I saw the story that a certain 24-by-16 foot piece of history is going on the auction block. According to Reuters, it’s current owner Vito Bruno calls it “one of the most recognizable pieces of film memorabilia in history.” I’m not sure about that, but I’ll admit that the lighted dance floor from “Saturday Night Fever” is unforgettable and was certainly as big a part of the movie as was the dancing and the music.
The club that housed the floor closed in 2005 and Bruno bought it for a reported $6-thousand. The auction house expects it to go for as much as $1-million. Not a bad return on investment. Imagine what he could sell it for if he had John Travolta autograph it.
The article reminded me of a man I first met in 1984. Actually any mention of “Saturday Night Fever” or the lighted dance floor remind me of this amazing man. The first time I arrived at his home in the mountains of Rabun County, it was just after sundown on an evening in late August. I had heard stories about his love of dancing and the movie “Saturday Night Fever”. The stories proved to be true. Even before I opened the front door, the thumping beat of the Bee Gees could be heard as though it were being held hostage and was trying to escape. The door flew open, likely kicked out by the sonic wave, and I was embraced not only by the sound, but by the sight. I did a quick inventory of all the things I had been told. Fog machine? Check. Mirror ball? Check. Laser? Check. Lighted dance floor just like in the movie? Check. The man responsible was my wife’s father, Dess Oliver.
Yes, her dad actually had a lighted dance floor in his home. It wasn’t as big and certainly didn’t contain 250 separate light compartments like the original. It was integrated into a wooden floor and looked fantastic. You’d never know it was there during the day or when there wasn’t a party going on. That’s because they concealed it with a large area rug.
I figure I can do the same at our house. It would simply be a matter of ripping out the living room floor and replacing it with the dance floor. I did some rough measuring and it should fit. I’m not sure about the power requirements so I’ll likely drop another line and meter from the pole. Of course first I’ll have to start a “GoFundMe” page to raise the bucks. Can I count on your support?
Then when folks come over it is simply a matter of rolling up the rug and cranking up the Bee Gees. So when a bout of “Night Fever” hits, I figure a fog machine and mirrored ball will help Kate feel that she’s “More Than a Woman to Me”. We’ll just slip on our “Boogie Shoes” and spend a “Night on Disco Mountain”. We’ll do a little “Jive Talkin’” while sipping “A Fifth of Beethoven”. Just all part of “Stayin’ alive”.
As for the dance floor Kate’s father built, he sold that house years ago so I’m not really sure of its fate. I would like to believe that one day there’ll be a news report about archeologists discovering a “disco dinosaur” in Rabun County.
