When Your Career Is All Over the Place - John Travolta

Ever since John Travolta tore up the dance floor in 1977's Saturday Night Fever, his career has been all over the place. He went from being nominated for an Oscar, to getting a Worst Actor of the Decade nomination, to another Oscar nod with Pulp Fiction, to tons of Worst Actor wins. So today we wanted to take a look at the rise, and fall, and rise, and fall of John Travolta.
With iconic performances in Grease, Blow Out, Pulp Fiction, Face Off, Get Short and Hairspray, he somehow matched these with some of the worst performances in film with Battlefield Earth, Old Dogs, Gotti and The Fanatic. It's a fascinating career, and one very difficult to pinpoint. How one of the hottest actors of the 70s managed to stay relevant 5 decades later with such weird career...
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:50 - Rise (70s)
03:01 - Fall (80s)
05:47 - Biggest Hollywood Comeback (90s)
08:20 - Worst Film Ever?
10:29 - Fall Again (00s)
John Travolta. Kelly Preston. Pulp Fiction. Saturday Night Fever. Grease. Staying Alive. Blow Out. Welcome Back, Kotter. Look Who's Talking Too Now. Get Shorty. Michael. Phenomenon. Broken Arrow. Face Off. Nicolas Cage. Razzie. Worst Actor of the Decade. Battlefield Earth. Hairspray. Bolt. Wild Hogs. The People vs OJ. Gotti. The Fanatic. Weird Oscar Moments. 90s actor.
If you like this video don't forget to leave a like, and if you're interested in videos about movies and the film industry in general, make sure to subscribe to FilmStack for more great content.
If you have any other ideas for videos, leave a comment and I might make a video with your idea.
Patreon: / filmstack
Twitter: / realfilmstack
Instagram: / realfilmstack
#johntravolta #70s #90s

[@meghansullivan6812]

his baby picture are u kidding me😭 like that big eyes hamster meme rn

[@crazyquill2153]

Lmao I hear the violin

[@Dilemina]

John Travolta was outperformed by Nic Cage in face off. But it was probably only because Nic Cage was portraying John Travolta.

[@memesouls8653]

Yeah, John is known for being over the top so I think Nic took that as the basis for his performance and Nic Cage acting over the top is just about as over the top you can get in a role.

[@user-xq1ix4zd4c]

no

[@jazzyjaz9108]

Nah! Travolta outperformed Cage. When I think Face Off I think Travolta first

[@The_RedVIII]

I think Tarantino needs to bring him back for his last movie. ;)

[@shauncanuto7380]

Definitely and he needs to steal the scene as well

[@thetrickster9885]

I heard he was bringin cruise. Cruise and travolta can have a great time together

[@jazzyjaz9108]

Yes!

[@FrshJurassicPrnceYA]

I’ve never seen a movie get a 0% on rotten tomatoes before. That’s crazy! One thing we can definitely say about John Travolta is that he has one of the most interesting film careers in Hollywood history!

[@aandwdabest]

He’s truly one of the actors of all time.

[@legbert123]

This is a you tube channel of all times @@aandwdabest

[@FrshJurassicPrnceYA]

@aandwdabest For sure 😆😆

[@Scarlett_Azure]

Along with his Face off co-star Nicolas Cage

[@abnurtharn2927]

@FrshJurassicPrnceYA Yea, you gotta work hard for that rating.

[@applesonaplatewithpeas27]

John's performance in From Paris With Love, I really enjoyed - I believe it is an underrated movie.

[@myway7367]

I really enjoy eating raw sugar like a child; I believe it's an underrated dessert.

[@applesonaplatewithpeas27]

I may be silly, but I don't get what you mean. @@myway7367

[@OrphanCrippler1]

Same

[@theitfactorjameswheezer2852]

@@myway7367what a pathetic comparison

[@barriolimbas]

​@@myway7367"no matter what anyone says, you can never have too much sugar"

[@richfictionfighter]

Pulp Fiction is my all time favourite movie. Face/Off is among my favourite action films, and I’ll never get tired of Grease. Travolta may have made a lot of missteps in his career but it’s hard for me to not be a fan of his

[@masteroz1]

Nicolas Cage definitely shares the highs and lows

[@user-sl4hx8vs9w]

They were great in faceoff! Rewatch it every once in awhile

[@caldera11]

Mostly the lows though hehe

[@Ccfatfat8427]

I just watched him in Dream Scenario and he was great, highly recommend!

[@jekw23]

Cage covers the entire spectrum….part of what I love about him.

[@StandWatie1862]

Don't compare Cage to Travolta! Cage is a national treasure

[@jaysonb.6669]

Blow Out (1981) is a fantastic hidden gem of a film.

[@isabellind1292]

I agree!

[@alisdairmckenzie]

And one of Tarantino's favourites... so there was a definite connection there.

[@trikkerman1]

It was a good sceam.

[@alisdairmckenzie]

@@trikkerman1 And a desperately sad one, the last one which they use. The ending is so downbeat

[@jaysonb.6669]

@@alisdairmckenzie Sad, but realistic. Hollywood could use a lil' less fairytale & a lil' more somber nuance today.

[@p_ttown1979]

it feels like many stars would share the same fate as travolta. only the very few have consistent careers at the top

[@caldera11]

It's usually stars who mainly work with 1 director and that director is insanely good at making movies that have a really great filmography critically Sort of like robert deniro with scorsese

[@Schlabbeflicker]

Well, yeah, you're only EVER hearing of the 1% of the 1% who have that rare combination of talent and luck. The vast majority of people who try never make a career out of acting, and the vast majority of actors never get rich doing it.

[@WellFedProductions]

Daniel Day Lewis

[@WellFedProductions]

@@caldera11 Deniro has made some stinkers though

[@user-xq1ix4zd4c]

john did nothing wrong

[@allys744]

It’s actually impressive that John’s career has been around for so long that he has had many comebacks and setbacks: from Carrie to grease to Saturday night fever to the look who’s talking franchise to pulp fiction to get shorty to the generals daughter to face/off to battlefield earth to hairspray to the people vs oj Simpson to many other performances, good and bad. You definitely can’t say the man doesn’t have range. They should get him on for GQ where he breaks down his entire career.

[@markula_4040]

I think part of the reason is career hasn't really recovered from Battlefield Earth is because he no longer looks human and more like an alien disguised as a human with all that plastic surgery. He could have been enjoying a Paul Newman or Robert Redford like late career renaissance if he just allowed himself to age gracefully instead of going under the knife.

[@aliencafe]

I feel like that's the unfortunate fate of a lot of celebrities. It makes me a bit sad knowing celebrities feel like it's necessary to get so much plastic surgery.

[@jazzyjaz9108]

Nah! He was phenomenal in The Punisher and People vs. Oj

[@41663]

Hes done great. Ups and downs like most. All in all he truly is a star. Thanks John

[@epsilontiger]

I love how charmingly inoffensive and cheerful criticism is being delivered on this channel. They know how to bash without hurting anyone.

[@RachelNobody]

He used to order from a restaurant my parents worked at in Daytona Beach and all my mom has to say is "he was short and had planes" 😂 idk why I find her response so funny. And all I can personally say is ... GREASE! He definitely lit up every scene he was in and could sing. Plus he was so cute. I had the script printed out when I was like 7/8 and made my friend 'perform' it with me BUT I had HAD to be Danny every single time 😂 I was always a little, um, different lol. Now my 1 year old LOVES the songs too and its great 😊 BTW I liked The Fanatic. Randomly found it when my bf and I first moved in together with only an antenna we'd go search dollar store for dvds and found that one night, expecting it to be so bad it was funny. We actually both enjoyed it. Not a GREAT movie but wasn't a bad one.

[@kosmosyche]

Is he really short? Looks quite tall on screen.

[@solomonrichards599]

Blow Out is an absolute masterpiece. One of the greatest thrillers I have ever ever seen and I think everyone should see it.

[@benjaminparker671]

What If Disney didn't buy Pixar

[@FilmStack]

We got a Pixar related what if in the works. Hope to have it out next month!

[@benjaminparker671]

@@FilmStackThanks for letting me know

[@Yourmomgoestocolledge]

Who gives a shit about Pixar? What about what they did to Star Wars and Marvel!

[@Kessekom]

@@YourmomgoestocolledgeStar Wars was already dead before Disney got to it

[@arshiaaghaei]

@@Kessekom Tell that to TCW

[@brick6347]

I had no idea he had a music career! I'm not sure if I want to look for his music on Spotify or not! I suspect not!

[@Dilemina]

Pretty sure my parents had the album.

[@radiorob7543]

I will always be impressed with his role in Blow Out.

[@fernandomaron87]

Yeah he was very young and delivered a powerhouse performance.

[@joewas2225]

It's the movie Tarantino saw that got him to want Travolta for Pulp Fiction.

[@isabellind1292]

@@joewas2225 "Blow Out" was a really good film! So suspenseful! And I really, really like Nancy Allen. It was written/directed by Brian DePalma who came up w/the concept while making "Dressed to Kill", also starring Nancy Allen. DePalma had good taste in his female leads.☺👍👍

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

It's true, Travolta's work is definitely all over the map.

[@travissmalley4349]

Besides him being a scientologist I love him

[@barriolimbas]

And the rest of the world would say that about Tom Cruise.

[@AlmostEthical]

A brilliant and versatile actor. His performance in Pulp Fiction showed how talented he is. I enjoyed his acting in Battlefield Earth - people think his acting was mannered and unnatural, but he was playing an alien. They are not supposed to be like us. Plenty worse movies than BE have received less hostility. It the association with Scientology that annoys some people.

[@uzetaab]

I'm not a fan of rotten tomatoes. Critics never seem to like the movies I like. I find imdb ratings a better match for my opinions.

[@charlotteroach7781]

I’m loving these videos.

[@bobthebear1246]

Really good comprehensive video. This is the first time watching one of your videos and it won't be the last. Subscribed.

[@freddyrose7815]

His part in Pulp was still one of the all time greats though. That alone is enough for me.

[@vicariously143]

As long as he is happy with what he's done. He seems like a laid-back person who wants to have a fun career.

[@Supermunch2000]

Great video!

[@LeanestBeanest]

I honestly really enjoyed Swordfish and still go back to it from time to time, surprised to see it was dogged by critics

[@Locadel2003]

"The general daughter" from 1999 was an excellent underrated performance and movie

[@meghansullivan6812]

his DANCING!!!! i love it.

[@aliencafe]

Somehow, his role as Edna in Hairspray is one of my favorites of his. He brought a new life to that role, and that's already such a fun role.

[@jazzyjaz9108]

John Travolta is THE best actor out there. He's forever an icon.

[@dylandavis4539]

Oh wow I actually love his villain in The Punisher. One of my favorite action movies from when I was a kid.

[@aleksbtv]

hey ,SHOUT is one of my favorite movies ever,he was extremely underrated in that role,he was great in that pure rock n roll movie!

[@pnojazz]

Great actor, with the right role. He and Samuel Jackson deserved an Oscar for Pulp!

[@TonyG8992]

Regardless, I will always love John Travolta, Vincent Vega is one of the best characters ever created, and yes thanks to Quentin Tarantino, but only John Travolta made him come to life.

[@freshwalker2643]

This was incredible video had a good laugh too

[@hanschristopherson8056]

I’ve only ever seen travolta in pulp fiction and based on this video it’s clearly his best performance because you get some of the goofiness of earlier roles along with some more serious stuff

[@GamingSaturnMoonManBoy]

John Travolta was one of my childhood favorites and one of my favorite human beings (from what I heard)

[@GodBless423]

“ A Civil Action “ was one of my personal favorites of his … love your channel BTW

[@JoJoJoker]

James Gandolfini before The Sopranos.

[@metalinyourhead3604]

I just saw him in the WW2 short film “The Shepard”, on Disney Plus, and I loved it.

[@davemcdonagh7295]

Blow out was excellent as was Travolta in it, can't believe it tanked.

[@zsoltbartus169]

A few great movies, many mediocre, and bunch of bad ir worse... Pulp Fiction was directed by Tarantino who already a great director. Travolta had a great direction with that film that made it possible to do his best. But it seems like he is totally unable to decide whether he should or shouldn't join to a movie, and a movie should or should not be made.

[@nathanslay6342]

Pulp Fiction is my favorite film of all time and I think John Travolta killed it! I love that movie so much and no matter what bad movies he did, I will always love that fire performance Travolta gave off! Pulp fiction is a masterpiece!!

[@pnojazz]

And I actually loved the DePalma film Blow Up. I saw it in the theater and bought it on vhs and Blu Ray 😂

[@yoursubconscious]

ya, he is a positive person indeed to have ppl. so close and yet to keep as healthy and charming as he seems. Wow!

[@indransubramaniam763]

He is always a big star & great actor who inspired huge amount of individuals around the world to choose acting as a career. Negative or positive roles. He rocked both.he is a rockstar & hero for his fans..

[@katemaloney4296]

You forgot 'The Boy In The Plastic Bubble' in 1976.

[@SoulforSale]

Urban Cowboy is such an underrated flick

[@_birdie]

Omg I forgot his look for From Paris With Love haha

[@scottknode898]

Travolta definitely had his share highs and lows in his career especially being big in 1970s with his tv show Welcome Back Kotter and going on to Saturday Night Fever and Greece in 1977 and 1978 and having his career stall in 1980s before comeback in 1990s with Pulp Fiction, Face/Off, Michael and Phenomenon among before his career faltered again with more flops and going from playing heroes to mostly bad guys in more recent years.

[@captainamvv7135]

I hope he gets another comeback.. Seems like a good guy

[@thedarkdescent2387]

Holy, this guy was in alot of movies

[@Alienkiwi730]

My problem with him, especially nowadays is that I just simply don't find him a believable actor. He's had so much work done on his face, he just doesn't look like a normal human being, which makes every role I see him in seem like a complete parody

[@KevenThePuma]

I can’t ever stay mad at someone that was involved in Broken Arrow

[@drewo.127]

Based on the Capital One Holiday Night Fever ad, I’d say John Travolta needs to play Santa in a Christmas movie! Travolta Claus is something this world needs way way way more of!

[@marksargent2440]

I like him as actor grew up seeing him in grease but he's had his ups and downs I love pulp fiction and I like face off as well

[@hotpotatopodcast]

I loved shout. As a kid it was one of my favourite films ever

[@radinsyah1574]

Phenomenon is a golden example where the critics can be full of it.

[@HFFCANADA]

From Paris with love and The Taking of Pelam 123 We're excellent movies he did after his "downfall" dude was and still is an exceptional actor

[@akshayde]

I love Travolta, he is nuts!!. He is good but also nuts

[@blainmoney6948]

@11:40 i gotta say Criminal Activities is a really solid sleeper flick. A good bit of plot twists and a bunc of unlikable and in over their heads characters go alone way for it. Also Jackie Earl Haley stars and directed it. Solid movie fr. Also A Valley Of Violence is also pretty good. Just a different kind of western movie; more of a revenge flick but him and ethan hawke kind of kill it in the few scenes they share

[@fredflux2738]

Poor guy honest. I hate Scientology, but I don’t blame Tom or him for taking part. He’s taken a ton of heat with really wild rumors.

[@hafirenggayuda]

I feel most people who still stay there get some Stockholm syndrome or similar thing

[@kaivalyajahagirdar4307]

I think worst best actor is nicolas cage

[@FilmStack]

Hopefully he continues his recent form and doesn’t drop off again like Travolta did

[@keekrainer9505]

Shit's meta..

[@christinsmith]

word!

[@Blackdiamondprod.]

No, he’s JUST a bad actor. He wouldn’t even be an actor if he wasn’t Francis Ford Coppola’s nephew.

[@koira1]

​@@Blackdiamondprod.You clearly havent seen Leaving Las Vegas

[@DR.slzzzp]

taking of pelham 123 is CRIMINALLY underrated.

[@Monkeypole]

Actors who's career had dipped before Tarentino hired them

[@joez203]

After he got really famous (late 90s), I thought Travolta would OVER act. He delivered every line with such exaggerated and unnatural emphasis. It was annoying and contrived.

[@MightyEFX]

considering Tarantinos love for DePalmas BLOW OUT.. i think its Blow out that made Pulp Fiction possible.. two great movies

[@kptgalangflyheight8908]

I think rotten tomatoes don't like John Travolta movies much. Or maybe because public have known him as actor with good dancing ability instead dramatic acting.

[@mechajay3358]

A movie about a talking baby revived Travolta's career until it tanked it, than Tarantino helped revived it again until his Scientology movie brought him righ back down. You can say his career has been legit rollercoaster 🎢

[@tariqjohnson9421]

From Paris with love was actually surprisingly good. Also I didn’t know Kelly Preston died rip .

[@rafanifischer3152]

I didn't know he had made so many movies. I did not see 60% of the films mentioned.

[@HeD502]

From Paris with love was awesome

[@jasonpalacios1363]

Pulp Fiction was the movie that really saved his career because without that movie, John Travolta would have been forgotten in Hollywood like how Andrew "Dice" Clay is with stand-up comedy.

[@guillermojoaquinbello448]

People can say whatever they want about John Travolta but he's one of the best actors in film history, much better than many that are considered great but are a bunch of overrated actors. The same goes for Nicolas Cage.

[@21bruce]

Seeing as I’ve never acted in much of anything, I don’t feel quite so qualified to judge. And I’m certainly not a travolta fan boy. But I’ve enjoyed most of his movies. That’s more than I can say about most other actors which is not nothing.

[@bullymaguire243]

Bro was in both pulp fiction and battlefield earth

[@thewildformosanformosan]

I don't ever consider Battlefield Earth is a bad film, it's actually quite entertaining

[@Iron-Bridge]

He was great in Pulp Fiction, Broken Arrow and Face/ Off. That's all I need to know. 😊

[@nicholassyrmis3789]

I love and hate John but I love him more I grew up with him 😊

[@trueatfalse]

Bring another one like this about Mickey Rourke :-)

[@GeeEm1313]

It's the Cadillac of minivans.

[@wardenmagellan2643]

One of my favourite actors! He acts in some of my all time favourites! And I really loved how bad his new shitty movies are

[@dornravlin]

I think Travolta’s a talented ass man. But I also think he’s a troubled man. And I feel for him loosing his wife and kid. I admire a man that can dance wish I could dance

[@keepgoing7533]

Private airports, island homes, 15 foot gated homes... It seems these rich people are conveying the message that it's better to avoid people where possible.

[@Laurafern6969]

This just made me like him for some reason

[@jacko250]

Another actor who had an even wilder career (& a wilder personal life) is Oliver Reed! I really love reading stories about all the hellraising he got up to behind the scenes but that’s all he is known for these days and a big part of his legacy which is a shame as I do really believe he was one of the greatest actors of his generation who’s talents aren’t appreciated enough

[@Ccfatfat8427]

Pretty crazy to think Fred Durst directed The Fanatic

[@Agmz69]

In a valley of violence was an amazing role for travolta

[@thomasseery7570]

Blow Out is a brilliant film and he’s brilliant in it

[@abnurtharn2927]

Ah, Battlefield Earth! the movie that made After Earth look like a cinematic masterpiece.

[@KenMasters.]

For Goodfellas, I always thought John Travolta would be a better Tommy than Joe Pesci because his appearance almost matches the actual criminal.

[@betoo1769]

Face off is one of the best film in my list .

[@drownedhill3829]

Actually upset I didn’t hear about “swordfish” in this vid, and not finding any comments about that movie:’(

[@bronsonbamnallen1633]

you didnt mention Swordfish or the Punisher

[@MitchCyan]

1:10 The guy on the left is dressed as Ed.

[@cryingbananajo]

Dame, how do you own a private airport in your mansion? My poverty limited my imagination!

[@gottfriedosterbach3907]

Jeez, the guy was all face. Eventually though his body caught up.

[@Tylerbremner]

He’s awesome

[@Kiyoone]

John Travolta best acting was from Face/off where he plays Nicolas Cage (literally)... Very few people can play Nic Cage, Even Nic Cage forgets how to play Nicolas Cage sometimes. If you do not have a video dedicated to Nic, please, make one.