Buy Saturday Night at the Baths on DVD

Saturday Night at the Baths

DVD
Director's Cut

More Info

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$9.99 (66% off)
List Price: ~~$29.99~~

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Synopsis

Virtually unseen since the mid-1970’s, “Saturday Night at the Baths” is an entertaining, sexy and provocative look at the gay life style during the post Stonewall, pre-AIDS period. Set in New York City with much of it filmed on location in the famous Continental Baths, this film is a classic time capsule of an era long gone by.

Review

At first this writer thought he was going to be treated to simply a campy trip back to the '70s but was pleasantly surprised, Saturday Night at the Baths is an entertaining nostalgic journey that belongs in every collection. Not only is there a compelling story of a man realizing that he's gay, but there is a bodybuilder's photo show with work by Bruce Weber, a stunning performance by Jane Oliver, noted chanteuse and lots of men in towels!

Our story is that of Michael and Tracy, two young artists in love. Michael is an unemployed pianist and Tracy a photographer. Michael scores a job and they celebrate by making love. But there's a hitch to the job -- it's at the famed gay Contintental Baths, where Bette Midler's career got its start. (She's never mentioned in the film.) Tracy's cool with it, so Michael accepts the job. The manager Scotti sports a huge afro and wears skin-tight bell bottoms (looking a lot like this writer did in 1974). There is immediate chemistry between the two men, but Michael thinks it's just friendship -- Scotti knows better, but he's playing his cards nice and slow. The baths are filled with characters that must be seen to be believed, we're just glad we didn't smell all the cheap cologne that must have sprayed on these men! There is a great go-go dance and a fun modern dance piece. The expected drag show is excellent with impersonations of Shirley Bassey, Diana Ross and Judy Garland. The film builds up to Michael's opening night with plenty of suspense. We know what's to happen when Michael asks Tracy to stay home...

With it's bevy of towel-clad hunks, fantastic score and compelling story, this is one little-known '70s film that needs to become known.

-- Scott Cranin

The transformation of a homophobic straight man into "one of the boys" is the theme of this historically important, independently made comedy-drama. Michael, who lives with a girlfriend, finds his already unstable sexuality challenged after he gets a job as a pianist at the gay Continental Baths. At first denying any male attraction, his defenses melt, especially after the baths' manager Scotti finally beds him, releasing a torrent of pent-up memories and sexual desire. It is an exploration of one man's sexuality which, while featuring amateurish acting and a stilted screenplay, is nonetheless still quite entertaining. One of the first American gay-themed films, Saturday Night at the Baths is now available in a new "Director's Cut". There are some of the old edit on sale, for a limited time only.

-- Raymond Murray

Product Format Information

DVD : $9.99 (Director's Cut)

Availability: In stock and ready to ship
Close Caption: No
Region Code: 1

Studio : Water Bearer Films

Languages: English (Primary)
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen
Features:
Saturday Night...A Look Back

Customer Reviews

Conflicting Thoughts

Amos Lassen wrote on 02/21/2011:

“Saturday Night at the Baths”
Conflicting Thoughts
Amos Lassen
“Saturday Night at the Baths” (WaterBearer Films) is entertaining, sincere and uplifting in the spirit of the late 60’s and early 70’s when bathhouses were the vogue. It is not, by any means, a great movie, but it was, when it was made (1975) a step forward for American movies. I remember the Continental Baths of the 70’s and it was an amazing establishment. It was a pleasure palace with great lighting juice bar and coffee shop. An elevator, an indoor pool and sex, sex, sex. Bette Midler got her start there as did many young gay men. It was liberating and a place where sexuality could be expressed openly. The movie, however, does not capture the spirit of the bathhouse but it does catch the spirit of the time.
The plot of the film is thin but who needs a plot in a bathhouse? The ending, for the time it was made, is shocking. Two men, completely naked get into bed and kiss and this is something not seen in American cinema.
I have read several serious criticisms of this movie—that the editing is poor, that the acting and the script is bad. This is an independent film made at a time when Indies were few and far between. No major American studio would have made a movie on the subject of gay bathhouses back then so we should be glad we have this. It is an accurate look at gay life of the period and it is both gentle and hard. It shows the sordidness of the times and does so with wit and honesty. The realism of the characters shows a certain dignity. They were all looking for love wherever they could find it.
“Saturday Night” lets the audience know how we lived before AIDS decimated our numbers and this makes it important.
Now that bathhouses are barely existent, it is good that we have a record f them. They were once an integral part of gay life and cannot be ignored.

Uncut and Remastered

Amos Lassen wrote on 12/29/2010:

“Saturday Night at the Baths—the Director’s Cut”
Uncut and Remastered
Amos Lassen
“Saturday Night at the Baths” (WaterBearer Films) is entertaining, sincere and uplifting in the spirit of the late 60’s and early 70’s when bathhouses were the vogue. It is not, by any means, a great movie, but it was, when it was made (1975) a step forward for American movies. I remember the Continental Baths of the 70’s and it was an amazing establishment. It was a pleasure palace with great lighting juice bar and coffee shop. An elevator, an indoor pool and sex, sex, sex. Bette Midler got her start there as did many young gay men. It was liberating and a place where sexuality could be expressed openly. The movie, however, does not capture the spirit of the bathhouse but it does catch the spirit of the time.
When the movie was released in 2005 on DVD, the releasers were under the impression that they had the only remaining master of the film but it was later discovered that the producer/director had a fresh master in his vault and here it is—complete and unedited. It is the same story but with added footage.
Michael, our main character, finds himself desperate for a job and agrees to taking a gig as piano player at the baths and even though he considers himself to be straight, the advances he receives from the club’s manager, Scotty, have him questioning his sexuality. Michael, his girlfriend and Scotti become close friends and ultimately the two men find each other as their desires take hold of them.
The plot of the film is thin but who needs a plot in a bathhouse? The ending, for the time it was made, is shocking. Two men, completely naked get into bed and kiss and this is something not seen in American cinema.
I have read several serious criticisms of this movie—that the editing is poor, that the acting and the script is bad. This is an independent film made at a time when Indies were few and far between. No major American studio would have made a movie on the subject of gay bathhouses back then so we should be glad we have this. It is an accurate look at gay life of the period and it is both gentle and hard. It shows the sordidness of the times and does so with wit and honesty. The realism of the characters shows a certain dignity. They were all looking for love wherever they could find it.
“Saturday Night” lets the audience know how we lived before AIDS decimated our numbers and this makes it important.
Now that bathhouses are barely existent, it is good that we have a record of them. They were once an integral part of gay life and cannot be ignored. The movie may be short on plot but it is large on entertainment. We see professional drag queens, guys dancing in their underwear or just in towels and there is one hot shower scene. More than anything else though, “Saturday Night” allows us to have a glimpse of what was going on in gay life in the 70’s.
An added bonus is a conversation with director Buckley who puts the film into perspective and gives us a bit of history.

Discovery at the Baths on Saturday Night

Janorm wrote on 03/23/2008:

This is a film of discovery by one man in a group of three - two men and a woman. Filmed in and around the Continental Baths in NYC during the mid 70's. This has to be considered to be the quinessential glimpse into the gay world of that era. A world that is to put it mildly - Gone With The Wind!!! A must for your Collection! FOR

Deleted or Missing Scenes

Water Bearer Films, Inc wrote on 03/28/2006:

Message from the Distributor:
To the best or our knowledge and according to all the research we have done, this DVD is the complete and uncut version of the film. The running time matches all printed reference material. There has never been a reference to a sex scene at the end of the film. We have checked with the film's Producer, Steve Ostrow, and he has confirmed that this the film is complete.

Where's the Love Scene?

Movie Addict wrote on 03/27/2006:

What I remember of this film from first viewing it in the theaters is the very beautiful, extended love scene of the male and female leads at the beginning, and an equally beautiful, extended love scene between the two male leads at the end. The latter scene is missing from the DVD! I was SO disappointed! It leaves an uncomfortable hole in the storyline, too.