Pre-Order Xanadu (1980) (4k UHD Combo) (Blu-ray) Available for Preorder (4 Viewers)

[SwatDB]

Not really. That was so off topic from what I posted.

I'll call your experience (like others) of me being an "off topic brat" a compliment, since users have the habit of misunderstanding my posts containing references and connections, etc.

Just doing what I can to find context, references as I can, just to prove a point. But in your case, apologies.

Have I done anything wrong?

All as I'm saying is, both Can't Stop the Music and Xanadu both won Razzies on 1st Ceremony, you know. Some connection?

And now we spot Xanadu (1980) is getting a fancy and lossless 4.0 mix. I can hardly wait.

P.S. did you know the song "All Over the World" (Jeff Lynne) from Electric Light Orchestra was also used for the End Credits of "Paul" (2011)

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Xanadu, Can't Stop the Music and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band can all be summed up as follows:
Cocaine is a helluva drug.

That being said, Xanadu arguably has the best soundtrack album of the bunch.

 

[Thomas T]

If I had a choice of Parasite, Anora or Xanadu. Xanadu is what I would watch because for me it is the best of the 3.

While I wouldn't call it the best of the three, it's certainly the most enjoyable.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

While I wouldn't call it the best of the three, it's certainly the most enjoyable.

See, now I had to do a double take here, because I don't automatically jump to Bong Joon-Ho's Parasite when that name is mentioned, as there is the gloriously trashy 3D horror movie Parasite [in 3D] from 1982. Not far from the vintage of Xanadu and starring a young Demi Moore.

 

[David R. Hendrickson]

to paraphrase Lawrence of Arabia:

"The won't come for the movie, they'll come for Olivia"

 

[Radioman970]

The Olivia Newton Band on youtube. Thank me later!

 

[Sam Favate]

I liked Sgt. Pepper's. I still find it vibrant and funny, with some great covers of great songs. And I am waiting for it to come to 4k!
Having Xandau and Can't Stop the Music on 4k helps the cause!

 

[EricSchulz]

I liked Sgt. Pepper's. I still find it vibrant and funny, with some great covers of great songs. And I am waiting for it to come to 4k!
Having Xandau and Can't Stop the Music on 4k helps the cause!

I actually like the SPLHCB soundtrack (George Burns not included) as there are some excellent tracks on it (Because, Got To Get…, Come Together) and the majority of the Bee Gees and Frampton tracks are really good. But the movie is unbearable. IMHO.

 

[lionel59]

One could not escape the soundtrack here in Australia at the time this was released in cinemas. The songs may have been the best element of the movie, but they were still overplayed.
Australia loves flops and like CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC, PAINT YOUR WAGON and LOST HORIZON it did very well at the box office.
Of interest to classic movie lovers, I believe this was a loose, unofficial remake of DOWN TO EARTH with Rita Hayworth and Larry Parks, which in itself was an unofficial sequel to HERE COMES, MR JORDAN.
EARTH was no classic, but no doubt looks like one in comparison to XANADU. But it's cult following would disagree.
Those who complained about Abba and disco supplanting pop music at the time had no idea of later music fads to comr such as rap and techno. They made disco sound like Mozart !

 

[Ethan Riley]

The movie is filled with people who cannot act. I had the record--as did everybody--in 1980. And thought it was great. I didn't see the actual movie until it came on Cinemax circa 1985 and I was like...what...??

 

[Robert McNay]

I have always enjoyed this movie, from the first time I saw it on a big screen. Yes, acting was pretty bad at times, but Gene Kelly was a joy to see. It was riding the wave of the nuvo-art deco feel of the late 70s and early 80s. You saw it all over, from album covers to Patrick Nagel paintings, to supermodel poses and scenes. The music was a nice mix of disco (the songs by John Farrar) and ELO (orchestral pop).
It's story was no more lame than a lot musicals made in the 1930s, that were mostly created as vehicles for the music and stars, not story content. Note: I said 1930s, NOT 1950s, when musicals had become lavish, overproduced studio tentpole events. What is called their "golden age". Xanadu is more of a homage to the "Big Broadcast" movies, or even like the Andy Hardy films. There was little or no plot, and what there was, was contrived to tie a bunch of songs from a studio's music library together to milk them for some money. ("Ol' Louis B. wants a new Packard")
The trouble is, when some one says "musical", the first things that pop to mind are "Singin' in the Rain", "An American in Paris", "Seven Brides for Seven Bothers", "Carmen Jones", "Band Wagon", "Yankee Doodle Dandy", etc. But, for everyone of those Hollywood icons, there were 4 or 5 lesser musicals, a lot of which are lost by now because studio neglect and critics looking down their noses at them. They had been produced before Hollywood had really learned how to do a musical fully. These are the musicals that "Xanadu" can count amongst it's inspiration.
Last, I truly believe that a lot of the scorn dropped on "Xanadu" is more of folks saying it because that is what they are supposed to say. It is cool to make fun of the Studio 54 style excess of the time. The hairspray, neon, polyester shirts and roller skates.
IMO, Xanadu is a fun, shut-your-brain-off and just enjoy the music kinda movie. I'm looking forward to the 4K Bluray release. The DVD one I've had for ages is pretty poor in quality.

 

[Jimbo.B]

I have always enjoyed this movie, from the first time I saw it on a big screen. Yes, acting was pretty bad at times, but Gene Kelly was a joy to see. It was riding the wave of the nuvo-art deco feel of the late 70s and early 80s. You saw it all over, from album covers to Patrick Nagel paintings, to supermodel poses and scenes. The music was a nice mix of disco (the songs by John Farrar) and ELO (orchestral pop).
It's story was no more lame than a lot musicals made in the 1930s, that were mostly created as vehicles for the music and stars, not story content. Note: I said 1930s, NOT 1950s, when musicals had become lavish, overproduced studio tentpole events. What is called their "golden age". Xanadu is more of a homage to the "Big Broadcast" movies, or even like the Andy Hardy films. There was little or no plot, and what there was, was contrived to tie a bunch of songs from a studio's music library together to milk them for some money. ("Ol' Louis B. wants a new Packard")
The trouble is, when some one says "musical", the first things that pop to mind are "Singin' in the Rain", "An American in Paris", "Seven Brides for Seven Bothers", "Carmen Jones", "Band Wagon", "Yankee Doodle Dandy", etc. But, for everyone of those Hollywood icons, there were 4 or 5 lesser musicals, a lot of which are lost by now because studio neglect and critics looking down their noses at them. They had been produced before Hollywood had really learned how to do a musical fully. These are the musicals that "Xanadu" can count amongst it's inspiration.
Last, I truly believe that a lot of the scorn dropped on "Xanadu" is more of folks saying it because that is what they are supposed to say. It is cool to make fun of the Studio 54 style excess of the time. The hairspray, neon, polyester shirts and roller skates.
IMO, Xanadu is a fun, shut-your-brain-off and just enjoy the music kinda movie. I'm looking forward to the 4K Bluray release. The DVD one I've had for ages is pretty poor in quality.

Xanadu is a remake of a 1947 Rita Hayworth movie Down to Earth.

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

I was a huge fan of 70’s Electric Light Orchestra from the 8-track days. When I saw this record was half an ELO album plus Livvy (my first celebrity crush), I simply had to get it. It did not disappoint.

Then I saw the movie. What the actual Xanadookie?! Xanadu-not-act! Muse abuse!

…I still watch it though cuz, you know… Livvy.

 

[Harry-N]

This is one of those guilty pleasure movies for me. I recognize how really bad it is, acting-wise, story-telling-wise, even technical-wise (out-of-sync audio). But there's some kind of magic charm (see what I did there?) that has me in its spell. The lead male, Beck, is absolutely horrible. Olivia is charming as always, and Gene Kelly is...well, Gene Kelly.

The music is fabulous. I own multiple versions of it on original LP and various CDs (Australia, UK, Japan, US). My preference is the bright US version, others like the duller Japan version.

If my memory is correct, this was one of the first movies for home video with a stereo soundtrack. I recall seeing it playing in a Macy's store when they were demonstrating the new tech of LaserDiscs and this movie was running with a stereo soundtrack.

The first time I saw the film was on HBO. I never saw it in theaters, but after the music became such a bunch of hits, I was drawn to wanting to see the movie. We lived with a taped copy from HBO for years until we got a LaserDisc player some years later. Then DVD, then Blu.

I already have a Blu-ray. I don't think I need a 4K.

 

[Keith Cobby]

I think, compared to most new films today, Xanadu is a masterpiece of entertainment. Sad to see that Jeff Lynne had to cancel E.L.O.'s possibly final concert in London today due to ill health.

 

[EricSchulz]

I think, compared to most new films today, Xanadu is a masterpiece of entertainment. Sad to see that Jeff Lynne had to cancel E.L.O.'s possibly final concert in London today due to ill health.

I saw them in Chicago last fall. The show was spectacular and the crowd (teens to octogenarians!) ate it up!