| Can't Stop the Music | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Nancy Walker |
| Written by | |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Bill Butler |
| Edited by | John F. Burnett |
| Music by | Jacques Morali |
| Color process | Metrocolor |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Associated Film Distribution |
Release date |
|
Running time | 124 minutes[2] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $13.5–20 million[3] |
| Box office | $2 million |
Can't Stop the Music is a 1980 Americanmusicalcomedy film directed byNancy Walker in her only directed featured film. Written byAllan Carr andBronté Woodard, the film is a pseudo-biography of the 1970sdisco group theVillage People loosely based on the actual story of how the group formed. The film also starsValerie Perrine,Caitlyn Jenner[a] in her film debut,Steve Guttenberg,Paul Sand,Tammy Grimes,June Havoc,Barbara Rush,Altovise Davis,Marilyn Sokol andThe Ritchie Family in their only film.
Produced byThorn EMI Screen Entertainment (formerly EMI Films), distributed byindependent distributorAssociated Film Distribution (AFD), the film was released after disco's peak.[4] It received largely negative reviews from critics and was abox office bomb. AlongsideXanadu,Can't Stop the Music is known for inspiring the creation of theGolden Raspberry Awards, winning the first Razzies forWorst Picture andWorst Screenplay at the1st Golden Raspberry Awards.[5]
Songwriter Jack Morell (a reference toVillage People creatorJacques Morali) quits his job at a local record store after countless insults and demands by his tough-minded boss and gets a breakDJing at localdisco Saddle Tramps. His roommate Samantha "Sam" Simpson, asupermodel newly retired at the peak of her success, attends the disco one night. While avoiding advances from the sleazy owner Benny Murray, she sees the crowd's response to a song that he composed for her ("Samantha") and agrees to help him obtain a record deal. Her ex-boyfriend Steve Waits, president of Marrakech Records (a reference to Village People record labelCasablanca Records), is more interested in rekindling their romantic relationship than in Jack's music (and more interested in taking business calls than in wooing Samantha), but agrees to listen to ademo.
Deeming Jack's vocals inadequate, Sam recruits neighbor and Saddle Tramps waiter/go-go boyFelipe Rose (theIndian), fellow modelDavid "Scar" Hodo[6] (the construction worker, who daydreams of stardom in the solo number "I Love You to Death"), andRandy Jones (the cowboy) on the streets ofGreenwich Village, offering dinner in return for their participation. Meanwhile, Sam's former agent Sydney Channing orders her long-suffering personal assistant,Girl Friday Lulu Brecht, to attend, hoping to lure back the star. Ron White, a lawyer fromSt. Louis, is mugged by an elderly woman en route to deliver a cake that Sam's sister sent and arrives disconcerted. Brecht gives Jackdrugs, which unnerves him when her friend, fellow model and dancer Alicia Edwards, brings singing copRay Simpson (the policeman), but Jack records the quartet on "Magic Night". Ron, pawed all night by the man-hungry Brecht, is overwhelmed by theculture shock of it all and leaves.
The next day, Sam encounters Ron, who apologizes, proffers the excuse that he is aGemini and follows her home. After Sam unintentionally causes Ron to spill leftover lasagna on himself, she and Jack help him remove his trousers; after Jack departs, Sam and Ron spend the night together. Newly interested in helping, Ron offers hisWall Street office to hold auditions. There,Glenn M. Hughes (theleatherman) performs "Danny Boy" atop a piano; he andAlex Briley (theG.I.), a stagehand at a theater where Sam's friend Alicia Edwards works, join the group, now asextet. They get their name from an offhand remark by Ron's socialite mother Norma. Ron's boss, Richard Montgomery, overwhelmed by the carnival atmosphere, insists that the firm not represent the group, and Ron quits.
Ron suggests a new location for rehearsal space at theYMCA (theensuing production number features its athletic denizens in various states of undress). That evening, the group cuts a demo ("Liberation") for Marrakech, but Steve sees limited appeal and Sam refuses his paltry contract. Reluctant to use her own savings, they decide to self-finance by throwing a pay-party.
To bankroll the party, Sam acquiesces to Channing's plea to return for a TV advertising campaign for milk, provided the Village People are featured. The lavish number "Milkshake" begins as Sam pours milk for six little boys in the archetypal costumes with the promise that they will grow up to be the Village People. The advertisers reject the concept and refuse to broadcast the spot. Norma then invites the group to debut at her charity fundraiser inSan Francisco. Sam lures Steve by promising a romantic weekend, but the inference that she would proceed with the seduction takes Ron aback, and Sam ends their romantic relationship. On his private jet, Steve prepares for a tryst, but rather Jack and his formerchorus girl mother Helen arrive to negotiate a contract. Initially reluctant, Helen charms Steve with herkreplach, and eventually they are negotiating the T-shirt merchandising for the Japanese market.
InSan Francisco, in the dressing room before the show, Ron, relieved that Sam did not travel or have sexual intercourse with Steve,proposes to her. Montgomery appears, seeking to rehire Ron as a junior partner representing the group. Following a set byThe Ritchie Family ("Give Me a Break"), the Village People triumphantly debut before a cheering crowd ("Can't Stop the Music").
Originally titledDiscoland... Where the Music Never Ends,[7]Can't Stop the Music was a fictionalized account of the formation of theVillage People.[8]Allan Carr announced the film in June 1979, describing it as "Singing in the Rain for thedisco crowd" and stating that the film would star the Village People,Valerie Perrine,Tammy Grimes,Chita Rivera,Barbara Rush,Pat Ast andCaitlyn Jenner.[a] It was to be the first in a three picture slate from Carr, the others includingChicago andThe Josephine Baker Story starringDiana Ross. Filming was to start on August 20 of that year[9] and was financed byEMI, then under the aegis ofBarry Spikings. When asked why EMI were making a film about disco so long afterSaturday Night Fever, Spikings said, "I hope it is different. The film breaks new ground."[10]
The film's director,Nancy Walker, a theater, film, and television star since the 1940s, had been nominated for twoTony Awards, fourGolden Globe Awards,[11] and eightEmmy Awards.[12] Walker had guest starred asRhoda Morgenstern (Valerie Harper)'s motherIda Morgenstern in several episodes ofThe Mary Tyler Moore Show and continued that role in itsspin-offRhoda. After establishing the character, Walker directed some episodes of both series, along with episodes of other sitcoms.Can't Stop the Music was her lone effort at theatrical film direction.[13]
The film's supporting cast includes Tammy Grimes,Russell Nype,June Havoc,Altovise Davis,Jack Weston andLeigh Taylor-Young. Chita Rivera and Pat Ast were initially cast but dropped out of the film's production.[3]
Can't Stop the Music was Caitlyn Jenner's film debut (as Bruce Jenner), after becoming famous for three world record-setting performances in theDecathlon, and aGold medal win at the1976 Olympic Games. Jenner's record stood from 1975 until shortly before this film's 1980 release. Jenner did not appear in another film untilAdam Sandler'sJack and Jill (2011), which, likeCan't Stop the Music, won theGolden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture. Carr said, "Jenner is going to be theRobert Redford of the 80s, and this film will do for Valerie whatCarnal Knowledge did forAnn-Margret."[3]
The Village People auditionees depicted in the film includedBlackie Lawless (a member of theglam-punk groupNew York Dolls andheavy metal groupW.A.S.P.) and James Marcel (who would later find greater success with the nameJames Wilder). Background dancers includedPerri Lister, girlfriend ofBilly Idol and mother to his son Willem Broad, and Peter Tramm, who would go on to appear in dozens ofmusic videos and double forKevin Bacon inFootloose.
Ray Simpson's role was originally intended forVictor Willis, the original lead singer of the Village People who left the group during pre-production of this film. Morali had hired Willis' then-wife,Phylicia Ayers-Allen, to portray his girlfriend Alicia Edwards. When Willis left the group, Ayers-Allen quit the movie and was replaced by Altovise Davis.
"This movie's a revolution," said Carr. "I mean this movie is launching whole new careers and we need new stars today. Warren and Ryan and Redford - these people are way over 40."[14]
Carr had attempted to castOlivia Newton-John in this film as Samantha Simpson, but after discussions between her producer,John Farrar, and Morali over who would write Newton-John's numbers, Newton-John instead signed on to play the lead inXanadu.[15] "It wasn't only money," said Carr, "it was creative control and other demands."[3] Newton-John has said in interviews since, she didn't understand Carr's statement, since her only "demand" was that Farrar write two songs for her to sing in the film, which was the same "demand" she made inGrease.[citation needed]
The schedule of the film was 11 weeks: eight inLos Angeles, two in New York and one inSan Francisco. A proposed week of filming onFire Island was scrapped due to fear of the weather.[3] Carr was coming off a massive worldwide hit with thepop musicalGrease whenshooting took place between May and July 1979 at the height of the disco craze. Carr took a hands-on role with the production, and personally directed and cast the male athlete extras for the "Y.M.C.A." musical sequence.[15]
Shooting took place atMGM Studios inCulver City, California, with location shooting inNew York City and San Francisco. Location shooting in New York was somewhat complicated by adjacent protests by gay activists over theWilliam Friedkin filmCruising (starringAl Pacino), which was filming on location nearby.[15] The two productions were mistaken for each other more than once, with protestors disrupting theCan't Stop the Music location shoots when they had intended to halt production ofCruising.[15] A few weeks prior to release, Jenner and Perrine hosted a TV special,Allan Carr's Magic Night, to promote the film.
Tensions between Walker and Perrine rose on the set to the point that Walker would not be present for scenes featuring Perrine, leaving director of cinematographyBill Butler to direct in her place.[15] Additionally, Perrine was reportedly unhappy that a dance number in which she performed was cut from the film.[16]
Carr said he decided to change the title during filming because, as the music score included older ballads andBroadway numbers, it would be inaccurate to call itDiscoland.[3] However, the decision was made shortly afterDisco Demolition Night, which effectively ended the popularity of the genre.[17]
During filming, sales for the Village People's albums started to decline and disco became increasingly unfashionable. "They'll still be hot," said Carr of the Village People. "If not I will resurrect them."[3] Two of the band's biggest hits, "In the Navy" and "Macho Man," do not appear in the film, though Perrine wears a T-shirt emblazoned with the words "Macho Woman" as she jogs through the men's locker room at the YMCA. Another reference to one of the band's songs, "San Francisco (You've Got Me)," appears in the opening credits, as Jack Morrell (Steve Guttenberg) passes a group of three women with the words "San Francisco" printed on their T-shirts.
The band's silver and white costumes in the "Milkshake" sequence and red costumes in the finale sequences were designed byTheoni V. Aldredge.
Bernard Delfont declared "for the first time ever in a musical, a British choreographer Arlene Phillips has challenged Hollywood on its own ground in creating the dance routines."[18]
After filming, EMI Films announced it was so pleased with Nancy Walker's direction that she had been signed to make three more films, one for Carr, one for EMI and one for both. "She did such a magnificent job on her first film that this is the result," said Barry Spikings. "There aren't many lady directors and probably none that have made a movie of this size. What's more she did it on a budget."[19]
Writer Bronte Woodward died shortly after the film was released.[20]
Jack's song "Samantha" is credited in the film as being sung by David London, apseudonym forrock singerDennis "Fergie" Frederiksen, who was the lead singer for several popular rock bands during the 1980s whose biggest success came as one of the lead singers onToto'sIsolation album, released in 1984. London/Frederiksen also sings a second song on the soundtrack, "The Sound of the City".[21]
While the film'ssoundtrack album contains the 10 songs from the film, the incidental score byJacques Morali andHenri Belolo was released on LP only in Australia.[22] One of the songs in the film's background score is the instrumental backing track of "Like an Eagle", a hit song by anotherCasablanca Records artist,Dennis Parker.[22]
By the time of the film's release during the summer of 1980, the disco genre had not only peaked in the United States but also was experiencing a backlash there. As a result, the film received scathing reviews from critics and performed poorly at the box office. At a cost estimated at $20 million, the film was acolossal failure financially, bringing in only a tenth of that in gross revenue,[23] and is considered one of the reasons for the downfall of AFD. "Our timing was wrong, and in this business, timing is everything," wroteLew Grade, who invested in the movie.[24]
The soundtrack album was better received, and while it reached only No. 49 on the U.S.Billboard 200 (the first Village People album not to go Gold), it reached No. 9 on theUK Albums Chart and No. 1 in Australia. The film itself also performed well in Australia, where the world premiere preview was shown at the Paramount Theatre,Sydney on June 1, 1980, with the after party held at Maxy's. TheBBC bought the film for two showings for $3.5 million, which caused much controversy at the time,[25] whileABC in America paid $6 million.[26]
Carr's next film,Grease 2, brought in more than twice as much on its opening weekend as this film grossed in its entire run. Even though it was considered a failure,Grease 2 nearly made back its investment in its U.S. gross alone.[27]
Ice cream chainBaskin-Robbins sold a flavor called "Can't Stop the Nuts" as part of the promotion of the film.[15]
Can't Stop the Music received generally negative reviews from critics. OnRotten Tomatoes it has an approval rating of 21% based on 19 reviews, with an average rating of 3.1/10.[28]The New York Times gave the film a scathing review, calling it "thoroughly homogenized".[29]Variety magazine felt likewise, writing "The Village People, along with ex-Olympic decathlon champion [Caitlyn] Jenner, have a long way to go in the acting stakes."[30]Gene Siskel andRoger Ebert selected the film as one of their "dogs of the year" in a 1980 episode ofSneak Previews. They commented that while the musical sequences are decent, even a musical film needs a decent narrative, which in the case ofCan't Stop the Music was crowded out by an overabundance of unrelated characters.[31]
Rex Reed gave the film 3 (out of 4) stars, writing, "The big surprise is that althoughCan't Stop the Music is certainly one of the silliest movies ever made, it is also a vibrant and uplifting musical whose energy succeeded in both confusing and entertaining me so completely that I'm not sure I can even begin to assess it rationally. All I can tell you is that it is worth seeing twice, and from me that is rare praise indeed."[32]Filmink magazine argued the movie, while full of flaws, was "still worthy of serious re-appraisal" because of its "remarkably positive depiction of queer life, which is shown to be full of friendship, dancing, singing, fun and camaraderie", its loving portrayl of New York and the fact it was directed by a woman.[33]
The film contributed to the collapse ofEMI Films as a strong moviemaking force in Hollywood.[34] It contributed to Spikings leaving EMI.[35]
Spikings later reflected:
It was against my values, but I thought it would make a lot of money. It was the only film I ever made just to make money and that is the wrong way. You have to make something because you believe in it... [The film] was planned at a time when the world looked black: the news was all of violence, kidnapping and hostages. We were looking for a product which, with its very exuberance and even mindlessness, would be right for the escapist mood in America.[36]
The film has become a quirky New Year tradition in Australia, with theNine Network broadcasting it every New Year's Eve.[37]
Can't Stop the Music was thefirst winner of the Worst Picture Golden Raspberry Award, for it was adouble feature of this andXanadu that inspiredJohn J. B. Wilson to start the Razzies.[5] The film is listed in Wilson's bookThe Official Razzie Movie Guide as one of "The 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made".[38]
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Raspberry Awards(1980) | Worst Picture | Allan Carr | Won |
| Worst Director | Nancy Walker | Nominated | |
| Worst Actor | Caitlyn Jenner | Nominated | |
| Worst Actress | Valerie Perrine | Nominated | |
| Worst Supporting Actress | Marilyn Sokol | Nominated | |
| Worst Screenplay | Bronte Woodard and Allan Carr | Won | |
| Worst Original Song | "(You) Can't Stop the Music" –Jacques Morali | Nominated | |
| Golden Raspberry Awards(2005) | Worst "Musical" of Our First 25 Years | Nominated | |
| Stinkers Bad Movie Awards | Worst Picture[b] | Allan Carr,Henri Belolo and Jacques Morali | Nominated |
| Worst Director | Nancy Walker | Nominated | |
| Worst Actor | Steve Guttenberg | Won | |
| Worst Supporting Actor | Caitlyn Jenner | Won | |
| Worst Screenplay | Bronte Woodard and Allan Carr | Nominated | |
| Worst Song or Song Performance in a Film or Its End Credits | "Milkshake" –Village People | Nominated | |
| Young Artist Awards | Best Family Music Album | Can't Stop the Music | Nominated |
Can't Stop the Music was released on Region 1DVD byAnchor Bay Entertainment, under license fromStudioCanal on April 16, 2002.Shout! Factory released aBlu-ray edition on June 11, 2019.[39]
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