44/43
In fact, he joined immediately
Chronology
On October 11, 1975, at 11:30 p.m., a wild crew of young comedians and writers changed television forever. Discover what went on behind the scenes in the 90 minutes before the premiere of Saturday Night Live (1975). Matt Wood plays John Belushi on Saturday Night. Check out the rest of the cast and his real-life co-stars. Dan Aykroyd was the only member of the original SNL cast to read the script. As the show airs, John Belushi walks into the picture through a door 39 seconds late. Don Pardo: [practices his lines] Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, Dan…
Paul Shaffer: Aykroyd
Ike… [to Paul Shaffer] Don Pardo: How the hell do you pronounce that? The film opens with a quote from Lorne Michaels: “The show doesn’t go on because it’s finished, it goes on because it’s 11:30.” Featured in Eddie Murphy, Le Roi Noir d’Hollywood (2023). Ixoo “Chickenweed” ChawzWritten by Don Cento and Martin GarnerPresented by Don Cento and Martin Garner. As someone who grew up with Saturday Night Live (SNL) in the background most Saturday nights thanks to my parents, it’s no surprise that I’ve developed a deep affection for the show. Over the years, the format and talent have only improved. Even though I’m part of the Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey era, I’ve always enjoyed looking back at classic episodes.
There are sketches from decades past that I still revisit because they’re so iconic
Naturally, all of this made me curious about the movie Saturday Night, which is in theaters now. And if you’re a fan of the show, especially those old enough to have experienced the original cast in the 1970s, this is a must-watch. Most people see Saturday Night Live as a light, laid-back show, a way to laugh late into the night. But many don’t realize how chaotic and stressful it was to actually get the show on the air, especially in the early days. The film delves into the behind-the-scenes madness that led to the premiere on October 11, 1975. Ninety minutes before the broadcast, the set was still unfinished, people were being fired, mistakes were being made everywhere. It was a whirlwind of confusion and stress, and the film puts you right in the middle of it.
It’s an exciting ride without a single dull moment
From the moment you’re thrown onto the set, you feel an undeniable energy as everyone strives to get things ready. Directed by Jason Reitman, Saturday Night looks to be his best work since 2009’s Love Without Stopping. His direction gives the film a kinetic, almost frenetic energy, perfectly capturing the chaos of a live production on the verge of collapse. The cast delivers excellent performances, each of them taking on the high-octane tone Reitman clearly set. Dylan O’Brien nails the portrayal of Dan Aykroyd, Cory Michael Smith captures the essence of Chevy Chase, and Nicholas Braun impressively balances two distinct characters throughout the film. The standout, however, is Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, the mastermind behind it all. LaBelle, who gave a solid performance in Spielberg’s The Fables, really shines here, delivering a standout performance that anchors the entire film.
His portrayal of Michaels is captivating, almost completely taking over the film, with only a few scenes where he is not the focus
While Saturday Night does a great job of capturing the essence of its characters and making audiences laugh with humor, it has one notable flaw: It shatters the credibility of how all of this could have played out in just 90 minutes. Although the film isn’t intended to show sketches from SNL itself, I couldn’t help but feel that the story ends a little abruptly. I was hoping for closure, but even so, I felt like a few more beats could have been played before the credits rolled.