salkind@cmcl2.UUCP (07/31/83)
I saw Staying Alive last night and liked it. I think the critics have been unjustly hard on this movie. Staying Alive is the story of Tony Marino (played by John Travolta), five years after Saturday Night Fever. Tony is now an aspiring Broadway dancer, looking for his shot at the big time. Admittedly, you can't take the plot too seriously. And the story line is a bit shakey in parts. But the dancing and soundtrack hold the movie together (so it is important to see this movie in a theater with a good sound system). And the premise of Staying Alive is certainly alot more plausible than say Flashdance. In particular, the first and last 10 minutes of the movie are of really high energy (helped considerably by the Bee Gee's new songs). And you can feel a certain electricity in the Broadway production numbers. Travolta's acting really can't be faulted; I felt he was true to the character. And his dancing was surprisingly good. Cynthia Rhodes, as Marino's girl friend, also gets an honorable mention for both her singing and acting. Sylvestor Stallone, as director, has done his usual fine staging. In the words of the eminent critic Joe Bob, go "check it out." Lou Salkind