Mention the 1980 musical fantasy film ”Xanadu”, starring Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly, to fans of today’s film and pop culture, and regularly evokes this assessment: a critical failure (it was also one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Raspberry Awards, also known as ”Razzies”, which each year praise the most beloved films). First released on August 8, 1980, Xanadu presented an unconventional, cheesy story that blended the golden age of MGM musicals from the 1940s and the New Wave of the 1980s, augmented by mythological muses and skating. However, over the decades, Xanadu has achieved some kind of cult prestige and even encouraged a 2007 Broadway musical of the same name.
For those who want a brief reminder of the film directed by Robert Greenwald: a troubled artist named Sonny (played through Michael Beck) randomly meets Kira (Newton-John), a charming stranger on skates who happens to be a muse of Greek mythology Array At the same time, Sonny meets Danny McGuire, a businessman who was once a musician in the era of the great bands of the 1940s , and the two register in a deserted area in a nightclub called “Xanadu”. Kira and Sonny expand a romance that is threatened when their father Zeus forbids Kira from returning to Earth. Finally, love triumphs in the grand opening of the nightclub between songs, dances and curls.
Although in fact not perfect, Xanadu has a kind of charm and his saving grace is glorious music; Kenny Ortega’s shocking choreography; Innovative special effects; and deliciously agile functionality through Gene Kelly in what would be his last photo. “The music is wonderful, I have to say,” Newton-John once told me about the legacy of the film in 2019. “I think Xanadu’s music is fabulous. And the dance was also wonderful because Kenny Ortega was the choreographer. I had street dancers.” and things in the film 30 or 40 years before his time, because he’s become popular in the last 10 years and had dancers doing those things back then.
While the weather would probably have been a little milder for the film, which turned 40 last Friday, one thing not discussed is his brilliant soundtrack album with music by Newton-John and the Electric Light Orchestra. Ironically, the double platinum record was much better than the film, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard album chart; five of their singles were also the 20 most sensitive on the Billboard chart. However, despite this publicity success, it has not been discussed in the same league as other recordings from successful soundtracks such as Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Purple Rain, Dirty Dancing and The Bodyguard. But Xanadu’s album stands out for several reasons: 1) it featured completely original music without padding in the past; 2) the album represented Newton-John and ELO at the height of its popularity; and 3) encompasses a wide variety of musical styles, adding rock, pop, new wave and even big band. Even without its arrangement with the film, the album would have been a great independent release for Newton-John or ELO.
“Magic”
This sublime, unsused pop-rock has become the third star on Newton-John’s solo charts on August 2, 1980, before his last hit “Physical”. In recent years, Newton-John has directed the song in his live shows. “I will have to confess that ‘Magic’ is still one of my favorite songs of all time, and I love the way words apply to my life. Thank you, John Farrar,” the singer wrote in her 2018 memoir Don’t Stop Believin. ‘.
“Suddenly” (with Cliff Richard)
One of the film’s dream ballads that highlights Kira’s romance between Kira and Sonny, “Suddenly,” a great duo between Newton-John and Cliff Richard, has reached number 20 on Billboard. “I think” Suddenly”is my favorite duet I sing,” Newton-John said in the notes on his 2001 album, Magic. “Cliff, one of my mentors who made me participate in his television exhibition in England when I was little. He’s a glorious artist and singer and I’m so lucky he agreed to sing with me.
“Dancin'” (with tubes)
Without a doubt, ‘Dancin’ is arguably the least traditional song on the soundtrack. Mixing two opposing musical styles, the first part of the song is arranged as a number of the Andrews Sisters of the 1940s big band sung by Newton-John; he then follows a modern new wave rocker performed by San Francisco band The Tubes, who also gave the impression on the film. It is used in a scene to contrast Sonny and Danny’s visions of what will be their nightclub. “John is a talented producer. We had a great time doing the track. I really enjoyed it. We were thanked for the concert by Kenny Ortega, who was the choreographer of The Tubes and the film,” Tubes singer Fee Waybill recently told me. revel in the film.
Another Newton-John ballad, the melancholy pop of the county “Suspended” in Time appears in the scene in which Sonny is banished through Zeus to bring Kira back to Earth.
“Every time you’re away from me” (with Gene Kelly)
This duo of Newton-John and Kelly is a return to a vintage song from the big band era; the chemistry between the two performers was undeniable in both this song and the film. “He turned out to be a lovely, warm, gentle, and very disciplined boy,” Newton-John recalls later from his paintings with the legend of the screen. “Gene choreographed the dance to make me feel like I’d been tapping all my life.”
“I’m Alive”: Written through ELO leader Jeff Lynne, this dramatic and exuberant rocker is presented at the beginning of the film when the Muses, adding Kira, come to life through their performances on a street mural. “I’m Alive” became a hit for ELO when it peaked at number 16 on Billboard.
“Nice stay”
Perhaps the most productive, if underestimated, track in the album’s moment aspect, “The Fall” is reproduced in the scene in which Sonny “bumps” into the wall and against Kira’s global in an attempt to bring her back.
“Don’t die”
One of ELO’s exceptional ballads along “Telephone Line”, “Midnight Blue” and “One Summer Dream”, this track is memorablely related to the short animated series of the film he oversaw through former Disney host Don Bluth.
“Around the World”
The song continued ELO’s chart of hits when it peaked at number 13; The lush, wellness track is included in the series when Danny buys new yarns from an elegant clothing store. It’s a thrill to see Kelly strutting around with her sublime things surrounded by New Wave-style dancers. “All Over the World” later gave the impression of being the 2005 ELO compilation of the same name; more recently, Lynne re-released the song for her ELO shows.
“Xanadu” (Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra)
The track with the old name that was released through Newton-john and ELO brought the film to a triumphant conclusion and reached number 8 on Billboard. Newton-John not only performed the song live, but Lynne re-recorded “Xanadu” for the 2000 Flashback retrospective. “A song I wrote for the film of the same name, sung brilliantly through Olivia Newton-John,” he wrote in the game notes. “I enjoyed the song and looked for another attempt.”
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