It’s 10pm on Saturday October 11, 1975, and 31-year-old Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle, The Fabelmans) is about to premiere a new live 90-minute sketch counter-culture show starring a bunch of unknown comedians. NBC has given him this unique opportunity due to its current contract dispute with Johnny Carson. However, with just 90-minutes until they go live, it seems like even Lorne doesn’t exactly know what this new show is going to be, and there is a lot of other chaos behind the scenes in Studio 8H—the writers are stoned, some of the actors are physically assaulting one another, the sound system is down, lights are falling, a fire broke out, the stage is not complete, and the script is still not locked, 30-minutes too long, and hasn’t yet been approved by Standards. Cast member John Belushi (Matt Wood) still hasn’t signed his contract, and Julliard-trained Broadway star/playwright Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris, New Girl, Fargo) is also having a personal crisis, wondering what exactly his role is in this new project. Meanwhile, the cocky Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith, May December) is having a literal dick-measuring contest with Milton Berle (J.K. Simmons, Whiplash), George Carlin (Matthew Rhys, The Americans) is too high to go on, a wary Jim Henson (Nicholas Braun, Succession) is still looking for a script, Lorne’s ex, writer Rosie Shuster (Rachel Sennott), still hasn’t decided what name to use in the credits, Billy Crystal (Nicholas Podany) is still trying to get a spot in the episode, and so much other chaos is happening behind-the-scenes. Can Lorne manage to pull things together in time, or will network exec Dave Tebet (Willem Dafoe) pull the live show before it even gets a chance, and replace it with a rerun of Carson?!
Writer/director Jason Reitman and his team interviewed over 40 people who were present the day that the iconic series Saturday Night Live was launched, and got a lot of conflicting tales, so while some of the film is based on those stories, other portions are made up. Whether it’s fact or fiction, Saturday Night does an excellent job of putting the viewer right in the middle of the chaos that Lorne Michaels has been a part of for the past 50 years. The film is fast-paced, with the clock literally counting down until the show may or may not go live, combining strong performances with humor, familiar-looking faces, and some recreations of classic SNL moments to give it a bit of nostalgia.
While the film wasn’t shot as a single take (though director Jason Reitman originally wanted to do this), at times it feels like it was, with the action flowing though the studio hallways from one room to the next, making use of a 16mm camera on a remote dolly to give the feeling of a Steadicam weaving through the action—whether it’s Lorne putting out the latest fire (sometimes literally), the cast doing dress rehearsals of the sketches, or the crew trying to get things ready in time. Even when the action is focused on certain characters, the others appear in the background, giving the viewer more of an immersive experience, making you feel like you are there right in the middle of everything that’s going on during this chaotic night, and that there’s something else happening in every direction.
The film features a phenomenal ensemble, many of whom really capture the essence of these real people, in addition to those previously-mentioned, there are original SNL cast members Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brien), Laraine Newman (Emily Fairn) & Jane Curtin (Kim Matula). One of the standouts for me was Dylan O’Brien, who really captures the cadence of the way Dan Aykroyd speaks—it felt like I was really watching a younger version of the iconic actor on screen. J.K. Simmons also channels his more devilish side as the over-confident and slightly-pervy Milton Berle (though I doubt he ever actually whipped his manhood out in front of Chevy Chase, as depicted in the film). The film also has so many other recognizable actors/actresses in this ensemble as recognizable faces of the era. This must have been a difficult group to cast, but the result is wonderful.
The film primarily takes place during the period leading up to that very first uttering of “Live from New York, It’s Saturday Night“, however, the writers have also found a way to work in some of the content from that first SNL episode by having the cast go through dress rehearsals of some of the music, sketches and news segments, amongst all the other drama happing backstage.
Sony has released Saturday Night on physical media only on Blu-ray and DVD, but it is also available digitally in 4K. I was sent the Blu-ray release for review, which features pretty solid picture and sound. The film is shot on 16mm, which gives it a retro look and color palette, as well as a pleasant amount of film grain, while still maintaining a clear, detailed picture. The audio track provides a nice immersive ambiance throughout, capturing all of the background action in scenes while also giving clear dialogue. Jon Batiste’s score does a nice job of setting the tone. Frenetic bongo-like drums build the tension, while the piano is used for more somber and jaunty scenes. However, the score can sometimes be a bit aggressive in the rear channel.
The Blu-ray release comes with just a single Blu-ray disc, which resides in a standard HD keepcase, placed inside a glossy slipcover. It also includes an insert with redemption instructions for an HD Movies Anywhere-compatible digital copy. The disc contains a solid assortment of bonus material, including an informative filmmaker commentary track, as well as over 30 minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast/crew.
What’s Included:
Film: (1:49:04)
- 1080p / Widescreen 1.85:1
- Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English Audio Descriptive Service, French 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French Audio Descriptive Service, Spanish 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, Thai 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
- Subtitles: English, English SDH, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, French, Korean, Spanish, Thai
- HD Digital Copy, redeemable via Movies Anywhere
- The Making of The Movie Of The Show That Almost Never Made It (16:23)
The cast and filmmakers discuss the genesis of the film, interviewing those who were in the building that night, shooting the film in order, shooting on 16mm film, casting the film, playing a real person, the role of the background actors, the sound and live score of the film, the costumes and sets, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with producer/writer/director Jason Reitman, producer/writer Gil Kenan, executive producers Erica Mills & JoAnn Perritano, producer Jason Blumenfeld, costume designer Danny Glicker, production designer Jess Gonchor, and stars Gabriel LaBelle (“Lorne Michaels”), Cory Michael Smith (“Chevy Chase”), Matthew Rhys (“George Carlin”), Ella Hunt (“Gilda Radner”), Matt Wood (“John Belushi”), Willem Dafoe (“Dave Tebet”), Lamorne Morris (“Garrett Morris”), Dylan O’Brien (“Dan Aykroyd”), Cooper Hoffman (“Dick Ebersol”), J.K. Simmons (“Milton Berle”), Emily Fairn (“Laraine Newman”), Kim Matula (“Jane Curtin”), Rachel Sennott (“Rosie Shuster”), composer Jon Batiste (“Billy Preston”), Kaia Gerber (“Jacqueline Carlin”) & Nicholas Braun (“Andy Kaufman / Jim Henson”). - The Look Of Saturday Night (2:10)
Montage of footage of the cast in their costumes, along with the score. - Super 8 From Studio 8H: Home Movies From The Set (4:49)
Montage of behind-the-scenes footage, along with the score. - Filmmaker Commentary (1:49:04)
Co-writer/director Jason Reitman is joined by cinematographer Eric Steelberg, production designer Jess Gonchor, costume designer Danny Glicker, production sound mixer Steve Morrow, who are introduced organically over the course of the commentary. The track was recorded on October 21, 2024 from the Sony/former MGM lot where The Wizard of Oz was shot. The participants discuss how the film came about, interviewing folks and getting contradicting memories from 40 different people, capturing what it felt like to be on the floor of SNL and not necessarily a biopic, the retro look of the film by shooting on 16mm, recreating studio 8H, the costumes, mixing the audio, the lighting, recording the score live on set, casting and auditions, and more. The participants share lots of fun and interesting behind-the-scenes stories about the production. Reitman also talks a bit about the reactions to the movie, such as Chevy Chase stating “You Should Be Embarrassed” after watching a screening. Some of these stories here are a bit repetitive to the ones in the other behind-the-scenes featurettes. - Creating Comedy Icons (10:52)
The cast members talk about playing these real people. Play All, or select from:- Chevy Chase (:31) – Cory Michael Smith
- Gilda Radner (1:07) – Ella Hunt
- John Belushi (:41) – Matt Wood
- Dan Aykroyd (:48) – Dylan O’Brien
- Jane Curtain (:56) – Kim Matula
- Garrett Morris (:56) – Lamorne Morris
- Laraine Newman (:59) – Emily Fairn
- Jim Henson & Andy Kaufman (1:17) – Nicholas Braun
- Lorne Michaels (:54) – Gabriel LaBelle
- Rosie Shuster (:47) – Rachel Sennott
- Jacqueline Carlin (:43) – Kaia Gerber
- Dick Ebersol (:59) – Cooper Hoffman
- Billy Preston (:56) – Jon Batiste
- Jon Batiste: Scoring Live (1:21)
Composer Jon Batiste & co-writer/director Jason Reitman discuss the unique way the film’s score was composed/recorded live on set in real time. Includes behind-the-scenes footage. - Previews (7:30)
Trailers for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2:33), Whiplash (2:16), Dumb Money (:49) & Here (1:50) play back-to-back.
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Blu-ray:
Digital (Limited time offer):
Extras:
Final Thoughts:
Saturday Night is fun, fast-paced look at the chaos behind the scenes as Lorne Michaels tries to reinvent TV with the launch of Saturday Night Live. While not everything depicted really happened, the filmmakers have done an excellent job of capturing the vibe and frenzy of that night, recreating the sets, and casting actors who are able to personify these icons. The ensemble cast is wonderful, and the film being shot on 16mm gives it a more authentic-looking, throwback feel. Sony’s Blu-ray presentation is strong and includes an entertaining assortment of bonus materials. This comes highly recommended for any classic SNL fan.
Saturday Night – Blu-ray + Digital
25% Off $40.99 $30.81 (as of January 1, 2025 23:57 GMT -05:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Saturday Night – DVD + Digital
43% Off $34.99 $19.96 (as of January 1, 2025 23:57 GMT -05:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Saturday Night
$5.99 (as of January 1, 2025 23:57 GMT -05:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
