Thank God It’s Friday (1978).

The Scoop:
Who knew the disco scene was so boring? This virtually plotless “tribute” to the ’70s night life instead comes off as dreary and lifeless as assorted characters converge on the hot new club in town and find their lives changed. I suppose director Robert Klane and writer Armyan Bernstein were trying to make this the “American Graffiti” of the disco scene, but the result is so weighted down with silly characters and pointless subplots that, if it weren’t for the music, the whole thing would grind to a standstill.

The film features musical performances by Donna Summer (singing “Last Dance,” which won her an Oscar) and the Commodores, as well as early outings by Jeff Goldblum and Debra Winger. The rest of the cast is mostly anonymous.

If you love the music of the era (and we here at Desuko certainly do), you’ll be mildly entertained. But if you don’t, you might want to steer clear of this one.

Best Line:
“Dancing! Everything else is bullshit!” (See the clip below. Context is everything.)

Side Note:
One of the teenage girls is played by Terri Nunn, future lead singer of the ’80s New Wave group Berlin.

Companion Viewing:
“Can’t Stop the Music” (1980), “American Graffiti” (1973) and “Go” (1999).

Links:
IMDb.

Take a Look:
TV spots for the film:

Donna Summer sings “Last Dance”:

I suspect this scene was originally envisioned as a tribute to the great movie dance sequences of yesteryear, but well… Let’s just say it’s no “Singin’ in the Rain”: