Xanadu (1980) |
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Xanadu Cast |
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On-Screen Couples |
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Olivia Newton-John
(as Kira)
with Michael Beck
(as Sonny Malone)
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Movie Highlights |
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Other InformationAwardsWorst `Musical` of Our First 25 Years Razzie Awards [2005] (Won/Nominated: Nominated) Best Major Motion Picture - Family Entertainment Young Artist Awards [1981] (Won/Nominated: Nominated) Worst Screenplay Razzie Awards [1981] (Won/Nominated: Nominated) Worst Picture Razzie Awards [1981] (Won/Nominated: Nominated) Worst Original Song Razzie Awards [1981] (Won/Nominated: Nominated) Worst Actress Razzie Awards [1981] (Won/Nominated: Nominated) Worst Actor Razzie Awards [1981] (Won/Nominated: Nominated) Worst Director Razzie Awards [1981] (Won/Nominated: Won) Plot SummaryIn this film, the mysterious Kira (Olivia Newton-John) appears to assist and inspire a young artist, Sonny Malone (Michael Beck). When she helps him meet up with the rich Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly), the two join up together to create an artistic and ... TaglineWhere time stops and the magic never ends. A Fantasy, A Musical, A Place Where Dreams Come True. The Music, The Film, A Place Where Dreams Come True. [UK] Related MoviesDown to Earth [Remake of] (Year of movie: 1947) DiscographySinglesXanadu Fool Country Drum Dreams Don`t Walk Away Suspended in Time The Fall All Over the World Dancin` Suddenly Whenever You`re Away From Me You Made Me Love You Magic I`m Alive |
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Full Cast and Crew |
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Actor CreditsNon Actor Credits |
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Awards |
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Xanadu (1980) was nominated for the following awards:
Razzie Awards |
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Trivia |
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Trivia and QuotesTrivia After Kira has told Sonny that she is one of the Greek muses, she starts to say, "My real name is Terp--", but Sonny shushes her, and we never get to hear her real name. However, since she is there to help him open a dance club and she is obviously a dancer herself, it is likely that she was about to say that her name was Terpsichore, since Terpsichore was the Greek muse of dance. The stage version opened at the Helen Hayes Theater on July 10, 2007 and has ran for more than 375 performances as of May 2008. This film is listed among the Top Ten Best Bad Films ever made in Golden Raspberry Award founder John Wilson`s book THE OFFICIAL RAZZIE MOVIE GUIDE. In the UK, the soundtrack album peaked at number two, whilst the single "Xanadu" peaked at number one for two weeks in July 1980.
Danny McGuire was also the name of Gene Kelly`s character in Cover Girl (1944), in which he co-starred with Rita Hayworth, about the time the Danny McGuire of this later film reached his peak. The Olivia Newton-John musical features Gene Kelly`s last song-and-dance role. Andy Gibb was originally cast to play Sonny.
There were 60 Xanadu Dancers, for the Xanadu Roller Disco scene Olivia Newton-John turned down a role (which eventually was played by Valerie Perrine) in Can`t Stop the Music (1980) to star in this movie. The word Xanadu is spoken 21 times in the end song "Xanadu". Despite the failure of the film at the box office, the soundtrack was an enormous success. The song "Magic" went to #1 on the U.S. pop singles chart. The original budget was $4 million, but as producer Joel Silver developed it, costs rose to $13 million. Universal head Ned Tanen fired Joel Silver, who immediately went to work for his friend and mentor Lawrence Gordon - who was also a producer on the film, so Joel Silver was back on the project. Though an infamous flop initially, it has since achieved "cult" status, and like other failed musicals of its time (The Apple (1980) and Can`t Stop the Music (1980)), is quite popular with gay audiences. In the two-page booklet included with the DVD, it is stated that the film was originally conceived as a straight-on roller-disco movie, but that the imminent release of two quickie roller-disco films (Skatetown, U.S.A. (1979) and Roller Boogie (1979)) prompted many changes (like its blending of 1940s and 1980s styles), which may explain why star Olivia Newton-John complained of the film being written while it was being made. According to Olivia Newton-John, filming began without a finished script; it was written as filming went on. Olivia Newton-John fractured her coccyx while filming the dance sequence "Suddenly". The title comes from a Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem called "Kubla Khan". The same name was also used as the name of Charles Foster Kane`s residence in Citizen Kane (1941). VARIETY`s review of this film referred to Olivia Newton-John`s character as "a rollerskating lightbulb." Following on the heels of Olivia Newton-John`s enormous success in Grease (1978), this was meant to launch her career as a solo star. Its complete failure at the American box office ensured that this would be the one and only time she ever received top billing without a co-star in a theatrical release. Famously received the one sentence review: "In a word, Xana-don`t". The mural depicted in the film never existed. Rather, it was a digital image superimposed over one of the shops in an alleyway on Dudley Avenue and Ocean Front Walk in Santa Monica, California during post-production.
One aspect of the special effects that proved difficult was the fact that Xanadu is an earthbound fantasy, and many of the elaborate matting effects had to be successfully worked into naturalistic settings, street scenes, etc. One of the muses even exits as a live-action tapered streak from within the metal superstructure of a large building, to cite a particular example. Robert Greenwald stated this was more difficult than having the ability to pull off its most impressive effects within the comfortable black limbo of space. Further into completion, Joel Silver, Robert Greenwald and Victor J. Kemper started wanting more effects, fancier effects, heavier effects. Then with it`s Christmas 1980 release moved up by Universal Pictures to summer 1980, this was now unattainable. Since fantasy is Xanadu`s dominant trait, certain mattes, including a couple of time-lapsed cloud effects matted over the departure along the highway of one of the muses, and another matted above Gene Kelly as he sits on a beach playing a clarinet, don`t look 100% realistic. This was intentional, done with the hope that the various sequence take a mythical ambiance that looks unreal, rather than phony. Gene Kelly`s last feature film. Playing on a 99-cent double-feature with Village People in Can`t Stop the Music (1980), this inspired John Wilson to create the Razzie Awards, dishonoring worst achievements in film. It later won the first ever Worst Director Razzie Award for Robert Greenwald. "Don`t Walk Away", an animated sequence in the film, features scenes nearly identical to portions of Thumbelina (1994), namely a shot of a small girl walking behind a leaf. Both were directed by Don Bluth. Gene Kelly took the part of Danny McGuire because filming was a short drive from his Beverly Hills home and he could be close to his family at the same time. The set of the Xanadu club cost $1,000,000 to build.
The old building that became Xanadu was the Pan Pacific Auditorium on Beverly Boulevard, near CBS`s Television City in Hollywood, California. It was built in 1935 and was destroyed by a fire in 1989. A community center now sits on the site, featuring a single version of the Pan Pacific`s 4 curved deco spires | ||
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