How do we begin to describe what was no doubt the worst film of 1980? “Xanadu” had unfocused direction by Robert Greenwald (“Burning Bed” 1984) and a terrible storyline from the screenplay by Richard Christian Danus and Marc Reid Rubel. The choreography by Victor J. Kemper was bad, really bad. Music by Barry De Vorzon is a bright spot in the picture, with some hit songs for Olivia Newton-John and the Electric Light Orchestra.
The talents of stars Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly were squandered in this Universal Pictures product. We were embarrassed for Kelly, a veteran star of so many classic musicals of the 1940’s and 1950’s. The scene where he was singing and skating roller derby style was painful to watch. “Xanadu” was Gene Kelly’s final film role.
This movie has a definite historic honor: It inspired the Golden Raspberry Awards, which awards the big screen duds of the year with recognition. The unwatchable “Xanadu” was nominated for six awards, winning one for Worst Director for Greenwald. The production also preserved on film the old Pan-Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles, closed in 1972 after 35 years of hosting numerous public events. It was destroyed in 1989.
Xanadu (1980)
cinema
My Review
How do we begin to describe what was no doubt the worst film of 1980? “Xanadu” had unfocused direction by Robert Greenwald (“Burning Bed” 1984) and a terrible storyline from the screenplay by Richard Christian Danus and Marc Reid Rubel. The choreography by Victor J. Kemper was bad, really bad. Music by Barry De Vorzon is a bright spot in the picture, with some hit songs for Olivia Newton-John and the Electric Light Orchestra.
The talents of stars Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly were squandered in this Universal Pictures product. We were embarrassed for Kelly, a veteran star of so many classic musicals of the 1940’s and 1950’s. The scene where he was singing and skating roller derby style was painful to watch. “Xanadu” was Gene Kelly’s final film role.
This movie has a definite historic honor: It inspired the Golden Raspberry Awards, which awards the big screen duds of the year with recognition. The unwatchable “Xanadu” was nominated for six awards, winning one for Worst Director for Greenwald. The production also preserved on film the old Pan-Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles, closed in 1972 after 35 years of hosting numerous public events. It was destroyed in 1989.