Xanadu

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Xanadu

PG

1980

1h 36m

Fantasy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

33%

Tomatometer

46 Reviews

58%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Struggling artist Sonny Malone (Michael Beck) is trapped in a dull job painting album covers. He is instantly attracted to Kira (Olivia Newton-John), an anonymous woman randomly photographed in the background of one of his assignments, but no one is able to identify her. Visiting the auditorium where the cover was shot, Sonny finds the mysterious beauty, an ageless Greek muse, who encourages him to team up with old-fashioned Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly) to build a roller-skating disco.

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Critics Consensus

Not even spandex and over-the-top musical numbers can save Xanadu from questionable acting, unimpressive effects, and a story unencumbered by logic.

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Tom Shales

Washington Post

04/01/2019

"Xanadu" cannot possibly be described as a good movie, but it can be recommended to those who can tolerate large amounts of intravenous marzipan.

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William Thomas

Empire Magazine

04/01/2019

2/5

This modern musical with tunes written by Where Are They Now pop band ELO falls flat on its face simply because the premise is so utterly ludicrous.

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Jeff McLaughlin

Boston Globe

04/28/2018

The acting is wooden, the direction and cinematography confused, the special effects largely out of place, the dramatic interest nonexistent.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nov 6

1/4

This ghastly achievement manages to trumpet the worst excesses of both the fading ’70s disco craze and the burgeoning ’80s New Wave scene.

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Frank J. Avella

The Contending

Aug 19

C+

What holds the film together is Newton-John’s charm and vivacity. She’s a natural onscreen... Playing a muse is not easy, and she manages to find the ethereal/human balance.

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Christopher Lloyd

The Film Yap

11/25/2024

1.5/5

The much-pilloried roller disco musical went on to become a Broadway hit and cult classic, and upon further reconsideration... still deserves its reputation as an all-time dud.

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Ky W

08/07/2022

Beyond amazing campy cheesy family fun. Great music.

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Richard B

@NYCguy Jan 12

How do people give this film such a low rating? It is one of the greatest films ever made!

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Mania I.

@TheMania510 Nov 17

Okay hear me out. This to me is a guilty pleasure. The music is fantastic and the animation sequence by Don Bluth is very cute. Where are the movie falls apart is one the preposterous storyline and two the screenplay is ridiculously camping over the top. Olivia Newton-John is charming as the muse who inspires a young man to live his dream. Still if you're feeling kind of blue this movie is a great pick me up. The finale basically makes the whole movie worthwhile. The middle kind of drags a little bit unfortunately but the spirit of the movie is fun.

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Angel C

Oct 19

I was 8 or 9 when I watched thia movie , Olivia Newton John was always an artist i like it, her singing and acting career was always entertaining to me as I grew , the movie has a story not the best acting but the idea was not bad , the animation they included is great by the time and the music the best, definitely I recommend it

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Christopher J

Aug 20

Old school musical, unforgettable songs, Gene Kelly and Olivia Newton John shine in this classic that gets better with age - it has some flaws but forgivable ones - the finale is epic

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Dave S

Aug 5

Xanadu isn’t the worst roller-skating movie ever made (Roller Boogie probably takes that honour), but that’s not really saying much. To be kind, it does have some things going for it. Gene Kelly, in his last screen appearance, is as likeable and as charming as ever. Despite her limited acting skills, Olivia Newton-John lights up the screen. The cinematography is actually pretty decent and the colour palette absolutely pops. Finally, there are some decently choreographed dance numbers, although a couple go on for far too long. Where Xanadu suffers is the inane story, some cringy and horribly dated scene transitions, and the wooden performance of Michael Beck in the lead role. While it’s sort of understandable how some are drawn to it as a campy oddity, Xanadu is clearly a product of its time, a time when Hollywood was quick to cash in on shifting trends. Not much has changed in Hollywood over the years.

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Robert Greenwald

Director

Olivia Newton-John

Kira

Gene Kelly

Danny McGuire

Michael Beck

Sonny Malone

James Sloyan

Simpson

Dimitra Arliss

Helen

Xanadu: Official Clip - All Over the World

3:48

Xanadu: Official Clip - Don't Walk Away

2:20

Xanadu: Official Clip - I'm Alive

3:56

Xanadu: Official Clip - Dancin'

4:48

Xanadu: Official Clip - Suddenly

3:54

Xanadu: Official Clip - Fool Country & Xanadu Reprise

3:22

Xanadu: Official Clip - Suspended in Time

3:33

Xanadu: Official Clip - Whenever You're With Me

4:36

Xanadu: Official Clip - Drum Dreams

3:23

Xanadu: Official Clip - Xanadu

3:00

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Synopsis

Struggling artist Sonny Malone (Michael Beck) is trapped in a dull job painting album covers. He is instantly attracted to Kira (Olivia Newton-John), an anonymous woman randomly photographed in the background of one of his assignments, but no one is able to identify her. Visiting the auditorium where the cover was shot, Sonny finds the mysterious beauty, an ageless Greek muse, who encourages him to team up with old-fashioned Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly) to build a roller-skating disco.

Director: Robert Greenwald
Producer: Lawrence Gordon
Screenwriter: Richard Christian Danus
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Universal/Universal Int
Rating: PG
Genre: Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 8, 1980, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 18, 2014
Runtime: 1h 36m
Sound Mix: Surround

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