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Village People - Can't Stop the Music

Village People - Can't Stop the Music

List Price: $14.98
Your Price: $13.48
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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: An unstoppable piece of high camp
Review: OK, fans, here it is at last. In pristine Panavision and 6.1 DTS stereo, the most jaw-droppingly campy movie musical in memory comes to DVD. If you've never seen this piece of work, you haven't any idea how howlingly bad it really is; if you know the film, you'll be happy to see it presented as originally shown. The highlights (or lowlights, depending upon how you view it) are endless: the tacky production design, the really bad script, the incredibly unsubtle acting, the virtually talentless Village People, the disco production numbers that look to have been assembled and shot so hastily that you find yourself thinking "did they have ANY idea of what they were doing?" Bruce Jenner, why? Valerie Perrine and Steve Guttenberg, why? Tammy Grimes and Baby June Havoc, oh why? The movie worms its way into your heart however, because it really is clueless. And it brashly goes straight ahead at full velocity in its awfulness. It's not "Lost Horizon" with that pseudo-hip score or the awful weight of immortality pushing it down; it's not "Mame" with an ancient Lucille Ball hitting notes in the key of K flat and conducting the chorus as if she were some sort of Pied Piper; and it's not "Xanadu" - it's closest kin - because Gene Kelly and Olivia Newton-John have actual musical talent. "Can't Stop the Music" exists in a rarified strata of its own - both spectacularly bad and unquenchably entertaining - and we're very glad to have it on DVD.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: WHY HASN'T CRITERION PICKED THIS UP? SO AWFUL IT'S GOOD!
Review: Considering that this movie has managed, as a result of its incredibly dismal box office record back in 1980, to end any ideas that Hollywood might have about future movie musicals, it's a mystery that Criterion hasn't picked this up for remastering and augmentation with countless extra features (both the director and the producer have since passed away, so the time is right...hello, Criterion! ). Besides, if they can release that awful sci-fi flick "Armageddon" on a double-DVD set, they can surely strike gold with this movie.

What more can be said about this ill-timed disco musical fantasy/biography that hasn't already been mentioned? I remember paying to see this in a theater where I was the only soul in attendance! It was pretty bad then, and it's just as bad now, if not worse.

The film retells the formation of the Village People. They star as themselves (before the big 1980/1981 personnel change, anyway) and are accompanied by Steve Guttenberg who's terrible, Valerie Perrine who's even worse, and Bruce Jenner before his face-feminizing plastic surgery. The storyline is pure fantasy (it IS a musical, isn't it?), and the acting is really bottom-of-the-barrel--it's no wonder I haven't seen any of these people ever do anything else--. Ahh, but there's the sweet disco music that more than makes up for the actors' shortcomings!

That this movie was directed by Nancy Walker (of "Rhoda" fame) should tell you something. Some moments are so bad, you'll be screaming in disbelief. The scene in which the construction worker dreams of being attacked by beautiful women is hilarious (yeah, like we believe that one!). The YMCA scenes will cause your jaw to drop...the slow motion, the split screen, the mirrored images, and the Esther Williams-like pool plunge must be seen to be believed! The musical milk commercial that seems to go on forever. The baton-on-fire-twirling mustached man in tight gold lame shorts who proudly states, "James is my name, and flaming's my game!" (I kid you not!). And, as someone else mentioned, Valerie's non-melting double-scoop ice cream cone whose chocolate and vanilla flavors switch positions randomly and which can be easily waived about with no fear of falling to the ground. And it goes on and on...the fun never ends. Amazing!

So, now that I've railed on and on about the movie, why did I give it 5 stars? For the simple reason that no movie could have purposely been done with the idea that it would end up this bad. Somebody somwhere definitely thought this was a commercially feasible movie. That alone deserves five stars. But the fact that you will be on the floor laughing your head off when you see this is enough. Buy this film, get lots of popcorn, invite some friends over, and get ready to have a truly unreal evening. Get this before it goes out-of-print.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I appeared in this movie, and I think it's great!
Review: .
OK, so I wasn't exactly a "star" in this epic, but I was in the final scene, filmed in San Francisco. It was a HUGE disco-bash filmed at The Galleria, and I was on one of the balconies hanging over the dancers below. We all kind of wondered what the heck was happening; what they were filming. No one was really sure at the time. (And NO ONE could figure out what Gypsy Rose lee's little sister "Baby June" (June Havoc) was doing at a gay dance bash... sing OUT, Louise!)

When the film came out (inside joke here, as the gay aspect of the movie was closeted within the context of the film itself), I went to the San Francisco premiere. The film continued to play for about a week before fading into oblivion. It was a HUGE BOMB!

I always thought the best part of this film (besides the over-the-top production numbers) was Bruce Jenner's fabulously sexy belly in the scene where he wears a half-shirt and cut-offs. However, when I saw this on DVD and kept my finger on the freeze-frame button, I was amazed to see more than I ever remember seeing in the theatre during the "YMCA" number. Hard to believe this film has a "PG" rating with what they show in the shower scene! (I thought I was at a hotdog stand!)

A few years after this film bombed in theatres world-wide, I remember meeting Bruce Jenner in San Francisco and telling him that I thought his belly in that scene was the best part of the film. He said that if that was the best part of the movie, he now understood why he and most of the other actors in that film never made another film!

Well, since this film effectively killed the careers of everyone who appeared in it (except for Steve Guttenberg), his words proved true.

Anyway, it's a fun movie to watch, just don't take it seriously. It's just a big disco joke. Enjoy it for what it's worth. This ain't "Gone With The Wind", it's a different kind of epic!

Oh, I remember disco, and the glory of the BOOM BOOM BOOM when we all saw our faces reflected in the spinning mirror globes high above the dance floor, and thinking it would never end. This movie is an effective reminder of the good times, bad taste, and sweet excess of the disco era.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Can't stand the movie
Review: There are some movies so horrible that you watch them, not out of guilty pleasure but rather with the same interest as rubbernecking a 20 car pile-up on a major highway.

Nothing works about this movie. It is bad, bad bad, not even Valerie Perrin can make it good. As for Bruce Jenner, what was he thinking. The rumour is that a lot of coke was used in the making of the movie, the reason, they all wanted to dull their senses it is that bad. I'm surprised anyone had a career after this.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Relentlessly incredible
Review: This film is one of the best musical movies ever made. The Village People are incredible. I highly recommend this film to everyone that likes to watch a bunch of fun people having a great time.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: So bad it's good? Hardly...
Review: Some movies are so inept and awful, that they're actually fun to watch. They have a certain charm that you feel like coming back to over and over again. That's not the case, however, with Can't Stop the Music. It's just truly, horribly awful. I'm sure the idea sounded good at the time. Disco was hot, the Village People were one of the hottest acts around, and Grease had just shown that a musical can still be a smash hit. While it may have been a good concept in theory, in practice it was just awful.

With some truly awful movies, you can sit back, relax, and laugh at what makes them bad. With this, you are just so horrified at how abominable it really is that there's no way you could ever find any pleasure in watching it. It's painfully, sickeningly bad.

However, the movie itself looks and sounds good on DVD. If you have to own this (and God help you if you do), this is the best possible presentation you're going to get.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: This movie sent the Village People "straight" over the cliff
Review: Yes, it's a fun movie, but totally dispelled Village People's "gay underground" appeal and the group's popularity was never the same. If you liked Village People, their music, and disco, just kick back and relax! It's fun to watch and SO late '70's in taste and flavor. Brings back a lot of memories. The movie was released on DVD in Spring, 2002. Buy the DVD version for the better picture and sound quality. The musical numbers are the highlights of this film. The dialogue and acting are basic "101" stuff- all fluff, no substance. There were times watching the movie when I wondered whether I was really in Grenich Village in New York or on Sesame Street. A rumor went around when the film was out that there were actually "two" versions made... the standard production released and a raunchier "gay" edition. The latter would have probably helped the reviews of this film some 20+ years later! Just take Bruce Jenner's acting as a hoot and you'll be able to get through his parts in a better frame of mind. Put on a pair of cut-off jeans and t-shirt, make some pina coladas, pop the disc in, lay back with some friends and have fun! That's what the '70's- and this film- was and is suppose to be about!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: "Music" strikes the wrong chords
Review: CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC is a film that was dated during its conception. The musical numbers are totally dumb, especially the silly "Milkshake" and the introduction number where Steve Guttenberg gleefully sings to an already-cliched disco beat while on roller skates. Bruce Jenner has the personality of cardboard and looks all wrong in the get-up consisting of cut-off jeans and a t-shirt exposing his belly button (ugh!). The nadar of this film is when Glen the leatherman sings "Danny Boy" during the audition. The stereotypes in this film are insulting from the laughable gym sequence in the YMCA production number to the "flaming queen" twirling the batons while wearing tight gold shorts.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Five stars for pure cheese at the best!
Review: The five-star rating is not because it's a good movie. If it wasn't for The Village People and the music in the movie i'd rate it as a big zero stars. Don't watch this movie for any other reason than to watch the great musical numbers and to see The Village People. The acting is so embarrassing to watch, especially Steve Gutenburg's performance. I'm surprised he even got any further movie roles after he did this movie. Bruce Jenner was just a supreme dork in this movie, and although he was hot for Valerie Perine in the movie, i'm sure that he also lusted after some of the guys in The Village People too. This movie is filled with fun cheese and tons of gay references. Was there anyone who actually believed The Village People were straight? The funniest thing about this movie is how the producers try very hard to make them all appear to be straight. Too funny! If you love disco or The Village People, get this movie and skip right to the musical parts. They are a real treat to watch. The rest of the movie is just too stupid to bother sitting through, unless maybe you've had a few drinks or a toke first.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: worst movie ever!!!
Review: " That was the worst and probabally one of the best movies ever". That was a direct quote from one of my best friends,and that I think sums up this movie. Bruce Jenner is the worst actor of the 20th century, however his performance is commical. Steve , well, Im shocked you ever worked again. You cant put this movie into words: screaming out lines, horribal acting, over the top theatrical music,and the leatherman! (Danny Boy, Wow). If you have never seen this you are missing the other side of American film making, the ugly and side-splittingly funny version. This movie will forever change your perspective on those magical years between 1979-1980. RIP disco, but you went out swinging!!!


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