Can't Stop the Music (1980) User Reviews

Who Was This Movie For?

[deandraslater · 4/10 · 2 September 2019]

At some point, during pre-production one must wonder who they're making their film for. Sometimes, it's simply enough to say "I'm making it for myself" and if they have the passion to back it up, it's sure to be enjoyed by many others, too. Can't Stop the Music at no point feels like a movie that someone was passionate about making. It's not a story that anyone felt needed to be told and it suffers for that.

The thin tissue of a story follows a songwriting DJ (Steve Guttenberg) who dreams of getting his songs on the airwaves. Thankfully, he has a recently retired model friend (Valerie Perrine) who finds him a bunch of singers to record a demo within the blink of an eye, they record the demo, and (surprise!) she gives it to her record producer ex. From there, there are a few fairly minor conflicts and a lot of musical numbers that do nothing to enhance the story, but at least they give us a quit respite from from inane "plot."

It's hard to tell if the actors knew they were in a turkey, because they seem to be having a great time. Even Caitlyn Jenner (back when she went by Bruce) isn't as bad as you'd think. The musical numbers are pretty well staged and the songs themselves are mostly toe tappers, but one wishes there was more of a story to support them. At a little over two hours, it's insanely long for a film with a plot barely strong enough to cover a half hour sitcom episode. If the film had been trimmed by 30 minutes, it might be even more fun.

cant stop the music

[jorncooper · 3/10 · 16 October 2005]

i saw this film on TV, i'm sure it wasn't in the cinemas at least i didn't notice it. the start was so funny i did fall off the couch and laugh so much i got a stitch...then the film settled down so to speak.it was hilarious, couldn't tell though whether it was supposed to be serious or a "national lampoon" style take on the groups life. other films on pop groups (beatles , spice girls etc) i guess you knew where they were coming from, but this was different..steve guttenberg perhaps he just needed the money...I bought it when it came out on VHS solely due to it being so awful it was good. i have tried to lend it to people but no one of my friends are interested...if it comes out on DVD i won't get that even if it is the directors cut...unless there is some really good out-takes. whatever someone says i do recommend people to see the film, but strap yourself into your chair and let someone else keep the remote so you cannot stop the film until the end !

This movie wasn't macho, man. It was just plain bad.

[ironhorse_iv · 4/10 · 5 October 2015]

I really don't like this film, because it didn't do the musical group, Village People, any justice. The movie delivers an unbalance, vague resemblance pseudo-story of the Village People's formation, rather than their actual story. I can't blame them, too much on it, since the real-life band creator, Jacques Morali & lead singer, Victor Willis weren't willing to pitch in, with this film production. I don't blame them, after all, the production for this film, was full of reports of cast members getting injury, tension between actors and the director, and last, but not least, complicated film locations, due to adjacent protests by gay activists over the 1980's film Cruising. There was no way, Morali and Willis was going to do this film. So, it makes kinda sense that they had to do a lot of rewrites; but why, did they, went way overboard on the certain things. A good example is the use of nudity. This really shock me, because the movie was supposed to be rated PG. So, why is there scenes of male & female full-frontal nudity!? Who bright idea was to rate, this movie PG? I guess, they thought, the film was a cartoon, due to the over the top cartoony humor, the film has. They really went overboard with this. Honestly, what does filler scenes like an old granny mugger or a woman stuck in a phone booth, has to do with the Village People!? Don't get me wrong, I like the fact that the movie directed by Nancy Walker tries to funny, but most of the jokes really fall flat, because how stupid & childish, they were. Honestly, if their music wasn't there, this movie would be nearly unwatchable. It's their disco and dance music that make this movie, somewhat entertaining. Sadly, some of their instant classics are somewhat missing. Two of the band's three biggest hits: "In the Navy" and "Macho Man" did not appear in the film. I was really disappointed, by that. At least, the band, biggest hit, 'Y.M.C.A" was feature. Still, I could had done, without any of the other mediocre minor hits songs like 'Milkshake', 'Magic Night' and 'Can't Stop the Music'. Their song, 'Liberation" was a great tune, but really feels, out of place, without the pacing of the film. I really didn't like, the film, use of other artist songs, such as "New York - The Sound of the City" & 'Samantha" by David London. Nor did, I like that the movie is giving free-advertisement for Jacques Morali's other band, the Ritchie Family, by featuring their songs, "Sophistication" & "Give Me a Break". Surprising, for a movie that features the Village People, it doesn't show much of them at all. Instead, the movie focus more on how the group was made by a struggling composer, Jack Morrel AKA Jacques Morali (Steve Guttenberg), with his friend, former supermodel Samantha Simpson (Valerie Perrine) & her on & off, boyfriend, Ron White (Bruce Jenner). These three have more screen time, than any member of the band. I get that, the movie didn't want the Village People try to act, too much, so they wouldn't make complete fools of themselves, but gees, Valerie Perrine, Steve Guttenberg and expressively, Bruce Jenner, are not great actors. They all, pretty bad! Not only that, their characters are written, horrible. Steve Guttenberg's character comes across as a smug businessman. Valerie Perrine's character is just sex bait. Last is Olympian Gold Medalist, Bruce Jenner's character, who comes across as a minor character that shouldn't even be there. He rarely does anything, besides being the victim to a bunch of awkward slapstick gags and wince about it. 124 minutes is wasted on these characters, and by the end of the film, you still, don't know, much about the Village People, since coming in. The movie's pacing is also overwhelming. Lots of long takes, and general emptiness makes it a hard watch. Most of the musical numbers didn't look fabulous and crisp, due to the picture quality in the prints that the early 1980s had. Lots of key scenes look way too discolored & grainy. Another problem is the movie was film, without thinking of using any widescreen aspect ratio. There is a lot of bad framing, throughout the film. With a budget of around $20 million, you would think the picture quality would be, better, but half of the budget was spent on a lavish world-wide dinner parties and a Baskin Robbins promotion, during the biggest Disco backlash in history. Really bad judgment call right there. So, it was no surprised that, Can't Stop the Music, the most expensive musical at the time, bomb at the box office. It became so notorious bad that the Razzies was created, just for it, to win Worst Picture of that year. Even members of the Village People, Policeman (Ray Simpson), Construction Worker (David Hodo), Indian (Felipe Rose), Cowboy (Randy Jones), Leatherman (the late Glenn Hughes), and the soldier (Alex Briley), have stated in interviews that they dislike this movie, because, how much they were wasted. Also, the fact that the movie has them, playing heterosexuals fantasy roles, despite their influence in gay male subculture. The only true heterosexuals members, was biker, Glenn Hughes and replacement lead singer, Ray Simpson who took over for Victor Willis, as the Cop gimmick. Nonetheless, there is still a lot of gay imagery here to create a gay cult following and it did. As much, as I kinda like Disco and the Village People; Overall: I really can't defend this movie. Thank goodness, this movie musical got stopped before it made a sequel! It was just plain awful.

Glorious trainwreck of a film

[lauralogic · 6 March 2004]

I urge everyone to buy a bottle of booze and see this movie immediately.

If only for the Construction Worker's song "I love you to death" in which girls ride atop giant pistons and sprinkle glitter all over his jeans. Or maybe the Leatherman's rousing version of "Danny Boy" atop a table in a Board Room. Or, maybe the gigantic musical busby berkley dance numbers with added "onion skin" rainbow graphics of naked men jumping into swimming pools. Or, maybe the worlds most bizarre milk commercial starring the Village People singing about how a milkshake goes with your sandwich too.

Be warned though, the songs are kind of decent. Maybe even better than decent. And theres a great performance by the otherwise mediocre Ritchie Family. Seriously, i love this movie. Everyone i have shown it to has remembered it, and maybe hates me for it. But its definitely an original.

So horrible that it's GREAT

[planktonrules · 2/10 · 18 April 2006]

This movie is amazing!! Rarely in the history of mankind have we seen a movie so incredibly awful that it becomes a "must-see film". And, interestingly enough, this film is one of four from 1979-1980 that I have reviewed that all fall into this same category. To what do we owe this honor? Well, 1979-1980, for those of you who are blessed to be too young to remember it, was time of the last gasp of disco AND the short-lived roller-disco craze. And, all four horrible movies I strongly recommend are so bad, so stupid, so over-the-top bad that they are truly must-see films for bad movie fans. So here is my list of the unholy 4--XANADU, ROLLER BOOGIE, THE APPLE and CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC. All four are chock full of disco as well as crappy dialog and minimal production values. My vote for most awful of these is the sci-fi, disco, religious epic THE APPLE, but any of the four is strongly recommended for a good laugh!

Now, for the specifics on CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC--which, when you watch it you may want to re-name "CAN'T STOP THE RETCHING". Back in 1980, the least well-kept secret in America was the fact that the Village People were gay. Believe it or not, many Americans who loved their music lived in complete denial that these were six gay men from Greenwich Village. Well, all doubt and ambiguity is erased in this film! While a few times in the movie, the ultra-horny character, Lulu, makes very clumsy passes at these guys, the long, over-the-top and strongly homo-erotic music videos within the movie make it obvious these men were quite gay--and this is especially true of their rendition of YMCA--which looks sort of like a gay version of Heaven. In fact, the campiness of the movie is sort of like a combination of Liberace with gay disco--with the most flamboyant and silly sets and costumes you'll see outside of a gay pride march. BUT, despite the singing being so incredibly overdone and campy, it actually works in some cases as you'll probably find yourself tapping your feet and getting into the songs--or at least some of them. They are BAD, yes, but still kinda fun at the same time. The final song, CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC, initially is very catchy as well, but goes on and on and on and on until you are nearly ready to go berserk!

So, if the music is strange but not THAT bad, why did I give the movie a 2? Well, that's because when they are not singing, the members of The Village People have very little to say and absolutely no charisma because they are not actors. So, they fill in this gap by having real actors(?) do almost all the dialog. And, for the most part, they assembled the absolute worst actors Hollywood had to offer!! So, the main problem with the movie rests not on the Village People but on everything else about the movie!! To help illustrate HOW bad the acting is, one of the big "stars" for the movie is a very young and obnoxious Steve Guttenburg! He is assisted by the pleasantly built but incredibly bland Valerie Perrine and the ultra-wooden Bruce Jenner!!! This movie, in fact, single-handedly ruined Jenner's bid to become a serious actor, as he had all the personality and chemistry of Mr. Potatohead.

Now, so far this movie offers us one music video after another (many with very gay visuals that will make a few uncomfortable but most just laugh), horrible acting and dialog, a dopey story and wretched direction by Nancy Walker (yes, the Bounty commercial woman). And, when you put them all together you have a movie that is even worse than a sum of all its parts--so bad, that you'll most likely laugh yourself silly and have great time making fun of the ineptness of the film. Call some friends and make this the party film you all won't soon forget!

A train wreck, but quite a hilarious one at that

[TheLittleSongbird · 1/10 · 26 January 2011]

I think Xanadu is marginally worse, but that isn't saying much. Can't Stop the Music is a train wreck of a film, however like Xanadu I can't help laughing at the awfulness of it all. The music is quite decent I admit. But I cannot say the same for the rest of the film. The filming and choreography are unimaginative and messy, the story line is irrelevant, the dialogue is the epitome of unintentional cheesiness and the direction is absolutely wretched.

Not to mention I had difficulty caring about any of the characters, and the acting fares little better. Tammy Grimes and June Havoc bring some much-needed kitsch to the proceedings, but we also have an unbearably obnoxious Steve Guttenberg, a bland Valerie Perrine and a wooden Bruce Jenner. The film is also overlong, and drags badly. So overall, while it was a train wreck and a chore to sit through mostly, there was some camp but somewhat entertaining value. 1/10 Bethany Cox

Stop the Music. Please. Seriously.

[culwin · 2/10 · 30 December 2001]

Wow. Words just don't do this movie justice. It's like a bunch of other movies exploded and landed on your TV screen. This movie is so bad, they could make a movie about this movie. I mean this will really blow your mind. But whatever you do, don't spend money on it. It seems pretty obvious that everyone involved knew that they were making a bad movie... too bad nobody remembered to tell Bruce Jenner.

Geriatric meets Disco...

[moonspinner55 · 1/10 · 4 December 2005]

Ex-model in Greenwich Village helps put together a music act that turns out to be novelty disco-ers The Village People. This movie is a novelty: as directed by Nancy Walker (of all people), it's a hoary, old-fashioned, "let's put on a show!" extravaganza done up in polyester and gold chains. By the time it was released, the Village People were already passé, and the film looked like a dated relic only a year or so later. Is anything good in this film? Yes, Valerie Perrine is good. Her character and most of her dialogue are trite, but the nonchalant, wiseass-yet-sunny manner of her delivery nearly saves the day. Perrine, not a trained actress, does as much for this part as anybody possibly could, and she looks great to boot. Athlete Bruce Jenner is amiable as an uptight square who gets involved (he has lines like, "your friends a little far out for me!") and Marilyn Sokol does a sex-obsessed best friend bit that gets some laughs, but hyped-up Steve Guttenberg is nerve-wracking and The Village People (each dressed as a separate gay fantasy figure) are mediocre in both acting and music. * from ****

I have a contrary history of the movie compared to what is written

[larrys-11 · 1/10 · 2 January 2007]

This movie was backed by the company that I worked for. They talk about 10 million used to promote it----10 million perhaps of other peoples money not there's Ill bet. When the movie came out Allen Carr contacted us (Fotomat in St Louis) and misrepresented the movie to the point we backed it and we paid for the advertising to promote it---we backed it up to the point we saw we viewed the movie. How did it ever get a PG rating. After my knowledge of the "fibbing" on the promotion I would have to doubt the rest of the claims made by the movie itself. It really was the worst I had ever seen and my boss, A deacon at his church, was almost kicked out of the church when the members all showed up for the grand opening. Should be titled "Should Stop the Music"

Can't stop the nuts!

[BandSAboutMovies · 6/10 · 24 April 2018]

This movie - and Xandau - are why the Razzies exist, awards that celebrate the worst in movies. It's the only movie that Nancy Walker - Rhoda's mom and the Bounty paper towel lady - ever directed. It's Bruce Jenner's film debut. And I don't care what anyone says, I love it in spite of everything bad you can say about it.

You can see why the movie happened. Producer Allan Carr was riding high off the success of Grease. Disco had finally hit the mainstream with Saturday Night Fever. And there was probably so much coke going around that everyone had a constant nasal drip. The time was ripe for what people had been clamoring for: the origin story of the Village People.

Wait - what?

The Village People - you probably know the words to YMCA - were created by Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo. While in New York, Morali attended a costume ball at the Greenwich Village gay disco "Les Mouches." There, he was taken by all of the macho male stereotypes that he saw in the room and thought - this could be a music act, with each member being a different gay fantasy. Soon, they were signed to Casablanca Records, where their songs "San Francisco (You Got Me)," "Macho Man" and "In the Navy" played in clubs all over the world.

The truth is that the Village People were all one person at first: Victor Willis. Once the album became a hit, Morali and Belolo quickly put out an ad that said: "Macho Types Wanted: Must Dance And Have A Moustache." From that big success to the time this movie was ready to come out, disco was just about dead, a fact that Carr had foreseen, changing the title from the original Discoland-Where The Music Never Ends!

So what's it really all about? Jack Morell (Steve Guttenberg, Police Academy) - named for Jacques Morali, of course - wants to be a composer. But for now, he's DJing at Saddle Tramps, a disco. His roommate, Samanta Simpson (Valerie Perrine, Superman) is a newly retired supermodel. He writes her a song and everyone loves it, so she uses all of her connections to get him a deal. Her ex-boyfriend Steve Waits of Marrakech Records - get it, Casablanca Records? - wants her back, so he agrees to listen to a demo.

However, Jack's vocals pretty much suck. So she recruits all of her fabulous friends, like waiter Felipe Rose - the Indian! And model David "Scar" Hodo - the Construction Worker! Randy Jones needs dinner, so he joins up as the Cowboy! We almost have formed Voltron...I mean, the Village People!

We're treated to a solo song by David the Construction Worker called "I Love You to Death" where he fantasizes about all of the women who will be chasing him once he's popular. When this scene played in San Francisco, supposedly movie screens were decimated with eggs.

Meanwhile, Samantha's former agent (Tammy Grimes, who is one of the commercial stars in The Stuff) wants her back in the modeling business and orders her secretary Lulu to make it happen. Somehow, Ron White (Jenner), a tax lawyer, gets mugged on his way to delivering a cake to Sam's sister, but then Lulu gives Jack drugs, then Ray Simpson - the Cop! - shows up and the four sing the song "Magic Night." It's all too much for Ron, who runs away.

The next day, Ron and Sam get back together and hook up. Now that he has a reason to help, he offers his office for further auditions, where we meet Glenn Hughes - the Leatherman! - and Alex Briley - the G.I.! - who finally form the full version of the group. Blink and you'll miss W.A.S.P. frontman Blackie Lawless trying out! Finally, Ron's boss Richard says (Russell Nype, who is also in The Stuff) that their company shouldn't have anything to do with the group, so Ron quits the firm.

The band then goes to the YMCA to rehearse, which leads to a musical number for the song of the same name. If you're looking to see plenty of naked men in a PG movie, well, here you go! I won't judge! Marrakech offers too little money for their contract, so the gang decides to throw a party to raise some funds.

Seriously: this is the most raw dong I have ever seen in a non-porno movie.

Samantha agrees to model again for a milk commercial, as long as the Village People can be there, too. The TV spot - with six small boys dressed as the band - starts with Samantha pouring them milk and turning into the song "Milkshake." Of course, the milk company balks at this. I've been in advertising for some time. I can only imagine the meeting where they showed this video to them and the blank stares turning into faces filled with pure rage.

Norma White (Barbara Rush, It Came From Outer Space) decides to help and invites the guys to be part of her fundraiser. Sam lures Steve to the show by suggesting they can canoodle, so Ron dumps her. Meanwhile, on Steve's jet, Jack and his mother Helen (June Havoc, sister of Gypsy Rose Lee!) win the record company owner over and the Village People are signed!

Everything works out just fine. Ron and Sam get back together. He gets his old job offered back. And following a song by Morali's other band The Richie Family, the Village People finally unite for "Can't Stop the Music."

If only reality had been so kind. After all, the infamous Disco Demolition Night in Chicago, the evening most people claim was the death knell for disco in the United States, happened two weeks into filming.

Even with a TV special - Allan Carr's Magic Night - featuring Hugh Hefner and Cher, along with a new Village People song Ready for the 80's! that was cut from the film, it was to prime America for a movie that by the time it was filmed no one really wanted to see.

Oh man, the lyrics to that song:

I'm ready for the eighties things look positive I'm ready and I've got a lot of love to give There's hope in every heart and love on ev'ey face The eighties promise everything is just gonna be great

But hey - Baskin Robbins had a flavor made for the film. Can't Stop the Nuts was offered for the whole summer of 1980. Think I made this up? Nope. I have evidence.

It's also one of the first appearances of Ray Simpson as the Policeman. The previously mentioned Victor Willis, the original lead singer, quit the group during pre-production. Turns out he wanted to let everyone know he was the straightman of the group and had insisted that his wife, the soon to be divorced and renamed Phylicia Rashad, be written into the film as his girlfriend. Her role in the film ended up being played by Sammy Davis Jr.'s wife Altovise Davis.

Even crazier was that filming in New York was constantly delayed by protestors who were upset about the film Cruising. Many of them thought that this film was that film, so they protested against the wrong movie!

The film failed. Disco died. But why are we talking about this all thirty-some years later? Simple: disco never really went away. And neither did the Village People. Victor Willis is even back in the group, after years of fighting. Sure, there are two different Village People bands touring. But people love them. They're a part of our culture, even if this movie is pretty much forgotten (outside of Australia, where it's a New Year's Eve tradition).

I want to inform you for some reason this movie is 2 hours and 3 minutes long. I have no idea why it has to be so long. Plan your evening accordingly.

Can't Wash the Movie Off

[NoDakTatum · 1/10 · 13 October 2023]

This 1980 disaster safely holds the title of "one of the worst movies ever made." Jack (Steve Guttenberg, kicking off his 1980's career cringefest with a bang) is a struggling composer/dweeb who lives with recently retired supermodel Sam (Valerie Perrine, who tries way too hard considering the material she was given). Sam is dating uptight tax attorney Ron (Caitlyn Jenner as Bruce Jenner), who is consistently shocked at his girlfriend's behavior. Sam is being pursued by her modelling agency head Sydne (Tammy Grimes) to return to the catwalk, and she also uses her relationship with former boyfriend Steve (Paul Sand, who comes out of this better than anyone), who owns a record company, to foist Jack's "sound of the '80's" disco music on an unsuspecting public. Sam's BFF/Sydne's assistant, Lulu (Marilyn Sokol) is along for the ride, trying to do too many things at once behind the scenes- like choreography, and bedding anything male in the area. I know what you're thinking: isn't this movie a psuedo-biography about the founding of the Village People, who had three huge hits in the late '70's? Yup, but the band members take a supporting role in their own flick. Some of the guys are given character names, but some aren't, and their limited acting skills come through in a big way. Even the final credits only list them by their "roles" when singing as a group: Policeman (Ray Simpson), Construction Worker (David Hodo), Indian (Felipe Rose), Cowboy (Randy Jones), Leatherman (Glenn Hughes), and G. I. (Alex Briley). The six represented fantasy roles in some homosexual circles, and it's both fascinating and embarrassing to watch straight women in the film fall over themselves trying to bed the men.

This was actress Nancy Walker's only theatrical film, thank god. She had directed a few sitcom episodes, but I don't know what possessed anyone to give her a twenty million dollar disco musical to helm. The opening scenes, with Guttenberg rocking out to his own music while rollerskating, is a mess. Guttenberg doesn't play a musician well, and can't dance to his own music, so every time he lets the rhythm get him, you'll want to die. Producer Allan Carr cowrote the script with Bronte Woodard- who penned the "Grease" screenplay, and died too early at 39. I use the term "script" lightly, since I cannot believe any of the lines spoken were ever written down, much less thought out. The screenplay is awful, and with Jenner's life change, hearing that character talk about their dual personality is ironic. Guttenberg is awful, Sand is okay, Perrine is bland, Sokol is sleazy and kind of pathetic, Grimes is sad to watch, but what about Jenner? They had been considered for the role of Superman a couple of years earlier, and I could see that. They're only direction here seems to be "wince, huff a lot, and bug your eyes out." In the right director's hands, they might have been able to make a go of a cinematic career. Instead, they debuted in an infamous flop and never recovered until reality television came along.

Sure, "Xanadu" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" also came out around the same time, and all three films succeeded in killing the movie musical for a few years. I argue that "Xanadu" and "Sgt. Pepper's..." were slightly better, not by much, because their songs- thanks to Jeff Lynne, and the Beatles, respectively- were better. Here, the Village People perform one hit, "YMCA," in the most bizarre musical number ever, and a bunch of songs no one listened to- including "Liberation," as gay a gay anthem as has ever been sung. I was speechless and close to tears while viewing this on a streaming service, when suddenly the movie stopped and an error message appeared on the screen. I thought, "wow, this is so bad it broke the internet." I had to call and have my modem rebooted automatically, and didn't continue watching until the next day. I sat down again, and figured I had to be half way through this monstrosity, which runs an astounding 123 minutes, only to discover I was twenty-two minutes in. You "Can't Stop The Music," but you can shut off the television.

Nancy Walker Directing!

[mls4182 · 8/10 · 20 March 2021]

I think she gave up after this. Most of the cast was middle aged and this must have been painful for them. When you have to resort to Valerie Perrine in a starring role, you're in deep trouble. I think making this film had a profound effect on Jenner. Everyone must see this once, preferably while inebriated. Allan Carr said of this film, "This film will do for Valarie what Tommy Did for Ann Margret. It will make Bruce the new Redford." I blame his delusions on coke.

You were expecting Tosca?

[Nozz · 7/10 · 7 January 2000]

It's entirely unpretentious and succeeds in presenting a bunch of pleasant people who produce enjoyable music. This is a crime?

The voting is unanimous

[maxfabien · 4/10 · 30 August 2001]

"Can't Stop the Music" is the definitive "guilty pleasure", a film you love to hate! After Alan Carr hit the stratosphere with "Grease", he was hoping lightning would strike twice. Unfortunately, he missed the mark entirely. He made the mistake of playing it safe and trying to make a "family" musical. If he didn't try to hide the gay theme, and if he would've used some major supporting talent, this might have been a minor classic. Let's be honest, Bruce Jenner is not an actor by any stretch of the imagination, nor was Nancy Walker a film director. Carr should've tried to incorporate some of his "Grease" cast and crew. For example, cast Jeff Conaway (Kinicki) instead of Bruce Jenner. He did go the nostalgic Hollywood route as he did in "Grease" (with Eve Arden and Joan Blondell) by including minor roles for Barbara Rush and June Havoc, who were both a joy to see on film once more. Finally, a golden opportunity was missed at the end of the film when the entire cast is on stage. A classic campy ending would have been to have June Havoc (Gypsy Rose Lee's real life sister) step to the edge of the stage and yell out the gay crowd, "Hello everyone, my name is June! What's yours?!!" I agree that American Movie Classics or VH-1 should show "Can't Stop the Music" just for fun. But it has to be in its original widescreen format, and with full stereo surround sound! What a hoot!

The duality of 1970's Village People's popularity collides

[pazuzu-2 · 30 December 2001]

The Village people started as a band who was for the Gay community. Then, something else happened. Teenagers started to like them, but on a totally different level of the disco music and costume theatrics.

When it came time to make a movie, which audience do you try to satisfy?

Well, I guess Alan Carr thought you could satisfy them both.

The result is one of the most incredibly bizarre, unintentionally funny musicals ever made. One that tried to balance Family friendly and Gay friendly to help VP's duel followings to come and enjoy.

But even my naive, young self who saw this movie when it first came out could sense that... something was amiss in the village :)

I mean, the YMCA sequence has quick, almost subliminal cuts of a bunch of guys in the shower, one slapping a towel on the others butt (swear to God!) in between loving, slow motion shots of buff oiled athletic guys and an all male sychronized swimming team scene.

Hmmm....

That was a bit sledgehammer, even for me back then.

Then, I watched it more recently and found a gay movie that was in denial

You have a movie that never says the "G" word but has an incredibly effeminate man with TIGHT gold shorts come in and Juggle "Flaming" fire batons.

The Indian,Felipe Rose, has that nice, smooth look and wears cut off jeans and a headress and when he prances around, makes noise like a wind chime tinkling.

The Leather man, Glenn Hughes (rest in peace)sounds pretty effeminate.

The Construction worker, David Hodo, has a musical number where he tries to escape from a bunch of adoring women...

Then there is Lulu, who seems to be female... mostly, but she reminds me of a drag queen.

Which begs a question? How come almost all the Homo imagery here is for males. How come the lesbians get left out?

And how come a lot of this movie is "looped". Even a lot of stage shot stuff seems to have been redubbed in post production. It made me think I was watching a forign movie sometimes.

Ahhh well, you'll have a lot of fun with this. You'll be in disbelief that the thinly disguised homoerotic undertones went over the heads of the powers that be. Perhaps they were too busy watching Valerie Perrine "stick out".

Bad movie fans will be in their glory too. It's not everyday that a big budget movie like this is so hilariously and ineptly executed.

And hang on to your hats boys and girls, that great video company Anchor Bay has bought the rights to this movie and it will be on DVD in April 2002. Hopefully it will be a special edition, with a widescreen transfer and 5.1 remix and I'll be one of the first to get it.

I still like the Village People and love this campy, bizarre, collosal misfire of a movie.

So bad it's BAD!!!

[preppy-3 · 1/10 · 21 October 2004]

Fictional tale of how the Village People got together. An annoying man (Steve Guttenberg) and his sexy roommate (Valerie Perrine) try to sell his music and get a group together. "Hilarious" complications ensure.

This is just a plain disaster. It fails almost completely. Nancy Walker may have seem a weird choice for the director but she had directed some TV shows and she was very comfortable with gay men (for instance, her and Montgomery Clift were the best of friends). The studio obviously wanted a director who would be comfortable with the gay subtext AND keep it PG! Well...she DID try!

It all starts out great with Guttenberg skating around NYC, a good song on the soundtrack and nice use of multi-screens. Then it quickly falls apart. The dialogue is truly atrocious (the actors deserve credit for saying their lines with a straight face); there are the horrendous 70s styles and fashions; dreadfully unfunny comedy; trying to sell the Village People as a straight group--come ON!; Felipe's bird call gets annoying after EIGHT renditions and totally unneeded romance between Perrine and Bruce Jenner! Also WAY too long (2 hours). However there ARE some good things about this.

The songs aren't bad and the production numbers are certainly elaborate; there's a nice sequence with Perrine "recruiting" 3 of the Village People; a beautiful rendition of "Danny Boy"; a truly hysterical song and dance number about MILK!!!!; and the YMCA number. It comes in too late (over an hour in) but it's just great--full of action, hunky men and frequent glimpses of full frontal male nudity! Also female (Perrine in the whirl pool).

The acting wavers: Guttenberg is WAY too hyper--I kept wanting to throw a few Valium in his mouth. Poor Valerie Perrine! She went from "Lenny" to THIS??? She's a wonderful actress and certainly beautiful and she REALLY tries--but the script is terrible. Bruce Jenner--don't get me started. Just one word comes to mind--hopeless. Tammy Grimes and June Havoc overact and underact and are just horrid. Worst of all is Marilyn Sokol as Lulu--she looks like Tim Curry from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and is truly astounding (I mean that in a bad way). You just watch her attempts at acting and comedy in utter disbelief.

The main problem with this movie is they tried to whitewash the Village People. They were a big GAY group--that's totally ignored here. There IS a big gay subtext though. However by the time this movie came out, the Village People were old news and disco was dead. And the script needed a serious rewrite. Some people think this so bad that it's good. Production numbers aside I was bored silly with an occasional stupid line or performance to pick me up. Sadly this is just a dull, bad movie. Still--I DO love the YMCA number:):)

AAAAAAIIIIIIEEEEEE!!!!!!

[TedEBear · 1/10 · 22 February 2001]

Oh, GOD, this movie is so painfully, excrutiatingly, mind-numbingly BAD, I want a copy for my personal collection! I've never been the biggest fan of disco--though I do have a few records in my collection--and didn't really miss it when it died the first time around, but this movie had to have been the proverbial nail in the coffin. I've nicknamed it "Please Stop the Music" because that final song during the "concert" has permanently embedded itself into my psyche and won't let go! Ouch! Anyway, the old saying goes that a film is only as good as its (CHOOSE ONE: director, writer, cast), and this one had all three strikes against it. No matter how hard you try to look away, you can't help but look on in horror as it continues. Be prepared to laugh yourself silly over the unintentional humor, the stiff acting, and the convoluted "HEY KIDS! LET'S PUT ON A SHOW!" storyline.

"Tedious" would be excessive praise

[som1950 · 1/10 · 29 December 2001]

It's hard to believe that a movie about the formation of the Village People does not even rise to the level of camp. It takes an hour and a quarter to get to a recognizable song (YMCA). Bad as is the skating songwriter Steve Guttenberg makes of Jacques Morali, what makes the movie so tedious is centering it on the romance between a supposedly hip Valerie Perrine and an uptight tax attorney "played" by Bruce Jenner.

The YMCA number is bearable, though inferior to most music videos. The other three numbers (including the finale title song) are ineptly filmed Las Vegas productions. Tammy Grimes is almost amusing as a vampy advertising executive; June Havoc is a ridiculous parody of a doting mother. The only redeeming feature is the high-kicking Indian (Felipe Rose)in a Plains Indian head-dress flitting about in New York City.

Please stop the music already!

[jamesmccormack · 1/10 · 28 March 2008]

This movie was bad in 1980. It is worst now! Talk about not aging well. There is a good reason it flopped so badly during initial release: bad story, bad acting, bad cast. But on a positive note, it does have a few catchy tunes such as YMCA, Magic Night and Can't Stop the Music. Too bad disco was over by the time it reached the screen.

Producer Alan Carr actually thought he had another monster hit like Grease. Nothing could be further from the truth. One is almost embarrassed to watch this mess. It actually makes Xanadu look like high they thinking"? Bruce Jenner moves like cardboard and seems uneasy during this entire exercise. Valarie Perrine added another film to her list of flops. Steve Guttenberg is horrible beyond words. The movie is suppose to be the story of how the group The Village People got together. But that was deemed a little too gay so we have this love story going between Valarie and Bruce. The Village People get very little screen time which is a blessing. It is humorous to see the ultra gay Village People with their "girl friends" in several of the scenes.

Stay away. Don't say I didn't warn you!

An unfortunately untimely good time

[eschetic · 4/10 · 21 March 2007]

One has to admit objectively that if you ignore the highly fictionalized plot, the script and the acting, there's a lot of fun to be had in 'CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC. The supposed story of hit disco group The Village people (blatantly, satirically "Hollywood cleaned up") was laughed off the screen when it first came out for picturing one of the most obviously successful (and successfully obvious) gay singing groups as having been brought together by their (literal) girlfriends.

Yeah, right.

...and yet, there is all that music. It's actually pretty darned good in a disco ball meets Busby Berkley fashion.

Producer Alan Carr, who effectively captured the cartoon style of the Broadway hit GREASE in a smash cartoon of a movie, gave Broadway, movie and TV comedienne Nancy Walker a chance to direct her first big budget Hollywood film in a day (not yet passed) when the number of major women directors could be counted on one hand - with several fingers left over. Sadly, the commercial fate of the film Carr wanted set the cause of women directors back another decade or two. The producer wanted a cartoon - it had worked with GREASE - and Walker gave him one - presumably trying to satirize the old movie bios (remember the factually ludicrous but musically satisfying NIGHT AND DAY or 'TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY?). They ignored the well known and reported facts of The Village People and expected their music to carry the film. Had they caught the peak of the group's vogue it might have worked, but the wave had already crested and the Post-Stonewall audience was ready to demand TRUTH, not obviously silly Hollywood myth.

The only real ongoing sin of CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC is the continuing involvement of its lead, the presumably straight but 8trying to be "enlightened" Steve Guttenberg, in gay associated projects which he has managed to "clean up" with an almost CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC-like, arguably homophobic, distortion. Note how when the play P.S. YOUR CAT IS DEAD (a flawed but enjoyable novel and play by CHORUS LINE writer James Kirkwood about a supposedly straight actor who finds a gay burglar in his apartment on New year's Eve and ultimately reaches an improbable rapprochement with him) that had a modest Broadway run and a successful life in stock was finally filmed in 2002 with Guttenberg in the lead and directing, he managed to leach almost every visage of legitimate gay "threat" or "edge" out of the actual staging! It became another dishonest cartoon and lost most of the target audience which was eagerly anticipating it.

In both CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC and P.S...., it just doesn't work when straight or closeted film makers try to play with "trendy" gay themes but can't bring themselves to do so honestly. It's also a recipe for commercial disaster on projects that could have offered so much honest entertainment for modern open audiences.

What a pity. There's still a LOT of fun to be had here, but you do have to ignore a lot to get to it.

A guilty pleasure

[robman-5 · 7/10 · 11 December 2001]

No-one ever claimed this movie was Citizen Kane. But not every movie has to be though. And for sheer mindlessness and fun this movie has few peers. And talk about a once-in-a-lifetime cast. This is definitely the most eclectic group of people ever seen this side of an Ed Wood film. To say this movie was one of the final nails in disco's coffin is grossly unfair. By the time this movie hit theatres in the summer of 1980 disco was pretty much history anyway, so it's more a victim of bad timing than anything else. It could be argued that this movie plays better when under the influence of booze or some other controlled substance. Could be. But whatever state you're in it's a helluva lot of fun. It's mindless, has pretty good production values and the music is not as bad as you may have been led to believe. Someone should definitely put this movie in a time capsule, because it reflects its era probably better than any movie ever made. A definite must-have on your guilty pleasures list.

To me, Can't Stop the Music does fit the "so-bad-it's-good" category

[tavm · 3/10 · 17 July 2010]

Well, after 30 years of pretty much avoiding this movie that got so many bad reviews and was such a bomb at the box office, I finally managed to watch Can't Stop the Music on a DVD that I borrowed from the library several days ago. Man, what an ultra cheesy movie this was! Where to start...Steve Guttenberg getting the multiple-image treatment when roller skating on the streets of N.Y., a couple of audition scenes like when that guy singing "Macho Man" starts stripping as he shows off his muscled body or that other guy twirling a couple of flaming batons just before it sets the water sprinklers, Bruce Jenner getting hot food dropped on his lap which gets both Steve and Valerie Perrine taking his pants off, and that whole bizarre "Y.M.C.A" number...there's plenty more but I think you get the drift. There's also some funny and some very unfunny moments galore here though it's interesting seeing such accomplished character actors like Jack Weston, Barbara Rush, Tammy Grimes, Paul Sand, and especially June Havoc as Guttenberg's mother do what they can with the material. Actually, while I mentioned that the "Y.M.C.A" number was pretty bizarre, it also provided some energy along with many of the other ones that made many of the just talking scenes just so monotonous or pointless in comparison. In summation, Can't Stop the Music was a mess that first-and-only-time director Nancy Walker couldn't fix and it must have knocked screenwriter Bronte Woodard and his co-writing partner and producer Allan Carr down a notch after their big success with Grease two years before though Carr wouldn't really decline in power until that really awful production number involving Snow White and Rob Lowe at the 1989 Academy Awards. That said, the cheesiness did contribute to the fun I had watching this and I may watch this again if I so desired. Certainly, some scenes with Ms. Perrine would make it worth my while again...P.S. Once again, I have to acknowledge someone involved here that's from my birthtown of Chicago, Ill. This time it's Mr. Carr. And one more thing: A critic back in the day said, "By 2010, this movie will become 1980's The Gang's All Here." Now, considering that picture had such icons as Busby Berkeley and Carmen Miranda, I don't think the comparison's apt. They both have similar camp value, however.

Very Camp!

[clive-13 · 10/10 · 22 June 2004]

This film is pure camp from start to finish. All during the late 70's people of the"Gay persuasion" wondered how the Village People, with such an obvious gay subtext, could be accepted as such popular main stream rock heros. Well, when this film came out in 1980, the straight and gay world generally said "Whew, something stinks". This film, with its then very popular stars, the Village People, Guttenberg, Perrine, and, yes, Bruce Jenner, bombed big time at the box office. Now, nearly a quarter of a century later, I saw this film at a friends and I must say, the sexual innuendoes, the absurd plot lines, the hysterical cameos of Tammy Grimes, and the outrageous music videos of the People themselves had me rolling on the floor. Very Funny! This may have bombed back then because the straights finally saw how queer it was and the gays were embarrassed at how silly it was. Also, one remembers that shortly before this film hit wide release in 1981, the "Gay Cancer" showed up in New York and L.A. Suddenly "Gay" was not so funny. Whatever the reason it did not make a hit back then...it should be seen now for its very entertaining smaltz and great, but where else can you see a young and luscious Valerie Perrine and a hot and studly Bruce Jenner in SHORT SHORTS dancing in a YMCA with the Village People. "Oh the Humanity"

Surprisingly enjoyable musical comedy

[JohnSeal · 6/10 · 15 December 2001]

Who would have guessed at the time that the Village People would have had a greater impact on American society than 25 years of punk rock? One viewing of Can't Stop the Music will remind you of the massive sea change in American attitudes toward homosexuality since 1980. Though no one had the nerve to say the 'g' or 'h' words in this film, the site of the People singing 'Liberation'--and the other more subtle hints laced throughout this film--must surely be considered revolutionary. While the straight characters in the film--Perrine, Jenner, and Guttenberg--are plastic and dull, the People themselves represented the diversity, energy, and excitement of the Village scene. The late Glenn Hughes is particularly impressive, showcasing vocal range ("Danny Boy"!) and comic timing ("Leathermen don't get nervous!"). First rate entertainment, even if the People don't perform In the Navy or Go West.

A Stunning Atrocity

[makeham98 · 1/10 · 6 July 2002]

Make sure you've taken all of your medications before seeing this one.

Some of the worst ideas, scripting, characters, music, and on and on.

The whole was certainly greater than the sum of its parts. Considering the parts include the Village People, Alan Carr, Nancy Walker, Valerie Perrine, and Bruce Jenner, that says a lot.

When given the choice, watch Sgt. Pepper or Xanadu instead.

Absolutely horrible. The only highlight moment is watching Steve Guttenberg dance like a chimpanzee during the finale.