722 00:37:34,878 --> 00:37:36,380 NIK: Then he had to find those three films. 723 00:37:36,463 --> 00:37:38,590 Well, Grease was sitting there. 724 00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:41,218 KEVIN: Grease was an old show 725 00:37:41,302 --> 00:37:42,970 that had been running on Broadway. 726 00:37:43,053 --> 00:37:45,389 TIM: The first stage show, Grease, didn't really work. 727 00:37:45,472 --> 00:37:48,434 I mean, it was good, but it wasn't a huge success. 728 00:37:48,517 --> 00:37:50,477 Most people thought it was just a fun, 729 00:37:50,561 --> 00:37:52,021 '50s revival show. 730 00:37:52,104 --> 00:37:55,065 But Robert saw it was more than that. 731 00:37:55,149 --> 00:37:58,027 FREDDIE: Robert said, "What about it for John?" 732 00:37:58,110 --> 00:38:01,447 And sure enough, it was exactly what John wanted. 733 00:38:01,530 --> 00:38:03,157 JOHN TRAVOLTA: I get a call from Robert Stigwood. 734 00:38:03,240 --> 00:38:04,950 Stigwood said, "I think this is the kid for us, 735 00:38:05,034 --> 00:38:07,494 why don't we put him in Grease because he can sing and dance?" 736 00:38:08,871 --> 00:38:11,248 NIK: And then, when the article came out, 737 00:38:11,331 --> 00:38:14,293 Robert said, "This will be just right for Travolta." 738 00:38:15,544 --> 00:38:18,505 KEVIN: So we got Travolta just based on the article. 739 00:38:18,589 --> 00:38:20,674 -INTERVIEWER: Do you dance? -I am going to get to dance 740 00:38:20,758 --> 00:38:23,093 in a film in January and it's gonna be hot. 741 00:38:23,177 --> 00:38:24,470 Are you scared? 742 00:38:24,553 --> 00:38:26,638 No, it's about discotheques themselves, 743 00:38:26,722 --> 00:38:28,557 so I'll be, like, king of the discos. 744 00:38:29,683 --> 00:38:31,018 FREDDIE: He believed in John, 745 00:38:31,101 --> 00:38:34,855 and he felt that everything else was going to fall into place. 746 00:38:34,938 --> 00:38:37,566 But there was no plan for how it was going to be made. 747 00:38:38,484 --> 00:38:40,694 ♪ (UNSETTLED MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 748 00:38:40,778 --> 00:38:44,031 FREDDIE: My job was to make a deal with Paramount Pictures. 749 00:38:46,158 --> 00:38:48,619 Robert spoke directly with Barry Diller. 750 00:38:48,702 --> 00:38:51,705 And they agreed they would be the distributor, 751 00:38:51,789 --> 00:38:53,749 and the deal would be financed by us. 752 00:38:53,832 --> 00:38:55,417 We wanted 50 percent of the gross, 753 00:38:55,501 --> 00:38:58,504 and it was compromised at 45 percent of the gross. 754 00:38:58,587 --> 00:39:00,005 That was the deal. 755 00:39:01,048 --> 00:39:02,841 BILL: No one had ever done that. 756 00:39:02,925 --> 00:39:05,636 When George Lucas, who had made a deal for Star Wars 757 00:39:05,719 --> 00:39:06,970 at Fox, heard about it, 758 00:39:07,054 --> 00:39:08,972 he wanted that deal, he wanted the Stigwood deal 759 00:39:09,056 --> 00:39:10,808 he'd heard about at Paramount. 760 00:39:10,891 --> 00:39:12,810 George told me his lawyers could not believe 761 00:39:12,893 --> 00:39:14,686 the deal that Robert had somehow extracted 762 00:39:14,770 --> 00:39:17,940 at Paramount on this little disco movie. 763 00:39:18,023 --> 00:39:19,691 It helped that Robert was pitching a movie 764 00:39:19,775 --> 00:39:21,276 that none of them really believed in, 765 00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:23,028 so they didn't care, they didn't think it would make money, 766 00:39:23,112 --> 00:39:24,613 they gave him fifty percent. 767 00:39:26,365 --> 00:39:30,494 NIK: Paramount didn't think it was going to be a hit. 768 00:39:30,577 --> 00:39:34,123 But Robert had an extraordinary instinct. 769 00:39:34,206 --> 00:39:38,085 And he built up this little group of people 770 00:39:38,168 --> 00:39:39,753 who he trusted. 771 00:39:41,588 --> 00:39:43,298 BILL: I must've looked about 12. 772 00:39:43,382 --> 00:39:46,718 Literally, I had no experience. What was I doing in that job? 773 00:39:48,095 --> 00:39:50,055 KEVIN: At this point, I'm like in my early '20s. 774 00:39:50,139 --> 00:39:54,476 I'm basically running the show, and I have no experience. 775 00:39:57,396 --> 00:39:59,690 And I said to Robert, "Well, now what are we going to do?" 776 00:39:59,773 --> 00:40:01,692 And he said, "You gotta go get a director." 777 00:40:07,573 --> 00:40:11,493 ♪ (LIVELY MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 778 00:40:13,036 --> 00:40:15,122 KEVIN: So, I had this magazine article. 779 00:40:15,205 --> 00:40:18,625 Then I'm going around to various agencies. 780 00:40:18,709 --> 00:40:22,212 I go to CAA, I go to William Morris. 781 00:40:22,296 --> 00:40:24,047 Basically, nobody was that interested 782 00:40:24,131 --> 00:40:25,674 in anything I had to say. 783 00:40:26,800 --> 00:40:28,552 I go to this guy Marvin Moss. 784 00:40:28,635 --> 00:40:30,971 And I'm talking to him about a particular client 785 00:40:31,054 --> 00:40:33,348 and he says to me, "You know what, kid? 786 00:40:33,432 --> 00:40:35,767 My directors do movies, 787 00:40:35,851 --> 00:40:37,603 they don't do magazine articles." 788 00:40:39,062 --> 00:40:43,192 NIK: In that time, articles, they weren't turned into films. 789 00:40:43,275 --> 00:40:45,360 I mean, Tom Wolfe wrote all those, 790 00:40:45,444 --> 00:40:46,945 you know, very famous articles, 791 00:40:47,029 --> 00:40:48,822 but they weren't turned into movies. 792 00:40:48,906 --> 00:40:51,575 It was just something that didn't happen. 793 00:40:51,658 --> 00:40:53,452 KEVIN: I had been in California for like three days. 794 00:40:53,535 --> 00:40:54,661 I go back to the hotel, 795 00:40:54,745 --> 00:40:56,997 and I make a reservation to come back to New York, 796 00:40:57,080 --> 00:40:59,875 and I figure, I don't know what the hell I'm doing. 797 00:40:59,958 --> 00:41:01,877 And the phone rings and it's Marvin Moss, 798 00:41:01,960 --> 00:41:03,378 who calls me in, and sort of says, 799 00:41:03,462 --> 00:41:05,047 "I was on a long phone call with a client 800 00:41:05,130 --> 00:41:06,256 who you wanted to talk to. 801 00:41:06,340 --> 00:41:08,008 He's read the article and he's interested, 802 00:41:08,091 --> 00:41:10,802 but you should see his movie first." 803 00:41:13,472 --> 00:41:15,432 "You could see it in New York. When are you going back?" 804 00:41:15,515 --> 00:41:17,267 And I said, "Over the weekend." 805 00:41:17,351 --> 00:41:19,228 "My boss is gonna be there, and, 806 00:41:19,311 --> 00:41:22,272 you know, so Stigwood needs to see the movie, and..." 807 00:41:22,356 --> 00:41:26,193 So Robert and I go to see Rocky, before it's released... 808 00:41:27,444 --> 00:41:28,904 and we hire John Avildsen. 809 00:41:32,324 --> 00:41:33,992 And Avildsen said, 810 00:41:34,076 --> 00:41:35,869 I want to work with this guy Norman Wexler. 811 00:41:38,038 --> 00:41:39,748 Norman Wexler is a guy who's literally 812 00:41:39,831 --> 00:41:41,833 just gotten out of a mental institution, 813 00:41:41,917 --> 00:41:43,669 is a famous bipolar cat, 814 00:41:43,752 --> 00:41:46,463 and had written a bunch of movies 815 00:41:46,546 --> 00:41:48,048 and after each one of them, 816 00:41:48,131 --> 00:41:50,342 he sort of would have this manic flip 817 00:41:50,425 --> 00:41:52,469 and set his life on fire. 818 00:41:52,552 --> 00:41:55,055 FREDDIE: Avildsen said, if you want gritty, 819 00:41:55,138 --> 00:41:57,641 this is what he makes. He's a little crazy, 820 00:41:57,724 --> 00:41:59,768 but he's someone I admire very greatly. 821 00:41:59,851 --> 00:42:01,395 ♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 822 00:42:01,478 --> 00:42:03,397 KEVIN: I go down to his apartment in Chelsea, 823 00:42:03,480 --> 00:42:06,108 which consists of a bed, a table and two chairs, 824 00:42:06,191 --> 00:42:08,235 and this guy who chain smokes. 825 00:42:10,153 --> 00:42:12,531 I've never supervised a script before. 826 00:42:12,614 --> 00:42:14,533 I'd go at like 2:00 in the afternoon when he got up, 827 00:42:14,616 --> 00:42:18,328 and he'd show me the pages he had written the night before. 828 00:42:19,454 --> 00:42:20,706 And it was fantastic. 829 00:42:22,249 --> 00:42:23,709 Stigwood loved it. 830 00:42:23,792 --> 00:42:27,587 And when Travolta read the script, he loved it too. 831 00:42:27,671 --> 00:42:29,506 JOHN: When I first saw it, I said, "Gee, you know, 832 00:42:29,590 --> 00:42:32,509 this character seems like he's underwater most of the time." 833 00:42:32,592 --> 00:42:34,303 But then every once in a while he comes up out 834 00:42:34,386 --> 00:42:36,847 and sees everything exactly how it is. 835 00:42:36,930 --> 00:42:39,391 And has so much knowledge about, 836 00:42:39,474 --> 00:42:40,976 I mean, like he knows everything. 837 00:42:42,269 --> 00:42:44,021 FREDDIE: When Robert saw the first draft 838 00:42:44,104 --> 00:42:45,856 of the screenplay, and his heart was pounding, 839 00:42:45,939 --> 00:42:47,816 he said, "Freddie, this director, 840 00:42:47,899 --> 00:42:49,985 this screenplay, it's all here, 841 00:42:50,068 --> 00:42:52,362 it's all in the script, I could see it, 842 00:42:52,446 --> 00:42:53,697 I could visualize it. 843 00:42:55,157 --> 00:42:57,075 This is the movie." 844 00:42:57,159 --> 00:42:58,827 ♪ (“JUNGLE BOOGIE” BY KOOL & THE GANG PLAYING) ♪ 845 00:42:58,910 --> 00:43:03,582 ♪ Get down, get down Get down, get down ♪ 846 00:43:03,665 --> 00:43:05,417 ♪ Get down, get down... ♪ 847 00:43:05,500 --> 00:43:07,419 DENEY TERRIO: I was living in Hollywood Hills. 848 00:43:08,128 --> 00:43:09,671 In my condo building, 849 00:43:09,755 --> 00:43:12,466 there was this young lady that was on a soap opera. 850 00:43:12,549 --> 00:43:14,551 We were out by the pool one day, and she said, 851 00:43:14,634 --> 00:43:16,762 "You've done a lot of dancing shows, haven't you?" 852 00:43:16,845 --> 00:43:17,888 I said, "Yeah." 853 00:43:19,431 --> 00:43:21,725 She goes, "My manager is Bob Lamont." 854 00:43:21,808 --> 00:43:24,644 Now, he manages John Travolta. 855 00:43:24,728 --> 00:43:26,897 She goes, "Well, they've got this script 856 00:43:26,980 --> 00:43:28,774 that they're gonna use for John 857 00:43:28,857 --> 00:43:30,776 and they're looking for a choreographer." 858 00:43:34,154 --> 00:43:37,532 Now Bob lived up in the Hills, about a mile away. 859 00:43:37,616 --> 00:43:39,284 So I drove over to his house. 860 00:43:39,368 --> 00:43:40,535 I come in the front door. 861 00:43:40,619 --> 00:43:43,330 I didn't even know what the movie was about, 862 00:43:43,413 --> 00:43:47,167 but I knew I had a chance, so I moved all the furniture. 863 00:43:47,250 --> 00:43:50,545 He had a nice stereo system, and I found "Jungle Boogie" 864 00:43:50,629 --> 00:43:52,089 by Kool and the Gang. 865 00:43:52,172 --> 00:43:53,256 ♪ ...and shake it around... ♪ 866 00:43:53,340 --> 00:43:55,258 DENEY: And I just started doing all the steps. 867 00:43:55,342 --> 00:43:58,720 The knee drops, the clock splits, locking up. 868 00:43:59,679 --> 00:44:02,015 Those knee drops, up and down, 869 00:44:02,099 --> 00:44:03,767 I picked up a lot of those steps 870 00:44:03,850 --> 00:44:07,104 from Don Campbell and the Lockers, and Soul Train. 871 00:44:07,187 --> 00:44:11,233 ♪ ("JUNGLE BOOGIE" CONTINUES) ♪ 872 00:44:11,316 --> 00:44:14,820 DENEY: So the next thing I know, they called me in, at Paramount, 873 00:44:14,903 --> 00:44:18,156 they said, "We're signing you up to teach this man how to dance." 874 00:44:18,240 --> 00:44:19,533 ♪ Jungle boogie ♪ 875 00:44:20,534 --> 00:44:22,327 ♪ Jungle boogie... ♪ 876 00:44:22,411 --> 00:44:23,578 DENEY: John Travolta said, 877 00:44:23,662 --> 00:44:26,289 "Everything I do, I want it to be great." 878 00:44:26,373 --> 00:44:27,958 I would take him to these clubs, 879 00:44:28,041 --> 00:44:30,752 and he started discovering the nightlife 880 00:44:30,836 --> 00:44:33,046 and the dancing and the music. 881 00:44:33,130 --> 00:44:34,464 He was like a sponge. 882 00:44:34,548 --> 00:44:38,093 I just tried to work on making him a really good, 883 00:44:38,176 --> 00:44:40,220 believable street dancer. 884 00:44:47,769 --> 00:44:50,772 DENEY: One night, Kevin McCormick and Robert Stigwood 885 00:44:50,856 --> 00:44:52,399 come in to see what we're doing 886 00:44:52,482 --> 00:44:54,443 and where we're going with this dancing. 887 00:44:54,526 --> 00:44:55,861 ♪ Till you feel it, y'all... ♪ 888 00:44:55,944 --> 00:44:58,947 DENEY: We went side by side and start doing the step backs, 889 00:44:59,030 --> 00:45:02,659 the crazy legs, the wavy arms and all the steps. 890 00:45:02,742 --> 00:45:05,912 We got through and it was dead silence, 891 00:45:05,996 --> 00:45:07,122 you know, nobody said anything, 892 00:45:07,205 --> 00:45:08,665 they'd all look over at Stigwood. 893 00:45:08,748 --> 00:45:10,459 And all of a sudden, Robert Stigwood 894 00:45:10,542 --> 00:45:13,295 got this big smile on his face. 895 00:45:14,296 --> 00:45:15,547 He goes, "I love it." 896 00:45:16,631 --> 00:45:20,844 ♪ (GENTLE PIANO MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 897 00:45:25,265 --> 00:45:30,020 KEVIN: When Rocky came out, John Avildsen became a maniac. 898 00:45:31,771 --> 00:45:34,649 He and John Travolta went from loving each other 899 00:45:34,733 --> 00:45:36,151 to he was impatient with John, 900 00:45:36,234 --> 00:45:38,820 he thought he was too fat, he thought he needed to train, 901 00:45:38,904 --> 00:45:40,655 he didn't think he could dance. 902 00:45:40,739 --> 00:45:43,492 John takes everything incredibly seriously 903 00:45:43,575 --> 00:45:45,660 and had a very clear idea of what he wanted 904 00:45:45,744 --> 00:45:47,496 to do dance-wise. 905 00:45:47,579 --> 00:45:48,830 And Avildsen wasn't, you know, 906 00:45:48,914 --> 00:45:50,707 he couldn't even select a choreographer 907 00:45:50,790 --> 00:45:53,001 and never could really quite key into 908 00:45:53,084 --> 00:45:54,544 what it was gonna look like. 909 00:45:54,628 --> 00:45:56,213 He just gets more and more impatient. 910 00:45:56,296 --> 00:45:58,507 He decides he doesn't like Norman's script, 911 00:45:58,590 --> 00:46:00,258 which we all loved. 912 00:46:00,342 --> 00:46:02,969 At this point, Stigwood called me to say, 913 00:46:03,053 --> 00:46:04,888 "What's going on?" 914 00:46:04,971 --> 00:46:06,723 And I said, "There's something else, 915 00:46:06,806 --> 00:46:07,933 John has decided 916 00:46:08,016 --> 00:46:10,310 that he doesn't want to use the Bee Gees' music." 917 00:46:10,977 --> 00:46:12,938 And he said, "Really?" 918 00:46:13,021 --> 00:46:15,148 "Call John and tell him to be at my apartment 919 00:46:15,232 --> 00:46:18,485 tomorrow morning at ten o'clock, and you should be there, too." 920 00:46:20,445 --> 00:46:24,407 So, Avildsen and I show up, we're there, waiting. 921 00:46:24,491 --> 00:46:27,410 Stigwood comes in, and he said, 922 00:46:27,494 --> 00:46:29,204 "John, there's good news and bad news." 923 00:46:29,287 --> 00:46:31,331 "The good news is you've just been nominated 924 00:46:31,414 --> 00:46:34,042 for an Academy Award for Rocky." 925 00:46:34,125 --> 00:46:35,669 "The bad news is you're fired." 926 00:46:39,172 --> 00:46:40,674 And I said to Robert, "What do we do now?" 927 00:46:40,757 --> 00:46:42,717 And he goes, "Go out, go get a director." 928 00:46:47,639 --> 00:46:49,266 So I came out to California. 929 00:46:49,349 --> 00:46:52,227 There was a director, John Badham, who I'd met, 930 00:46:52,310 --> 00:46:54,145 who'd just been fired off of The Wiz. 931 00:46:55,188 --> 00:46:56,398 JOHN BADHAM: My agent said to me, 932 00:46:56,481 --> 00:46:59,943 "Do not read this script. They want you to do this, 933 00:47:00,026 --> 00:47:03,738 but I want to make a deal first before you go and read it." 934 00:47:03,822 --> 00:47:06,783 And I said, "Okay, yeah." 935 00:47:06,866 --> 00:47:09,202 So I promptly started reading it. 936 00:47:09,286 --> 00:47:11,538 Well, like an hour and a quarter later, 937 00:47:11,621 --> 00:47:13,582 I'm running around our little house 938 00:47:13,665 --> 00:47:17,085 at that time going, "This is great! Oh, my God!" 939 00:47:17,168 --> 00:47:20,714 ♪ (PENSIVE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 940 00:47:20,797 --> 00:47:23,550 BADHAM: The characters, the dialogue, the situation, 941 00:47:23,633 --> 00:47:27,304 everything about the Tony Manero character 942 00:47:27,387 --> 00:47:29,431 just leaps off the page. 943 00:47:30,807 --> 00:47:33,893 I'm a guy who was, A, born in England, 944 00:47:33,977 --> 00:47:36,688 B, raised in Birmingham, Alabama, 945 00:47:36,771 --> 00:47:39,441 had been in Brooklyn maybe once. 946 00:47:39,524 --> 00:47:41,359 And what I knew about dancing 947 00:47:41,443 --> 00:47:43,945 was the dance classes my mother sent me to 948 00:47:44,029 --> 00:47:46,197 when I was 12 or 13 years old. 949 00:47:46,281 --> 00:47:50,285 And yet, for me, it jumped off the page. 950 00:47:50,368 --> 00:47:53,496 And only as I'm on a plane two days later 951 00:47:53,580 --> 00:47:54,914 to go to New York, 952 00:47:54,998 --> 00:47:57,959 to get this thing shooting in two and a half weeks, 953 00:47:58,043 --> 00:48:02,213 that I go, "Ho, my holy God, this is a musical!" 954 00:48:02,297 --> 00:48:05,759 ♪ (ENERGETIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 955 00:48:05,842 --> 00:48:08,136 BADHAM: I get to New York and I go to meet Robert, 956 00:48:08,219 --> 00:48:10,305 and one of the first things he does 957 00:48:10,388 --> 00:48:12,891 is hand me a little tape cassette, 958 00:48:12,974 --> 00:48:16,269 and he says, "My boys, the Bee Gees, 959 00:48:16,353 --> 00:48:18,271 have done five demos 960 00:48:18,355 --> 00:48:20,440 that we're going to use in this movie." 961 00:48:21,733 --> 00:48:24,944 And he said, "Three of them are gonna be number one hits!" 962 00:48:26,488 --> 00:48:31,242 ♪ (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 963 00:48:37,248 --> 00:48:40,001 KEVIN: We started production flying by the seat of our pants. 964 00:48:40,085 --> 00:48:42,754 You know, all the locations weren't locked down. 965 00:48:42,837 --> 00:48:44,381 You know, it was a three-million, 966 00:48:44,464 --> 00:48:46,383 five hundred thousand-dollar movie. 967 00:48:46,466 --> 00:48:49,386 It's not like it's a luxurious studio budget. 968 00:48:51,971 --> 00:48:53,640 BILL: We were shooting the movie at the same time 969 00:48:53,723 --> 00:48:55,016 as me getting the music. 970 00:48:55,100 --> 00:48:57,477 We were really rushing, because I didn't-- never done it before, 971 00:48:57,560 --> 00:48:59,020 I didn't know you had to get a sync pulse 972 00:48:59,104 --> 00:49:01,523 and a click track... (CHUCKLING) ...and all this stuff, you know? 973 00:49:01,606 --> 00:49:03,274 It was like, we were sort of making it up 974 00:49:03,358 --> 00:49:05,026 as we went along. 975 00:49:05,110 --> 00:49:09,072 (INDISTINCT CHATTER) 976 00:49:09,155 --> 00:49:12,659 KEVIN: There was something quite wonderful about being in that neighborhood. 977 00:49:12,742 --> 00:49:15,662 You have to fill the club with extras who can dance. 978 00:49:15,745 --> 00:49:16,871 You know, better that they're people 979 00:49:16,955 --> 00:49:19,457 from the neighborhood who get this, you know? 980 00:49:19,541 --> 00:49:21,501 MAN: Now shape up, you assholes. We're the faces! 981 00:49:21,584 --> 00:49:26,297 ♪ (“A FIFTH OF BEETHOVEN” BY WALTER MURPHY PLAYING) ♪ 982 00:49:46,025 --> 00:49:49,404 ELIZABETH: I did the movie when I was 20 years old. 983 00:49:50,655 --> 00:49:53,950 My brother and I would compete in dance contests. 984 00:49:54,033 --> 00:49:56,161 JOE CURCIO: They did a contest for the movie. 985 00:49:56,244 --> 00:49:57,704 If we entered the contest and we won, 986 00:49:57,787 --> 00:49:59,581 we would get one day in the movie. 987 00:49:59,664 --> 00:50:03,043 We ended up walking in, Saturday afternoon, 988 00:50:03,126 --> 00:50:05,128 and I was a little like, starstruck, 989 00:50:05,211 --> 00:50:07,297 John Travolta was in the corner reading his lines, 990 00:50:07,380 --> 00:50:08,798 Karen Lynn Gorney was there. 991 00:50:08,882 --> 00:50:11,217 ELIZABETH: So I said, "Oh, my God, this is really it, you know?" 992 00:50:11,301 --> 00:50:12,469 JOE: The most beautiful memory for me, 993 00:50:12,552 --> 00:50:14,971 and this is straight up, no lie, 994 00:50:15,054 --> 00:50:16,639 John Travolta stopped reading his lines 995 00:50:16,723 --> 00:50:18,850 when we stopped dancing. He came right over to me, 996 00:50:18,933 --> 00:50:20,351 and he put out his hand and he said, 997 00:50:20,435 --> 00:50:22,312 "You guys are great, you're wonderful!" 998 00:50:22,395 --> 00:50:24,689 "My name is John." And I said, "Well, who don't know that?" 999 00:50:24,773 --> 00:50:26,858 ELIZABETH: My brother goes, "Yeah, okay, like I don't know that." 1000 00:50:26,941 --> 00:50:28,610 (LAUGHING) I was like, "Shut up!" 1001 00:50:28,693 --> 00:50:30,570 MONTI ROCK: We have Elizabeth and Joseph Curcio! 1002 00:50:30,653 --> 00:50:32,947 Give 'em a hand! Come on down! Yeah, baby! 1003 00:50:33,031 --> 00:50:34,574 (CROWD CHEERING, APPLAUDING) 1004 00:50:34,657 --> 00:50:36,910 ELIZABETH: To be in a movie, with John Travolta, 1005 00:50:36,993 --> 00:50:38,328 I couldn't believe it. 1006 00:50:38,411 --> 00:50:40,747 And once it got out, it was like an epidemic. 1007 00:50:42,749 --> 00:50:44,542 The whole 86th Street. 1008 00:50:49,297 --> 00:50:51,341 BADHAM: Our very first day of filming, 1009 00:50:51,424 --> 00:50:54,969 you couldn't turn anywhere without seeing people. 1010 00:50:55,053 --> 00:50:56,721 Even if you looked straight up, 1011 00:50:56,805 --> 00:50:59,390 you were seeing kids hanging over the building. 1012 00:51:00,934 --> 00:51:03,603 We had to shut down by lunchtime. 1013 00:51:03,686 --> 00:51:05,146 We could not shoot. 1014 00:51:09,859 --> 00:51:11,903 RONA BARRETT: Mr. Stigwood in a short period of time 1015 00:51:11,986 --> 00:51:14,030 has developed a reputation 1016 00:51:14,113 --> 00:51:18,493 as being someone who knows exactly what he wants. 1017 00:51:18,576 --> 00:51:21,871 How much control does he have over the people 1018 00:51:21,955 --> 00:51:23,456 who work for him? 1019 00:51:23,540 --> 00:51:26,626 Well, I think the great thing about... 1020 00:51:27,877 --> 00:51:31,047 the, uh-- doing pictures with him, would be 1021 00:51:31,130 --> 00:51:35,552 that he likes the artists to have a lot of say-so. 1022 00:51:35,635 --> 00:51:38,179 Because I think he trusts artists' instincts. 1023 00:51:39,722 --> 00:51:41,558 One of the most important things working with Robert 1024 00:51:41,641 --> 00:51:45,937 is that he gave that kind of freedom within the projects, 1025 00:51:46,020 --> 00:51:49,399 to get a lot of your own creative ideas in there. 1026 00:51:49,482 --> 00:51:51,568 And he really did, I mean, I must say. 1027 00:51:53,611 --> 00:51:56,364 KEVIN: John had a very evolved sense 1028 00:51:56,447 --> 00:51:58,658 of what the dance solo should be like, 1029 00:51:58,741 --> 00:52:02,287 and really thought it should be covered in a specific way. 1030 00:52:02,370 --> 00:52:05,456 And his imagination led him to what it had to be, 1031 00:52:05,540 --> 00:52:07,208 to be excellent. 1032 00:52:07,292 --> 00:52:08,877 And when he saw the dailies, 1033 00:52:08,960 --> 00:52:13,006 Badham had a much more ordinary version of it. 1034 00:52:13,089 --> 00:52:15,258 You know, it wasn't anywhere near captured 1035 00:52:15,341 --> 00:52:17,927 the way he had slaved for about 18 months 1036 00:52:18,011 --> 00:52:20,179 to really make it look fantastic. 1037 00:52:21,347 --> 00:52:23,224 BADHAM: The first time we saw the dailies, 1038 00:52:23,308 --> 00:52:24,976 there were a couple of places where he went, 1039 00:52:25,059 --> 00:52:26,185 "Why did you do that?" 1040 00:52:26,269 --> 00:52:28,605 And he said, "When you're ready to shoot it my way, 1041 00:52:28,688 --> 00:52:31,190 "then," you know, "I'll be in my trailer." 1042 00:52:31,274 --> 00:52:33,860 KEVIN: The movie literally shut down for three days. 1043 00:52:33,943 --> 00:52:35,194 John wouldn't go back to work, 1044 00:52:35,278 --> 00:52:38,114 he just couldn't imagine finishing this out 1045 00:52:38,197 --> 00:52:40,783 because Badham had screwed it up. 1046 00:52:40,867 --> 00:52:43,036 And Robert had to be a peacemaker, 1047 00:52:43,119 --> 00:52:44,579 to sort of put it back together again, 1048 00:52:44,662 --> 00:52:47,165 so we could get everybody back up on the high wire... 1049 00:52:47,248 --> 00:52:49,417 (LAUGHING) ...of making the movie. 1050 00:52:49,500 --> 00:52:52,128 We really talked about it, and argued a little bit, 1051 00:52:52,211 --> 00:52:53,796 and he said, "Well, if you really feel 1052 00:52:53,880 --> 00:52:57,175 that strong about it, it must be-- it must be right." 1053 00:52:57,258 --> 00:53:01,137 BADHAM: Absolutely he was right, so I went into John's trailer 1054 00:53:01,220 --> 00:53:03,306 and said, "Okay, come on, we're gonna do this." 1055 00:53:03,389 --> 00:53:05,808 "You're right. I take your point, I'm sorry." 1056 00:53:05,892 --> 00:53:07,977 "So we'll go and fix it." 1057 00:53:08,061 --> 00:53:14,025 ♪ (“YOU SHOULD BE DANCING” BY THE BEE GEES PLAYING) ♪ 1058 00:53:15,735 --> 00:53:17,820 ♪ My baby moves at midnight ♪ 1059 00:53:17,904 --> 00:53:19,113 (CROWD CHEERING) 1060 00:53:19,197 --> 00:53:22,325 ♪ Goes right on till the dawn ♪ 1061 00:53:23,534 --> 00:53:24,953 ♪ My woman takes me higher... ♪ 1062 00:53:25,036 --> 00:53:29,165 KEVIN: In the end, it was rather simple coverage that sells it. 1063 00:53:29,248 --> 00:53:33,336 You know, that really gave you how magnificent it was. 1064 00:53:33,419 --> 00:53:35,213 -All right! -(CHEERING) 1065 00:53:35,296 --> 00:53:37,882 KEVIN: I always think about John as being incandescent 1066 00:53:37,966 --> 00:53:40,176 in that moment, you know, he becomes that character. 1067 00:53:40,259 --> 00:53:41,844 ♪ ...you should be dancing Yeah ♪ 1068 00:53:41,928 --> 00:53:43,054 All right! 1069 00:53:43,137 --> 00:53:46,516 ♪ Dancing, yeah... ♪ 1070 00:53:46,599 --> 00:53:50,311 KEVIN: For me, it was both an incredibly intense experience, 1071 00:53:50,395 --> 00:53:52,313 but I kept thinking, "How lucky am I?" 1072 00:53:52,397 --> 00:53:54,148 Every day, I couldn't wait to get there, you know? 1073 00:53:54,232 --> 00:53:57,026 And I think everybody sort of felt the same way, 1074 00:53:57,110 --> 00:53:59,570 because they knew something special was going on. 1075 00:54:00,947 --> 00:54:04,534 ♪ (UNSETTLED MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 1076 00:54:17,422 --> 00:54:20,174 BILL: I was on the lot in Paramount Studios that summer. 1077 00:54:20,258 --> 00:54:21,759 We were editing the movie. 1078 00:54:24,053 --> 00:54:25,596 I was doing Grease at the same time. 1079 00:54:25,680 --> 00:54:27,890 We were shooting Grease in Venice, California, 1080 00:54:27,974 --> 00:54:29,809 so we were going from "Summer Nights," 1081 00:54:29,892 --> 00:54:33,229 or something like that, to "Night Fever" at night. 1082 00:54:33,312 --> 00:54:35,565 And I remember they said, "How's your little disco movie?" 1083 00:54:35,648 --> 00:54:38,067 That was the phrase I got from Michael Eisner, of all people. 1084 00:54:38,151 --> 00:54:40,361 He was the president of the studio. 1085 00:54:40,445 --> 00:54:44,115 He had Looking for Mr. Goodbar, a movie with Richard Gere, scheduled for Christmas. 1086 00:54:44,198 --> 00:54:46,451 That was the Paramount Christmas picture. 1087 00:54:46,534 --> 00:54:47,577 The idea that Robert wanted 1088 00:54:47,660 --> 00:54:49,787 this "little disco movie" to come out before it, 1089 00:54:49,871 --> 00:54:53,082 and then come out in more screens, was absurd to Eisner. 1090 00:54:54,584 --> 00:54:57,253 You know, people think Saturday Night Fever somehow kicked off disco. 1091 00:54:57,336 --> 00:54:59,213 It actually didn't. It was dying on its feet 1092 00:54:59,297 --> 00:55:01,257 when we came out with that movie, I have to tell you. 1093 00:55:01,340 --> 00:55:04,469 Disco was almost over. I was worried we were too late. 1094 00:55:07,722 --> 00:55:10,349 I remember, when I'd finished mastering the album, 1095 00:55:10,433 --> 00:55:13,436 I was up all night in Hollywood at Capitol Records. 1096 00:55:14,645 --> 00:55:16,147 I had the album that I'd been working on 1097 00:55:16,230 --> 00:55:18,232 for nearly a year and a half in the back of my car, 1098 00:55:18,316 --> 00:55:19,776 and I was stopped at a traffic light 1099 00:55:19,859 --> 00:55:22,570 on the way home on La Brea in Hollywood. (CHUCKLING) 1100 00:55:22,653 --> 00:55:24,113 And in front of me there was a truck, 1101 00:55:24,197 --> 00:55:27,075 and on the bumper sticker said "Death to Disco." 1102 00:55:29,160 --> 00:55:30,703 I remember calling Robert, I said, 1103 00:55:30,787 --> 00:55:32,789 "You know, I've got a feeling we might be too late." 1104 00:55:37,668 --> 00:55:39,962 FREDDIE: Saturday Night Fever did not do well 1105 00:55:40,046 --> 00:55:41,464 in its sneak preview. 1106 00:55:42,090 --> 00:55:43,716 We flew to Ohio. 1107 00:55:50,723 --> 00:55:53,810 People weren't quite sure what to make of it. 1108 00:55:53,893 --> 00:55:57,063 When we got the so-called "focus group" report, 1109 00:55:57,146 --> 00:56:00,441 it said, "Saturday Night Fever sounds like a venereal disease 1110 00:56:00,525 --> 00:56:02,193 you pick up on a Saturday night." 1111 00:56:02,276 --> 00:56:05,613 "Boy in a white suit, subliminally, that's a sissy boy." 1112 00:56:05,696 --> 00:56:07,782 You know, all these silly things. 1113 00:56:10,201 --> 00:56:13,788 BILL: For a movie musical, it's quite dark, you know? 1114 00:56:13,871 --> 00:56:15,915 -(SOBS) -(CAR HORN HONKING) 1115 00:56:15,998 --> 00:56:17,250 (PANTS) 1116 00:56:17,333 --> 00:56:18,835 -(GROANS) -BILL: There's a rape scene, 1117 00:56:18,918 --> 00:56:20,920 and then, you know, the scenes in the back of the car, 1118 00:56:21,003 --> 00:56:22,588 and the guy falling off the bridge. 1119 00:56:22,672 --> 00:56:24,298 This is not your grandma's musical. 1120 00:56:24,382 --> 00:56:28,136 -Tony, look at me. -Look at the punk. 1121 00:56:28,219 --> 00:56:30,763 Bobby, get down! It's too dangerous! 1122 00:56:30,847 --> 00:56:33,349 BILL: The language alone, we had endless discussions 1123 00:56:33,432 --> 00:56:35,017 about taking all the language out. 1124 00:56:35,101 --> 00:56:36,769 TONY MANERO: Oh, fuck the future! 1125 00:56:36,853 --> 00:56:40,106 No, Tony, you can't fuck the future. 1126 00:56:40,189 --> 00:56:41,524 BILL: Because it was full of F-words 1127 00:56:41,607 --> 00:56:43,860 that Paramount just couldn't get their heads around. 1128 00:56:43,943 --> 00:56:45,236 C'mon, fuckhead! 1129 00:56:46,070 --> 00:56:48,114 Hey! Son of a fuck won't budge! 1130 00:56:50,408 --> 00:56:53,786 ♪ (TENSE MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 1131 00:57:01,669 --> 00:57:03,796 PATRICK: Robert was staying at the Beverly Hills Hotel, 1132 00:57:03,880 --> 00:57:05,923 bungalow five or ten. 1133 00:57:06,007 --> 00:57:08,968 Barry Diller and the execs at Paramount met with Robert, 1134 00:57:09,051 --> 00:57:12,054 they had breakfast, and Barry said, 1135 00:57:12,138 --> 00:57:15,141 "There's too many 'fucks' into the script, 1136 00:57:15,224 --> 00:57:18,728 and it's bad for the audience, for the young audience." 1137 00:57:18,811 --> 00:57:20,730 "What can I do to sweeten you off, 1138 00:57:20,813 --> 00:57:22,190 and can you take 1139 00:57:22,273 --> 00:57:24,442 a few of the 'fucks' out of the script?" 1140 00:57:24,525 --> 00:57:26,235 And Robert said, "How many do you want?" 1141 00:57:26,319 --> 00:57:27,987 "Well, at least five, 1142 00:57:28,070 --> 00:57:30,239 there are about twenty, at least five." 1143 00:57:30,990 --> 00:57:32,533 Robert said, "Well, five, 1144 00:57:32,617 --> 00:57:35,203 that's five percent extra on the gross." 1145 00:57:35,286 --> 00:57:36,996 And Barry, "You've got a deal." 1146 00:57:39,457 --> 00:57:41,500 FREDDIE: Ultimately, Robert, I think, agreed 1147 00:57:41,584 --> 00:57:44,086 to one dirty word being taken out. 1148 00:57:45,463 --> 00:57:49,008 KEVIN: I remember, very vividly, I'm in the airport, 1149 00:57:49,091 --> 00:57:50,593 getting ready to get on a plane to L.A., 1150 00:57:50,676 --> 00:57:51,761 and somebody paged me, 1151 00:57:51,844 --> 00:57:53,304 and I thought, "Wonder who the hell that is." 1152 00:57:53,387 --> 00:57:55,223 And I picked up the phone. And Michael Eisner got 1153 00:57:55,306 --> 00:57:57,642 on the phone and started screaming at me. 1154 00:57:57,725 --> 00:58:00,811 I think he had just watched the new cut of the movie. 1155 00:58:00,895 --> 00:58:03,356 "Who do you think you are? What are you doing?" Blah-blah-blah. 1156 00:58:03,439 --> 00:58:04,941 He just went on and on and on and on. 1157 00:58:05,024 --> 00:58:07,193 He was enraged that there was still a lot 1158 00:58:07,276 --> 00:58:09,028 of language in the movie. 1159 00:58:09,111 --> 00:58:11,364 When I told Stigwood... (LAUGHING) 1160 00:58:11,447 --> 00:58:13,491 ...he thought it was the funniest thing ever, 1161 00:58:13,574 --> 00:58:15,576 and it made him absolutely determined 1162 00:58:15,660 --> 00:58:18,496 that it was done, and that's exactly what it was gonna be. 1163 00:58:20,957 --> 00:58:22,750 NIK: Robert was very driven by the idea, 1164 00:58:22,833 --> 00:58:24,961 "You can't do that." 1165 00:58:25,044 --> 00:58:27,004 The moment any suit said to him, 1166 00:58:27,088 --> 00:58:28,965 "You can't do that," it was, "Right, 1167 00:58:29,048 --> 00:58:32,426 roll up your sleeves, here we go, lads." You know? 1168 00:58:32,510 --> 00:58:36,305 ♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 1169 00:58:36,389 --> 00:58:37,765 NIK: Paramount made clear 1170 00:58:37,848 --> 00:58:41,394 that they were not really going to push it. 1171 00:58:41,477 --> 00:58:43,479 MICHAEL EISNER: I had no idea what we had. 1172 00:58:43,562 --> 00:58:44,981 I didn't even know it was a musical. 1173 00:58:45,064 --> 00:58:47,358 I was walking down the street on Central Park West 1174 00:58:47,441 --> 00:58:49,485 and I ran into Robert Stigwood and he said, 1175 00:58:49,568 --> 00:58:51,946 "Do you want to come upstairs and listen to music?" 1176 00:58:52,029 --> 00:58:54,031 I can say categorically I went up and listened to it, 1177 00:58:54,115 --> 00:58:56,033 and had no idea it was a musical, still. 1178 00:58:58,369 --> 00:59:00,579 NIK: That was the thing that triggered Robert 1179 00:59:00,663 --> 00:59:02,957 to do what no one had done before, 1180 00:59:03,040 --> 00:59:07,169 release the soundtrack before the film came out. 1181 00:59:07,253 --> 00:59:09,964 KEVIN: He instinctively knew that he could use that 1182 00:59:10,047 --> 00:59:14,552 to water anticipation, and that more than any trailer, 1183 00:59:14,635 --> 00:59:18,139 the music from the movie would really compel people 1184 00:59:18,222 --> 00:59:20,766 to wanna come and see what it was. 1185 00:59:20,850 --> 00:59:22,018 BILL: Eventually, Michael Eisner said, 1186 00:59:22,101 --> 00:59:23,853 "How will we know if your record's a hit?" 1187 00:59:23,936 --> 00:59:25,479 And Robert said, "Guarantee it, 1188 00:59:25,563 --> 00:59:27,481 it will be a hit, it'll be number one." 1189 00:59:27,565 --> 00:59:28,899 "How will we know?" He said, "Okay, 1190 00:59:28,983 --> 00:59:32,278 if it's number one, then you give me 250 more screens." 1191 00:59:32,361 --> 00:59:36,490 ♪ (“A FIFTH OF BEETHOVEN” BY WALTER MURPHY PLAYING) ♪ 1192 00:59:36,574 --> 00:59:37,992 BILL: "If the next one goes number one, 1193 00:59:38,075 --> 00:59:40,536 you give me 500 more screens." It was an escalating thing. 1194 00:59:40,619 --> 00:59:42,246 He wrote this all down. 1195 00:59:42,330 --> 00:59:43,664 So they went with it. 1196 00:59:48,794 --> 00:59:50,171 But of course, he had the last laugh. 1197 00:59:50,254 --> 00:59:52,798 We were number one seven times with it. 1198 00:59:55,301 --> 00:59:56,510 Every time you turned on the radio 1199 00:59:56,594 --> 00:59:58,054 you heard "How Deep Is Your Love," 1200 00:59:58,137 --> 00:59:59,388 "Stayin' Alive," "Night Fever," 1201 00:59:59,472 --> 01:00:01,682 "More Than a Woman," and "If I Can't Have You." 1202 01:00:05,686 --> 01:00:08,564 NEWSCASTER 1: Four singles from Saturday Night Fever 1203 01:00:08,647 --> 01:00:11,025 have hit number one since the album's release, 1204 01:00:11,108 --> 01:00:14,362 more than from any other new album in history. 1205 01:00:14,445 --> 01:00:16,364 NEWSCASTER 2: The album Saturday Night Fever 1206 01:00:16,447 --> 01:00:21,410 is projected to sell some 12 million copies. 1207 01:00:23,079 --> 01:00:24,455 NIK: Right, take that. 1208 01:00:24,538 --> 01:00:26,207 Now can you put it in the dumpster? 1209 01:00:26,290 --> 01:00:29,085 NEWSCASTER: The album has sold more than ten million copies, 1210 01:00:29,168 --> 01:00:31,754 on its way to being the biggest-selling album 1211 01:00:31,837 --> 01:00:33,047 of all time. 1212 01:00:37,176 --> 01:00:39,929 MICHAEL: I was skiing in Vail, Colorado. 1213 01:00:40,012 --> 01:00:41,097 I think it opened December 7th, 1214 01:00:41,180 --> 01:00:42,515 this was like two weeks earlier, 1215 01:00:42,598 --> 01:00:44,892 and I heard the guy at the lift at the bottom, 1216 01:00:44,975 --> 01:00:46,352 and I heard "Stayin' Alive." 1217 01:00:46,435 --> 01:00:48,145 And then I went up to the top of the lift 1218 01:00:48,229 --> 01:00:50,272 then at the top of the lift, and went to the restaurant, 1219 01:00:50,356 --> 01:00:52,900 and there was "Stayin' Alive." 1220 01:00:52,983 --> 01:00:54,735 I called up Barry Diller and I said, 1221 01:00:54,819 --> 01:00:56,737 "Do we have a hit here?" 1222 01:00:56,821 --> 01:01:01,200 ♪ (“DISCO INFERNO” BY THE TRAMMPS PLAYING) ♪ 1223 01:01:08,666 --> 01:01:10,000 Oh! 1224 01:01:11,752 --> 01:01:13,295 ANNOUNCER: Presenting the world premiere 1225 01:01:13,379 --> 01:01:14,797 of Paramount Pictures' 1226 01:01:14,880 --> 01:01:18,801 Saturday Night Fever, starring John Travolta. 1227 01:01:18,884 --> 01:01:20,928 (CROWD CHEERING) 1228 01:01:21,011 --> 01:01:24,014 ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, this is John Travolta! 1229 01:01:24,098 --> 01:01:25,516 ♪ Burn, baby, burn ♪ 1230 01:01:27,017 --> 01:01:28,811 ♪ Burn, baby, burn ♪ 1231 01:01:30,688 --> 01:01:32,440 RONA: The movie is Saturday Night Fever, 1232 01:01:32,523 --> 01:01:36,485 and the star is John Travolta disco dancing his way to fame. 1233 01:01:38,237 --> 01:01:40,614 ♪ To my surprise... ♪ 1234 01:01:41,532 --> 01:01:42,783 ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, 1235 01:01:42,867 --> 01:01:45,453 -will you welcome the Bee Gees! -(CROWD CHEERING) 1236 01:01:45,536 --> 01:01:48,706 ♪ People getting loose y'all ♪ 1237 01:01:48,789 --> 01:01:52,168 ♪ Getting down on the roof You hear? ♪ 1238 01:01:53,711 --> 01:01:55,504 ♪ The funk was flaming... ♪ 1239 01:01:55,588 --> 01:01:57,339 PRESENTER 1: Did you get Saturday Night Fever? 1240 01:01:57,423 --> 01:01:59,300 PRESENTER 2: I do-- I have Saturday Night Fever. 1241 01:01:59,383 --> 01:02:00,509 Did you disco down? 1242 01:02:00,593 --> 01:02:03,679 -I discoed on down. -Me too, I had such fun. 1243 01:02:03,762 --> 01:02:07,349 ♪ When the boogie started To explode I heard... ♪ 1244 01:02:07,433 --> 01:02:08,517 BILL: When the film did open, 1245 01:02:08,601 --> 01:02:10,936 and it opened massively to a lot of screens, 1246 01:02:11,020 --> 01:02:13,022 the cinema operators were immediately all asking 1247 01:02:13,105 --> 01:02:15,983 for more prints, they wanted to add more screens. 1248 01:02:16,066 --> 01:02:17,776 Paramount said, "The cinemas are billing us 1249 01:02:17,860 --> 01:02:19,195 for the ushers they are having to bring in 1250 01:02:19,278 --> 01:02:21,739 to stop the dancing in the aisles." 1251 01:02:21,822 --> 01:02:24,116 NEWSCASTER 1: Saturday Night Fever put rock and roll to bed 1252 01:02:24,200 --> 01:02:26,202 -with a bad cold. -NEWSCASTER 2: Saturday Night Fever 1253 01:02:26,285 --> 01:02:28,496 has apparently revived disco fever. 1254 01:02:28,579 --> 01:02:30,331 NEWSCASTER 3: Hundreds are rushing to schools 1255 01:02:30,414 --> 01:02:32,082 to learn the right steps. 1256 01:02:33,250 --> 01:02:36,587 ♪ ...till I had To self-destruct... ♪ 1257 01:02:36,670 --> 01:02:38,380 BILL: What it did, was it gave disco 1258 01:02:38,464 --> 01:02:41,050 another, maybe, five more years of life. 1259 01:02:41,133 --> 01:02:43,469 In the year or two after Fever came out, 1260 01:02:43,552 --> 01:02:45,387 you couldn't go to a single nightclub 1261 01:02:45,471 --> 01:02:48,265 anywhere in the world without people wearing white suits 1262 01:02:48,349 --> 01:02:50,643 and chains and dancing like Travolta. 1263 01:02:50,726 --> 01:02:53,729 DENEY: Everybody was going to the clubs, dressing up, 1264 01:02:53,812 --> 01:02:55,689 fixing their hair, looking good. 1265 01:02:55,773 --> 01:02:59,401 -♪ Burn, baby, burn ♪ -♪ Burn that mother down ♪ 1266 01:02:59,485 --> 01:03:01,612 ♪ Burn, baby, burn ♪ 1267 01:03:01,695 --> 01:03:02,738 ♪ Disco inferno ♪ 1268 01:03:02,821 --> 01:03:05,115 DENEY: People that would never dance, 1269 01:03:05,199 --> 01:03:08,285 never want to dance, wanted to be John Travolta. 1270 01:03:09,537 --> 01:03:13,040 NIK: To me, it was always just this little magazine story, 1271 01:03:13,123 --> 01:03:14,708 and then suddenly it wasn't. 1272 01:03:14,792 --> 01:03:19,004 ♪ (“YOU MAKE ME FEEL" BY SYLVESTER PLAYING) ♪ 1273 01:03:22,675 --> 01:03:25,094 PATRICK: I met Robert in '78 in France, 1274 01:03:25,177 --> 01:03:27,930 when he was having so much success coming through. 1275 01:03:29,014 --> 01:03:30,558 I was driving a limo. 1276 01:03:30,641 --> 01:03:32,434 One afternoon, I was sent to the airport 1277 01:03:32,518 --> 01:03:34,770 with two other limos to pick up a group of people 1278 01:03:34,853 --> 01:03:36,146 coming from London. 1279 01:03:36,230 --> 01:03:40,150 ♪ When we're out there dancin' On the floor, darlin'... ♪ 1280 01:03:40,234 --> 01:03:41,735 PATRICK: I can see this lovely group, 1281 01:03:41,819 --> 01:03:45,114 young people arriving, all smiling and full of fun. 1282 01:03:45,197 --> 01:03:47,616 And then, Robert is amongst them, 1283 01:03:47,700 --> 01:03:49,910 with a white scarf... (CHUCKLING) 1284 01:03:49,994 --> 01:03:51,161 ...and he picks my car. 1285 01:03:51,245 --> 01:03:53,914 ♪ You make me feel Mighty real... ♪ 1286 01:03:53,998 --> 01:03:56,959 PATRICK: Robert said, "Can you put the radio on?" 1287 01:03:57,042 --> 01:04:00,212 "Okay." And of course, soon as we put the radio on, 1288 01:04:00,296 --> 01:04:03,132 "Stayin' Alive" is blasting through the loudspeakers. 1289 01:04:03,215 --> 01:04:04,550 ♪ ...mighty real... ♪ 1290 01:04:05,718 --> 01:04:07,553 PATRICK: And he says, "This is my music." 1291 01:04:07,636 --> 01:04:09,972 I said, "No, you're not a musician." 1292 01:04:10,055 --> 01:04:12,391 And he said, "No, I'm the producer of the film." 1293 01:04:12,474 --> 01:04:16,645 ♪ When we get home, darlin' And it's nice and dark and... ♪ 1294 01:04:16,729 --> 01:04:18,814 Could I ask, for example, what Saturday Night Fever 1295 01:04:18,897 --> 01:04:20,190 has grossed, thus far? 1296 01:04:20,274 --> 01:04:25,070 I think around 110 million, at the moment, in America. 1297 01:04:25,154 --> 01:04:27,823 MERV: And what do you anticipate after it's all wrapped up 1298 01:04:27,906 --> 01:04:29,241 in a nice big bag? 1299 01:04:29,325 --> 01:04:32,620 ROBERT: I would think something in the region of 250 million. 1300 01:04:32,703 --> 01:04:34,246 -MERV: Mm. -It's a very popular film. 1301 01:04:34,330 --> 01:04:38,042 ♪ Oh, you make me feel... ♪ 1302 01:04:38,125 --> 01:04:39,710 PATRICK: Robert said to me, 1303 01:04:39,793 --> 01:04:41,045 "You stay on, I'm going to use you, 1304 01:04:41,128 --> 01:04:44,298 I need to go to San Remo, I'm buying a yacht." 1305 01:04:45,799 --> 01:04:48,093 ♪ Mighty real ♪ 1306 01:04:48,177 --> 01:04:49,762 PATRICK: Everything is moving forward, 1307 01:04:49,845 --> 01:04:52,598 he's getting his toy, this big yacht. 1308 01:04:52,681 --> 01:04:54,350 Money was flowing in. 1309 01:04:54,433 --> 01:04:56,018 MERV: And the album? 1310 01:04:56,101 --> 01:04:59,521 The album, I think, is nearing 18 million 1311 01:04:59,605 --> 01:05:01,649 double albums worldwide at the moment. 1312 01:05:01,732 --> 01:05:03,442 But that would be the record breaker of all time. 1313 01:05:03,525 --> 01:05:06,695 Yes, it's already the biggest-grossing album 1314 01:05:06,779 --> 01:05:07,988 in the history of music. 1315 01:05:08,072 --> 01:05:10,032 ♪ I feel real, I feel real... ♪ 1316 01:05:10,115 --> 01:05:11,992 EARL: When that movie came out, we worked every day. 1317 01:05:12,076 --> 01:05:14,787 Wasn't a day we didn't work. It was unbelievable, 1318 01:05:14,870 --> 01:05:16,997 you know, how much money we made. 1319 01:05:17,081 --> 01:05:18,666 Had a suitcase going to the bank. 1320 01:05:18,749 --> 01:05:21,168 ♪ I feel real, I feel real... ♪ 1321 01:05:22,961 --> 01:05:24,463 KARL: The Bee Gees were a little surprised, 1322 01:05:24,546 --> 01:05:26,006 like everybody else. 1323 01:05:26,090 --> 01:05:29,885 It just mushroomed beyond what expectations would be. 1324 01:05:29,968 --> 01:05:34,264 They had a 727 plane, "Spirits Having Flown." 1325 01:05:34,348 --> 01:05:36,475 They sold out Dodger Stadium in L.A. 1326 01:05:36,558 --> 01:05:38,185 They sold out Madison Square Garden 1327 01:05:38,268 --> 01:05:39,645 for five nights in a row. 1328 01:05:41,271 --> 01:05:42,564 DENEY: I don't think anybody 1329 01:05:42,648 --> 01:05:46,694 really foresaw the phenomenon of this movie, 1330 01:05:46,777 --> 01:05:49,571 other than Robert Stigwood and John Travolta. 1331 01:05:49,655 --> 01:05:51,281 BILL: I remember, when we were shooting Grease, 1332 01:05:51,365 --> 01:05:54,076 John asking me, like, "So, what do you think about Fever?" 1333 01:05:54,159 --> 01:05:55,536 'Cause he wanted to know how it was shaping. 1334 01:05:55,619 --> 01:05:57,371 I said, "Well, you look great, you look fantastic." 1335 01:05:57,454 --> 01:05:59,498 He said, "No, is there any chance for, maybe like, 1336 01:05:59,581 --> 01:06:01,208 an Academy recognition for it?" 1337 01:06:01,291 --> 01:06:03,127 And I thought, "Oh, my God, this is ridiculous, 1338 01:06:03,210 --> 01:06:05,421 this is not an Academy movie, are you nuts?" 1339 01:06:05,504 --> 01:06:08,048 -Johnny! -(INDISTINCT CHATTER) 1340 01:06:08,132 --> 01:06:09,258 BILL: Well, he had the last laugh, 1341 01:06:09,341 --> 01:06:11,593 he got a nomination, Academy role for it. 1342 01:06:11,677 --> 01:06:13,303 -How are you? -INTERVIEWER: You want to win tonight? 1343 01:06:13,387 --> 01:06:15,806 -Sure, why not? -INTERVIEWER: What would the win mean tonight? 1344 01:06:16,515 --> 01:06:19,101 Terrific, terrific validation. 1345 01:06:19,184 --> 01:06:21,437 -INTERVIEWER: See you later! -(CROWD CHEERING) 1346 01:06:21,520 --> 01:06:23,897 ♪ (HOPEFUL MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 1347 01:06:23,981 --> 01:06:25,232 PATRICK: Robert was so relieved 1348 01:06:25,315 --> 01:06:28,068 that he was right in every which way. 1349 01:06:28,152 --> 01:06:30,195 Fever came out, and then Grease. 1350 01:06:30,279 --> 01:06:33,866 (CROWD APPLAUDING, CHEERING) 1351 01:06:37,161 --> 01:06:39,204 KEVIN: No reason why kids should have liked it, 1352 01:06:39,288 --> 01:06:42,374 but Stigwood, brilliantly, got enough new music into it 1353 01:06:42,458 --> 01:06:44,835 that it was both recognizable but new again. 1354 01:06:46,253 --> 01:06:48,839 FREDDIE: Robert said, "I want two hit songs!" 1355 01:06:48,922 --> 01:06:50,924 This really happened, just like this. 1356 01:06:51,008 --> 01:06:56,013 He said, "I want two songs that could go with this script, 1357 01:06:56,096 --> 01:06:57,222 with this character, 1358 01:06:57,306 --> 01:07:00,726 and if I have two hits, I could sell this album." 1359 01:07:00,809 --> 01:07:02,728 ♪ (“YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT” BY JOHN FARRAR PLAYING) ♪ 1360 01:07:02,811 --> 01:07:04,313 ♪ You are the one that I want ♪ 1361 01:07:04,396 --> 01:07:06,231 FREDDIE: They wrote "You're the One That I Want" 1362 01:07:06,315 --> 01:07:10,110 and '"Hopelessly Devoted to You" and it worked. 1363 01:07:10,194 --> 01:07:15,240 Grease sold 28 million albums. This was a big deal. 1364 01:07:15,324 --> 01:07:17,868 BILL: Those two movies, Saturday Night Fever and Grease, 1365 01:07:17,951 --> 01:07:21,580 carried Paramount through several fiscal quarters. 1366 01:07:21,663 --> 01:07:25,042 (BRITISH ACCENT) Robert, I'm over the moon about our three-picture deal 1367 01:07:25,125 --> 01:07:27,419 and that it has become so successful. 1368 01:07:28,170 --> 01:07:29,838 (LAUGHS) 1369 01:07:29,922 --> 01:07:33,091 The winner is, Evita, producer Robert Stigwood. 1370 01:07:33,175 --> 01:07:37,012 (CROWD APPLAUDING, CHEERING) 1371 01:07:37,095 --> 01:07:39,515 TIM: I mean, from about '75 to '80, 1372 01:07:39,598 --> 01:07:42,309 almost everything that was successful was Robert Stigwood. 1373 01:07:42,392 --> 01:07:45,354 You know, Grease, Tommy, Superstar, Evita, 1374 01:07:45,437 --> 01:07:49,024 RSO Records, the Bee Gees, Saturday Night Fever. 1375 01:07:49,107 --> 01:07:52,110 He had all these things going at once, more or less. 1376 01:07:54,029 --> 01:07:56,323 KEVIN: He's on the cover of Newsweek, and, you know, 1377 01:07:56,406 --> 01:07:57,825 we used to jokingly say to each other, 1378 01:07:57,908 --> 01:08:00,369 if only they knew how mad this all is. 1379 01:08:03,580 --> 01:08:06,166 PATRICK: There was so much money flowing in at the time. 1380 01:08:06,250 --> 01:08:08,043 In the New York office, the flower bills 1381 01:08:08,126 --> 01:08:11,547 were something like 15,000 dollars a month. 1382 01:08:13,674 --> 01:08:15,384 I mean, the amount of money that was spent 1383 01:08:15,467 --> 01:08:19,179 by everybody in the office, let's say, was just staggering. 1384 01:08:19,263 --> 01:08:20,973 But, you know, it was there to be enjoyed. 1385 01:08:21,056 --> 01:08:22,474 That's what Robert said, you know, 1386 01:08:22,558 --> 01:08:24,017 "Rather my guys enjoy it, 1387 01:08:24,101 --> 01:08:26,770 rather than pay the IRS too much money." 1388 01:08:28,480 --> 01:08:30,357 KEVIN: You know, and within a couple of years, 1389 01:08:30,440 --> 01:08:33,694 you know, it had started to change. 1390 01:08:33,777 --> 01:08:35,696 -(CROWD CHEERING) -MAN 1: Turn all the lights on! 1391 01:08:35,779 --> 01:08:37,614 This sign was the original sign 1392 01:08:37,698 --> 01:08:40,367 used when they made all the posters 1393 01:08:40,450 --> 01:08:43,704 -for Saturday Night Fever! -(CROWD JEERING) 1394 01:08:43,787 --> 01:08:46,623 Let's give them the salute, ladies and gentlemen. 1395 01:08:46,707 --> 01:08:49,960 MAN 2: It's time to ring out the old and bring in the new! 1396 01:08:50,043 --> 01:08:51,753 (CROWD CHEERING) 1397 01:08:51,837 --> 01:08:54,173 'Cause we've got something to say about that. 1398 01:08:54,965 --> 01:08:57,968 ♪ I hate disco music ♪ 1399 01:08:58,051 --> 01:09:00,762 ♪ 'Cause disco music Really sucks ♪ 1400 01:09:00,846 --> 01:09:02,014 That's right. 1401 01:09:02,097 --> 01:09:05,183 ♪ And I hate disco music ♪ 1402 01:09:05,267 --> 01:09:07,769 ♪ 'Cause disco music Really sucks ♪ 1403 01:09:07,853 --> 01:09:09,354 ♪ ("DISCO AT AL'S" BY JAMES O'CONNELL PLAYING) ♪ 1404 01:09:09,438 --> 01:09:12,566 ♪ Disco sucks Turn off the radio ♪ 1405 01:09:12,649 --> 01:09:15,527 ♪ Disco sucks 'Cause I don't wanna hear it ♪ 1406 01:09:15,611 --> 01:09:16,904 BILL: I think it was that natural pushback 1407 01:09:16,987 --> 01:09:19,406 that anything really successful gets at some point. 1408 01:09:19,489 --> 01:09:21,992 -♪ Disco sucks ♪ -It had become so mainstream, 1409 01:09:22,075 --> 01:09:23,285 that anywhere you went in the world, 1410 01:09:23,368 --> 01:09:25,412 weddings, funerals, they always played disco music. 1411 01:09:25,495 --> 01:09:27,122 ♪ Disco sucks ♪ 1412 01:09:27,205 --> 01:09:28,206 MAN: I hate disco. 1413 01:09:28,290 --> 01:09:29,458 -INTERVIEWER: Yeah? -It's a snore. 1414 01:09:29,541 --> 01:09:31,960 -I think it sucks, man! -Disco sucks! 1415 01:09:32,044 --> 01:09:33,503 Disco is a disease! 1416 01:09:34,379 --> 01:09:36,048 RICHARD: Why does it suck? 1417 01:09:36,131 --> 01:09:38,008 Because that's something gay men do. 1418 01:09:38,717 --> 01:09:39,968 ♪ Disco sucks ♪ 1419 01:09:40,052 --> 01:09:41,511 RICHARD: It was about the fact that these people 1420 01:09:41,595 --> 01:09:44,222 were asserting themselves and shouldn't have. 1421 01:09:44,306 --> 01:09:47,309 I saw Ted Nugent last Saturday, you know what he said about it? 1422 01:09:47,392 --> 01:09:49,061 He said he was glad for disco 1423 01:09:49,144 --> 01:09:51,355 because it kept them away from his concerts. (LAUGHS) 1424 01:09:51,438 --> 01:09:53,690 He says, "Those guys don't come close to me, boy." 1425 01:09:53,774 --> 01:09:54,775 ♪ Disco sucks ♪ 1426 01:09:54,858 --> 01:09:56,443 NEWSCASTER: Fifty thousand people got in 1427 01:09:56,526 --> 01:09:58,820 before the White Sox called upon Chicago Police 1428 01:09:58,904 --> 01:10:00,072 to help close the gate. 1429 01:10:00,155 --> 01:10:02,491 It was billed as "Disco Demolition Night." 1430 01:10:02,574 --> 01:10:03,784 Then came the main event, 1431 01:10:03,867 --> 01:10:07,537 a crate of disco records was blown up in center field. 1432 01:10:07,621 --> 01:10:10,624 ♪ I don't wanna hear it I don't wanna hear it ♪ 1433 01:10:10,707 --> 01:10:12,376 ♪ 'Cause disco sucks ♪ 1434 01:10:13,710 --> 01:10:15,629 BILL: It was directed very much at the Bee Gees, 1435 01:10:15,712 --> 01:10:16,838 more than disco I think. 1436 01:10:16,922 --> 01:10:18,674 It was they were fed up with the Bee Gees, 1437 01:10:18,757 --> 01:10:20,509 it was weird. 1438 01:10:20,592 --> 01:10:22,427 The Bee Gees were upset about that, 1439 01:10:22,511 --> 01:10:24,471 you know, having all their records burnt 1440 01:10:24,554 --> 01:10:26,139 in the middle of a ballpark. 1441 01:10:26,223 --> 01:10:28,016 (CHUCKLES) Who wouldn't be? 1442 01:10:28,100 --> 01:10:30,352 BARRY: We're not really a disco group, we do all kinds of music. 1443 01:10:30,435 --> 01:10:32,187 And what happened with Saturday Night Fever, 1444 01:10:32,271 --> 01:10:33,772 is we actually were asked to write the music 1445 01:10:33,855 --> 01:10:34,898 and we did so, 1446 01:10:34,982 --> 01:10:37,150 and they used the film as a disco film, 1447 01:10:37,234 --> 01:10:39,277 which we didn't, weren't aware that is what they were going to do, 1448 01:10:39,361 --> 01:10:43,198 was going to be done. And the music, I think the songs 1449 01:10:43,281 --> 01:10:44,741 stand on their own apart from disco. 1450 01:10:44,825 --> 01:10:46,284 If "Stayin' Alive" had come out five years ago, 1451 01:10:46,368 --> 01:10:47,828 no one would have called it a disco record. 1452 01:10:47,911 --> 01:10:49,413 It's as simple as that. 1453 01:10:51,331 --> 01:10:55,002 KEVIN: Saturday Night Fever was the apotheosis of disco. 1454 01:10:55,085 --> 01:10:57,129 Then all bets were off. 1455 01:10:57,212 --> 01:11:00,173 ROMAN RICARDO: The film definitely expedited disco's death. 1456 01:11:00,257 --> 01:11:02,009 It took the mystery out of it. 1457 01:11:02,092 --> 01:11:04,845 There was no cool scene around it anymore. 1458 01:11:04,928 --> 01:11:09,266 VINCE ALETTI: Once everybody is going out in Suburbia, USA, 1459 01:11:09,349 --> 01:11:12,227 and pretending that they're John Travolta, 1460 01:11:12,311 --> 01:11:14,104 it's done, it's done. 1461 01:11:15,439 --> 01:11:17,858 Anything that big, it has to end. 1462 01:11:17,941 --> 01:11:20,986 The success, I knew, was going to be a problem. 1463 01:11:21,069 --> 01:11:23,280 ♪ (SOFT MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 1464 01:11:23,363 --> 01:11:25,907 NEWSCASTER: The movie Saturday Night Fever grossed record earnings 1465 01:11:25,991 --> 01:11:27,701 and escalated actor John Travolta 1466 01:11:27,784 --> 01:11:29,286 to the heights of superstardom. 1467 01:11:29,369 --> 01:11:31,830 Practically everyone involved made a bundle on the film. 1468 01:11:31,913 --> 01:11:34,875 But there's one man who says he should've made a bundle, but didn't. 1469 01:11:34,958 --> 01:11:37,502 He's taking action to see to it that he does. 1470 01:11:37,586 --> 01:11:40,422 KEVIN: Some guy who said he spoke to Nik in Brooklyn, 1471 01:11:40,505 --> 01:11:43,216 somebody quite specific, took it to court. 1472 01:11:43,300 --> 01:11:46,136 INTERVIEWER: What makes you think that Tony Manero is you? 1473 01:11:46,219 --> 01:11:49,723 EUGENE "TONY" ROBINSON: I know, because I was interviewed by Nik Cohn, 1474 01:11:49,806 --> 01:11:51,141 who wrote the original script, 1475 01:11:51,224 --> 01:11:52,476 "Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night," 1476 01:11:52,559 --> 01:11:53,810 and it was developed from that article 1477 01:11:53,894 --> 01:11:56,271 in New York Magazine. 1478 01:11:56,354 --> 01:11:57,814 ELIZABETH: From what I understood, Nik Cohn 1479 01:11:57,898 --> 01:12:00,901 came down to the club one night, was observing stuff. 1480 01:12:00,984 --> 01:12:02,569 JOE: I'm not sure-- Don't quote me on it. 1481 01:12:02,652 --> 01:12:04,738 I know they-- Somebody was interviewing somebody. 1482 01:12:04,821 --> 01:12:06,323 ALEX: Basically, there was a guy coming down, 1483 01:12:06,406 --> 01:12:09,910 asking about this, you know, all different questions. 1484 01:12:09,993 --> 01:12:13,580 In filing the suit, what are you really after? 1485 01:12:13,663 --> 01:12:15,207 I would like Paramount themselves to come out 1486 01:12:15,290 --> 01:12:16,917 and admit that I'm the character, 1487 01:12:17,000 --> 01:12:19,086 and I would like these writers to back down, 1488 01:12:19,169 --> 01:12:21,213 and admit that it's my original gem. 1489 01:12:22,589 --> 01:12:25,467 KEVIN: That lawsuit went on for a number of years, 1490 01:12:25,550 --> 01:12:27,094 and in the end, Nik said, "I don't know what 1491 01:12:27,177 --> 01:12:28,804 this guy's talking about. I made it up." 1492 01:12:28,887 --> 01:12:32,557 ♪ (DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 1493 01:12:49,157 --> 01:12:50,826 NIK: I made up the main character 1494 01:12:50,909 --> 01:12:53,745 and built him around a Mod I had known 1495 01:12:53,829 --> 01:12:55,872 in London in the '60s. 1496 01:12:55,956 --> 01:12:58,792 There was a certain degree of authenticity about it 1497 01:12:58,875 --> 01:13:02,045 in the sense that I had watched the various rituals, 1498 01:13:02,129 --> 01:13:04,631 so the attitudes of the main character 1499 01:13:04,714 --> 01:13:07,884 in terms of his mates, that was observed. 1500 01:13:07,968 --> 01:13:10,178 The actual character himself did not exist, 1501 01:13:10,262 --> 01:13:12,055 I have to say I made that up. 1502 01:13:14,349 --> 01:13:16,017 They were guesses, 1503 01:13:16,101 --> 01:13:19,521 and trying to put myself in somebody else's shoes. 1504 01:13:20,772 --> 01:13:24,609 When I looked at any group of young teenagers, 1505 01:13:24,693 --> 01:13:27,487 in any culture, it was just, 1506 01:13:27,571 --> 01:13:30,031 I wonder what it's like to be that way. 1507 01:13:30,115 --> 01:13:34,536 So my imagination would go, and that's what came out. 1508 01:13:37,998 --> 01:13:39,833 ELIZABETH: So he didn't even really talk to some kid 1509 01:13:39,916 --> 01:13:42,752 named Tony Manero? Oh, my God. 1510 01:14:01,813 --> 01:14:04,608 (SEAGULLS CAWING) 1511 01:14:18,246 --> 01:14:24,753 ♪ (DOWNCAST MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 1512 01:14:41,853 --> 01:14:45,065 NIK: For a long time, he had just an infallible touch, 1513 01:14:45,148 --> 01:14:47,275 and then, suddenly, he didn't. 1514 01:14:48,985 --> 01:14:51,112 FREDDIE: Moment by Moment was a disaster 1515 01:14:51,196 --> 01:14:54,616 and humiliating to him. A horrifically bad movie. 1516 01:14:55,909 --> 01:14:57,994 It may be too early to pick the worst movies of the year, 1517 01:14:58,078 --> 01:15:00,497 but it is not too early to cite one of the worst movies 1518 01:15:00,580 --> 01:15:01,873 in the past ten years. 1519 01:15:01,957 --> 01:15:04,417 Maybe the worst big-budget movie ever made. 1520 01:15:04,501 --> 01:15:07,170 It is Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. 1521 01:15:08,213 --> 01:15:09,548 (ENERGY ZAPPING) 1522 01:15:11,174 --> 01:15:14,386 TIM: The Sgt. Pepper film and album just was a disaster. 1523 01:15:14,469 --> 01:15:17,514 It was a bad idea, looking back on it. 1524 01:15:17,597 --> 01:15:20,517 But I'm trying to remember what other flops he had. 1525 01:15:20,600 --> 01:15:26,189 ♪ (“FAR FROM OVER” BY FRANK STALLONE PLAYING) ♪ 1526 01:15:30,068 --> 01:15:31,570 BILL: We did the sequel to Saturday Night Fever 1527 01:15:31,653 --> 01:15:34,322 called Staying Alive, which was not enjoyable for me. 1528 01:15:34,406 --> 01:15:35,490 ♪ This is the end ♪ 1529 01:15:37,659 --> 01:15:42,664 ♪ You made your choice And now my chance is over ♪ 1530 01:15:42,747 --> 01:15:45,208 BILL: Stallone was the director and I was the English meat 1531 01:15:45,292 --> 01:15:47,585 in this rather weird Italian sandwich, 1532 01:15:47,669 --> 01:15:50,088 with Travolta on one side, and Stallone on the other, 1533 01:15:50,171 --> 01:15:52,716 and it was me in the middle, as producer of the film by then. 1534 01:15:57,887 --> 01:15:59,806 But, I mean, we were just retreading. 1535 01:16:01,016 --> 01:16:03,310 And I think Robert's interest sort of... 1536 01:16:04,019 --> 01:16:05,478 well really, it went away. 1537 01:16:08,857 --> 01:16:13,653 (SHIP HORN BLARING) 1538 01:16:13,737 --> 01:16:15,322 BILL: And he folded up his record company, 1539 01:16:15,405 --> 01:16:18,950 and moved to Bermuda, and never really went back. 1540 01:16:22,454 --> 01:16:28,877 ♪ (DREAMY PIANO MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 1541 01:16:34,299 --> 01:16:36,676 PATRICK: He decided to lift his foot a little bit 1542 01:16:36,760 --> 01:16:39,304 and go into yachting for a couple of years. 1543 01:16:41,014 --> 01:16:43,558 -MAN 1: Oh, wow, look at this! -MAN 2: Look at that! 1544 01:16:43,641 --> 01:16:48,188 (MAN CHEERING) 1545 01:16:50,231 --> 01:16:52,359 PATRICK: He had his retreat in Bermuda. 1546 01:16:52,442 --> 01:16:55,195 A beautiful place in Bermuda where he would spend, 1547 01:16:55,278 --> 01:16:57,572 -you know, months on end. -(MAN CHEERING) 1548 01:17:01,701 --> 01:17:03,787 KEVIN: He became fantastically wealthy. 1549 01:17:04,913 --> 01:17:06,164 JAMES: I watched Robert make, 1550 01:17:06,247 --> 01:17:07,916 you know, a billion dollars for Paramount 1551 01:17:07,999 --> 01:17:10,710 within three years. I think 300 million of it 1552 01:17:10,794 --> 01:17:12,629 wound up in his pocket. 1553 01:17:12,712 --> 01:17:15,590 FREDDIE: If you sell 22 million soundtrack albums, 1554 01:17:15,673 --> 01:17:17,425 and you're averaging four dollars an album 1555 01:17:17,509 --> 01:17:20,595 as your profit, that's 88 million dollars more, 1556 01:17:20,678 --> 01:17:23,139 and you're not splitting that with the studio, 1557 01:17:23,223 --> 01:17:26,976 because Paramount never had a piece of the album. 1558 01:17:28,770 --> 01:17:31,272 BILL: The studio wasn't interested in soundtracks. 1559 01:17:31,356 --> 01:17:32,732 They said, "Soundtracks don't sell." 1560 01:17:32,816 --> 01:17:34,818 So he said, "Fine, I'll keep it." 1561 01:17:34,901 --> 01:17:39,072 Which was kind of a mistake on their part, I think. 1562 01:17:39,155 --> 01:17:42,200 That was probably one of Robert's lasting great achievements, 1563 01:17:42,283 --> 01:17:46,121 is to wake up the synergy between records and film. 1564 01:17:46,204 --> 01:17:47,414 You saw the film, you'd buy the album. 1565 01:17:47,497 --> 01:17:50,125 You listened to the album, you'd go to the movie. 1566 01:17:50,208 --> 01:17:53,294 KEVIN: The soundtrack became part of the way 1567 01:17:53,378 --> 01:17:56,840 that you looked at a movie's success or failure. 1568 01:17:56,923 --> 01:17:58,633 You know, Urban Cowboy, let's see 1569 01:17:58,716 --> 01:18:01,803 if there's a country music application to it. 1570 01:18:01,886 --> 01:18:03,638 ♪ (“WHAT A FEELING” BY IRENE CARA PLAYING) ♪ 1571 01:18:03,722 --> 01:18:07,016 KEVIN: It just became this crazy phenomenon. 1572 01:18:07,100 --> 01:18:09,310 -♪ (“DANGER ZONE” BY KENNY LOGGINS PLAYING) ♪ -Top Gun was successful 1573 01:18:09,394 --> 01:18:11,688 on its own, but music certainly helped it. 1574 01:18:11,771 --> 01:18:14,441 ♪ (“I'VE HAD THE TIME OF MY LIFE” BY BILL MEDLEY, JENNIFER WARNES PLAYING) ♪ 1575 01:18:14,524 --> 01:18:16,901 And it went on for a really long time. 1576 01:18:20,864 --> 01:18:23,950 ♪ (DREAMY PIANO MUSIC PLAYING) ♪ 1577 01:18:24,033 --> 01:18:27,287 Robert really did change a lot of things. 1578 01:18:28,746 --> 01:18:30,165 The good news was he made more money 1579 01:18:30,248 --> 01:18:32,000 than he ever could have imagined. 1580 01:18:32,083 --> 01:18:35,128 And I suppose the bad news is once he did that, 1581 01:18:35,211 --> 01:18:36,671 I think the incentive 1582 01:18:36,754 --> 01:18:39,549 to keep working, to keep plugged in, 1583 01:18:39,632 --> 01:18:41,843 to keep looking for new things, went away. 1584 01:18:43,845 --> 01:18:47,807 (WAVES CRASHING) 1585 01:18:47,891 --> 01:18:51,102 NIK: There was a great loneliness at the heart of him. 1586 01:18:51,186 --> 01:18:53,021 He was always very unsure of himself. 1587 01:18:53,104 --> 01:18:57,150 Pink-faced, not comfortable, he was never comfortable. 1588 01:18:57,233 --> 01:18:58,485 He was only close to the people 1589 01:18:58,568 --> 01:19:02,030 who was in his very immediate circle, 1590 01:19:02,113 --> 01:19:04,324 basically lived with him. 1591 01:19:04,407 --> 01:19:07,744 I mean, the beautiful boys flitted in and out. 1592 01:19:09,454 --> 01:19:10,830 (LAUGHS) 1593 01:19:10,914 --> 01:19:13,458 ROBERT: Well, I had you, if you didn't make that move, 1594 01:19:13,541 --> 01:19:15,001 I had you checkmated. 1595 01:19:15,084 --> 01:19:16,461 (INDISTINCT CHATTER) 1596 01:19:17,378 --> 01:19:18,546 (ROBERT GROANING) 1597 01:19:20,757 --> 01:19:22,967 PATRICK: He fell in love with Barry, with me, 1598 01:19:23,051 --> 01:19:24,594 with everyone around him. 1599 01:19:24,677 --> 01:19:27,305 And then, all you had to do was put the record straight. 1600 01:19:27,388 --> 01:19:31,226 And that was it, then he was happy to be around you. 1601 01:19:31,309 --> 01:19:34,354 So, he wasn't pushing anything to anyone. 1602 01:19:34,437 --> 01:19:35,772 ROBERT: Yes. 1603 01:19:35,855 --> 01:19:38,233 They're cheating again. 1604 01:19:38,316 --> 01:19:41,653 -MAN: Would you believe that? -The two, he gives them advice. 1605 01:19:47,784 --> 01:19:51,329 (INDISTINCT CHATTER) 1606 01:19:51,412 --> 01:19:52,664 NIK: His deepest instinct, 1607 01:19:52,747 --> 01:19:57,210 I think, was still to just charge, madly, 1608 01:19:57,293 --> 01:20:00,213 don't think about the odds, just keep going. 1609 01:20:01,631 --> 01:20:03,258 But that's impossible to sustain, 1610 01:20:03,341 --> 01:20:06,261 there comes a day where you just can't keep doing that. 1611 01:20:07,011 --> 01:20:09,722 And the culture's moved on, 1612 01:20:09,806 --> 01:20:12,141 and you no longer have the feel for it. 1613 01:20:12,225 --> 01:20:14,435 And part of the art is, 1614 01:20:14,519 --> 01:20:16,271 at that point, getting off the train, 1615 01:20:17,230 --> 01:20:18,523 and that's what he did. 1616 01:20:20,900 --> 01:20:27,031 ♪ (DREAMY PIANO MUSIC CONTINUES) ♪ 1617 01:20:27,115 --> 01:20:32,870 (SEAGULLS CAWING) 1618 01:20:47,176 --> 01:20:49,053 ♪ (PIANO MELODY CONCLUDES) ♪ 1619 01:20:52,390 --> 01:20:56,519 ♪ (“HEART OF GLASS” BY BLONDIE PLAYING) ♪ 1620 01:21:04,611 --> 01:21:08,865 ♪ Once I had a love And it was a gas ♪ 1621 01:21:08,948 --> 01:21:12,035 ♪ Soon turned out Had a heart of glass ♪ 1622 01:21:13,202 --> 01:21:17,290 ♪ Seemed like the real thing Only to find ♪ 1623 01:21:17,373 --> 01:21:20,251 ♪ Mucho mistrust Love's gone behind ♪ 1624 01:21:27,884 --> 01:21:32,013 ♪ Once I had a love And it was divine ♪ 1625 01:21:32,096 --> 01:21:36,059 ♪ Soon found out I was losing my mind ♪ 1626 01:21:36,142 --> 01:21:40,438 ♪ It seemed like the real thing But I was so blind ♪ 1627 01:21:40,521 --> 01:21:43,316 ♪ Mucho mistrust Love's gone behind ♪ 1628 01:21:46,861 --> 01:21:48,738 ♪ In between ♪ 1629 01:21:48,821 --> 01:21:52,825 ♪ What I find is pleasing And I'm feeling fine ♪ 1630 01:21:52,909 --> 01:21:57,163 ♪ Love is so confusing There's no peace of mind ♪ 1631 01:21:57,246 --> 01:22:01,167 ♪ If I fear I'm losing you It's just no good ♪ 1632 01:22:01,250 --> 01:22:03,670 ♪ You teasing like you do ♪