Xanadu should rank right at the top of the best Hollywood musicals, in the same company as the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers movies, Singing in the Rain, An American in Paris, White Christmas, Mary Poppins, Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, etc. Unfortunately, the reason it doesn't is due to one missing ingredient that glares out at the audience right in the opening credits.The opening credits blazon the names of Gene Kelly and Olivia Newton John. And then after the movie's opening scene comes on screen, the movie adds almost as an afterthought "Michael Beck".That's the central problem of Xanadu right there. When Gene Kelly is on screen, you can't take your eyes off him. When Olivia Newton John is on screen, you can't take your eyes off her. Unfortunately, Kelly is the supporting player and Newton John is the leading lady, but neither is the main star. Michael Beck is not bad. He's not good either. He's NOTHING. Kelly and Newton John are valiantly trying to push forward this train lacking an engine to pull it, two stars of first magnitude orbiting a black hole. There's a simple way to demonstrate this reality. If you've seen the movie, I'm sure there's any number of trippy scenes you could easily pull out of your memory. However, aside from that opening quiet scene of a drawing being sketched, I defy anybody to recall any scene in Xanadu which took place in that artists studio. That's because there's no Danny McGuire or Kira character to prop up the Sonny Malone character while he's working at his day job--it's up to Michael Beck alone to carry those scenes, and he's just not up to it.It undermines the romantic plot line that is so key to the climax of Xanadu. Supposedly Kira is smitten by a forbidden erotic passion for Sonny Malone. Again, I ask those who have seen the movie, is it really credible that Newton John's character would be totally immune to Gene Kelly's charms decades before (heck, was it that believable that she would have been immune to Danny McGuire in the MODERN DAY?) and totally fall for a nonentity utterly lacking in charisma like Sonny? Frankly, the Nick character in that old movie watched by Sonny and Kira at one point in Xanadu showed more charisma and stage presence in those few seconds than Michael Beck showed in the entirety of Xanadu!As heretical as it was to Hollywood's legendary ageism, I think Xanadu would have been immensely better if the movie had centered around just Gene Kelly and Olivia Newton John. As it is, Xanadu becoming a successful stage musical shows the vehicle itself was never at fault in the movie. Xanadu does have many great songs, superb choreography, and a superb tribute paid to the nostalgia of Golden Age Hollywood. So the movie is well worth watching, if for no other reason to ponder what it might have been with a REAL LEADING MAN.

Artist Sonny Malone (Michael Beck) is giving up. He goes back to painting enlarged record covers for AirFlo Records. He rips up his drawings which float to a mural of the Greek muses at the end of an alley. Kira (Olivia Newton-John) remains on earth to inspire Sonny to help Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly) create a roller disco club. For his assignment back at AirFlo, Sonny is told to enlarge a record cover with Kira on it.This is fun and silly. I don't know what people are expecting. The writing is cheesy. The effects are cheesy. Even the songs are cheesy. It was probably a little late for a Disco movie especially one that is so sincere and happy. There is something unabashedly naive about this movie. The only major complaint I have is Michael Beck. Apparently he didn't get the memo about what kind of movie this is. He's like a gloomy cloud in an otherwise bright sunny day. This movie needs a cheery guy instead of Michael Beck with his scowl. On the other hand, ONJ is the perfect magical musical muse. She can't stop giving off that fun vibe and she has some terrific catchy songs. Then there is the great Gene Kelly. He still has the spark and it shows. He brings with him some old fashion class.

Favorite movie quote - "Don't give me any of your "white-ass" attitude!" If you're seriously looking for the cheesiest of the cheesiest of the cheesiest in movie-musicals (circa. 1980), then just say "Xanadu, please!" Nominated for 7 Golden "Razzy" Awards in such top categories as "Worst Actress", "Worst Actor", "Worst Picture", and "Worst Musical", Xanadu so rightly won this highly-coveted prize for "Worst Director" which so deservedly went to Robert Greenwald.When it comes to all-out silliness and stupidity that seems to prevail with so many Rom-Com/Fantasy/Musicals, I honestly don't think that any others in this genre get much more empty-headed and mind-numbingly inferior than did the likes of Xanadu.Neither camp, nor cute, nor hip, nor clever, Xanadu literally scraped the absolute bottom of the barrel when it came to its terribly conceived story-line, its lousy musical numbers and its completely amateurish performances by actors who convinced me that they were total boobs acting out their parts in a second-rate, high school production.This "so-bad-it's-bad" musical extravanganza was a total embarrassment on all counts. Xanadu took the meaning of the word "sucky" to a whole new level of loathsomeness.I cannot fathom why people incessantly rave about veteran actor Gene Kelly and his role in this musical mess. Kelly was 68 years old in Xanadu and not only was he pathetic to watch during his dance numbers (just like everyone else was), but his screen-charisma, in my opinion, registered at a complete "zero".Besides that, I thought that the trite and snivelling on-screen romance that transpired between the 2 lead characters (played by Olivia Newton-John & Michael Beck) sucked to the 10th power, and beyond.I can't believe how utterly dismal Xanadu's visual effects were. With its $20 million budget I should have been wowed right out of this world with this film's dazzling production values.And, talk about a shallow plot-line - Xanadu's dumber-than-dumb story actually hinged on (get this!) having one of Zeus's daughters (Kira) sent to Earth with the all-important mission of seeing to it that Hollywood got to have its very own roller-skating, disco place. (Spare me!) Yes. I will admit that some of ELO's catchy, synth-pop tunes were toe-tapping good, but this was in no way nearly enough to save this piece of extravagant nonsense from sinking down into the muck & mire of movie-musical disaster.I would call Xanadu the Titanic of all musicals, bar none. If you're like me you'll love to hate this movie with an undying passion.

Talk about an underwhelming picture! You might think that it would be pretty decent -in a bad cheese kinda way- coz it's a well known cult film but that might be only because it's linked to the well known and liked song of the same name. In reality it turns out to be pretty empty and unenergetic. The lead actor is a talentless shmuck who hasn't got the range or capacity to carry the film. Olivia & Gene Kelly are way better but even they can't save the film from mediocrity. Although it's a musical you haven't got much song and dance scenes and you might think that's a good thing -but it's not- coz the story is so thin you quickly begin to long for some uncalled for singing. Anyways, I'm sure it might appeal to a certain audience but as far as musicals go you can do much better. Maybe something for musical completionists I guess :)