Many iconic movies of the last 50 years have spawned at least one forgettable sequel. Grease 2, Speed 2: Cruise Control, and Basic Instinct 2 are just some examples of sequels that were missing the key elements necessary to be strong continuations. While 1983’s Staying Alive had John Travolta reprising his superstar-making role from 1977’s Saturday Night Fever, everything else that made the original movie special was lost thanks to its unlikely director: Sylvester Stallone.
On a universal level, Saturday Night Fever captured the cultural zeitgeist of the late ‘70s. It catapulted TV sitcom star Travolta into one of the decade’s cinematic icons, playing the Brooklyn dance hall king Tony Manero. It popularized the disco music scene around the world and exemplified a sea change in American cinema after years of dark dystopian-themed movies reflecting the political landscape of the Nixon years. By the early ‘80s, however, the popularity of Travolta and the disco scene fizzled out, as most cultural trends do. But that didn’t stop Paramount from pursuing Fever’s sequel, named after the popular Bee Gees song.
'Rocky III' Inspired John Travolta To Pursue Sylvester Stallone for 'Staying Alive'

Initial drafts of Staying Alive’s screenplay attempted to progress the life of Tony Manero after relocating to Manhattan at the end of Fever. Screenwriter Norman Wexler, who wrote the screenplay for the original film, intended to have Tony follow his priest brother’s advice about going into dancing professionally and hustle the Broadway scene to land his first production. Though Travolta was receptive to the premise, he envisioned an audience-friendly sequel to pull away from the original movie’s troubled aspects of toxic masculinity and real-world failure. A huge fan of the Rocky films, Travolta pushed for Stallone to direct Staying Alive as the star was hot off the success of 1982’s Rocky III. Stallone signed on not only to direct, but also to rewrite Wexler’s script to make Tony mirror his real-life struggles as an actor early in his career.
Taking place roughly five years after the events of Fever, a more mature Tony, no longer smoking and cursing, spends his days bouncing around Broadway auditions while earning rent money at night as a nightclub waiter. He eyes an opportunity to audition for the chorus of a hellscape-themed production titled Satan’s Alley. Amid his pursuit of the gig, he’s caught in a love triangle between sensitive singer/dancer Jackie (Cynthia Rhodes) and the self-centered British dancer Laura (Finola Hughes). Tony’s attraction to the latter puts a strain on his relationship with Jackie. Simultaneously, Laura’s one-night stand encounter with Tony was simply just that, justifying her behavior as “everybody uses everybody” in show business. Everything comes to a head when the three characters are cast in the production and Tony reverts to his old ways to replace the show's temperamental lead dancer.
Sylvester Stallone Used 'Staying Alive' To Show His Early Days as a Struggling Actor
Staying Alive is largely stripped of its urban fairy tale roots in favor of being more theatrical. Outside of Tony, none of the original characters return except for his mother, Flo (Julie Bovasso), who provides him with the motivation he needs to succeed on Broadway. Past supporting characters such as Tony’s love interest Stephanie (Karen Lynn Gorney) and his immature Brooklyn friends had closure in Fever’s conclusion, which would have made their returns unnecessary to the story presented. Notably absent is Tony’s father, Frank (Val Bisoglio), who is presumed to have passed on because Flo attends Tony’s big show alone. The lack of returning characters makes Staying Alive a stand-alone story that almost doesn’t need the Fever connection.
As was the case in the Rocky franchise, Stallone, as a storyteller, tends to emphasize triumph and perseverance for the underdog. Tony’s struggles to get a Broadway job echo Stallone’s uphill battle as a no-name actor to get the original Rocky to the big screen. Early in the film, Tony faces rejection at every turn, from failed auditions to awkward meetings with New York casting agents. Once he lands the Satan’s Alley gig, however, Tony is not only at odds with Laura but also with the show’s director, Jesse (Steve Inwood), who keeps him in the chorus. The industry-related characters who doubt Tony’s talent are the lone realistic element Staying Alive has. Yet, the rest of the film plays like a typical Rocky sequel with soap opera elements.
'Staying Alive' Is More Tame Than 'Saturday Night Fever'
With Stallone in the director’s chair, Staying Alive takes on a PG-rated direction instead of Fever’s hard R. For the Rocky star, taking a character audiences root for towards a dark path was simply not his nature from a creative standpoint. This is one of the reasons why Staying Alive is devoid of Fever’s troubling elements, including the sexual assault of his friend Annette (Donna Pescow) and his friend Bobby C. (Barry Miller) dying by suicide on the Verrazzano Bridge. What takes its place, however, is the flawed love triangle between Tony, Jackie, and Laura. Tony constantly dismisses Jackie for half the story, treating her as a sidepiece while being jealous if other men like her bandmate Carl (Frank Stallone) show any attraction to her. Then there’s Laura’s treatment of Tony. Though she’s portrayed as an antagonist, Laura correctly puts Tony in his place as an opportunist looking for a leg up in the business, no matter who he gets involved with romantically.
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In keeping with Stallone’s themes of hope and triumph, the final act of Staying Alive sees a fully ripped Tony in a loincloth performing Satan’s Alley while dancing off against Laura, oftentimes going off script. The rhythm and beats of the sequence are oddly identical to the final fight sequences of the Rocky movies, with set changes backstage breaking up the action like fighters going to their corners after each round. There’s no tragedy or fixed dance competition like Fever’s ending. The over-the-top spectacle of Staying Alive’s finale was staying true to a period where audiences wanted to come out of the theater feeling good rather than feeling hopeless.
Staying Alive ultimately plays as a Stallone vanity project rather than a true sequel to Saturday Night Fever. Though Tony Manero’s pursuit of Broadway success was a logical next step, the troubling romances and fantastical ending take away from the street-level grittiness that made Fever’s story so relatable. Even with Travolta and the Bee Gees' music still present, the lack of continuity makes Stallone’s Staying Alive an unworthy successor.

Staying Alive (1983)
PG
Drama
Music
Staying Alive follows Tony Manero, five years after his rise to fame on the dance floor, as he pursues a new challenge by aiming for success on the Broadway stage. Battling personal and professional obstacles, Tony must confront his aspirations and relationships while striving to achieve his dreams.
- Release Date
- July 11, 1983
- Director
- Sylvester Stallone
- Cast
- John Travolta , Cynthia Rhodes , Finola Hughes , Steve Inwood , Julie Bovasso , Charles Ward , Steve Bickford , Patrick Brady , Norma Donaldson , Jesse Doran , Joyce Hyser , Deborah Jenssen , Robert Martini , Sarah M. Miles , Tony Munafo , Susan Olar , Cindy Perlman , Ross St. Phillip , Kurtwood Smith , Frank Stallone Jr. , Nell Alano
- Runtime
- 96 Minutes
- Writers
- Sylvester Stallone , Nik Cohn , Norman Wexler
Staying Alive is available to rent on Prime Video in the U.S.
Watch on Prime Video