Xanadu 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		2.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Xanadu 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 9, 2025

Robert Greenwald's "Xanadu" (1980) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include new audio commentary by Robert Greenwald; three additional new audio commentaries; archival documentary on the production and reception of the film; vintage promotional materials for the film; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

One muse, one dream.

Even those who enjoy Xanadu openly concede that it has issues -- many issues. The same folks also tend to agree that some of these issues could have been eliminated with a better screenplay, or better direction, or more work in the editing room. However, this is also where a lot of the major disagreements about Xanadu begin to emerge. For example, some of its biggest critics have argued that the entire concept behind it should have been reworked. A few of the more forgiving critics have pointed out that Xanadu has many rough spots that should have been repolished, but a dramatic makeover of it was not warranted. And some of the most forgiving critics have agreed with those who enjoy and defended Xanadu that it is simply an imperfect project, not a colossal disaster, that should have been managed by more talented people, capable of addressing its most consequential issues.

Virtually all of the above is true.

Xanadu has many issues, so a radical reworking of it, by very talented people, almost certainly would have transformed it into a better film. Still, Xanadu is not a colossal disaster. Also, in its current form, while stumbling in many unmissable ways, Xanadu is still an enjoyable film, too.

But there is an obvious detail that virtually everyone ignores. The more of the many issues are addressed, the more Xanadu becomes a completely different film. Not a better Xanadu, but a completely different film, and it is impossible to tell whether this film still would have been of interest to its fans and critics. Indeed, a lot of the issues in the current version of Xanadu -- the silly acting compromising the wonderfully choreographed dances; the questionable editing creating unwarranted chaos; the great music competing with a campy environment that is at odds with the rapidly flourishing romantic melodrama -- are essential elements of its period identity. And this period identity, as faulty as it may be, is far more important than its musical identity. In other words, the bad in Xanadu is a lot of what makes it, well, an intriguing film.

Something else must be pointed out, too. Michael Beck’s struggling artist encounters Olivia Newton-John’s muse in a kitschy period environment that would have been difficult to preserve in a better Xanadu film. Without it, Gene Kelly’s dream and, consequently, euphoria would have been lost as well. Then the dancing mayhem, the biggest magnet in Xanadu, would have had to be rethought, too. It is a classic domino effect, which would not have spared the wonderful music either.

Xanadu is an easy film to critique, and there will always be someone willing to do it. However, all these years after its premiere, it is very easy to defend as a unique film worth viewing, too. Whether it is uniquely bad or good is up to the party that would do the viewing to determine, but this is largely unimportant because films like it are no longer produced. Xanadu is worth viewing because it is a relic of the past, aspiring to be great and, while struggling to do many things right, becoming unintentionally illuminating.

Xanadu 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Kino Lorber's release of Xanadu is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray is Region-A "locked".

Please note that some of the screencaptures included with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc.

Screencaptures #1-33 are taken from Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #36-40 are taken from the 4K Blu-ray.

The release introduces a new 4K restoration of Xanadu, prepared at Universal Pictures. In native 4K, the 4K restoration can be viewed with Dolby Vision and HDR grades. I chose to view it with HDR. Later, I spent plenty of time with its 1080p presentation on the Blu-ray.

The overall quality of the 4K restoration is good. However, the native 4K and 1080p presentations of the 4K restoration are drastically different. I will address the 1080p presentation first because it will be easier to clarify why there are major discrepancies between the two presentations.

The film looks very healthy and vibrant now. The density levels of all visuals are significantly improved as well. However, the 1080p presentation reveals color conversion issues that create numerous unmissable anomalies. In some areas, entire ranges of supporting nuances are either compromised or wiped out, while elsewhere, highlights are lost and native detail compromised. I do not want to speculate precisely what has been done, but currently, the 1080p presentation cannot reproduce correctly the entire spectrum of supporting nuances. It merges many, causing the anomalies I noted above. You can see what the effects of the conversion issue look like here, here, and here. You can see how the same visuals look in native 4K without the effects of the conversion issue here, here, and here. On my system, the native 4K visuals looked significantly better, though primary blue -- usually in outdoor footage -- still revealed some inconsistencies. In summary, the 1080p presentation has improper supporting nuances and loses native detail.

The native 4K presentation looks significantly better. However, I did numerous tests with HDR turned on and off, and I could still see very small inconsistencies, always related to primary blue and blue nuances. I feel that most viewers will easily ignore them because HDR darkens the film enough to hide most. Also, all other primaries and supporting nuances are properly set here. Delineation, clarity, and depth range from very good to excellent. Image stability is outstanding. I did not see any distracting age-related imperfections to report. However, a few tiny flecks and blemishes remain.

Xanadu 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are three standard audio tracks on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English DTS-HD Master Audio 4.0, and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I viewed various sections of Xanadu switching between the 4.0 (which is placed in a 5.1 container) and 2.0 tracks. The former splits a lot of the music and dancing action very effectively, but the dynamic potency of the two tracks is, perhaps unsurprisingly, identical. Also, it is very easy to tell that the audio has been fully remastered because it sounds very healthy. All exchanges are very clear and easy to follow.

Xanadu 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary One - in this new audio commentary, director Robert Greenwald explains how he became involved with Xanadu and how his inexperience with musicals and special effects impacted his work. Greenwald also shares a lot of interesting information about the music that is used in Xanadu, what it was like to work with Gene Kelly and Olivia Newton-John, and the key themes in its narrative. The commentary is moderated by filmmaker Douglas Hosdale.

• Commentary Two - this new audio commentary was recorded by filmmaker Jennifer Clymer and critic Nathanuel Thompson.

• Commentary Three - this new audio commentary was recorded by critics David Del Valle and Krystov Charles.

• Commentary Four - this new audio commentary was recorded by critic Samm Deighan.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary One - in this new audio commentary, director Robert Greenwald explains how he became involved with Xanadu and how his inexperience with musicals and special effects impacted his work. Greenwald also shares a lot of interesting information about the music that is used in Xanadu, what it was like to work with Gene Kelly and Olivia Newton-John, and the key themes in its narrative. The commentary is moderated by filmmaker Douglas Hosdale.

• Commentary Two - this new audio commentary was recorded by filmmaker Jennifer Clymer and critic Nathanuel Thompson.

• Commentary Three - this new audio commentary was recorded by critics David Del Valle and Krystov Charles.

• Commentary Four - this new audio commentary was recorded by critic Samm Deighan.

• Vintage 1980 Sizzle Reel - in English, not subtitled. (21 min).

• Going Back to Xanadu (2009) - this archival documentary takes a closer look at the production and reception of Xanadu. Included in it are clips from interviews with writer Marc Reid Rubel, producer Lawrence Gordon, writer Richard Danus, and actress Sandahl Bergman. In English, not subtitled. (28 min).

• TV Spots - presented here are several vintage TV spots for Xanadu. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Radio Spots - a large selection of vintage radio TV spots for Xanadu. In English, not subtitled. (15 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage trailer for Xanadu. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

Xanadu 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

No one can dispute that Xanadu gathers very talented actors and performers. However, what it does with them has many issues, a lot of them serious, so the end product is very easy to critique. At the same time, Xanadu is worth seeing because it is a relic of the past, aspiring to be great and, while struggling to do many things right, becoming unintentionally illuminating. Kino Lorber's combo pack introduces a good exclusive new 4K restoration of it. However, only the native 4K presentation of it is satisfying. The 1080p presentation of it on the Blu-ray has issues. RECOMMENDED only to fans of the film who can play 4K Blu-rays.