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Behind-the-scenes of the legendary Studio 54
As the hedonistic epicentre of New York nightlife, Studio 54 was a wild playground for celebrities looking for glamourous parties filled with sex and drugs. Matt Tyrnauer’s documentary, Studio 54, explores the evolution of this mythical venue, from its opening in the 1970s to its closure in 1986.
By Antoine Ruiz.
Published on 6 September 2020. Updated on 3 July 2026.
Story of an avant-garde temple of excess
Part of a revolutionary and avant-garde movement in New York’s glittery nightlife, Studio 54 opened its doors at the end of 1974. Located at 254 West 54th Street in the middle of Manhattan, the club was the epicenter of all eccentricities. Its two founders, Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell, served a prison sentence for tax evasion. There, the biggest pop culture and fashion icons gathered for wild parties, from Andy Warhol to Grace Jones, Elton John, Nile Rodgers, Calvin Klein, David Bowie, Elizabeth Taylor, Mick Jagger, Jack Nicholson and Yves Saint Laurent…
Glamour, sex and drugs took every shape and form. This temple of excess brought together the LGBT community, models, artists and celebrities from all walks of life. In the midst of the disco era, the Gatsby-like opulence of the club let anyone in, if considered beautiful enough. At the door, queues snaked around the block for hundreds of meters right up until 1986, when the club finally closed after twelve electrifying years. Police raids found a basement full of bags bursting with drugs and cash.
A documentary tracing back the birth and downfall of an institution
Matt Tyrnauer’s documentary Studio 54, follows the wild and thrilling evolution of New York’s most legendary nightclub. The feature, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2018, unveils unseen archival footage and follows the founders and visitors who established the reputation of a club, whose success was almost as famous as its downfall.
Studio 54 (2018) by Matt Tyrnaurer, available on Amazon Prime Video.
