The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, August 29, 1980, Page Page 11, Image 11
turrcert;
Kell v:
By David Baker
Fim Critic
"Gene Kelly is a living
legend. He is famed as an
actor, dancer, choreographer,
arid also has earned
great distinction as a producer
and director for motion
pictures, television and the
Broadway stage."
That description comes
from a studio biography, but
there simply is no better way
to describe a man who is
undeniably one of the most
beloved figures in the history
of the entertainment industry.
Now in his late sixties,
Kelly is making a return to
the silver screen in the
musical-fantasy Xanadu,
with Olivia Newton-John.
Xanadu is Kelly's second
comeback try in the past few
years. His first attempt,
Viva Knievel, bombed when
it was released in 1977.
"I believe that the reason
for Viva Knievel's not doing
well was the fact that
everybody knew he wasn't
going to get hurt," Kelly
explained. "When people
saw him live, they didn't
know whether he was going
to make the jump or crash.
But in the movie, they knew
he was going to be all right.
Just his riding a motorcycle
tifocn'f onnncfh "
Motorcycles, however,
were what convinced Kelly
to appear In the movie. "My
youngest son, who was 15 at
the time, was crazy about
motorcycles. So after I
turned the picture down, my
llSt ^MIK|
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*&** Vi
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it* > . * ' '
^r"
Olivia Newton
ainmern
: an ol<
son told me 'No?don't do
that. Iftyou're in it, I'll get a
chance to ride a motorcycle.'
And he did ride one during
the rehearsals."
While Kelly first rejected
Viva Knievel, he was interested
in Xanadu from the
first time he read the script.
"I hadn't done a musical for
many years," he said, "and
the thing that intrigued me
about Xanadu was that here
were some young people
doing a fantasy, trying to do
li in tne same Kind ot style
that we used in the old, olcl
days beyond recall."
Kelly admitted, however,
that the picture "is geared to
the younger generation, with
the kind of music that the
younger generation seems to
be buying. The fact that I'm
in it," he added, "doesn't
mean that we're going back
IU UCI OUW til.
The producers did go back
to the 1940s, though, to get
the name of the character
Kelly plays. He's called
Danny McGuire, which is the
same name Kelly had in
Cover Girl, with Rita
Hayworth in 1944.
Xanadu's producers also
managed to include a salute
Ann rvf 1/ nllir'c
LU UIIC KJk i\Clljr o inuoi
famous films, Singing in the
Rain. In Xanadu, NewtonJohn
and Michael Beck go
into a studio and dance in the
midst of a machine-made
rainshower, just as Kelly
and Debbie Reynolds did in
the 1952 classic.
Soon after Kelly completed
Singing in the Rain,
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^ Jfek
John in 'Xanadu'.
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he undertook a pet project
called Invitation to the
Dance, which was released
in 1956. It was an experimental
picture
demonstrating different
types of dance and Kelly not
only starred in it, but
directed and choreographed
the musical numbers.
Invitation to the Dance,
Kelly said, "was an experiment.
Then when MGM
saw the first ballet, they
wanted to release it as a
great big musical. I
disagreed and I lost. They
put it out on that basis and it
was not a success. Of course,
they held it up for four years,
so that may have had
something to do with it."
Kelly said he would like to
do another film along the
same lines as Invitation, but
doubts he'll get that chance.
"I like to do those kinds of
things," he said. "Those are
the fun parts of show
business, as opposed to the
strictly commercial things.
But fun doesn't always pay
the rent and making movies
is a costly venture."
The misjudgment about
Invitation was mild, though,
when compared to the
misjudgment in Kelly's
career when he agreed to
make That's Entertainment,
a compilation film featuring
clips from the great old
MGM musicals, in 1974. That
misjudgment turned out to
be a pleasant surprise.
"We thought it would
appeal to everyone over 40
who had seen the films while
Olivia IS
but neti
By Davl
Film (
Robert Greenwald's Xanadi
albeit very silly, musical fanta
the summer season's highlight
misdirected.
Briefly, the film deals wit!
Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly)
Beck), meet and discover the>
The girl. Kira (Olivia Newton
of the nine muses from Greek i
to earth, along with her eight s
various aspects of the arts and
Why Kira would inspire I
discotheque is anyone's guess
does. The discotheque, of cours
taken from Samuel Coleridge
fond of quoting from time to tir
Integrated into this less-th;
dozen songs, all of them exce
performed by the Electric Ligl
(either alone or in tandem wi
Tubes).
Greenwald, who previously 1
n rtrl f/\t* f nlnififtinn linn f n A
auu iui icicvidiuu, uao 11 icu ou
into something special that hi:
abilities that he simply could
He directs with undeniable
evidently became so big he cou
Take, for example, the seer
effort to make them appear c
effect), Greenwald had the Ui
surround them with ribbons ol
as that used to create the ligh
Empire Strikes Back.
A slight glow around the mi
life (they spring forth from
Angeles) might have been
mediately, but Greenwald ke
they're onscreen, thus detracti
sets, the music and the muses t
The sole exception to this hu
CMie s m su many scenes mai
would have cost a fortune, so s
(though why she glows at tin
never explained).
(ireenwald similarly botclu
number by giving the audienc
would like to see After repeat
ultimate pleasure palace, \v
entertainment its bill of-far
WBSBSmHHHn
erdancei
. got
fl^L" -i"'
9s i_ '
:> >y^/
^w'i^P PL j[
4 y^jBi
CZann Ka//i/ a c Dstnnw Mnt
growing up," Kelly ex- as not, hadn't se<
plained. "But the repeat all. It wasn't n<
buyers and the most in- them?it was a
terested ones were in their perience and they
teens and pre-teens. They Teens and pre-t
had never seen the films on said, now have th
the big screen and, as often make or break a
lewton-John
> movie fizzle
I Baker gleaming porticos
No one in their rig
is an occasionally inventive, much less an enti
__ a.I i ! t. r 1 _ it ' 1 a. -1
y uiai migni nave oeen one 01 aoes noining dui si
; had it not been so thoroughly over and over, but
is the closest mere
the story of how two men, But the biggest
and Sonny Malone (Michael Greenwald is his n
're in love with the same girl, dazzling beauty <
John), just happens to be one flawless smile am
lythology and she's been sent of the film.
isters, to inspire people in the Likewise, almos
ciences. sensitive way with
anny and Sonny to build a for the film, four i
, but that's exactly what she as background mu
g, is called "Xanadu," a name The powerhouse
s Kubla Kahn, which Kira is band music and
le. sings with the Tub
n-enthralling scenario are a looking females e
jtionally pleasant to listen to, cing Newton-John
t Orchestra and Newton-John the movie to shov
:h Kelly, Cliff Richard or the cepts of Xanadu c
it would be only r
las directed only for the stage both men, appear
laratomaKenisieatureaeDui i^esi you gei in
ideas got so far ahead of his however, let me
lot capture them on celluloid, are absolutely s|
enthusiasm, but the project You're Away Frc
dn't handle it. dance routine witl
2s involving the muses. In an a five-minute anil
jlestial (or something to that Away."
iversal special effects people The animation !
light, using the same process and Beck, both of
sabres in Star Wars and The into birds - is the
Had it been releai
ses just as they're coming to in a feature, it c<
a mural in downtown Los something that n<
nice had it dissipated im- worry about.
?ps them glowing as long as KelLy, who hasr
lg from the choreography, the knows how to hoo
lemselves. chance to demon
nan fireworks display is Kira. even less to wort
to make a lighthouse of her picture to rest (
le glows onlv at certain times miscast
se times and not at others is Heck's dramati
his talenis in mu
s .the film's final production entire course ot
the exact opposite of what it scorns even mor<
idly describing Xanadu as the John is supposed i
th singing dancing and live Put me in a sil
), we're taken inside it's smile off my face
y u^uiii
I
iHHi
ggg gg .
m Hi
S ........
Quire in 'Xanadu'.
i
jn them at boxoffice. He estimated that I
Dstalgia to 70 percent of today's
new ex- moviegoers are youngsters
loved it." and that fact makes it difeens,
Kelly ficult for producers to choose i
le ahilitv to
film at the See Hoofer, page 12
t shines
'SOUt
to find an instant replay of Roller Boogie. J
ht mind would want to spend five minutes,
re evening, in a joint where the clientele ;
Icate in a circle while chanting "Xan-a-du"
Greenwald apparently thinks such a place
humans will ever get to heaven.
- the one unforgivable - mistake made by
nisuse of Newton-John. There is not a more
>n this earth, yet Greenwald keeps her 1
i sparkling eyes hidden away during most
it no one can match Newton-John's sweet,
i a cnno Rut nf thp piffht snnPs shp rwnrripd !
. M O- ""O" o - \
(including the hit, "Magic") are used only
isic.
t "Dancin"' number, a mixture of 1940s big
1980 theatrical rock, which Newton-John
es, features three of the most unwholesome
ver to disgrace the silver screen, lip syns's
vocal parts. The number is included in
v how Danny s and bonny s aitiering conan
be meshed into one and, in that context,
latural to have Kira, since she is loved by
in their daydreams.
e impression that Xanadu is a total loss,
explain that it contains two sequences that
pellbinding. The first is the "Whenever
>m Me" number, which features a lovely
1 Newton-John and Kelly, and the second is
mated sequence set to ELO's "Don't Walk
here -- a love dance between Newton-John
whom are transformed first into fish, then
best non-Disney animation I've ever seen,
sed as a short subject rather than included
juld easily have won an Oscar next year,
[>ne of the cast members have anything to
1't starred in a musical in two decades, still
if, but the material here doesn't give him a
istrate his acting skills. Newton-John has
i with, leaving the dramatic weight of the
>11 the shoulders of Heck, who is totally
it* talents are limited, to the least, but
sical comedy arc non-existent lHa ng she
X<iruj<iij, Bock never stnilt >. a lad which
? bi/.arre when you consider that Newton
to be in love w ith him.
nation like that and you couldn't wipe the
with a brick.