Xanadu

[javasaurus]

During lunch today, the background music was Olivia Newton-John's theme song to Xanadu, the cheesey film dedicated to skating rinks and finding your muse.

Comments

[dawntreader]

is this a complaint? or a wtf? or a bit of nostalgia of a wonderfully written movie soundtrack?

my favourite part is the 40s/70s crossover number at the club. and i also love Magic.

... unless you were saying "omg this is teh dumb" in which case ignore that last part where i just admitted that Olivia Newton John was once my idol. *lol*

[javasaurus.livejournal.com]

I have mixed feelings about Xanadu. On the one hand, it was formulaic fluff that just screamed sweetness. On the other hand, it was pop, fun, and magical. It was people taking a chance on love and hope, and finding out that life can be as magical as you're willing to make it. And of course, I loved the dictionary scene, and the leap-of-faith skate-into-a-brick-wall scene. The early 70s were full of darkness in the movies, in the music, perhaps as a reaction to Vietnam, as a reaction to Watergate. Then the culture started looking for escapes from cultural depression, and disco thrived (wasn't that the tema of Saturday Night Fever?). Finally the festering boil that was the 70s ripened and popped with a scattering of cultural attempts at promising hope (one could even say, "A New Hope," though back then we just called it Star Wars), and Xanadu was part of that wave, a reminder that America had lost its muse, but only needed to have faith to find it again. Or maybe I was right the first time, and it (Xanadu) really was just fomulaic fluff.

Does that answer your question?

[dawntreader]

honestly? however you interpret it is what's right for you. it's like poems, movies, Shakespeare, good or bad literature... the message you take from it is what it means to you. just because someone doesn't get the same message doesn't mean you took the wrong meaning.

that being said, i think Xanadu is fluffy, but with great music and a light-handed message. (and roller skating! i was a roller skating queen back in The Day.) Xanadu is a representation of old meets new and how they aren't incompatible the way many people assume. sometimes all you need is a little push of inspiration and it all works out in the end.

now what they need is a sequel! Xanadu 2: The Muse Strikes Back. (then again... maybe not. *lol*)