|
 |
|
 
|
In Xanadu did Newton-John
Now that Xanadu is a hit on Broadway, it's a good time to revisit the 1980 movie that inspired the Tony-nominated musical. For those who don't recall (or have wiped the film from memory), Xanadu stars seventies superstar Olivia Newton-John as Kira, a muse that comes down from heaven to help Sonny (Michael Beck) achieve his dream. And what's that dream? Why, opening a roller disco with former swing-era musician Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly)! Alas, Xanadu came up short at the Tonys this year, but fans can revel in a new DVD of the movie Xanadu, the "Magical Musical Edition," which comes with an additional disc of the film's soundtrack featuring Newton-John, Gene Kelly, and some totally awesome ELO (Electric Light Orchestra). Some remember Xanadu as a colossal flop, some love the film for all its cheesy glory, but most of all, Xanadu is a film of missed opportunities. To begin with, there's that paper thin plot, but as Patricia Kelly (widow of Gene Kelly) notes on the DVD, musicals have been built on less. A few of the musical production numbers are nicely staged, and there's a cute animated sequence set to ELO's soaring ballad "Don't Walk Away," but other songs are dealt a bad hand by the production team. "Magic," sung by Olivia Newton-John, was at the top of the Billboard charts when the film was released in August 1980. But in the movie, it's relegated to cavernous-sounding background music as ONJ and Michael Beck skate around the derelict Pan-Pacific Building in L.A. "I'm Alive" is a great piece of power-pop by ELO, but on screen it comes off rather anemic as ONJ and her fellow muses dance against a static backdrop on a dead-end street. And Gene Kelly always was disappointed with the film's final number, because the cameraman framed him too tightly, cutting off his legs during a big roller-skating sequence! (Gene was a fantastic skater – see "I Like Myself" from the 1955 musical It's Always Fair Weather). This may be the first DVD I've ever seen in which the film's director, producers, and choreographer spend much of the time they're allotted on the DVD's documentary feature addressing the film's faults. Director Robert Greenwald, now known more for his muckraking documentaries Outfoxed and Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, freely admits the script was weak to begin with, and "never got fixed." Patricia Kelly notes how Gene Kelly was enthusiastic about the film's concept, but felt that it just "didn't come off." And Kenny Ortega, the film's choreographer, recounts how the team threw in everything but the kitchen sink into the final number, "Xanadu," and kept going until "there's no more money, and there's no more time, and I can't find anything more, this is it." Not the greatest way to end a movie. But darn it all if it doesn't still work in some crazy, mixed-up way! Don't get me wrong, this is a seriously flawed film, to be sure. But perhaps it's the nostalgic factor of re-visiting the leg-warmed early 1980s, or maybe it's the music, or maybe you're just rooting so hard for those kids to build their dream, you can't help but forgive the film's faults. It's also helpful to still hear the enthusiasm in everyone's voices as they remember the film's production in the "Going Back to Xanadu" feature on the DVD. Kenny Ortega, especially, is a joy to listen to as he recounts how Gene Kelly got involved with the project, and how Kelly eventually choreographed his duet with ONJ, "Whenever You're Away from Me," himself. Watch that number, and you can still see a little of the old Gene Kelly magic, despite him being in his late sixties. Xanadu is not likely to make anyone's list of the greatest musicals of all time, but the success of the Broadway show clearly indicates there's still an audience out there for this fluffy, goofy fantasy. If you don't already have the soundtrack (which has been in and out of print), the new "Magical Music Edition" of Xanadu is a great addition to the fan's library. *Apologies to Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and thanks to NY Times reviewer Charles Isherwood for the inspiration. 6/19/08 Back to the main Cinema Tuesdays Reviews page More about the Cinema Tuesdays series  |
|||||||
