Can't Stop the Music (1980)

User Rating:

3.4/10   

Director:

Nancy Walker

Writers:

Allan Carr (writer)
Bronte Woodard (writer)

Release Date:

20 June 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

The Musical Comedy Smash of the 80's!

Plot:

This is a Pseudo autobiography of disco's The Village People

Plot Keywords:

Disco | Lawyer | Pop Group | Gay Cowboy | New York City New York

Awards:

2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Alex Briley	...	Alex the G.I.
David Hodo	...	David the Construction Worker
Glenn Hughes	...	Glenn the Leatherman
Randy Jones	...	Randy the Cowboy
Felipe Rose	...	Felipe the Indian
Ray Simpson	...	Ray the Police Officer
Valerie Perrine	...	Samantha Simpson
Bruce Jenner	...	Ron White
Steve Guttenberg	...	Jack Morell
Paul Sand	...	Steve Waits
Tammy Grimes	...	Sydney Channing
June Havoc	...	Helen Morell
Barbara Rush	...	Norma White
Altovise Davis	...	Alicia Edwards
Marilyn Sokol	...	Lulu Brecht
Russell Nype	...	Richard Montgomery
Jack Weston	...	Benny Murray
Leigh Taylor-Young	...	Claudia Walters
Dick Patterson	...	Mr. Schultz, Record Store Manager
Bobo Lewis	...	Bread Woman
Paula Trueman	...	Stick-up Lady
Portia Nelson	...	Law Office Receptionist
Selma Archard	...	Mrs. Williams
Murial Slatkin	...	Mrs. Slatkin
Aaron Colt	...	TV Reporter (as Aaron Gold)
Vera Brown	...	Ritchie Family
Jacqui Smith Lee	...	Ritchie Family
Dodie Draher	...	Ritchie Family
Greg Zadikov	...	Singing Vendor
Danone Camden	...	Stewardess In Record Store
Rasa Alileen	...	Mime
Gabriel Barre	...	Mime
Don Blanton	...	Relief DJ (as Donald Blanton)
Roger LeClaire	...	Disco Photographer
Cindy Roberts	...	Jean Harlow Maniquin
Maggie Brendler	...	Marilyn Monroe Maniquin
Bradley Bliss	...	Betty Grable Maniquin
Bill Bartman	...	Wino
Victor Davis	...	Buster Sirwinski, Auditioning Bodybuilder
William L. Arndt	...	Construction Commercial Director
Jerry Layne	...	Ventriloquist
Terry Dunn	...	James the Flame
Maria Rodsakos	...	Steve Waits' Secretary
Mike Kulik	...	Milk Commercial Director
Richard Bruce Friedman	...	Recording Technician
Bill Anagnos	...	Moped Rider
Debbie Ash	...	Dancer (as Deborah Louise Ash)
Semus Brennan	...	Dancer
Wade Collings	...	Dancer
Jane Colthorpe	...	Dancer (as Jane Margaret Colthworphe)
Edyie Fleming	...	Dancer
Roy Hamlyn Gayle	...	Dancer
Virginia Francis Hartley	...	Dancer
Alison Jane Hierlihy	...	Dancer
Richard King	...	Dancer
Kim Elizabeth Leeson	...	Dancer
Perri Lister	...	Dancer
Sara Miles	...	Dancer
Gene Montoya	...	Dancer
Floyd Anthony Pearce	...	Dancer
Blane Savage	...	Dancer
Peter Tramm	...	Dancer
Robert Warners	...	Dancer
Christine Ann Wickman	...	Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
The Village People
Jimmy Baron	...	Press Photographer (uncredited)
Brad Bogart	...	Disco Dancer / YMCA Man (uncredited)
Gordon Haight	...	Singing Sword Juggler (uncredited)
Lisette Kremer	...	Video Gamer (uncredited)
Blackie Lawless	...	Metal guy with leash at audition (uncredited)
Steve Malis	...	Dancer (uncredited)
James Marcel	...	Auditioning Sword Juggler (uncredited)
Daniel Selby	...	Young Disco Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Nancy Walker

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Allan Carr		writer
Bronte Woodard		writer

Produced by
Henri Belolo	....	producer
Allan Carr	....	producer
Neil A. Machlis	....	associate producer
Jacques Morali	....	producer

Original Music by
Jacques Morali

Cinematography by
Bill Butler

Film Editing by
John F. Burnett

Casting by
Howard Feuer
Jeremy Ritzer

Art Direction by
Harold Michelson

Set Decoration by
Victoria Hugo
Marvin March
Justin Scoppa Jr.

Costume Design by
Theoni V. Aldredge
Jane Greenwood

Makeup Department
Romaine Greene	....	hair stylist
James Lee McCoy	....	makeup artist (as Jim McCoy)
Carol Mercatoris	....	hair stylist
Daniel C. Striepeke	....	makeup artist (as Dan Striepeke)

Production Management
Raymond Hartwick	....	unit production manager: New York (as Ray Hartwick)
Neil A. Machlis	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William S. Beasley	....	first assistant director (as Bill Beasley)
Charles Braverman	....	second unit director
Paul Moen	....	second assistant director
Candace Suerstedt	....	second assistant director: New York

Art Department
Matty Azzarone	....	assistant property master
Leslie Bloom	....	property master (as Les Bloom)
Nick F. Caprarelli	....	lead man
Stephen Hendrickson	....	special visual consultant (as Steve Hendrickson)
Richard McKenzie	....	set designer
Pat O'Connor	....	property master
Eric Orbom	....	set designer (as Eric Orbum)
Eric Orburn	....	set designer
Justin Scoppa Jr.	....	set decorator: New York
John Villarino	....	propmaker foremen
Maurice Zuberano	....	production illustrator
Julian Zutz	....	construction
William Ladd Skinner	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Carlos Delarios	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Carlos de Larios)
Jay M. Harding	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael J. Kohut	....	sound re-recording mixer
Aaron Rochin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Barry Thomas	....	sound mixer
John S. Walden	....	sound effects editor
John Whitney	....	dialogue editor (as John Haffen)
Duncan McEwan	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Michael Sullivan	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Ron Hays	....	visual effects electrician

Stunts
Bill Anagnos	....	moped stuntman (as Billy Anagnos)
Arthur J. Edwards	....	stunt double: Stick-up Lady
Gregg Sawaya	....	stunt coordinator
Mike Washlake	....	stunts: gymnast and diver

Camera and Electrical Department
Garrett Brown	....	Steadicam operator
Colin J. Campbell	....	gaffer (as Colin Campbell)
James R. Connell	....	camera operator (as Jim Connell)
William C.H. Dager	....	playback operator (as Bill Dager)
Jules Fisher	....	lighting: finale
Michael Genne	....	camera assistant (as Mike Genne)
George Hill	....	key grip
Richard C. Kratina	....	photographer: New York (as Dick Kratina)
Elliott Marks	....	still photographer
James McGrath	....	key grip
Ray Quinlan	....	gaffer (as Raymond Quinlan)
Warren Rothenberger	....	camera operator: New York
John Tedesco	....	lighting: finale

Casting Department
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting
Chris Trainor	....	extras casting: dancers

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Paula Cain	....	costumer: women
Michael Kaplan	....	costumer: men
George L. Little	....	costumer: men

Editorial Department
Robert Lederman	....	apprentice editor (as Bob Lederman)
Mario Leone	....	second assistant editor
Ann Martin	....	apprentice editor
David A. Simmons	....	assistant editor (as David Alan Simmons)

Music Department
June Edgerton	....	music editor
Juergen Koppers	....	musical engineering consultant
Horace Ott	....	conductor
Horace Ott	....	music arranger
Joe Tuley	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Alan Kaminsky	....	transportation
Howard A. Small	....	transportation (as Howard Small)

Other crew
Bill Bartman	....	dialogue coach
Irene Berkman	....	production office coordinator
Grace Blake	....	production secretary
Mauri Syd Blumenfeld	....	assistant to producer
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	titles
Mauri Syd Gayton	....	assistant: Allan Carr
Lewis Gould	....	location manager
Tom Jacobson	....	location manager
Gary Kalkin	....	publicist
Sheila Kent	....	assistant to producer
Roger LeClaire	....	consultant: YMCA
Daniel Levans	....	assistant choreographer (as Dan Levans)
Eric McFarland	....	assistant to producer
Charles Newirth	....	production assistant
Arlene Phillips	....	choreographer
Heather Seymour	....	assistant choreographer
Bill Sheehan	....	first aid nurse
Cynnie Troup	....	script supervisor
Steve Warner	....	auditor

Thanks
Greg Gorman	....	special thanks
Jeff Mont	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• EMI Films

Distributors

• Associated Film Distribution (AFD) (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1984) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Greater Union Organisation (GUO) (1980) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Astral Films (Canada)
• Thorn EMI Video Australia
• Warner Home Video

Also Known As:

Discoland: Where the Music Never Stops (USA) (working title)
You Can't Stop the Music! (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | USA:PG | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

EMI Films

Trivia:

Playing on a 99-cent double bill with Olivia Newton-John in Xanadu (1980), this film "inspired" John Wilson to create the Golden Raspberry (RAZZIE) Awards in 1980.

Goofs:

Continuity: In Sam's apartment, Jack's bottle of Dr. Pepper turns into a can in the next room.

Quotes:

Jack Morell: Anyone who could swallow two Snowballs and a Ding Dong shouldn't have any trouble with pride.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Favouritism: Boy George's Queerest TV Moments (#1.1)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Sophistication

The only movie I've seen twice in a theater

I'm a regular customer of a local movie theater that shows old films, and six years ago they screened Can't Stop the Music - I went to see it, and found it an absolute hoot in campy humor! No-holds-barred, super-fast direction, flashy sets and special effects, glitzy musical numbers (the YMCA scene is awe-inducing!) and actors that really looked like they had a lot of fun cooking the whole thing up! It was the best cinematic experience I ever had. Never once did I glance at my watch, which for me is rather amazing. After gobbling up the whole enchilada, I started wishing I could find a copy of it somewhere. Alas, I still haven't.

A few months ago, the same theater showed the film again. I usually don't see a movie twice in a theater, but my memory needed refreshment, and my soul some cheering up. I went, and had just as much fun as I did the first time.

What's most amazing about CSTM is that although the director (whom I recognize as the deaf-and-dumb maid in the equally enjoyable Murder By Death) makes the actors rush through their lines and behave like over-energized hyperactive brats, and narrates the story so fast there's not even time to develop moments of crisis that last longer than a few seconds, the movie actually clocks in at two hours! Be grateful to the director and the screenwriters - a third hour would just have been asking too much of the audience.

CSTM contains some of the most pointless attempts at comedy I've ever seen, and probably ever will see (Bobo Lewis's bread woman - um, huh??), and the only clever line I found was uttered by Perrine when she says bye to Paul Sand's Steve the Record Producer - it's made up almost entirely of song titles. But the actors' eagerness makes up for the lame humor, and salvages even the scenes where Jenner has to make a complete fool of himself (the trouser incident and everything that follows).

I fear that if I ever find CSTM on video or DVD, the small screen will terribly banalize the film, but I won't care. But all you out there - watch the film on the big screen if you get the chance!