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.

I wish i could review this garbage with one word gay but i can not so i will use several.I hate Disco i hate the village people and i hate this movie.I never saw this movie at the theater since i hated disco but who in the hell green-lit this thing i do not care how big the village idiots were why oh why is this piece of junk even got fans. And to have Steve Guttenberg star in this garbage is beyond me he must of really of needed a paycheck.As for the village idiots they alone get a 0 for being responsible for this junk getting into theaters.I am guessing only gays like this movie this is the worst piece of garbage i have ever seen it's beyond bad it's just bad.

Whenever this movie is on, I simply cannot turn the channel, so wretched it is! I think the thing that I love about it the most is the fact that the "band's"(and I use that term VERY loosely,) target audience seems to be lonely, middle aged women. All throughout the movie, those are the people that are helping them along the way and they are the ones who are joining them onstage for their dance numbers. Now I realize that the disco movement in music was a very safe form of artistic expression. I mean, you wouldn't find women such as this helping out the Dead Boys or Ramones. I am also sure that since the director, Nancy walker, was a middle aged woman herself, she probably reasoned that she was "hip" and therefore all women of this age were just as much into the disco scene as she was. The other thing that I found just astounding was the totally unrealistic portrayal of the music industry. One moment these guys are "practicing" in a makeshift, backyard set-up with car speakers for a PA system, the next they are in the recording studio. Not only are they in said studio but, wow, there just happens to be pre-recorded music for them to sing to for these original compositions. I know that lightening does occasionally strike and a smalltime band is discovered and launched into their careers very quickly. But for this to happen to the Village Persons after practicing a total number of...hmmmm...how many times according to the movie? Oh yea.....ONCE? Well, all I can say is realism must not have been a priority for Ms. Walker.There are also a few things that are just downright irritating about this movie though...the first being the fact that Steve Gutenberg has a smile that NEVER leaves his face! OK, a person that is THAT happy ALL the time was just, well, annoying. The 2nd is the fact that there is a man that dresses in a Native American headdress wherever he goes...and this is before the Village Persons came together as a "band." As a Native American myself I was a little put off by that...and I am not the type to get upset over such trivialities either. For instance, I don't get upset about the Cleveland Indians logo or the Washington Redskins name. But a man who wears that garb as a meaningless costume is a bit much. Finally, Bruce Jenner's acting is well beyond bad. I got a chill every time he appeared on the screen because I knew that I was going to feel embarrassed FOR him, on his behalf! Where as other people yell at their televisions when their sports team is doing badly, I was screaming for him to EMOTE, REACT, or merely LOOSTEN UP! It was simply painful!For pure, unadulterated and wide-eyed terrible movie watching pleasure, you simply cant beat this film! It has everything required for such label: simplistic and unconvincing plot, acting so bad that wood and ham are embarrassed to be compared to the cast, atrocious dialog - both in writing and in it's delivery, and, sadly, direction that has no ambitions of being the least bit complex or challenging. It is like watching a movie through a very long, very fast viewmaster, but without the 3-D stereo vision!

NOTE: I could not watch beyond the opening credits so this review only applies to that very painful few minutes.Steve Guttenberg quits his job at a record store after his fascist boss informs him that he'll be needed to work an extra shift. Guttenberg straps on a pair of roller skates and begins to weave in and out of Manhattan traffic. The titles roll along with him. Alternating urges to laugh and vomit swirl in the viewer's mind as the names Valerie Perrine, Paul Sand, Tammy Grimes, Leigh Taylor Young and others appear. A full-on assault to the gag reflex ensues once the words "Directed by Nancy Walker" appears. And why does this film "introduce" Bruce Jenner...he was an Olympic hero by this time! Ghastly. YES, you CAN stop the music...shut this nightmare off or walk out of whatever unlucky theater may run this! Better yet, roller skate away...FAST!