Video Gold DVD Review
For devotees of Olivia Newton-John
Translation from Spanish:
On sale: Two DVDs bring back the greatest hits of the Australian golden girl, in the Olivia Newton-John Gold II collection.
By Alfredo González, Contributor to La Nación.
She was the ultimate fantasy of almost every teenager in 1978. Girls wanted to look like her, and boys wanted her as their girlfriend. The now-classic musical film Grease made her famous through the character Sandy, a beautiful and innocent schoolgirl. Her co-star, actor John Travolta, recalls: “All the boys dreamed of being Olivia Newton-John’s boyfriend. And honestly, I was just like them.”
And although much time has passed since then, she remains relevant, now thanks to a two-DVD collection from Universal, recently released.
Her story
This exceptional singer, actress, songwriter, and social activist was born in England in 1949 but raised in Australia, which she has always considered her true homeland. From a young age, she showed an inclination towards music, something unusual in a family of intellectuals, as her father was a professor and her grandfather was the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Max Born. After winning a singing competition, she moved to London to begin her career in show business.
To the top
In 1980, producers decided to make a new musical film with Olivia, and the sweet Sandy transformed into Kira, one of the nine muses, to inspire the production of Xanadu. Eighties rhythms, choreographers on roller skates, and the participation of the Electric Light Orchestra proved to be an excellent combination, but the weak plot resulted in dismal box office returns, and Xanadu went down in history as one of the worst films ever made. Nevertheless, the soundtrack sold very well.
On the musical front, in 1981 she scored another hit with the song “Physical,” a catchy tune with rather provocative lyrics. The suggestive line, “let me hear your body talk,” sparked controversy, linked to a video that dared to to show the attraction between same-sex gymnasts.
Then came her first greatest hits album, with a new song: Heart Attack, which quickly became an eighties classic, Twists of fate. Two of a Kind was a failed attempt to repeat the magic formula of Grease: Olivia and Travolta together. Filmed in 1983, it wasn’t intended to be a musical, but the songs on the soundtrack achieved more glory than the film, once again, due to a poorly supported plot. Twist of Fate and Take a Chance — a duet with Travolta — outlived the film.
In 1985, Olivia released another sensual track: Soul Kiss, a true anthem of desire. The video showcased the many attractive qualities she acquired with maturity. Filming was quite difficult, as she was six months pregnant.
“The Rumour,” composed by her friend Elton John — they’re not related — placed her back at the top of the charts in 1988. But only this song from the album became known. With the aim of reaching a specific audience and undertaking new projects, Olivia released the album “Warm and Tender” in 1989, a compilation of lullabies and classics.
The beautiful Australian also dedicated herself to promoting her country and filming a television series with the Animal Planet channel and continued recording albums.
On July 3, 1992, Olivia was diagnosed with breast cancer. That same day, her father died, also from cancer. The disease did not defeat her; after receiving treatment and undergoing two surgeries, Newton-John was reborn as a voice of awareness against cancer.
Since then, she has participated in prevention campaigns. Even better. Although she is no longer the diva she was in the eighties and never aspired to be, Olivia has managed to stay relevant in the music industry. She has not stopped producing material and performing concerts. Her acoustic re-recordings of “Physical” and “I Honestly Love You,” two of her hits, demonstrate that this woman is like wine, improving with age.
Her beauty and talent, captured in the Universal label’s video collection, prove it.