Film Facts
Directed by Robert Greenwald
Released in 1980
MPAA Rating: PG
Reviewed by Mongo
Film Review - Xanadu
Remember the 1940s? Sure you do, you weren't even born then. Remember those big musicals? Sure you do! That's why in 1980 Hollywood decided to do a disco musical.
Xanadu is Hollywood musical to a T. It's a fantasy about finding love and realizing dreams. But the Hollywood musical is dead. It doesn't matter if Gene Kelly is there to pass the baton to another generation. That generation doesn't want it.
Xanadu is formula, it's the pop music of the time it was made, and that music being very disposable, doesn't age well at all.
Xanadu doesn't give us characters we really can get an emotional stake in, and therefore we couldn't give a damn about them. Rent Tommy instead.