Can't Stop the Music (4K UHD Review)

Reviewed by: Tim Salmons
Review Date: Sep 16, 2024
Format: 4K Ultra HD

Director

Nancy Walker

Release Date(s)

1980 (July 30, 2024)

Studio(s)

EMI Films/Associated Film Distribution (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)

Film/Program Grade: C-
Video Grade: A-
Audio Grade: B+
Extras Grade: A-

Review

The late 1970s and early 1980s seem to have no shortage of disco musicals, many of which were fueled by drugs (allegedly) and imagination. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Thank God It’s Friday, Xanadu, The Apple... they all earned their fair share of criticisms, and in some cases, financial success, or a lack thereof. One of the oddest came in 1980, courtesy of stage producer-turned-film producer Alan Carr, who had had major success with Grease two years earlier. Directing was Nancy Walker, mostly known for acting roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show and McMillan & Wife, but the disco-laden comedy extravaganza Can’t Stop the Music was her feature film directorial debut, for better or worse.

The film is a fast and loose semi-autobiographical account of the forming of the Village People, as it portrays them as a brand new group about to enter a 1980s wherein disco music is still on top of the charts... we all know how that worked out.

In the story, Jack (Steve Guttenerg) quits his day job at a record store to take a gig as a DJ at the local disco, which will help him promote his own music as a songwriter. His friend, roommate, and retired supermodel Samantha (Valerie Perrine) agrees to help him get a record deal with former flame and Marrakech Records president Steve Waits (John Sand), pressing upon him to put together a singing and dancing group that can perform his songs. Meanwhile, new-to-town lawyer Ron White (Bruce Jenner) becomes involved with Samantha and hopes to help her and the group achieve their success. One by one, they eventually find the people they need for their new group, the Village People, and after finally scoring a record deal, make their way to the very top.

Can’t Stop the Music is the definition of a cult film if ever there was one as it bombed horribly in theaters, was ripped to shreds by critics, and was nominated for seven Golden Raspberry Awards (or Razzies), winning two for Worst Screenplay and Worst Picture. However, many in the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as the film community at large, have declared it to be one of their favorites. In truth, it’s not that bad. It’s incredibly cheerful and upbeat, but its running time, lack of stakes, and little to no chemistry between Valerie Perrine and Bruce Jenner certainly does it no favors. Even if you like the music of the Village People, as well as the colorful and fun characters, the film definitely feels its 124-minute length. It if had been trimmed down to a more manageable 100 minutes or less, critics and audiences might have been a little kinder to it at the time. Many who continue to declare Can’t Stop the Music to be one of the worst films ever made have clearly seen a limited number of films. It has its own set of charms, despite its problems.

Can’t Stop the Music was shot on 35mm film by cinematographer Bill Butler using Panavision Panaflex cameras and anamorphic lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Kino Lorber Studio Classics debuts the film on Ultra HD from a 2018 master taken from a 4K scan of the original camera negative in Standard Dynamic Range, carried out by StudioCanal, and presented on a triple-layered BD-100 disc. This is essentially the same master used by Shout! Factory from their 2019 Blu-ray release, but with the advantage of much more visual data to work with. It’s a stable and clean presentation with a medium yield of well-attenuated grain and a bitrate that sits primarily between 80 and 100Mbps, frequently jumping above that. The various costumes and settings offer a wide variety of colors and blacks are deep with mostly good contrast. Grades in High Dynamic Range would definitely have improved the contrast and gotten the most out of the palette, deepening blacks even further, but as is, it all appears organic to its source. Only the processed shots and opticals stand out, and even then, they blend better than one might expect.

Audio is included in English 5.1 and 2.0 Stereo DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. The film was released in 4-track and 6-track Dolby Stereo, the latter for 70mm engagements, but these aren’t the kind of multi-channel tracks that contain frequent uses of panning and placement; instead having a large aural canvas, filling out the surrounding speakers with nearly everything at play. Everything comes through clear with only mild distortion in a couple of spots, and the 5.1 has a tad bit more low end push to it, but both are fine options.

Can’t Stop the Music on 4K UHD sits in a black Amaray case alongside a 1080p Blu-ray with an insert and slipcover that uses artwork from the original theatrical poster. The following extras are included on each disc:

DISC ONE: UHD

NEW Audio Commentary by Lee Gambin and DJ Maynard
Audio Commentary by Jeffrey Schwarz and Bruce Vilanch

DISC ONE: BD

NEW Audio Commentary by Lee Gambin and DJ Maynard
Audio Commentary by Jeffrey Schwarz and Bruce Vilanch
Randy Jones: A Wink, A Wiggle, and a Wave (HD – 25:15)
Randy Jones: Can’t Stop the Cowboy (HD – 40:59)
TV Spots (SD – 2 in all – :59)
Trailer (SD – 2:57)

New to this release is an audio commentary with the late film critic and historian Lee Gambin, joined by podcaster and Village People expert DJ Maynard, who discuss the film at length, with Maynard interjecting with facts about the film. The second audio commentary from 2019 features The Fabulous Allan Carr documentary director Jeffrey Schwarz and comedy writer Bruce Vilanch, the latter of whom wrote the first drafts of the screenplay before being fired from the project. He goes on at lengths about the production, with he and Schwarz watching the film together and pointing out many things about it as it goes along. Both are excellent tracks. A Wink, A Wiggle, and a Wave and Can’t Stop the Cowboy act as a sort of two-part interview with the Village People’s Randy Jones. In the first part, he talks about his experiences in the group, and in the second, discusses the making of the film. Last are a pair of TV spots and the film’s trailer.

Not carried over from the Shout! Factory Blu-ray are three image galleries, while some Region 2 DVD releases include a “Karaoke Mode,” which would have been welcome here, as well. It’s worth noting that the one hour special Magic Night (also directed by Nancy Walker), which aired on TV in 1980 to help promote the release of the film, has never been included with any release, likely due to elements and/or rights issues.

Can’t Stop the Music, at least for me, is hard to hate, like many of the so-called “bad” movie musicals of that era. There’s something unusual yet pleasant and interesting about it that keeps you engaged, and Kino’s 4K UHD is certainly the best way to see it, even with the lack of HDR.

- Tim Salmons

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