Grease is the epitome of everything young teenagers want to be: slick, cool, fast and gorgeous. As a film it just cannot date, as more and more people are converted to follow the lives of Danny, Sandy, Rizzo and the gang. I first saw this film when I was about three (my older sisters played the video throughout my childhood, and I ended up buying my own copy when they moved out) and have watched it countless times, because it just does not get boring.
So we have a plot, well kind of a plot. Danny and Sandy (Travotla and Newton John) meet up one summer, and spend a month together at the beach. They flirt, kiss and fall in love amongst the sand dunes, when alll of a sudden the summer ends: and its back to school. They think they will never see eachother again, until Sandy is transfered to Rydell High, where Danny, Kenickie (Jeff Conway), Rizzo (Stockard Channing), Frenchie (Didi Cohn) and the rest of the T Birds and Pink Ladies hang out (for they most certainly do not study). Sandy finds that the clean cut, wholesome
boy she met at the beach is a completely different person when he is around his friends and they break up. The film develops to give the audience an insight into some of the supporting cast, and also teaches us a lot about the difficult decisions teenagers have to make. We have Rizzo, a trollope by any other name, who has a 'history' with Danny, an on off relationship with Kenickie and a pregnancy scare. We have the delightful Frenchie, friend of Sandy and all round nice gal, who drops out of high school to go to Beauty School, only to find out that dreams aren;t always what they should be. We have the delightful, and innocent, romance between Jan and Putsie (her the late bloomer, him the shy guy) and one fantastic drag race.
Of course, after a lot of misunderstandings, arguments and some down right liberty taking, Danny realises that he wants Sandy more than his street persona, and decides he has to change to get her. Almost exactly at the same time, Sandy realises that she too must change to get her man. The result is a fantastic finale, which includes all of the cast and will have you dancing around your front room for months.
Grease is most definitely the word. There are so many strengths to this movie that it is difficult to decide where to being. Firstly, I have seen it countless times at the cinema, and countless times in my own home, and can tell you that, unlike almost every other film, Grease loses none of its charm with a home audience. It is a fantastic film to watch with friends, but also on your own, to cheer yourself up, to liven the mood, or just to indulge in what has to be one of the fluffiest, romantic musical love stories there is.
That is it! Grease does not pretend to be anything it is not. It is enjoyment cinema, hopelessly devoted to making the audience get involved in the sheer frivolity of it all. Grease would have been an absolute disaster as a film which tries to bring home some very very serious messages to music, but it is not because, although there are some serious messages within the plot, it feels as though these characters are so abstract from reality that you can understand the messages (the pregnancy of Rizzo for example) but not get too gloomy about it.
The cast are amazing. It really feels like you know, love and want to be in the T Birds or Pink Ladies. Every character has their own personal traits (Sandy is twee, Danny ultra cool, Kenickie a dark horse, Rizzo a tart with a heart, Frenchie is friendly, Jan is a late bloomer, Marty wants to grow up faster than she should, Sonny wants to stay young forever) and topped with a supporting cast that reads like a whos who of Hollywood musical and comedy cinema (Eve Arden, Sid Ceaser, Dodi Goodman and more) the cast pull off the greatest achievement they could: they enable the audience to totally believe in them, feel for them, and most of all hope for them.
The music in Grease is great also, and so much of it. Songs range from the silly (Look At Me I'm Sandradee) the fun (Summer Nights)the mushy (Hopelessly devoted To You) the serious (There Are Worst Things I Could Do) to the totally, heartwarming and toe tapping (We Go Together). Who can fault a film which includes a line "I Dont Steal and I dont lie, but I Can feel and I can cry"?
There isn't really any complaints about this film. None which warrent any mention. If you are wanting a serious musical which tackles serious issues in a serious way, do not watch Grease. For a refreshing change Grease is exactly what it says on the tin, fun, fluffy, and will you leave begging for more.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Music / Performing Arts, Comedy - Director: Trevor Nunn, Geoffrey Posner - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, Parental Guidance - Starring: Duncan Preston, Celia Imrie, Julie Walters, Victoria Wood, Jim Broadbent
I liked this Movie. very very nice. Nice op too. jedi_kickass ( ' _ ' )
wiggglypufff 16.06.2001 02:13
I've lost count of the times I've watched this film. It's so easy going and the soundtrack is great for singing along with. Another excellent op, thanks!
LostWitness 15.06.2001 17:16
Excellent review. Glad you enjoyed my review of Apt Pupil - it really is an excellent film - cheers, Phil.
Greasewas a phenomenal hit with its target teenage audience when it was released in 1977. ... more
The songs dominated the pop charts and brought heady success for its lead actors, John Travolta (Danny) and Olivia Newton-John (Sandy) despite the fact that--as w...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Greasewas a phenomenal hit with its target teenageaudience when it was released in 1977. ... more
The songs dominated the pop charts and brought heady success for its lead actors, John Travolta (Danny) and Olivia Newton-John (Sandy) despite the fact that--as wi...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
John Travolta solidified his position as the most versatile and magnetic screen presence ... more
of the decade in this film version of the smash hit play Grease. Recording star Olivia Newton-John made her American film debut as Sandy, Travolta's naive love int...
![Grease [DVD] [1978]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78529728.jpg "Grease [DVD] [1978]")
Jun 15th, 2001
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