Xanadu

Big budget musical fantasy based on the 1947 movie Down to Earth updated to Los Angeles, circa 1980. Graphic artist Sonny Malone finds his muse in the form of a stunning Olivia Newton-John sent down from Mount Halcyon [sic] to inspire him to open a roller disco club. The musical numbers, combining animation, 1940s big band, disco, country, rock and of course roller skating, must be seen to be believed. The production design is an unapologetic celebration of the glamour and excess of the late 1970s. The climactic scene reaches heights of such joy, rarely seen in a musical. It kept a smile on my face from beginning to end.