Cult Flops - Xanadu

Universal, 1980
Starring Olivia Newton-John, Michael Beck, and Gene Kelly
Directed by Robert Greenwald
Music by The Electric Light Orchestra and others

Disco was the music of the late 1970's. The whole aesthetic - the glitter, the dances, the wide-lapel suits and glittering pantsuits and dresses - permeated the entire era. It was probably inevitable that movies would be written around the craze. Saturday Night Fever turned disco into a sensation, codified by Thank God It's Friday. Unfortunately, by the time Xanadu made it out of its troubled production in August 1980, there was a major backlash against disco and its excesses. Does this movie deserve it's notoriety as one of the worst musicals ever, or does the fanciful tale of a muse and the artist she inspires still manage to make "Magic?"

The Story: Sonny Malone (Beck) has just returned to his job painting life-sized covers of rock albums to display in stores after an unsuccessful stint as a freelance artist. He hates his job, but he's decided it's the only way he'll make money...until he spies a beautiful girl (Newton-John) roller-skating in the park. She kisses him and skates away. He follows her later, meeting her in front of the dilapidated Pan-Pacific Auditorium. She tells him that her name is Kira, but won't say much else. A bit later, he meets former clarinetist Danny McGuire (Kelly) on the beach. McGuire had his own nightclub during the 1940's, but he lost his muse, and he now owns a construction company. Kira encourages the two men to form a partnership and create the nightclub of their dreams. Meanwhile, she and Sonny are getting closer. Kira, however, is not what she seems...and Sonny discovers what real love is when he literally goes to heaven and back to follow her.

The Song and Dance: This movie is one of the most bizarre musicals in existence, but it does have quite a few charms. TV Tropes accurately calls it "the nexus of 70's cheese and 80's cheese." If you want to know what the world was like as the 70's flipped to the 80's, this is a good place to start. The story is really rather sweet, and even touching, especially the side plot with McGuire. I like the nostalgia, the mixing of the 40's big-band, 70's disco, and 80's neon pop, and how each collide with and address the other. I kind of wish they could have done more with the collision of these three different eras. Kelly is wonderful as the former musician hoping to keep another artist from losing his muse and his true love. The widescreen cinematography of the real LA adds authenticity to this odd fantasy.

Favorite Number: McGuire recalls his lost muse in the lovely "Whenever You're Away From Me," a delightful and charming soft-shoe between Kelly and Newton-John that is probably the best thing in the movie. The opening number "I'm Alive," with the muses emerging from a mural, doesn't really explain much about what's going on, but looks nifty nevertheless. The best ensemble number is "Dancin'," as Danny's big-band and Sonny's 80's hard rock mix collide in their imagined club. There's some nice choreography here and some really awesome costumes.

My favorite song is Newton-John's passionate ballad "Suspended In Time," as Kira tries to explain her feelings about Sonny to her otherworldly parents. It's filmed simply, against a background of Tron-style glowing lines, and Newton-John really pours her heart into the number. This is one aspect of the movie that definitely did not deserve a Golden Raspberry. And speaking of...

Trivia: The failure of this movie and another flop disco musical released around the same time, Can't Stop the Music, inspired the Golden Raspberry Awards. They're given to the worst movie and performances of the year.

Unlike the film, the soundtrack album was one of the biggest hits of the year. Newton-John's solo "Magic" went to #1 on the US Pop chart; "Xanadu" and "Suddenly" were also major top 5 hits in the US and elsewhere.

The animated sequence "Don't Walk Away" was Don Bluth's first work on his own after he broke away from Disney.

The Pan-Pacific Auditorium had been LA's major cultural center from it's opening in 1935 until it closed in 1972. According to Wikipedia, by 1980 it was just as much of a dump as Sonny claimed. Despite efforts to remodel it and the exterior appearing in several films (including Xanadu) and music videos, it eventually burned to the ground in a fire in 1989.

A Broadway version of the show debuted in 2007. It was a surprise hit that season, playing the muse/artist plot for the campy goof it is. (It also adds several Electric Light Orchestra songs and one extra Newton-John number.)

What I Don't Like: Beck is totally out of place here. Not only is he not a singer or dancer, but his Sonny Malone is an obnoxious and egotistical jerk who thinks the world owes him something. He's so unlikable, especially in the beginning, you wonder why Kira and her sisters want to help him. He doesn't need the help; he needs a swift kick in the rear. I'd almost rather see her return to Kelly, who at least is a decent guy who treats both of his proteges well.

As charming as the campiness can be, there are times when it's all just too much. The dialogue is often stiff and sometimes just plain dumb. Some of the better songs, including "All Over the World" and the hit ballad "Suddenly," are marred by nonsensical or badly filmed numbers. While Bluth's animation for "Don't Walk Away" is nice (and foreshadows many of the effects and ideas he'd use in later films), it has nothing to do with the story and stops the movie cold. The finale, with Kira and her sisters performing at the opening of the nightclub, goes on for way, way too long.

The Big Finale: I'm going to admit it - this is an unabashed guilty pleasure of mine. I can see why it's picked up a cult following of gay men and teen girls who grew up watching it on cable. The music, style, and some good performances from Newton-John and Kelly override most of the problems with Beck, the weirder numbers, and the silly plot. If you're a fan of Newton-John or Kelly, the soundtrack, or love camp like I do, you'll want to find your muse and take a trip to Xanadu, too.

Home Media: This film's cult following has assured that it's easily available on most formats, usually for under 10 dollars.

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