"Fever" Blisters...30 Years Later

December 13, 2007

Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5

So two Tuesdays ago I’m at my first day of jury duty, thumbing through the L.A. Times and being a good citizen by praying I don’t get picked for a panel when I happen upon an article in the Calendar section about a special 30th anniversary screening of “Saturday Night Fever” with the cast in attendance that was happening that very night in Beverly Hills.

I may have audibly gasped. How had I not heard of this before? Saturday Night Fever was one of the films I wrote about in Screening Party and of the twenty or so movies in the book, it’s my favorite. (Glitter was a close second). And I’ve never seen it on the big screen, let alone a brand new print at the posh Academy Theater with Travolta and Pescow and all the Faces in attendance. This was not to be missed.

So I called the box office number the second I was excused from jury service—I didn’t get called, yippee!—and the tickets are sold out. I decided to show up anyway. I waited outside for about an hour—watching a “Mad Men” episode on my Ipod (I’m obsessed with that show but that’s another blog). I caught a break when an older gentleman showed up with two extra tickets. I bought one off him lickety split. I outwitted the other folks in the stand-by line by having my money out and ready. It’s a technique that also gets good reactions from go-go boys.

It wasn’t until I got to my seat that I noticed the name on the ticket is Robert Evans, as in the legendary “Kid Stays in the Picture” producer Robert Evans. He did work at Paramount and “Fever” was a Paramount picture. The guy I bought the ticket from didn’t look like Evans but I was so focused on the ticket itself I didn’t really pay attention to the seller. Let’s just say it was Evans, shall we? I thought, ‘This is going to be a magic night.’ (Alas, there were no photos allowed at the event…but I did scan in my program and I also have a photo of me in my “Fever” T-shirt so you know my love is real)

READ MORE > >