Xanadu

Rating:
Summary: I'ts not Citizen Kane, but it's fun! BUT DVD is FLAWED!
Review: This movie is worth buying for the great music and terrific dance numbers alone. The plot is a little thin, but who cares? I love this movie! Unfortunately, the DVD has a major glitch right at the most climactic point at the end of the film. Universal should fix this!!!

Rating:
Summary: Magic
Review: This movie actually conjures up memories of the musical heyday of the Hollywood musicals with whimsical plots and fantastics song and dance/ production numbers. It is a pity that when it was initially released it was criticised for being old fashioned and no proper plot. No matter what I enjoy this movie when it was released till to date. It is a wonderful combination of 40's style story telling with 80's dazzling F/X and wonderful songs all spiced up nicely with great chreography especially the Gene Kelly/Olivia 's 'Whenever You Are Away From Me' and the razzle dazzle finale. Greek mythology was never used so brilliantly before. Well, you have to be a young at heart and a hopeless romantic for musicals to enjoy this rare gem. Olivia appears with so much ease since her graduation from 'Grease' and the evergreen Gene Kelly gave us a wonderful last appearance in a musical. Love this 'Magic' of a film and it makes a place in my all time favourite movie.

Rating:
Summary: Xanadu
Review: If you like the soundtrack, you will like this movie. Twenty years later makes this movie experience all the better. It is amazing how beautiful Olivia was. I will always picture her that way.

Rating:
Summary: Magnificant
Review: This Film was a visual and musical delight. The dancing was memorable as was the intire film. If you love music and dancing, buy this film. You will not regret it!

Rating:
Summary: My Secret Guilty Pleasure . . .
Review: I confess, I have always loved this movie. The music is wonderful, the special effects good for its time (my mouth hung open in the theatre when the muses started rolling off the wall!). On the down side, the animation sequence was so outdated as to be embarassing and Olivia should have been given more time to practice (everything), but all in all, it's FUN! Pure fun.

Rating:
Summary: Prefer the music over the movie
Review: When I was 7, I saw Xanadu for the first time. I thought it was pretty good. Saw it on TV a couple of times during my childhood as well. Years ago, it was on the real late show on USA. I watched it and this time my feelings changed. I thought it was stupid and outdated. The movie obviously didnt get better with age. The soundtrack though has some good tunes by John, ELO, and Gene Kelly. That may be the only thing that saves the movie from being a complete waste of time. Now do you believe me, Sonny?

Rating:
Summary: The Last
Review: It is interesting to read all of the reviews posted before and note all those who get XANADU and those who don't. This is an absolutely wonderful film, an uplifting musical that exhilarates with its verve and joy. Olivia Newton-John is exquisite being both winsome and exotic/erotic as the greek muse. This was made during Newton-John's multiple personality phase of her career where one minute she was Sandra Dee from Muskogee, the next a Nordic Dominatrix from Hell. She manages to infuse both facets intriguingly here with her supernatural greek muse character being both sweet yet vaguely intimidating. As an earlier post stated, the script is very clever in it's allusions to greek mythology. The male lead is stiff but what can one do when Olivia is on the screen except stand there and be quiet. Gene Kelly is wonderful as well and I believe this was his final film appearence; an excellent final bow. The musical numbers and songs are magnificent-especially the dancing duet between Kelly and Newton-John, the big band/rock combo and the show stopping conclusion. What I think some viewers do not seem to comprehend is that this film is both a tribute and a reincarnation of the wonderful hollywood musicals of the thirties-sixties period. The animated sequence is an obvious homage/steal from ANCHORS AWAY and An AMERICAN IN PARIS. Unfortunatley, Xanadu was made in the eighties when the culture was already in freefall. So, of course, no one knew or knows what to make of it. For those who think this is a bad film--HEY! there's a new Bruce Willis movie on TV! Go watch it. For the rest, we can take pleasure in a charming musical fantasy that they just don't make anymore. Xanadu was the last. Thanks Olivia.

Rating:
Summary: Great music...
Review: "Xanadu" has great music...ELO and Olivia Newton John, with a little big band thrown in here and there. While I thoroughly enjoy the soundtrack of this movie, I find the acting to be passable but not outstanding, and the storyline to be somewhat disjointed. What was that animated sequence in the middle all about?

Luckily, I am able to put the whole thing into perspective, since I was around when this movie came out -- disco was dying/dead, and punk was on the rise. Music and pop culture were trying to figure out what to do next, and "Xanadu" was a movie caught in the crossfire.

This movie is a bit mixed up, only a "B-movie" at best, but it is definitely fun.

Rating:
Summary: Fantasy Fun!
Review: 20 years after this film first came out and it still has it's magic!

And on DVD it's even more fun to watch! Because now you can just jump to all your favorite scenes, namely the singing and dance parts. Of course the acting and storyline in this film aren't the greatest, but this film was never trying to be a Gone With the Wind, or Star Wars. It's purly a fantasy fun excape film and on that level it truly succeeds!

Hearing the songs will make you feel happy. There aren't too many films you can watch over and over again, but this is one of them, You'll find yourself watching it so much you'll soon learn the songs by heart!

And the sets and costumes are so much fun to see, I always wanted to wear those outfits worn by the muses. :-)

So check out this movie today, you'll think it's 1980 all over again, and be glad!

Rating:
Summary: Could Be The Worst Film Ever Made, Buy it Today!
Review: Yes, Xanadu is a terrible film. However, it has one of the best soundtracks ever. Olivia Newton-John, ELO, Gene Kelly and The Tubes, who would have that thought that this was the equation for a near perfect lp.

The best thing about the DVD is that you can skip through the story and move right along to the musical numbers. They are silly to be sure, but what fun. The best part of the whole thing is "Whenever Your Away from Me" a musical throwback with Olivia and Gene Kelly that more than makes up for the rest of the film. Watching Gene Kelly dance at an age when most don't even want to walk around is a testament to his talent. Olivia has said that she still considers the making of the film, which even she acknowledges is less than stellar, a career highlight. How many people get to sing and dance with Gene Kelly?

Granted, I was 10 when this film came out and would have gone to see Olivia stand in front of a wall at that time, but I still enjoy the film. Film 2, Music 10. Enjoy!