the audience applauded

Great Film overall

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

There is so much wrong with this film. The worst thing about the film? The performance of Michael Beck; you can't get much worse than that! His speaking was so off-based it was downright distracting. And then there was the letdown with the finale -- "Xanadu". It just seemed so anticlimactic.On the other hand, we had the lovely Olivia Newton-John and wasn't it great seeing the energy and smile of Gene Kelly in one last "new" film; it looked like Kelly was having a ball at the age of 68!And yet, despite its problems, there's something special about this hokey movie...and it hokey. But every few years I take out the DVD (or now the Blu-Ray) and sit there and take it all in again...and suddenly realize I'm just smiling!And although the film is less than great, the soundtrack album was a smash, going platinum twice. Olivai Newton-John's vocals are tremendous and the Electric Light Orchestra was (at least in my opinion) never better.So I don't care that the movie was a flop, or that the film was hokey, or that Olivia (and are) are now pushing 70! It just makes me smile.

Ok, this film is BAD. It is no surprise this film was a flop on release. However, it has gone on to become a cult classic and even spawned a Broadway show. What little plot the film contains is totally and utterly predictable. You can pretty much tell how Xanadu will end from the very opening scenes. On to the acting, Olivia Newton John does the best with what little she's been given to play with, Gene Kelly plays it brilliantly, essentially playing himself. Michael Beck however, is just a nothing in this. I'm not sure if this was the way his character had been written, or how he interpreted it, but other than standing about looking slightly bemused his character Sonny doesn't stick out in any way. No classic lines, no heroic actions.. Poorly executed characterisation aside, what Xanadu delivers in spades is music and visual spectacle. It is no surprise the soundtrack did far better than the film. ELO created something amazing. Add to that The Tubes, ONJ herself, and Cliff Richard (not so brilliant, but hey!), and you get a great sounding film.Visually the whole 40s/80s mashup does work, and the scenery throughout is bright and vibrant. Particular standouts are the Xanadu club itself, as well as the All Over The World section. As a lover of "bad" films this is a particular favourite. It was never going to win any Oscars but it is colourful, fun, with a great soundtrack. It doesn't drag or outstay its welcome clocking in at just over 90 minutes.

You have to believe we are magic. Oh yeah, baby! And the main theme, Xanadu, sung by Olivia Newton-John as well. Yeah, of course. But this movie turns out to be a one great music video around which an entire movie was shot. And in the time before music videos were official. Okay, so that explains the reason why this movie lured people to movie theaters. A forerunner of the music video before music videos became big. People got their rhythm fix there in the theater with dancers in spectacular color. And suddenly Olivia Newton- John takes control of the screen and dazzles like she's been pumped full of Ecstasy after a fairly mediocre performance in the rest of the sorry thing.Yeah, this is one hell of a disappointment. I fumed through it, planning my revenge on IMDb. It proved the old adage a picture that's a loser coming out of the starting gate (the first few minutes of the film) ain't gonna cut it. And that held true. Even that one other good song couldn't save it there in the studio (You have to believe we are magic) and the movie stumbled on, and I fumed and fumed thinking about the lowest rating possible. And then it played the one card I knew it still had, Xanadu, the song, and I saw Olivia Newton-John at her best and I am just an old softie...My originally vengeful bit was gonna be: Only if you're really, really gay... But okay, leave it at that. People, approach this one with an open heart. It's definitely not for garage mechanics. It's a chick flick. Years ago, FRIENDS had a gag with this movie mentioned as Phoebe's all-time favorite flick, and well yes, this is especially for dizzy, idealistic hippie chicks. And, yeah, it is filled with smiley happy people during a much better era than ours. So, be warned. Only for the ultra-positive among you. Too sugary sweet (I would have said insipid) for us more morose folks.Hell but Gene Kelly is a bummer in this. Should have been deleted from the entire thing. Just an old piece of furniture in the way of everybody. When it comes to glam, old people should be shot, and that's almost anybody over 35, Heather Locklear in MELROSE PLACE excluded.But if you wanna have a nice musical experience get yourself a music video compilation with Carly Rae Jepsen and Ke$ha, don't bother with this mostly amateurishly made movie.To understand my headline, you'd have to see it though. Be warned, I was actually B-O-R-E-D. I have many, many DVDs and none of them are boring but this one with that old fossil Gene Kelly who got his old age pension supplemented...

Loosely based on an old Columbia movie "Down to Earth" about a Greek Muse visiting Earth to inspire a band-leader (and save him from an untimely death). It has it all: awkward story, clumsy dialog, and bad acting. Yeah, it's a guilty pleasure all the way. A movie loved by Gays? Maybe! Also loved by teen-aged boys as ONJ and the dancers looked amazing and wore revealing costumes! Paradoxically, the soundtrack with ELO and Olivia-Newton-John sold millions of copies! The "Roller-Disco-Dancing" club craze never hit the rest of the country beyond California. Therefore, opening up a hot new "Roller" entertainment club made no sense whatsoever to the rest of the nation. The Gene Kelly dance segment is quite well-done and Olivia can actually dance! A few of the other dance segments fall flat, but most are imaginative. Kelly plays the "rich bored benefactor" that helps the nightclub come to life. Olivia (as "Kira")plays the Greek Muse of Dance, "Terpsichore", and naturally falls madly in love with the handsome mortal. A guy that paints giant graphic billboards of album covers. Michael Beck (as Sonny Malone) actually does a pretty good job, considering his part. (Giant album covers were made very popular in the 1980's by an LA record store named "Peaches".) Beautiful if curious animated segment by Don Bluth. Most of the imaginative music videos which look wonderful now but, as that genre was quite new, audiences didn't quite get it. Like many musicals now and then, it only comes to life during the singing and dancing. Several good songs. My favorite is "Suspended in Time" which is rarely heard. Olivia was the "Taylor Swift" of her era and made quite a fashion model. Luv her as a cowgirl! Actually looks better now than when released. Now a fan and cult favorite, Universal killed this movie with a debut on only 250 screens. (Disney did a similar thing recently with "John Carter").The not-so-supporting cast is terrible. "Hell" and other cuss words are inserted awkwardly into the dialog to "boost" it's rating beyond "G" to "PG". "F" and a few other words are there also, but were edited from the soundtrack! Wilfred Hyde-White is the voice of "Zeus"! Soon to be remade, I understand?