Review of Xanadu (1980) by Allan C — 10 Nov 2013

The first film to win a Razzie! Olivia Newton-John is some sort of etherial rollerskating muse for Michael Beck and Gene Kelly to open their marvelous roller disco. With music by Newton-John, Electric Light Orchestra, Cliff Richard, and The Tubes and a bizarrely out of place animated sequence by Don Bluth, the film is a terrible mess, but in the best sort of way.

I think I really liked how the film's music and aesthetic was place uncomfortably between the end of disco and the rise of MTV pop music videos. And by casting Gene Kelly (who apparently did the film because the shooting locations were close to his home) the filmmakers did have a grain of a good idea by of birding the classic Hollywood musical with contemporary music videos, but it all gets lost in bizarre music numbers with lots of neon glowing special effects.

But beyond ironically enjoying the film, I do have to say the Kelly, in his final film appearance, manages to still exude his usual charm and screen charisma, and although I don't really consider myself a big fan of musicals, I do always enjoy watching Kelly dance.

I also found it kind of fun that Kelly's Danny McGuire character first appeared in "Cover Girl" where he co-stared with Rita Hayworth. Kelly is such a Hollywood icon and and such a great actor and dance that his final two films should have been a whole lot better than this and "Viva Knievel!" It seems hard to believe I actually gave the last film I watched, "Disco Godfather," was actually better than this.