Grease Review

Grease will probably be a musical that goes down in history as one of the all time best along with the original Hairspray with Ricki Lake.  Olivia Newton-John plays the innocent and naïve Sandy.  I believe this movie released in 1977 is what brought her to the American scene.  We will all remember her when she did that movie video for "Let's Get Physical" but the answer to the age old question; which came first will be, Grease.

Sandy is from Australia and spends a summer in the U.S. and while here she meets Danny Zucko played by John Travolta.  So what happens when you put Olivia and John together--you get a powerhouse performance from two really good singers who can also put a little pep in their step and shake those hips like you can't believe!

If you love the 50s or are nostalgic and can remember back to when you were a part of the 50s then you will love Grease.  Grease will transport you back to Rydell High to the class of 1959.  You will see the girls in poodle skirts and bobby socks and the boys in Bermuda shorts, rolled up jeans and t-shirts and the infamous hairdo with grease in it.  The music will remind you of the sockhops and you will find yourself singing along.  If you are of the older persuasion you will find yourself remembering the 50s and saying, "Yes, this was the age of rock and roll."

Danny is a popular guy on campus but Sandy doesn't know this right away.  She believes she has meet a sweet and debonair guy.  She doesn't know he is the leader of the T-Birds or his history with the girls.  Stockard Channing plays Rizzo and she is one of the girls that has been with Danny.  Rizzo is the leader of the Pink Ladies and as my mother said, "There was nothing pink about them."  And when Frenchy asks if Sandy can join the Pink Ladies Rizzo says, "She's too pure to be pink."  So then my question was: "Are the ladies supposed to be representing purity or promiscuity?"

I love Grease--I have the movie memorized and when I hear a song I can tell you what was happening in the movie.  I love to see Danny try out for the various varsity teams to impress Sandy.  I love seeing them at the school dance off and watching the crowd do the hand-jive and watching Chacha Gregorio take the lead in the final dance off.  When you see the T-Birds perform "Grease Lightening" as a young girl you are in awe at those guys.  Well, who didn't love John Travolta in his early days.  Grease made us aware of clicks but also made us realize that people could cross over if you compromised.  Rizzo learned to accept Sandy and look what Danny and Sandy did for each other.  The movie also instilled the concept of being faithful to your friends.  Grease is a movie about friendship.   

I guess I really enjoyed Grease because it represented the part of high school that I wasn't a part of.  The wild and crazy scene.  I do remember going to drive-in movies as a child and I remember the commercials that they played.  We still talk about the hotdog jumping in the bun! I also grew up watching old movies with my parents and I remember the Frankie Avalon and Annette Funnicello movies.  So when Avalon performs "Beauty School Dropout" my heart is going pitter patter.  And there is a guest appearance from Vince Fontaine when he emcees the dance off.

For those of you who remember Falcon Crest; you will see one of the favorites at a younger and tenderer age.  Lorenzo Lamas is one of the football players that Olivia takes a liking to.  My favorite part of the movie is at the end when both Danny and Sandy are transformed.  Danny arrives at the school carnival in a letter sweater.  Watch the movie if you don't already know what sport he lettered in.  Sandy is transformed into a beautiful spandex-wearing blonde.  I love the song "You're the One That I Want" and my favorite scene is when Danny and Sandy are coming thru the Shake Shack.  They are dancing together and coming down the stairs side-by-side.  When I was younger we would rewind back to that scene.  In college we had a sleepover with all musicals and when this was playing my brother told the girls, "This is Gigi's favorite part and I know she is going to rewind it."  It did more for my spirit to know that my older brother remembered that.

Grease is 110 minutes and rated PG.  It has a few adult-like topics and there are a few bad words mentioned in the song Grease Lightening and if you pay close attention you will hear them.  As a child I never caught on to what was being said.  My brother told me when I got in college.  Over all I think it is a movie that you can watch as a family.

In the fifth grade I was part of an elementary school production of Grease.  Because of my dance background and love of singing I auditioned and got to be a Pink Lady.  I'll never forget that play!  My mother had me dressed in pink from head to toe!  I had a white shirt and pink satin jacket with "Pink Ladies" on the back, pink poodle skirt, pink bobby socks with saddle shoes.  I danced my way to stardom and in my head I believed I had finally arrived.  The "Pink Ladies" from the elementary school remained friends until we entered high school and academics and sports took us in different directions along our high school career.