Xanadu (1980)

A colorful fantasy musical that has been derided for years and unfairly so. It's a mindless piece of fluff and no worse than those Mickey & Judy "let's put on a show in the barn" MGM churned out regularly. Very loosely based on the 1947 Rita Hayworth musical DOWN TO EARTH where Hayworth played a muse who comes down to Earth to inspire the director of a Broadway musical. Here, Olivia Newton-John plays the muse who descends to inspire a painter (Michael Beck) and a retired clarinet player (Gene Kelly) to fulfill their dreams. In this case, their dream is a roller disco palace (hey, this was the 80s). The script is rather witless and mundane to say the least but the songs are irresistible pop confections courtesy of the Electric Light Orchestra and John Farrar (who wrote Newton-John's songs). The production design by John W. Corso and the costume design by Bobbie Mannix are in vivid bright, day-glo colors attempting to replicate the now non-existent three strip Technicolor of the 40s musicals. Kenny Ortega does the energetic choreography including the Xanadu finale which is an 80s pop homage to the likes of the 17 minute ballet from AN AMERICAN IN PARIS or the Broadway Melody sequence from SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. Gene Kelly shows at age 67, he's as nimble footed as ever. Directed by Robert Greenwald and with Sandahl Bergman and Dimitra Arliss.