Alright everyone, it is time for a Friday Flashback! Back in 1978 the movie Grease first made its debut on the big screen with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as the infamous Danny Zuko and Sandra "Sandy" Olsen.
Directed by Randal Kleiser and with a cast not only including JT and ONJ but also Stockard Channing as the brutal Betty Rizzo, Jeff Conoway as the hotshot Kenickie, DiDi Con as the loveable Frenchy and others such as Barry Pearl, Michael Tucci and Kelly Ward as the goofball greasers with Jamie Donnelly and Dinah Manoff as the sexy Pink Ladies.
Sidenote: I can remember watching this movie when I was super young with my family and asking my other "What's a pussy wagon?". Nothing says 'That's a conversation for another time' like your mother telling you not to say that word. Haha
Anyway, this movie which was produced by Paramount Pictures was based off of Warren Casey and Jim Jacob's 1971 musical of the same name. Man, a musical that become a major and unforgettable motion picture after only 7 years? Must have been a big hit on stage too!
The movie is about two high school lovers in the 1950s that meet over summer vacation before their senior years thinking that they will never see each other again when Sandy says that she is returning to Australia. Instead though, her family ends up staying and she gets enrolled at Rydell High School.
Danny Zuko is the leader of the schools Greaser group known as the T-Birds. A bunch of goofball punks who try and act like the coolest guys in the school. Their main goal to get laid and to be as far away from the stereotypical Jock as possible.
Rizzo is the leading lady of the Pink Ladies. Sort of a 'Greasers for Girls' club at school and used to be involved with Zuko. Well, when Sandy comes to school, one of the Pink Ladies, Frenchy and an adorable character that DiDi portrayed with love and adortion, tries to get Sandy into the group. When Sandy mentions her summer romance with a boy that goes by the same name at Rydell, Rizzo gets jealous and shows her that Danny goes to that very school. This meeting happens to end horribly as Danny has a "reputation" to maintain and the type of girl Sandy is-- pure and sweet, just doesn't fit into it.
The rest of the movie, along with the other characters hooking up, revolves around Danny trying to make up for the mistake he made and to let Sandy know just how much she means to him. By the end of the movie Sandy makes a decision that to be with Danny she needs to change; this is about the same time Danny makes the decision too. With a beautiful final number that will have you dancing around you living room, Sandy shows up in a leather leotard showing she can be a real greaser girl while Danny shows up in a jock sweater.
Well, as you can guess, in the end they are together in a.. well I am not sure how or why the car they drive off in suddenly flies but hey, whatever!
I love this movie. I really do. Not only am I a John Travolta fan but this movie, accompanied by rockin' tunes, is a classic tale of love and how people should be accepted the way they are, not needing to change to be with the person they care about or to impress anyone.
Now what I find interesting is that John Travolta is the reason Olivia got cast. It was at his urging that she be his Sandy. Both were star struck by the other which made for very believable romantic friction in the movie. Olivia did not act much before the movie, which really doesn't show on screen at all. She seems professional and I loved the acting, even if just playing the part of a doe-eyed school girl with her eyes on the bad boy.
Henry Winkler, who many of the classic tv-show watching fans out there might know from Happy Days, was originally asked to be Danny Zuko. However, having played the bad-boy, leather jacket wearing, type of guy twice before (Happy Days and The Lords of Flatbush) did not want to be known as only "that type" of character so he turned down the role. I have to say that as much as I loved The Fonz, I just do not think Henry Winkler would have been good for the part of Danny. John played the role amazing well and if he is remembered for anything, I know it will be for Grease.
Beginning: I love how the movie starts with a cartoon trying to show off the personality of each and every main character. I especially adore the credits to the character Sandra Olsen as a Cinderella type character with the birds bringing her a gown and a faun being in the background. This really bolds the point later about the transformation she makes much like Cinderella opening from her shell of a house girl to a beauty at a ball. Sandy does the same when she opens up from wall flower to greaser girl.
Sequal: Now, I don't know about you but I am NEVER happy when they make a sequal to a classic unless it was meant to have one from the beginning. To me, the only reason it is even called a sequal is because it has the same basic storyline, not to mention DiDi reprises her role as Frenchy. The movie was okay, but making a sequal to classic movies like Grease or Dirty Dancing staring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, it just doesn't make sense. I know I know, directors and producers are thinking "Man, that was a big hit! Lets make a sequal!" You know what that does? That says you have a lack of imagination and want to get in on someone else's money maker. There are people out there who liked the second Grease, even better then first one for many of them. Me? Give me the classic anytime and keep that low-budget "sequal" away from me and my family!
Great review! Love the movie :) we always broke into song!
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