15 best and one worst films with John Travolta

1. Saturday Night Fever

USA, 1977.
Musical.
Duration: 118 minutes.
IMDb: 6, 8.

Young guy Tony Manero from Brooklyn works in a small store during the day and spends the evenings at his favorite disco. He is ready to dance non-stop. And one day Tony finds a worthy partner with whom he can win a local competition.

John Travolta has danced since childhood and even learned his skills from the brother of the famous choreographer Gene Kelly. It is not surprising that his first prominent role in the cinema is associated with dancing. The audience appreciated Travolta's acting talent and excellent choreography to disco music, and he even received an Oscar nomination.

2. Grease

USA, 1978.
Musical, melodrama.
Duration: 110 minutes.
IMDb: 7, 2.

Danny Zuko and Sandy Olson met by chance on the beach in the summer and fell in love. And soon it turns out that Sandy went to the school where Danny is studying. But she talks to the girls from the "Lady in Pink" team, and he leads the T-Birds gang. But love can connect even such different people.

In the film, based on the Broadway musical of the same name, John Travolta sang in addition to dancing. His duet with Olivia Newton-John became an instant hit, and the film grossed nearly $ 400 million. Primarily because of the charming heroes.

3. Urban cowboy

USA, 1980.
Drama, western.
Duration: 132 minutes.
IMDb: 6, 3.

Bud Davis travels to Pasadena in search of additional income. Soon he becomes a regular at the local club Gilley’s and meets his love - a strong and independent girl Sissy. And then a mechanical bull is installed in the club, and Bud is recognized as the best rider.

The film was quickly dubbed the country version of Saturday Night Fever. Indeed, they have a lot in common. At the same time, as it turned out, bright disco-style costumes and a cowboy hat suit the young Travolta equally.

4. Puncture

USA, 1981.
Detective, thriller.
Duration: 108 minutes.
IMDb: 7, 4.

Jack works as a sound engineer for a movie studio that makes cheap horror films. Once, during the voice acting of the next film, he hears something strange: a shot, a bursting car wheel and an accident. It turns out that he managed to record the moment of the death of the US presidential candidate. And he has evidence on hand that this was not an accident.

Director Brian de Palma has already worked with Travolta on the filming of the film "Carrie" based on the book by Stephen King, where the actor played a minor role.

But at the time of the release of "Puncture", the audience, apparently, was not yet ready to perceive Travolta in serious and harsh films. His work was appreciated only years later, when many directors, including Quentin Tarantino, called this film the pinnacle of de Palma's work.

5. Who would speak

USA, 1989.
Comedy.
Duration: 93 minutes.
IMDb: 5, 8.

Molly is a future single mother. Her lover, upon learning about the pregnancy, promised to leave the family, but at the last moment he found himself a new girlfriend. On the way to the maternity hospital, Molly meets the kind taxi driver James, who becomes her friend and assistant in caring for the child. And the baby himself comments on what is happening in the voice of Bruce Willis.

After the musicals, directors quickly noticed John Travolta's comedic talent. His constant smile and ability to make a stupid face were great for all sorts of sitcoms.

Of the first attempts, the role of James in "Who would speak" looks the most vividly. They even released two sequels over the next few years. But both of them were far behind the original.

6. Pulp Fiction

USA, 1994.
Black comedy, crime.
Duration: 154 minutes.
IMDb: 8, 9.

Bandits Vincent Vega and Jules Winfield solve the affairs of their boss Marcellus Wallace, getting into trouble along the way. They miraculously escape death, accidentally kill a bandit right in the car. And Vincent has to spend the evening with Marcellas' wife Mia.

Quentin Tarantino's magnificent film made not only the director famous, but literally everyone who played in it. For example, for Samuel L. Jackson, he became a ticket to big cinema.

It is also ironic that John Travolta happened to be in this picture. According to the original idea, the plot was supposed to feature Vic Vega from "Reservoir Dogs" performed by Michael Madsen. But he was busy, and the director came up with the image of his brother - Vincent Vega. Subsequently, there were even rumors about plans for a joint picture of the two heroes. But they remained in the fan's fantasies.

The famous dance of Travolta and Uma Thurman here does not at all resemble the excellent choreography from the early works of the actor. According to him, he openly parodied his previous films.

7. Get the shorty

USA, 1995.
Comedy, crime.
Duration: 105 minutes.
IMDb: 6, 9.

Chile's thug Palmer arrives in Hollywood with a completely mundane task: he must knock money out of a producer who owes the mafia. But, having got into the atmosphere of a "dream factory", he decides to make a film based on his own experience and knowledge of the history of cinema.

After the overwhelming success of Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino was invited to film Get Shorty. He refused, but advised Travolta to play the main role. It will not be difficult to notice the similarity of his hero to Vince Vega. This is the same witty and chatty criminal.

8. Michael

USA, 1996.
Comedy, drama.
Duration: 105 minutes.
IMDb: 5, 7.

Three reporters go to a small town in search of a sensation. The thing is that they received a letter from an elderly woman with whom an angel has been living for several months. Reporters want to bring this angel to the editorial office, but it turns out that his character is quite complex.

This film is worth watching, if only because of the scene of the appearance of John Travolta (no longer very slim) in family shorts and with wings on his back. In general, the picture came out a little chaotic. But the angel was given the opportunity here to wrestle with the bull, and, of course, dance with the girls.

9. Broken arrow

USA, 1996.
Action movie.
Duration: 108 minutes.
IMDb: 6, 0.

Two military pilots go together on a training exercise - they fly a nuclear bomber. But it turns out that one of them - Dickens - was planning to steal warheads and blackmail the US government. His partner Hale manages to survive the bailout. And now it is he who must stop his former friend.

We can say that Travolta's career as a villain began with this film. In Broken Arrow, he showed that a negative character can be hidden behind his trademark smile. It is also impossible not to mention that John Travolta is also a big fan of aviation in his life. He has several planes that he personally operates.

10. Without a face

USA, 1997.
Action, crime, thriller.
Duration: 138 minutes.
IMDb: 7, 3.

FBI agent Sean Archer must find out where the criminal brothers Castor and Pollack Troy hid the bomb. In order for him to get close to Pollack, he undergoes plastic surgery and Castor's face is transplanted. But having understood the plans of the intruders, Archer learns that Castor not only made a similar substitution and took possession of his face, but also killed everyone who knew about this operation.

This film is interesting in that Travolta and Nicolas Cage had to play two roles at once: due to the change of faces, each was both a hero and a villain. And it is very interesting to watch how in the second part of the film the actors copy each other's manner in order to look more believable.

11. Civil action

USA, 1998.
Drama.
Duration: 115 minutes.
IMDb: 6, 6.

The lawyer Jan Schlichtman is used to dealing with any cases easily, sometimes without even going to court. But this time he is faced with the problem of disposal of industrial waste of a large company. He must prove that pollution of nature leads to the death of children. But confronting a corporation isn't easy.

This film may not be as well known as Travolta's other works. But it is interesting because the whole action is based on dialogues. And in important scenes, you can observe the small movements and facial expressions of the characters, which perfectly complement their words. Some points from the "Civil Action" are even shown as a model for negotiation.

12. Primary colors

USA, UK, Germany, France, Japan, 1998.
Drama, comedy.
Duration: 143 minutes.
IMDb: 6, 7.

Governor Jack Stanton joins the fight for the presidency of the United States. In the course of the pre-election race, one after another, unattractive facts from his past emerge. In order not to lose voters, Stanton himself has to publish compromising evidence on competitors.

In a controversial political drama, John Travolta had to use all his acting skills. Indeed, in the person of a presidential candidate, he needed to show different facets of the hero: he seems to be a worthy and kind person, but reality makes him do unpleasant deeds. The actor did it and even received a Golden Globe nomination for his role as Jack Stanton.

13. Password "Swordfish"

USA, Australia, 2001.
Action, thriller.
Duration: 99 minutes.
IMDb: 6, 5.

Former CIA agent and now a dangerous criminal, Gabriel Shire, plotted to steal several billion dollars from government funds. Together with his assistant Ginger, he lures the experienced hacker Stanley, offering him favorable terms. But it turns out that their plans are much more complicated and dangerous.

Another villainous role of John Travolta. He looks like the complete opposite of the goodie played by Hugh Jackman. Travolta's character is stylish, charismatic, but very unpleasant.

14. Hairspray

USA, 2007.
Comedy, musical.
Duration: 117 minutes.
IMDb: 6, 7.

Cheerful, puffy student Tracy Turnblood does not want to follow in the footsteps of her mother, who has worked in the laundry for many years. The girl dreams of becoming a television star. Tracy's audition fails, but she is noticed by one of the dancers who helps her break through the airwaves.

Years after his first success, John Travolta returned to musicals. But in a completely unexpected way - he played the mother of the main character and at the same time managed to sing and dance.

15. In the valley of violence

USA, 2016.
Drama, western.
Duration: 104 minutes.
IMDb: 6, 0.

A former military man and now just a tramp named Paul arrives in a small town in the Wild West. He has nothing to lose, and he begins to take revenge on the bandits who killed his best friend.

Unfortunately, over the past decade, John Travolta has had more failures than successful roles in his career. He starred in action films and low-budget films, which often make the lists of the worst films of the year.

But the Western "In the Valley of Violence" is a lucky exception to this rule. Despite the stereotypical plot, the on-screen confrontation between the actor and Ethan Hawke is truly breathtaking.

Bonus: Worst John Travolta Film

Battlefield: Earth

USA, 2000.
Action, science fiction.
Duration: 118 minutes.
IMDb: 2, 5.

By 3000, the Earth had been conquered by cruel aliens for 10 centuries. Cyclos giants turned the planet into a source of raw materials, and made people slaves. But humanity is rebelling.

Among all the failures of John Travolta, this film should be noted. He became the record holder for the number of nominations for the Golden Raspberry anti-award, including in the categories "Worst Film of the Decade", "Worst Drama in the First 25 Years of the Award."

At the same time, Travolta not only played the main role in it, but also produced the picture. Largely because he is a follower of the Church of Scientology, and the film is based on the novel by its creator Ron Hubbard.

As a result, "Battlefield: Earth" not only received record low ratings, but also collected less than half of its budget at the box office.

However, over time, the film became almost a cult on a par with Tommy Wiseau's "Room". It is due to the fact that literally everything in it is bad. And even one of the most disastrous films of 2018, The Gotti Code, was rated slightly better by critics.