Xanadu (1980)
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A struggling artist and a construction mogul team up to open a nightclub, only to find their lives intertwined with a celestial being.
The story
Sonny Malone, a struggling illustrator in Los Angeles, finds his life changed when a mysterious woman named Kira appears after he encounters a mural of dancing sisters. He eventually teams up with Danny McGuire, a former band leader turned construction mogul, to open a nightclub in an old auditorium. The two men work together to create the venue, known as Xanadu, while Sonny and Kira develop a growing connection. As they prepare for the grand opening, the duo must navigate the complexities of their partnership and the mysterious nature of Kira's identity in a world of music and magic.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Sonny Malone, a struggling illustrator in Los Angeles, encounters a mysterious woman named Kira who appears near a mural of nine dancing sisters. He joins forces with Danny McGuire, a construction mogul who lost his creative spark years ago, to open a nightclub called Xanadu in an old auditorium. As they work together, Sonny and Kira fall in love. On the eve of the opening, Kira reveals she is Terpsichore, one of the Nine Muses of Olympus, and is forbidden from staying on Earth. After a conflict with the god Zeus, she is initially forced to leave. However, after Sonny ventures into the realm of the gods and pleads for her, Zeus relents, allowing her to stay for 'one moment, or forever.' The Muses perform at the grand opening before returning to their realm. Sonny is left alone, but eventually finds a new connection with a waitress who resembles Kira.
- First release year
- 1980
- Runtime (minutes)
- 96
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Robert Greenwald
- Writers
- Richard Christian Danus · writer; Marc Reid Rubel · writer
- Cast and characters
- Olivia Newton-John · Kira (Terpsichore); Gene Kelly · Danny McGuire; Michael Beck · Sonny Malone; James Sloyan · Simpson; Dimitra Arliss · Helen; Katie Hanley · Sandra; Fred McCarren · Richie; Ren Woods · Jo
- Genres
- musical; fantasy
- Themes
- artistic inspiration; forbidden love; mythology
- Tone and mood
- fantasy; romantic
- Premise and plot tags
- roller skating; musical; fantasy
- Source material / true-story basis
- Down to Earth (1947)
- Reception
- The film was a critical and box-office disappointment, but it became a cult classic for its music, choreography, and innovative special effects.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 31 · scale: 100 · review count: 13
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Raspberry Award · Worst Director · won
- Production trivia
- The film inspired the creation of the Golden Raspberry Awards.; The soundtrack was certified double platinum in the United States.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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