JERICHO, NY, July 24, 2002 – With the release of SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, the image of John Travolta's Tony Manero strutting down a Brooklyn street to the funky licks of "Stayin' Alive" signaled to the world that disco was here. This and many other movies from the '70s gave pictures to the musical phenomena that were sweeping the world – disco, funk and Rocky Horror. AMC's 10TH ANNUAL FILM PRESERVATION FESTIVAL: ROCK 'N ROLL MUSIC IN THE MOVIES pays tribute to the music in the movies from this freaky and funky decade, this Labor Day Weekend, from Friday, August 30 through Sunday, September 1.
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER premieres on AMC on Sunday, September 1 at 8:00 PM (ET). Set against the backdrop of working class Brooklyn, SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER tells the coming-of-age story of the hottest dancer in the Brooklyn disco scene who yearns for the big time. In life, Tony Manero (Travolta) is a Brooklyn paint store clerk who'd give anything to break out of his dead-end existence; on the disco dance floor, he's a king. The soundtrack, punctuated by the Bee Gees hits "Stayin' Alive," "Jive Talkin'" and "You Should Be Dancing," would become an ever-present thread in the tapestry of '70s Americana and one of the best-selling albums of all time.
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW airs on Saturday, August 31 at 9:30 PM (ET). Initially released in 1975, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW has found a thriving home on the midnight circuit with generations of devotees discovering the unconventional musical year after year. With show-stopping musical numbers, the film tells the misadventures of Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) and Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon), newlyweds who stumble into a strange mansion run by Dr. Frank N. Furter, a transvestite who is in the midst of hosting the annual convention of transvestites from the planet Transsexual. For decades, the film's passionate fans have sung along to such hits as "The Time Warp," "Super Heroes," "Sweet Transvestite" and "Hot Petootie." Even today, new fans continue to dress up and do the "Time Warp again…"
Premiering Sunday, September 1 at 9:45 AM (ET), GODSPELL (1973) is a rock 'n' roll retelling of the gospel of St. Matthew, featuring Christ as a wandering minstrel dressed as a circus clown in 1970 New York. Told almost entirely in song, the film introduced hits such as "Prepare Ye (The Way of the Lord)," "Day by Day," "Learn Your Lessons Well," "Light of the World" and "By My Side." Another Biblical-epic-turned-rock-opera, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (1973), premieres Sunday, September 1 at 11:35 AM (ET). A musical tragedy told through the eyes of Judas (Carl Anderson), JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR presented the story of Christ's last days with such songs as "I Don't Know How to Love Him" and the title track, "Superstar." The film was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Music.
Airing on Saturday, August 31 at 3:40 PM (ET), A STAR IS BORN (1976) captured the phenomenon of arena rock with a tragic love story between rock star John Howard (Kris Kristofferson), who at the height of his fame falls for young singer Ester Hoffman (Barbra Streisand), and watches her career rise as his wanes. Tunes from the diverse soundtrack to A STAR IS BORN include the moody staple, "Evergreen," which won Streisand and Paul Williams the Academy Award