30 Day Movie Challenge. Day 18: Film that is your guilty pleasure

I have a lot of guilty pleasure movies.  I like some weird shit, but my choice for top dog on this one was easy, because I LOVE this film!!!

“In Xanadu, did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure dome decree…”

Xanadu

This is the story of Danny McGuire, a struggling artist who needs inspiration and gets that inspiration from the beautiful Muse, Kira.  She didn’t expect to fall in love with him, though.  It’s a common story.  Beautiful, fancy woman falls for an artsy broke guy.  The basic plot is great.  It’s the writing and the approach that make this a guilty pleasure.  If you didn’t grow up with this movie and love it for years, there is NO WAY you would enjoy it.  Unless you are the type of person who absolutely loves bad movies, that is. 

All they knew when they started writing this film was they definitely needed this hip new craze, “roller skating” to be a big part of it.  It was rewritten constantly throughout filming.  It’s weird.  It’s cheesy.  It’s silly.  It’s a musical.  It’s everything a guilty pleasure movie should be made of. 

Now…obviously I love this movie, so I’ll explain why.  When I was a kid I was in love with Olivia Newton-John.  She could do no wrong in my eyes.  She kinda still can’t.  I love that woman!  The soundtrack is amazing.  Half ELO and the other half Olivia Newton-John.  Gene Kelly sings in it.  Gene Kelly dances in it.  This was Gene Kelly’s last feature film.  There is a cartoon sequence where the main characters turn into fish and birds for absolutely no reason.  Olivia Newton-John wears the sexiest 80’s roller skating clothes ever.  I could go on and on with the reasons this movie rules.  The problem being…they are the exact same reasons this movie is a guilty pleasure. 

My favorite moments are the songs, for sure.  Magic, Suddenly, Suspended in Time, I’m Alive, the Rock/Big Band mash-up, Whenever You’re Away From Me with Gene Kelly and Olivia Newton-John, Xanadu…it’s all great!  

This movie famously got the one sentence review: “In a word, Xana-don’t”, but I say Xana-DO…Xana-DO!!!  I love this movie.

A place where nobody dared to go
The love that we came to know
They call it Xanadu

Coming soon…

Day 19: Film that made you cry the hardest
Day 20: Movie with your favorite actress
Day 21: Movie with your favorite actor
Day 22: Movie you wish you could live in
Day 23: Movie that inspires you
Day 24: Movie with your favorite soundtrack
Day 25: Movie with the most beautiful scenery
Day 26: Movie you’re most embarrassed to say you like
Day 27: Movie with your favorite villain
Day 28: Movie with your favorite hero
Day 29: First movie you ever remember watching
Day 30: Last movie you watched