Xanadu (1980)

A struggling artist living in Los Angeles meets a girl who may hold the key to his happiness.

Director:

Robert Greenwald

Writers:

Richard Christian Danus, Marc Reid Rubel

Stars:

Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelly, Michael Beck

1 win & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Olivia Newton-John	...	Kira
Gene Kelly	...	Danny McGuire
Michael Beck	...	Sonny Malone
James Sloyan	...	Simpson
Dimitra Arliss	...	Helen
Katie Hanley	...	Sandra
Fred McCarren	...	Richie
Renn Woods	...	Jo (as Ren Woods)
Sandahl Bergman	...	Muse #1
Lynn Latham	...	Muse #2
Melinda Phelps	...	Muse #3
Cherise Bates	...	Muse #4 (as Cherise Bate)
Juliette Marshall	...	Muse #5
Marilyn Tokuda	...	Muse #6
Yvette Van Voorhees	...	Muse #7

Storyline

In Los Angeles, artist Sonny Malone reluctantly returns to his job at Airflow Records - his job to do poster-sized exact renderings of album covers for on-site promotions, the renderings to be as close to the originals as possible - as he could not make a living as a freelance artist, where he could truly use his artistic vision. On his first day back at Airflow, he gets sidetracked by the thoughts of a young woman who literally roller skates into him. What he is unaware of is that their initial encounter and subsequent encounters are not by accident as she, Kira, a muse, was awakened by his lamentations about his art, she sent to help him achieve his artistic vision. This day, Sonny also meets aging Danny McGuire, a former big band musician turned construction company owner, he who wants to return to his roots by owning a live music venue. Danny initially and Sonny also do not know that their meeting is not by accident as Sonny will soon discover that Kira was part of his past. Sonny...

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Plot Keywords:

dancer | muse | disco | roller skates | roller disco | 

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Taglines:

A Fantasy, A Musical, A Place Where Dreams Come True.

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Genres:

Fantasy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 August 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Xanadu

Filming Locations:

Pan-Pacific Auditorium - 7600 W. Beverly Boulevard, Fairfax, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,471,595, 10 August 1980, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$22,762,571

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (London premiere Print) Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to the special features on a recently released DVD, the cartoon sequence was added because the filmmakers needed to include an extra song written for the movie. Having a cartoon made for the song was easier than trying to make it fit into the movie.

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Goofs

While building Xanadu, at the end of the week, Danny pours champagne into Sonny's glass, then goes to pour into his. When the camera angle switches mid- sentence, Danny is filling Sonny's glass again.

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Quotes

Sonny: I'd say it will probably be done... when it's done... but that's just an approximate guess.
Simpson: Five minutes, my office. If it's six, keep walking.

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Crazy Credits

Opens with the 1930s-era Universal logo, with an airplane circling a globe; then it becomes a 50s-era passenger plane, then the Concorde, then the fourth time around as it becomes a spaceship. Instrumentals of "Whenever You're Away From Me" and "Xanadu" play under this, with musical styles matching the period of each aircraft.

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Alternate Versions

The 1994 VHS release shows the MPAA rating as "GP," but all other releases show the rating as "PG."

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Connections

Referenced in RuPaul's Drag Race: Here Comes the Bride (2010)

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Soundtracks

The Fall
Performed by Electric Light Orchestra
Words and Music by Jeff Lynne

User Reviews

Something about this movie...

When I saw this movie when I was 8yrs. old, I was wonderstruck. There was definitely a magic to it that held me. Of course, I was already awe-struck with Olivia, seeing her in "Grease". I remember looking up the word "Muse" in the dictionary and highlighting it. Yes, I was 8 and impressionable, but the movie has held a "magic" over me ever since and inspired me to write poetry and even use the word Muse in a license plate. It may be campy to some, but for me it was a good movie. I saw Olivia in Concert at Saratoga in 2001. It was a starry night and when she sang "Magic" and "Xanadu" I had tears in my eyes. It was great to hear her sing those songs perfectly and still look like a Muse.