Is the movie Can't Stop the Music worth seeing?

It's a camp classic. Stars DL heartthrob Steve Guttenberg. Written and produced by showbiz oddment Allan Carr; directed by Nancy Walker from the Bounty paper towel ads (etc.). It came out just after the popularity of disco had crested and people were getting sick of it. A true trainwreck.

OP, I also recommend "Roller Boogie."

I saw this movie being filmed in the summer of 1979.

Excellent R1! From your description this definitely sounds like something I will have to check out.

Also only recently discovered this clip below from Roller Boogie and I am obsessed with it. Will definitely want to watch it too. I really think some cheesy joy is what I'm looking for at the moment, and am really into all things turn of the 70s/80s decade right now.

Incidentally, I showed the Roller Boogie clip to my 5 year old nephew and he was excitedly shouting: "Yowzers!" (his latest word) when he saw all the different roller skating moves.

That's so cool, R2! Any stories?

Directed by Nancy Walker? Our Nancy Walker?

Pairs well also with Xanadu or if you want a truly terrible early 80s musical with no redeeming features, The Apple.

R6, I've never seen Xanadu, but I have wanted to in the past - thanks for reminding me it existed! I do love the song "Xanadu" too.

Maybe a Can't Stop the Music - Roller Boogie - Xanadu movie marathon is on the cards!

Haha, and The Apple as backup, maybe :)

It's ridiculous but fun, and a great window into what NYC looked like at the tail end of the '70s. One pretty hilarious note -- filming would occasionally get disrupted by loud bands of protesters (who thought they were sabotaging "Cruising," which was being filmed in the same areas at around the same time).

[quote]It's ridiculous but fun, and a great window into what NYC looked like at the tail end of the '70s. One pretty hilarious note -- filming would occasionally get disrupted by loud bands of protesters (who thought they were sabotaging "Cruising," which was being filmed in the same areas at around the same time).

That IS really interesting! Thanks for sharing. Imagine the director being all: "But this is a movie about roller skating and the Village People, I promise!" Hehe.

Re: a window into New York of the time, this really does interest me a great deal. To me it is similar to looking into Berlin around the late 20s/early 30s. Incidentally, I am the poster who on another thread was watching a heap of 70s/80s horror movies. I've yet to see Cruising, but I do plan to get around to it some day. I've watched a number of horror movies from that time set in New York which are an interesting insight into what things looked like then too, and I find it all very fascinating (so far of this particular niche I've seen "The Driller Killer", "Maniac", "Basket Case" and "The New York Ripper" - most of these films made me feel like having a bath afterwards, but enjoyed them a lot at the same time).

Also, I guess Desperately Seeking Susan although a few years later, counts too.

R9 If you haven't seen it yet, DEFINITELY check out "The Eyes of Laura Mars." Great schlocky, campy classic, with lots of great, gritty '70s NYC scenes, including the old piers.

R6.. true about "the apple" but it did feature that gorgeous George Gilmour in his spray painted on powder blue jeans and great bulge... and that kinky erotic campy classic song and scene "i'm cumming for you"... where he is drugged, helpless and screwed by the horny black woman, a power trip screw of her on him since his character was a goody two shoes...

alan carr also did "where the boys are 84"..... filled with male eye candy and yes, back in the day when handsome well built men wearing speedos/bikini's was the norm!

Yessssssssss OP. Yesssssss

Thanks, R10! I didn't know that was a movie, but I have heard "The Eyes of Laura Mars" referenced in music before. Oh and it has Faye Dunaway in it, I will definitely need to add this to the list!

[quote]George Gilmour in his spray painted on powder blue jeans and great bulge...

I feel I really missed out being born after this period. I mean, one quick glance could tell you what religion guys were back in those days, it seems! I enjoy a lot of the body types from this period too. The guy above, Steve Guttenberg, has a great physique to my eyes.

[quote]alan carr also did "where the boys are 84"..... filled with male eye candy and yes, back in the day when handsome well built men wearing speedos/bikini's was the norm!

Sold!

I wonder if roller disco’s will ever come back into fashion?

R4- I was 13 years old. It was SO exciting for me at that age to see a movie being filmed. They were filming these girls or a girl roller skating. They kept filming that shot. My father had an office in the area and that's why I was able to stumble onto the filming of the movie.

I love the story about the protesters. What a great year it must have been to be in New York.

RF Good lord; yes! Quicker-picker-upper Nancy. How did I not know this?

Oops... R5 ^

R15, that must've been an amazing experience! I can just imagine :)

[quote]I wonder if roller disco’s will ever come back into fashion?

I'd be there in a flash if so. But I just looked it up and apparently it's still popular in some parts of the world and according to Wiki, the most popular place at the moment is my home town! Haha, I live at the ass end of Australia, but apparently we love our roller discos. I never knew!

Can't Stop the Music kind of wears out its welcome because it has such poor writing and acting and no plot to speak of, but if you look at it as a collection of music videos it can be interesting. The best video segment is in the YMCA, which is wonderfully homoerotic.

The sad side of the movie is you have to wonder what Bruce Jenner was thinking at the time, and what she is thinking now, and just how messed up Caitlyn Jenner is about her own gender and sexuality.

When Bruce Jenner was hot and a closet case

Another DISCO movie of the late 70's that some dl disco queens would remember- Thank God It's Friday.

Here's a weird scene from that movie. This sorta hot guy dancing on all of those BIG 70's cars.

The first half yes, yes, yes for so many reasons. But as the film progresses it becomes tedious.

OMG R22, hahahahaha!!

This movie must be scrubbed from herstory!

It literally deadnames Caitlyn Jenner ALL THE WAY THROUGH!!

Burn all copies now!!!

[quote]But as the film progresses it becomes tedious.

Thanks for the warning. I just looked up the running time and it clocks in at just over 2 hours! That surprised me, most of the movies of this era I have been watching barely reach 90 minutes!

A lot of camp classics just run out of gas after the first 30-60 minutes. This is true of some John Waters films like "Female Trouble" and "Multiple Maniacs".

This came out when I was 13 and from the commercials I knew it had naked (or nearly) naked men in it. I wanted to see it but felt guilty about it. When it finally came to HBO I would watch it on the basement TV and wait for the YMCA scene. Kids today are so spoiled. It took a lot of planning and patience to see a naked man back then.

Just one of the many fabulous, unforgettable musical numbers from "Can't Stop the Music".

And remember, a huge portion of America had NO CLUE these guys were (mostly) gay.

I’m used to be not able to stay awake to the end of the film.

Until Bruce Jenner transitioned. NOW it is hilarious.

Be warned: the opening scene of Roller Boogie may possibly make you die of acute secondhand embarrassment. A more cringeworthy dance number was never committed to celluloid.

Prove me wrong.

R13 Steve Guttenberg is gay, right?

Steve from last year. Still looks good.

R32- Yes

R21 Bruce Jenner was never a closet case. Even after he transed he still dates women. Or at least men who used to be women. He has zero interest in sex with men.

But I bet he was a closeted cross-dresser!

[quote]This is true of some John Waters films like "Female Trouble"

I love, love, LOVE Female Trouble. But you are right that after Divine's show ("Who wants to die for art?!") it could've been tightened up just a tad.

[quote] Be warned: the opening scene of Roller Boogie may possibly make you die of acute secondhand embarrassment. A more cringeworthy dance number was never committed to celluloid.

Hahaha, you got me excited to see this now! Once I get to see it, I'll report back on the level of red my face achieves, haha!

[quote]Kids today are so spoiled. It took a lot of planning and patience to see a naked man back then.

No kidding. It was the 90s for me, but still, endless pouring over the TV guide to see which foreign movies on SBS were marked with a "s" or an "n" to then stay up late for or secretly tape off the TV, then watching back, 7 times out of 10 disappointed because it was all women's breasts, hehe.

In the 1970s and early 1980s, seeing naked men happened only in a few selected places -- in the department store catalog men's underwear section (Speigel was a favorite), at a suburban mall where you could go to either the Waldenbooks or Krochs & Brentano's to browse the magazines like Exercise for Men Only or International Male. On television, I had to get by on watching Dukes of Hazzard on Friday nights, or reruns of McHale's Navy, or old Tarzan movies for a glimpse of male beefcake. We did not have cable TV or videos at that time, and I was too young to even know that there was gay male porn and had no idea where an adult bookstore was. So all you had was catalogs, magazines, and TV. It was all very hit and miss.

As another thread is reminding us, the naked-man deficit changed overnight in the 90s when the A&F ads and catalogues started showcasing them (no peen, but plenty of ass, pecs, and abs).

R38- Around1982 my friend gave me some of his father's Nudist Camp magazines from the 1960's- in those days those were like GOLD DUST- having ANYTHING to masturbate to was appreciated back then because most 16 year old boys had to use their imagination.

That song over the opening credits about New York is so bad. The lyrics sound like they were written by a D-List ad agency.

It would have been so much better with a real song (Native New Yorker) and decent photography.

They're playing this upbeat mindless song about New York as the "pulse of the world" while showing garbage trucks, graffiti, abusive bag ladies, etc.

Hahaha you guys are so right! And I was thinking while watching: "Wait, isn't 1980 generally considered one of the most dangerous years in New York history?" and all those lyrics about how it's the best place in the world. It made me smile, it's very campy. One of the lyrics sounds like: "New York City is the city of crime" even though he sings something else, and I thought: "Well that would be a more fitting line for the time, I'm sure".

But it all just delights me in that very cheesy way. I found that song and was listening to it on the way to work yesterday. Put me in a good mood.

Bad terrible.

I like your joie de vivre, OP!

New York...city of GUSTO!

I love this movie! It's terrible, but also good campy fun and always puts me in a good mood. LOTS of eye candy. Steve Guttenberg was particularly adorable and hunky in this.

If you're going to watch other films in addition, don't forget this one. It stars Jeff Goldblum and Donna Summer among others, and features a song that won the Academy Award!

And it has Tammy Grimes! What's her part in it and does she still have her strange accent?

[quote]Directed by Nancy Walker? Our Nancy Walker?

Well.... I have the DVD signed by Valerie Perrine and Steve Guttenberg and the Movie paperback book signed by Alan Carr, Bruce Jenner (at the time) and The Village People so I met the whole lead cast. Valerie Perrine told me that Nancy Walker never wanted to come out of her trailer because she wanted to watch "her stories" as Nancy called them and the cinematographer did a lot of the directing. Gayest movie ever made with a full frontal in a PG movie. Oh my.

....and you have to see it letterboxed or you're missing half the movie.

[quote]What a great year it must have been to be in New York.

1980 - The year the first men in NYC died of AIDS. The "before" time when there were only a few cases...and the music didn't stop.

This movie's cast is so weird... June Havoc! Tammy Grimes! ALTOVISE DAVIS!

Marilyn Sokol, looking like Tim Curry in drag, has the best line in the film when talking about the native American guy from The Village People.

[quote] I go for exotic types, particularly when they're half naked. You tell him...i'll make up for all the indignities they suffered in Roots.

I love the beginning, with Steve Guttenberg maniacally rollerdancing in tight white pants (showing hilarious VPL) in the Manhattan traffic. When I first saw that number in the movie theatre, some queen loudly said behind me, "My GOD! It's like he's got the world's most POWERFUL vibrator SHOVED UP HIS ASS!" and everyone in the theatre burst out laughing.

I like cheese I like camp, but find "Can't Stop the Music" impossible to sit through.

It is unwatchable.

Watchable only as drunk NYE fare, as is tradition.

[quote]I like your joie de vivre, OP!

Thank you, R45, that is very kind of you!

[quote]This movie's cast is so weird... June Havoc! Tammy Grimes! ALTOVISE DAVIS!

Embarrasingly, I have to admit, I don't know who these people are. In fact the only people I'm aware of in this movie are Bruce Jenner and the Village People. But hearing you guys mentioning all these names makes me even more keen to see it, I feel like I'll be getting an education in 'DL-faves' while watching.

I do wish my friends shared my fascination with 'retro' films and cheesiness so we could watch these together. They seem like fun movies to watch in a group. I'm kinda the outlier though with this kind of thing. Oh, and will add "Thank God It's Friday" to the list for sure, thanks to those who recommended it.

PS, in the clip from Roller Boogie I posted above, I am so obsessed with those three guys at 1:23. I wish we could see more of their dancing!

Steve Guttenberg was sex on fucking stick back in 1980's.

Catch him in 1985 film Cocoon....

1980's seemed to be the decade hot young shaggy Jewish guys on screen like Steve Guttenberg, Mandy Patinkin among others.

"Is the movie Can't Stop the Music worth seeing?"

If you're a young person, especially gay it is a good movie to watch for seeing a now long vanished slice of NYC gay culture including Christopher Street/West Village/West Street. It also is a gook look back at a New York City that is largely gone as well.

West Village now is about money, money, and money. This includes the bougie gays who live down there who've forgotten not so distant past.

^Fucking ace, thanks R58!

[quote]If you're a young person, especially gay it is a good movie to watch for seeing a now long vanished slice of NYC gay culture including Christopher Street/West Village/West Street. It also is a gook look back at a New York City that is largely gone as well.

All of this definitely interests me!

Steve Guttenberg couldn't dance to save his life, but he was just so fucking hot and cute no one would give a damn.

It's just so impressive how much energy he gives in what I've seen so far. It's a real delight!

R61

West Village still retained large part of working/middle class to maybe even slightly shabby roots still in 1970's and into 1980's. Cruising could be just going to corner store for a gallon of milk and loaf of bread.

In many ways it truly was a "village". Tons of small shops, cute little restaurants, bakeries, cafes... But what made things interesting was mix of people who lived in area. Old school Italians and Irish mix in with leather queens, and everyone got along to some extent.

More SG in his prime. Wasn't he just the cutest thing?

Last one from film "Cocoon".

R14

Who said it roller disco ever died?

Steve Guttenberg is gorgeous. I can't believe I've never heard of him before, he's been in a number of movies I HAVE heard of. Glad to finally be introduced to him.

Am pissed that threw away a nearly new set of Salomon rollerblades as Rockefeller ice skating rink as brought back disco skating. .

Fun! You know, I never had roller skates. I really want to get a pair now!

R32

SG married a woman several years back, so do with that bit of information what you will.

He did leave things rather late, and so far they haven't had any children.

Think by now if Steve G. were doing or being done to by somebody, word would have leaked out by now. But then again Bruce Jenner was the last person one suspected would spring up as a trans, so who knows....

I remember being shocked that Bruce Jenner ruined his face with that nose job, although it now makes sense.

Last Steve Guttenberg clip, I promise...

Never apologise, R73. He has a great body!

Owners of Roxy club wanted to reopen in part to host roller disco parties. Locals weren't having any of it however. All that new money along High Line did *NOT* want any sort of bar or club opening and mobilized to nip things in bud.

There used to be roller disco on weekends in Central Park either in bandshell area or just beyond on other side. Residents of CPW and Fifth Avenue complained about noise (in particular those Brazilian drummers), which prompted Central Park Conservancy (who all but own CP) to put an end to things.

R74

Steve Guttenberg like RJ Portales (see link) and many other guys are naturally blessed with big chests. Even without working out they are that way, but when such guys start pumping iron....

Rest of it is as stated, SG just has that shaggy Jew guy look which can be quite hot. Hairy chest, mop of thick hair on head, big dark eyes....

R75, that's so interesting. I thought New York was a city of noise and it was viewed with pride, ie that something was always happening. That seems pretty that all the fun was taken away!

Where I live people have a habit of moving in to the areas that come alive at night because they want to be near all the action. Then they complain because it's too noisy and all the fun gets shut down. None of the clubs I used to go to in my teens/early 20s are around anymore because of that.

West Village changed due to a number of factors coming together, gentrification was only but one.

HIV/AIDS crisis of 1980's into 1990's emptied out large parts of West Village and Christopher Street. Patrons of bars and clubs along with their owners and workers began dying like everyone else. Ditto for business owners and others. Cried for hours after finding out one of my favourite waiters at Tiffany's Diner for years (Gerry) had passed on.

For younger gays and others who lived on West Village just had too many ghosts, so action moved up to Chelsea/8th Avenue.

When it became clear manufacturing and shipping were never going to return to NYC, mayors Bloomberg and Giuliani turned their administrations lose on what would happen with West Village including waterfront. The piers were finally all torn down, and new Chelsea Piers sports/park went up.

Huge parts of Chelsea were rezoned which pushed gentrification down from north which met forces coming up from south (Tribeca, Soho, Fidi), and soon West Village became largely what it is now, playground for wealthy.

People who live down their now love the "charm" of West Village in their suburbia way, but they don't want any of what they feel were negative things. Christopher Street, West Street, and Washington Street were cleaned up of minority young gays, and trans. Boots and Saddle got the boot, and so it goes...

Steve gets his arse out on occasion, for those interested:

R78, thanks for sharing, that was really interesting, and sad too. I feel most of my lifetime cities have been these sterile, playground for the wealthy sort of places. I wish I could've experienced some of what you guys got to.

Am totally convinced SG got most of roles he did in 1980's because of semi or whatever nudity. Don't think he did one film where at least for one scene he wasn't at least shirtless.

Didn't see "High Spirits" (R79 link) in theatres, but waited for it to come out on VHS. That way could get my Steve Guttenberg fix on in comfort of my own home.

Personally stopped going down to West Village R90 long ago. Action had moved to Chelsea or other areas of Manhattan, so had no need to go down there. Besides as have said just too many ghosts, even for my then young self.

Then came 9/11/01 and further refused to go in WV or even near. For all of my life Twin Towers were my landmark when on westside of Manhattan from about 34th street, or really even far over on east side. You'd stand at corner of 7th avenue and 14th and those two beautiful towers dominated skyline. Couldn't handle the emptiness that came after they were gone.

Final nail in coffin was when St. Vincent's hospital closed. That place was a West/Greenwich Village institution. Once it was turned into luxury condos was total end of WV for me.

R79

Steve Guttenberg's ass is not one of his finest attributes. He ought to stick to flaunting his chest.....

See, I think it was a cute one, R83. I know what you mean, but I mean, it's cute!

I'm a bit of a butt fanatic though, haha.

On another note Victor Willis after a rough patch turned his life around. He's very well off financially thanks in good part to regaining copyright ownership in full or part of work he did while part of "the Village People".

^Just read up on his personal life, seems like he really went through a rough time. Great to see him turn it around. Also says he was married to Phylicia Rashad for a time!

R78-When I started going to bars in Manhattan in the summer/fall of 1994 the epicenter of gay life had just shifted from the West Village to Chelsea.

By the fall of 1994 Chelsea and places like Splash were the place were the young good looking guys went to see and be seen.

I saw it when it premiered. It was embarrassing then, and it's even more embarrassing now. The only things not embarrassing about the movie were the sexy men and all the full baskets on display.

Even Bruce Jenner was embarrassed about being in that thing. And considering how his life has turned out it takes a hell of a lot to embarrass that one.

More roller disco madness at the "Playboy's Roller Disco & Pajama Party" (1979) featuring Dorothy Stratten and James Caan!

[quote] This movie's cast is so weird... June Havoc! Tammy Grimes! ALTOVISE DAVIS!

[quote] Embarrasingly, I have to admit, I don't know who these people are.

June Havoc: Famous Broadway actress, born June Hovick, who was also well-known as the sister of Gypsy Rose Lee (real name: Louise Hovick). As such, Havoc is the original for the key character of "Baby June/Dainty June" in the musical GYPSY (which she did not like). Her famous Broadway productions include the original PAL JOEY (as Gladys Bumps) and THE WARM PENINSULA; she also wrote the Broadway play MARATHON '33 which starred Julie Harris (her co-star in THE WARM PENINSULA).

Tammy Grimes: One-of-a-kind Broadway actress with a distinctively gravelly voice and kooky persona, best known for starring in the title role of THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN. Had a very short-lived network sitcom in the early 1960s, THE TAMMY GRIMES SHOW. Once married to Christopher Plummer (their daughter together is Amanda Plummer).

Altovise Davis: African-American musical actress/singer/dancer, best know as Sammy Davis Jr.'s third wife.

R88- In some ways the Village People were VERY embarrassing 🙈 then.

Vennera in R22's fun scene in fave of mine "TGIF" is so hotly adorable and reminds me in this movie of a kind of late 1970s disco-movie character version of Gilbert Roland. ;)

Back in the late 1990s, I helped decorate the Jenner/Kardashian house for the holidays. Bruce was away at a conference, but Kris and the three oldest girls were there. As we were finishing up, Kris asked if we'd like to have Bruce autograph a Wheaties box when he'd return and send to us. I said yes but for my dad, not me. I told her what I'd have really liked would've been the cover from my CSTM cd.

She found that rather amusing.

Six weeks later, the box arrived in the mail at my parents' house.

[quote]Steve gets his arse out on occasion, for those interested:

His ass in "The Man That Wasn't There" was in 3D.

I liked it better than TGIF, & the song Samantha is a bop!

R89 That is hilarious. Hairy James Caan in those overalls -- good god! Funny how many Nancy Spungens, Laura Derns, and Glenn Closes are in the frazzled-blonde bikini mix.

R96, I agree about the video. Fascinating to see such a specific time and place -- southern California in 1979 ... famous people surrounded by beautiful and entertaining people roller skating on a tennis court with disco background music, and all of them thinking it is novel and special. They didn't have a care in the world, or so they thought. Surreal to see Dorothy Stratten, who would be dead within a few months. And to imagine Bill Cosby there keeping everyone laughing ... (Hey, did he just put something in your drink?)

It could be said that after World War II, white men felt like they owned the world, and they acted like it. The entertainment of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s reflects this perception of invincibility.

P.S. to the previous post: I remember bib overalls in the late 70s and early 80s being very sexy.

^I remember an attempt to make them a thing in the late 90s. It didn't work then, haha.

R90, thanks for providing some context to those names for me!

It was known to the production crew as "Can't Stop The Faggots". True. I met someone who knew the caftaned producer Allan Carr, and he told me that Alan had -- in the eternal Hollywood way, told endless boys over the years he'd get them into movies, and in the pool scene "God help him, so he did!" A promise fulfilled.

I think my favourite part from the opening is when Steve Guttenberg spins that girl around so that all three of the girls are in proper, T-shirt order, and then he boogies his little rump off as they skate away. He can't dance, but it's so cute and silly!

Bruce turned down two movies to star in this.

One was Airplane, with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar getting the co-pilot role instead.

The other was Superman, which then had to settle for Christopher Reeves

And later Jack began making poor decisions

oops, Bruce

One word of caution, Xanadu is not in the same camp class as Can’t Stop the Music and Thank God it’s Friday. It is surprisingly dull, and I think you’ll be disappointed.

[quote] Bruce turned down two movies to star in this. One was Airplane, with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar getting the co-pilot role instead. The other was Superman, which then had to settle for Christopher Reeves

Bruce Jenner auditioned but didn't get it, Reeve auditioned and got. There was no settling. Jenner sucked.

Not gay at all.

gaytastic

Cant Stop the Music!

Thanks for the heads up, R105!

Can't believe no one's posted the YMCA number yet. Hilariously awful, but with hot naked guys and some glimpses of cock and ass.

[quote]It is surprisingly dull, and I think you’ll be disappointed.

Some of us beg to differ R105. CSTM is far worse story and acting wise.

"Thank God It's Friday" is the bore fest. Saw all three at the movies, "Can't Stop The Music" in 70MM at NY's Zeigfeld Theater, "Xanadu" and "Thank God It's Friday", with Friday being utterly forgettable, well except for the Oscar winning song that doesn't even come in until it's almost over.

R113 My brother dragged me to the theater to see "Thank God it's Friday" because he was in love with Donna Summer. I thought the movie was pretty dumb, except for the "Last Dance" finale and a pretty good comic performance by Paul Jabara as a nerd stuck in the disco stairwell with a hot girl.

Does anyone remember that this was also Debra Winger's feature film debut?

your brother is gay, right?

R115 No, believe it or not! He was just horny for Donna.

[quote]Does anyone remember that this was also Debra Winger's feature film debut?

Actually her debut was two years before in the low budget sex comedy :Slumber Party '57.

And history was made

What about the movie Skatetown, U.S.A.? I just saw a mention of this on YouTube just then. Would it be a good addition to the above movie marathon ideas?

[quote]But as the film progresses it becomes tedious.

Progresses? I couldn't stick OP's 4 minute clip.

[quote]that the inner cynic in me forgot to even roll his eyes at the ridiculous "New York is the greatest city in the world" lyrics to the song.

late 70s there were tons of songs about "FABULOUS New York" usually to a crazy disco beat.

Thanks for sharing, R121! It's better than the Madonna one! 😉

Shit, R122, I was JUST about to ask if a disco version of "New York New York" had ever been done. I know that's not the same song, but the same song title was a coincidence just as I was writing that.

Here's another

NYC was pretty obsessed with itself in the late 70s

"You're no tramp, but you're no lady..." hehehe, R124! Thanks for that one!

talkin' that street talk - up in Harlem... down on Broadway!!

don't forget the "horror" movies of the late 70s and early 80's that featured many no name hunks...

I watch this movie several times a year! Its my go-to when I need a pick me up. I also love the soundtrack except for "Liberation"

Alrighty! I still haven't seen Can't Stop the Music, but I was tooling around on streaming tonight and they have uploaded some Olivia Newton-John movies recently, one being the infamous Xanadu, so I just sat down and watched it then.

I'm just curious as to who came up with this idea and why. There isn't really anything [italic]there[/italic] in this movie. It seems more like the intention was to film a series of dance routines with just the merest storyline in between them. I did wonder if it was an attempt to create a kind of movie that was no longer existing even by the 80s, especially as there was that whole emphasis on 1945 compared to 1980 thing in the film.

Gene Kelly's eternal grin was a little bit freaky, haha.

I dunno, it was sweet (cheesy, really) and I liked some of the music. I also spent most of the movie thinking: "what is going on right now?" I do love the song "Xanadu" and enjoyed the end of the movie, though the song does maybe lose just a bit in context of the movie when it comes across more as an advertising jingle for the club. And then she started singing other songs, and by the time she was doing the country song, I have to admit I was laughing out loud, thinking again: "What on earth is going on right now?"

Did it seem to anyone else like there were no guests in the club, just hired dancers? Hehehe.

I did like the scene where the two of them imagine the club being either a 40s thing or an 80s thing, and the music of both eras merging to create one tune. And I know I'm just a big old Mary but I was a tiny bit sad at the end when she left him all alone (though obviously he now has the waitress to fall in love with). It's so sappy, but I guess that seems to work on me, no matter the cheese.

Anyway, glad to have seen it. A totally harmless film, even if probably one I won't revisit. But wouldn't mind listening to a few of the tracks on the album again (unfortunately streaming doesn't have a complete version of the soundtrack).

I thought it was boring

The producer, Allan Carr, was very troubled as was the production. His Grease was a terrific success, but the quality of his output was highly uneven, due largely to his personal issues. He is described in this documentary about him, which discusses Can't Stop the Music in detail.

I meant Xanadu is boring, not Can’t Stop the Music, which is delightful

Thanks R134 I just watched that documentary on Amazon. It was indeed fabulous.

R135, I will admit, I found it kinda boring too. I did like the music (mostly) and some of the routines though.

There is a podcast that discusses how the would fix bad movies. I listened to their episode on Xanadu today and they basically said you would have to completely remove Sonny from the movie and make it about Gene Kelly's character.

[quote]Did it seem to anyone else like there were no guests in the club, just hired dancers? Hehehe.

R132 I always wondered that, makes it look kinda empty. I think the whole sequence would look much better if they hired more extras to play the guests.

well we do have to thank Carr for also making "where the boys are 84"!....

Caitlyn Jenner is convincing as a pussy-hungry cismale lawyer, but the movie is a bit of a slog. It is worth getting through just for the production numbers, though.

R139 Starring me as a 32-year old college coed!

Not Frisco, dear. San Fransisco.

Grr! I can't listen to half the soundtrack for Xanadu because it's "not available in your country". Why would this be? Hell, ONJ was born here, haha. Anyway, maybe they'll fix that in light of her recent passing? I was curious to get better acquainted with the music, as it's probably the main thing I actually liked from the movie.

What the hell does thag have to do with CStM?

[quote]What the hell does thag have to do with CStM?

Because, if you read the thread you'll see that the conversation broadened to other cheesy movies featuring roller skating from that time, like Xanadu and Roller Boogie. I still haven't watched Can't Stop the Music yet, but I managed to see Xanadu recently, hence writing about it here.

I had a dream I slept with Steve Guttenberg and I didn't know who he was.

^I want to have that dream!

Olivia Newton-John was Allan Carr's first choice to star but she turned him down. He called her an ungrateful cunt because he "made her a star." But ONJ said she only asked for two new songs for her to sing, that were to be written by John Farrar. She said that is exactly what she asked for in "Grease."

Having Rhoda's mom direct a movie was an inspired choice.

R148... how could ANYONE call Olivia a "cunt"...Universally loved by all who worked with her and knew her isn't she?

Carr was coked up at the time

Allan Carr wanted to recreate the Busby Berkeley movies he saw as a fat gay kid in darkened theaters.

Gayest movie ever made including gay porn because besides all the singing and dancing , you still get glimpses of dick.

^I really am gonna have to rent the thing from YouTube (only place I can find it). Campy good fun AND dicks? Sounds great!

R154 Don't get too excited. The dicks are fleeting and they're only in the YMCA number. Blink and you'll miss 'em.

Well as long as Steve Guttenberg wears tight trousers throughout the movie, I reckon I'll be happy, haha!

Considering OP posted this question in April, he could have just watched the fucking film by now.

OP has quite a busy life, R157.

I'm sorry you are so angry, but it wasn't me that hurt you.

"OP has quite a busy life"

Yeah, those straight white guys on TikTok won't stalk themselves.

I wonder if Bruce was considered for Superman?

If you have to ask, no.

[quote]Don't get too excited. The dicks are fleeting and they're only in the YMCA number. Blink and you'll miss 'em.

Never satisfied are you?