Just because Publicist J.B.Wilson really hated Xanadu and decided to make up a new award called a Razzie and give it to Xanadu, doesn't make it the worst movie ever made.
Xanadu had a production budget of $20,000,000.00. It had a very difficult opening weekend at only $1,471,595.00 from only 249 screens. This normally might be a sign of death, yet by popular word of mouth, it managed to gross $22,762,571.00, making it a profitable movie for Universal pictures. It made more money than other movies released that same weekend, and even surpassed PROM NIGHT ($14,796,236), USED CARS ($11,715,321), and even the hit musical FAME($21,202,829). It even beat out American Gigolo ($22,743,674).
'Can't Stop the Music' was the other musical nominated and winner of the Golden Razzie Award. It also had a production budget of $20,000,000.00 and it went on to earn ONLY $2,000,000.00, making it one of Universal's BIGGEST losses for 1980.
Xanadu may not have been the BIGGEST movie of the year, but it CERTAINLY wasn't the worst.
Other movies it went on to beat in box office numbers are: Scanners, Omen 4: The Final Conflict, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Even Friday the 13th part 2, Heavy Metal, & even Victor/Victoria.
There may be people who don't LIKE Xanadu, and everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion. ANYONE can create an award and give it to ANY movie, calling it whatever they want, but that certainly doesn't make it it true.
Xanadu not only earned money for Universal, went on to CULT status, inspired a successful Broadway production and continues to be enjoyed by it's loyal fan's worldwide.
Now....How is THAT considered the Worst Movie ever made?
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jayhn1111
9 years ago
Nothing will convince me that there's a worse movie than this. If there's a worse movie, I haven't seen it in my lifetime. I'm not impressed by the box office numbers or the money it made. It had Olivia Newton John in it. And Gene Kelly. That alone is going to boost sales big time. And maybe some people thought it was cutting edge for it's time also or like the music. Or some felt it would be a cool movie to see while tripping out on acid. It is the worst.
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Blueghost
9 years ago
No, it wasn't the worst film ever.
I have to admit, there are some good things about Xanadu, but like Kelly is quoted as saying, those people didn't know the genre.
The thing that bugs me is that it was a test vehicle for Olivia Newton John to see if she could carry movie on her own without someone like Travolta co-staring with her.
So it was given a kind of "let's get it done quickly" approach, or so it looks like.
When I compare the musical sequences from something like "Singing in the Rain" with "Xanadu", the quality is night and day.
Compare Kelly's dream sequence from "Singing in the Rain" with the equivalent in "Xanadu" where the two leads are skating through a movie studio.
One is top of the line, the other is a cheap knock off aftermarket product (thank goodness it wasn't made in China because it would've fallen apart with all the plastic put into it).
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