Xanadu (1980)

Director:

Robert Greenwald

Writers:

Richard Christian Danus (writer)
Marc Reid Rubel (writer)

Release Date:

8 August 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

The Music, The Film, A Place Where Dreams Come True. [UK]

Plot:

The story of a girl who makes dreams come true.

Plot Keywords:

Muse | Artist | Disco | Hollywood Sign | Reference To Errol Flynn

Awards:

1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Olivia Newton-John	...	Kira
Gene Kelly	...	Danny McGuire
Michael Beck	...	Sonny Malone
James Sloyan	...	Simpson
Dimitra Arliss	...	Helen
Katie Hanley	...	Sandra
Fred McCarren	...	Richie
Ren Woods	...	Jo
Sandahl Bergman	...	Muse 1
Lynn Latham	...	Muse 2
Melinda Phelps	...	Muse 3
Cherise Bates	...	Muse 4
Juliette Marshall	...	Muse 5
Marilyn Tokuda	...	Muse 6
Yvette Van Voorhees	...	Muse 7
Teri Beckerman	...	Muse 8
Marty Davis	...	Male Guard
Bebe Drake	...	Female Guard (as Bebe Drake-Massey)
Mickey McMeel	...	The Accountant
Aharon Ipalé	...	The Photographer
Lise Lang	...	Popcorn Girl / Xanadu Dancer
Melvin Jones	...	Big Al
Matt Lattanzi	...	Young Danny McGuire / Xanadu Dancer
Ira Newborn	...	40's Band Leader
Jo Ann Harris	...	40's Singer #1
Cindy Leake	...	40's Singer #2
Patty Keene	...	40's Singer #3
Fee Waybill	...	80's Rock Singer (as John 'Fee' Waybill)
Stephen Pearlman	...	Foreman
Church Ortiz	...	Worker #1
Randy T. Williams	...	Worker #2
David Tress	...	Nick
Madison Arnold	...	Vargas
Wilfrid Hyde-White	...	Male Heavenly Voice (voice)
Coral Browne	...	Female Heavenly Voice (voice)
Marla V. Langston	...	Dizzy Heights
Clyde J. Barrett	...	Xanadu Dancer
Cheryl Baxter	...	Xanadu Dancer
Hilary Beane	...	Xanadu Dancer
Annie Behringer	...	Xanadu Dancer
Judith Bernett	...	Xanadu Dancer
Teda Bracci	...	Xanadu Dancer
Ellen Cadwallader	...	Xanadu Dancer
Stelio Calagias	...	Xanadu Dancer
Lonny Carbajal	...	Xanadu Dancer (as Lonny Carabajal)
Hillary Carlip	...	Xanadu Dancer
Lynda Chase	...	Xanadu Dancer
Contessa Cohn	...	Xanadu Dancer
Derrick Cross	...	Xanadu Dancer
Gary Dion	...	Xanadu Dancer
Marisol García	...	Xanadu Dancer
Miranda Garrison	...	Xanadu Dancer
Sandy Gray	...	Xanadu Dancer
Jei Guerrero	...	Xanadu Dancer
Cheryl Hangland	...	Xanadu Dancer
Yolanda Hernandez	...	Xanadu Dancer
Susan Inouye	...	Xanadu Dancer
Veda Jackson	...	Xanadu Dancer
Michael James	...	Xanadu Dancer
Deborah Jenssen	...	Xanadu Dancer
Leroy Jones	...	Xanadu Dancer
Fred Kirby	...	Xanadu Dancer
Brenda Lee	...	Xanadu Dancer
Dale Leeche	...	Xanadu Dancer
Victoria Marisi	...	Xanadu Dancer
Yvette Matthews	...	Xanadu Dancer
Tykin Mikals	...	Xanadu Dancer
Glenn Nash	...	Xanadu Dancer
Christine Nazareth	...	Xanadu Dancer
Tim O'Brien	...	Xanadu Dancer
Jeff Osser	...	Xanadu Dancer
Shelley Pang	...	Xanadu Dancer
Sally Pansing	...	Xanadu Dancer
Arlette Patterson	...	Xanadu Dancer
Alan Peterson	...	Xanadu Dancer
Lena Pousette	...	Xanadu Dancer
Vic Prim	...	Xanadu Dancer
Melody Santangello	...	Xanadu Dancer (as Melody Santangelo)
Tony Selznick	...	Xanadu Dancer (as Tony Selesnick)
Kathy Singleton	...	Xanadu Dancer
Cindy Spooner	...	Xanadu Dancer
Michael Springer	...	Xanadu Dancer
Re Styles	...	Xanadu Dancer
Jim Thompson	...	Xanadu Dancer
Francisco Torres	...	Xanadu Dancer
Bobby Walker	...	Xanadu Dancer
Michael Watkins	...	Xanadu Dancer
Adria Wilson	...	Xanadu Dancer
Darcel Wynne	...	Xanadu Dancer
Noreen Xavier	...	Xanadu Dancer
Mark Ziebell	...	Xanadu Dancer
Mum Brothers	...	Xanadu Dancers (as The Mumm Brothers)
Chain Reaction	...	Xanadu Dancers (as Chain Reaction Dancers)
Tom Sachelle	...	Xanadu Dancer
Paul Sachelle	...	Xanadu Dancer
Kyle Hanford	...	Xanadu Dancer
Michael Donley	...	Xanadu Dancer
Robert Winters	...	Xanadu Dancer
Rick Anderson	...	Member of The Tubes
Michael Cotten	...	Member of The Tubes
Prairie Prince	...	Member of The Tubes
Bill Spooner	...	Member of The Tubes
Roger Steen	...	Member of The Tubes
Vince Welnick	...	Member of The Tubes
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joe Mantegna	...	(scenes deleted)
Judith Burnett	...	Raven (uncredited)
Alex Cole	...	Xanadu Dancer (uncredited)
Debbie Fresh	...	Xanadu Dancer (uncredited)
Jack Lindine	...	(uncredited)
Adolfo Quinones	...	Xanadu Dancer (uncredited)
Patrick Reynolds	...	Xanadu Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Greenwald

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Richard Christian Danus		writer
Marc Reid Rubel		writer

Produced by
Brendan Cahill	....	co-producer
Lawrence Gordon	....	producer
Lee Kramer	....	executive producer
Terence Nelson	....	associate producer (as Terry Nelson)
Joel Silver	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Barry De Vorzon		(as Barry DeVorzon)

Cinematography by
Victor J. Kemper

Film Editing by
Dennis Virkler

Casting by
Phyllis Huffman		(as Phyllis Grennan Huffman)

Production Design by
John W. Corso

Set Decoration by
Marc E. Meyer Jr.

Costume Design by
Bobbie Mannix

Makeup Department
Harry Blake	....	makeup artist
Candida Conery	....	hair stylist (as Candy Conery)
Koelle	....	additional makeup
Martin Samuel	....	hair stylist
Rick Sharp	....	makeup artist
Craig Smith	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Terence Nelson	....	unit production manager (as Terry Neslon)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Patrick Cosgrove	....	dga trainee
Dan Kolsrud	....	first assistant director
Lisa Marmon	....	second assistant director
Venita Ozols	....	second assistant director

Art Department
James F. Allen	....	assistant art director
Michael Casey	....	assistant property master
Jaroslav Gebr	....	painter: special production paintings (as Jerry Gebr)
William Gowdy	....	leadman
Mark Konkel	....	painter (as Mark Conkel)
Sherman Labby	....	production illustrator
Peter Lamppu	....	construction foreman
Joseph P. Lucky	....	set designer (as Joe Lucky)
Louis M. Mann	....	set designer (as Lou Mann)
Joseph C. Nemec III	....	set designer (as Joe Nemec)
Bob Nohles	....	construction foreman (as Robert Nohles)
George Osaki	....	special graphic consultant
Vic Petrotta Jr.	....	property master (as Victor Petrotta)
Steve Purdy	....	painter
H. John Ramos	....	assistant property master
Bert Rotter	....	stand-by painter
Jack Shea	....	painter
Laurie Stevens	....	painter: special production paintings
John Tyrrell	....	painter (as John Tyrell)
Edward Verga	....	painter
Glenn Forbes	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Peg McClellan	....	illustrator (uncredited)
Marilyn Vance	....	artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael Boddicker	....	special synthesized effects
Milton C. Burrow	....	supervising sound editor
Scott Burrow	....	assistant sound editor
Walter A. Gest	....	post-production sound recordist (as Walter Gest)
Robert Gravenor	....	production mixer
Roxanne Jones	....	assistant sound editor
David J. Kimball	....	sound post-production mixer (as David Kimball)
Rick Kline	....	sound post-production mixer
William L. Manger	....	sound editor (as William Manger)
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound post-production mixer
Bill Nicholson	....	sound post-production mixer
Robert A. Reich	....	sound editor
Gary Ritchie	....	post-production sound recordist
Jerry Rosenthal	....	sound editor
Jack Woods	....	loop dialogue editor
Doc Goldstein	....	sound mix engineer (uncredited)
Thomas Meloeny	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Donald C. Rogers	....	technical director of sound (uncredited)
Douglas J. Schulman	....	playback operator (uncredited)
Douglas J. Schulman	....	utility sound (uncredited)
Mark Server	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Jerry Trent	....	choreo and dance foley (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Burt Dalton	....	special effects
Andy Evans	....	special effects (as Andy C. Evans)
Gary D. Bierend	....	special effects crew (uncredited)
Wayne Rose	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Randall Balsmeyer	....	animation designer: special visual effects unit (as Randy Balsmeyer)
Paul Chervin	....	optical printer operator: special visual effects unit
Louis Goold	....	layout artist: special visual effects unit
Richard Greenberg	....	special visual effects producer/designer
Robert M. Greenberg	....	special visual effects producer (as Robert Greenberg)
Frederick Greene	....	optical printer operator: special visual effects unit
Joel Hynek	....	optical photography supervisor: special visual effects unit
Jeffrey Kleiser	....	layout artist: special visual effects unit
Dorse A. Lanpher	....	special effects: animation sequence unit (as Dorse Lanpher)
John Lindahl	....	animation camera: special visual effects unit
Liz Maihock	....	assistant animator: special visual effects unit
Carmen Oliver	....	color coordinator: animation sequence unit
Sandra Payne	....	assistant animator: special visual effects unit
Janos Pilenyi	....	layout artist: special visual effects unit (as Janos O. Pilenyi)
Larry Plastrik	....	additional optical supervisor: special visual effects unit
Larry Plastrik	....	effects editor
Mark Plastrik	....	animation camera: special visual effects unit
Bill Roberts	....	optical printer operator: special visual effects unit
Louis Schwartzberg	....	time lapse photography (as Lou Schwartzberg)
Ruth Smerek	....	visual effects editorial supervision
Kenneth Stytzer	....	animation design supervisor: special visual effects unit
James Szalapski	....	model photography: special visual effects unit (as Jim Szalapski)
Brian Williams	....	model maker: special visual effects unit

Stunts
Richard Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Larry Barbier	....	still photographer
Garrett Brown	....	Steadicam operator
Joly Erickson	....	electrician
Earl Gilbert	....	gaffer (as Earl R. Gilbert)
Donald Glenn	....	grip (as Don Glenn)
Gary Goldman	....	camera planning: animation sequence unit
Rhio Haessig	....	best boy electrician
Joe Jiuliano	....	animation camera: animation sequence unit
Stephen Johnstone	....	electrician (as Steven Johnstone)
William Kenney	....	dolly grip (as Bill Kenney)
Glade Knight	....	electrician
Patrick Marshall	....	rigging gaffer (as Pat Marshall)
Michael Orefice	....	electrician
Jeff Purpus	....	grip
James M. Pursell	....	special camera operator
Bill Roe	....	camera assistant (as William Roe)
Gaylin P. Schultz	....	key grip (as Gaylin Schultz)
Bernie Schwartz	....	best boy grip
Robert C. Thomas	....	camera operator (as Bob Thomas)
Chuck Warren	....	animation camera: animation sequence unit (as Charles Warren)
Ron Woodside	....	electrician
Alan R. Disler	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
Adam Glick	....	set lighting technician (uncredited)
Joe Kelly	....	grip (uncredited)
David Morton	....	electrician (uncredited)
Michael J. Schwartz	....	electrician (uncredited)
Emmanuel Vouniozos	....	on-set technician (uncredited)
Richard Walden	....	additional assistant camera (uncredited)

Animation Department
Don Bluth	....	animator: animation sequence unit
Jim Coleman	....	background artist: animation sequence unit
Lorna Cook	....	assistant animator: animation sequence unit (as Lorna Pomeroy)
Fred Craig	....	production associate: animation sequence unit
Milton Gray	....	assistant animator: animation sequence unit
Heidi Guedel	....	assistant animator: animation sequence unit
Bruce Heller	....	assistant animator: animation sequence unit
Emily Jiuliano	....	assistant animator: animation sequence unit
Skip Jones	....	assistant animator: animation sequence unit
Dan Kuenster	....	assistant animator: animation sequence unit
Diann Landau	....	assistant animator: animation sequence unit
Linda Miller	....	assistant animator: animation sequence unit
Steven Muller	....	assistant animator: animation sequence unit (as Steve Muller)
Vera Pacheco	....	assistant animator: animation sequence unit (as Vera Law)
Dave Spafford	....	assistant animator: animation sequence unit
Olga Tarin-Craig	....	production associate: animation sequence unit (as Olga Craig)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barbara Black-Sterne	....	costume sketch artist
Deborah Curtis	....	costumer (as Debbie Curtis)
Michael Fitzpatrick	....	costumer
Shanan Harrell	....	costumer
Mark Peterson	....	costume supervisor
Marilyn Vance	....	assistant costume designer
Chuck Velasco	....	costumer
Pamela Wise	....	costume supervisor (as Pam Wise)
Gregory B. Peña	....	daily set costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Nathan Cohen	....	assistant color timer
Lisa Day	....	assistant film editor
Fletcher Harlan	....	negative cutter
Joseph L. Hedgecock	....	negative cutter
Tina Hirsch	....	co-editor
Bob McRoy	....	assistant color timer
Richard Ritchie	....	color consultant (as Dick Ritchie)
Larry Rovetti	....	supervising color consultant (as Larry J. Rovetti)
Robert Yamamoto	....	apprentice film editor (as Rob Yamamoto)
Dennis Michelson	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Allison Caine	....	vocal effects advisor
Doreen A. Dixon	....	assistant music editor
Richard Hazard	....	orchestrator: Barry DeVorzon (as Dick Hazard)
Richard Hewson	....	big band and string arrangements: John Farrar
David J. Holman	....	music engineer: John Farrar (as David Holman)
Stephen A. Hope	....	music editor
Kenneth Karman	....	music editor
Mack	....	music engineer: Jeff Lynne
Fred Prior	....	music editor
Michael Tronick	....	music editor
Dennis S. Sands	....	music scoring mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Steve Hellerstein	....	transportation captain
Chris Haynes	....	driver (uncredited)
Frank Khoury	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Ann Ashcraft	....	production assistant
Bill Butler	....	technical assistance in skating sequences
Paul Cajero	....	production assistant
Russell Clark	....	assistant choreographer
Gilda Collins	....	assistant to producer
Roger Davies	....	assistant to executive producer
Kathy De Armond	....	assistant: Carol Shapiro Janson
Darcy Fleming	....	special skating consultant
Mike Fleming	....	special skating consultant
Richard Greenberg	....	producer/designer: main title
Betty A. Griffin	....	script supervisor (as Betty Abbott Griffin)
Brendan Higgs	....	assistant: Jeff Lynne
Gus Hill	....	caterer
Carol Shapiro Janson	....	publicity coordinator
Judy Lynn	....	technical assistance in skating sequences
Joan Marcus	....	special promotion consultant
Judy Merl	....	assistant: Robert Greenwald (as Jody Merl)
Kenny Ortega	....	choreographer
Chris Platel	....	assistant to executive producer
Alex Romero	....	dance effects supervisor
Dana Sharpe	....	assistant: Olivia Newton-John
Greg Smith	....	assistant choreographer
Bob Thompson	....	assistant choreographer
Elaine K. Thompson	....	assistant to co-producer
Jerry Trent	....	choreographer

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• Greater Union Organisation (GUO) (1980) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (198?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (1980s) (Australia) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1984) (USA) (TV)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Universal Pictures (2004) (UK) (DVD)

Special Effects

• R/Greenberg Associates (special visual effects produced and designed by)

Other Companies

• R/Greenberg Associates  main title produced and designed by
• Don Bluth Productions  animation sequence
• Bodifications Inc.  special synthesized effects
• Computer Opticals  additional optical effects
• EFX Unlimited  additional optical effects
• Goodskates Entertainment Company  technical assistance in skating sequences
• Michaelson's  catering (as Michaelson's Catering)
• Samuel Goldwyn Studios  post production sound services by
• MCA Records  soundtrack
• Panavision  Panaflex cameras and lenses by

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (London premiere Print) | Dolby

Certification:

Austria:10 | Norway:10 | Colombia:12 | France:-12 | China:13 | Germany:6 | Denmark:7 | Australia:G | Canada:PG | New Zealand:PG | Ireland:PG | Japan:PG-12 | Philippines:PG-13 | Brazil:Livre | Finland:S | USA:PG | Norway:7 | Singapore:PG | Argentina:Atp | UK:PG (video rating) | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

In the two-page booklet included with the DVD, it is stated that the film was originally conceived as a straight-on roller-disco movie, but that the imminent release of two quickie roller-disco films (Skatetown, U.S.A. (1979) and Roller Boogie (1979)) prompted many changes (like its blending of 1940s and 1980s styles), which may explain why star Olivia Newton-John complained of the film being written while it was being made.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sonny talks to Kira in her dimension, Kira alternates from standing on or off the glowing yellow lines.

Quotes:

Kira: A place where nobody dared to go / the love that we came to know / They call it Xanadu / And now, open your eyes and see / what we have made is real / We are in Xanadu / A million lights are dancing and there you are, a shooting star / An everlasting world and you're here with me...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Lost: Eggtown (#4.4)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

I'm Alive

Enchanted by the schmaltz

A word of advice to any movie producer: if you have a big-budgeted production that you hope will become a hit, don't hire a director whose only previous experience is on TV. Director Robert Greenwald had directed only TV movie dramas before being assigned to this job, and it shows painfully. The camera either stays still or moves slowly and gracefully, when they should have flung it around and experimented with camera angles to create some oomph for the movie-going audience to feast upon. The only department that really tried here was the art department that created the arty scene-shifts with the accompanying sound effects, and the neon-colored special effects flashing around Kira and the other muses. Don Bluth also provided an animated sequence that offers the only magical moment in the whole film - makes you wish the whole movie had been made in the same style. That would have had so many advantages: the whole superficial story would have been easier to take for instance. Michael Beck would have had a movie career, and we would have been spared from watching "Oh-I'm-so-cute-but-so-poor-at-moving-my-legs-around" Olivia in a second film (or maybe not).

That said, I'm particularly ashamed to admit that I actually like "Xanadu". Very much. The music is the main reason - years before I had seen this film or even heard of it, I had heard "Magic" in the radio, and managed to get a two-minute snippet of it on tape, thinking it was an Abba song I hadn't heard before (no, I'm not an Abba fan - they have a few good songs, but I hate their albums). One day years later, "Xanadu" was on TV in the hotel room I stayed at during a holiday in Sweden - and I happened upon the very scene where "Magic" is heard, where Sonny meets Kira for the first time. Sadly, I couldn't stay to watch the rest, but I immediately wanted to catch the film from beginning to end. Now I have it on tape, and I regularly pop it on my VCR and enjoy the pretty photography, beautiful music, and the irresistibly corny 1980 kitsch "Xanadu" is so chock-full of. A guilty pleasure of the highest magnitude - after all, I'm a nostalgia freak and always will be one.