Grease (Widescreen Edition) Reviews

Everyone knows the story of the Rydell High group, each going through their own little quirks and some getting share that through amazing song and wonderful dance. It's awesome how director Randal Kleiser combined the main plot of Danny and Sandy with subtle subplots such as Rizzo and Kenickie (Which - in a way - are the main stars of the Broadway version), the Thunder Road ordeal, and Frenchie's dropping out of school for beauty school. The cast is an awesome group of talent. Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta as our leads are captivating with the best moves and wonderful voices. Jeff Conaway and Stockard Channing add that sufficient racy attitude into the film with their smirky one-liners and great voices. The rest of the Thunderbirds and Pink Ladies were all great assets to the film and are memorable in their own way. Especially Didi Conn and her voice. Loved the lady.

Although I praise the movie highly, the DVD is a the littlest bit of a disappointment. We do get the film in anamorphic widescreen and the nifty original theatrical trailer, but there's nothing new in regards to bonus features. We get the same interviews that can be found on the 20th Anniversary special VHS edition (Which aren't bad, but I've seen it so many times). But there's nothing more than that. Warner Bros. did treat us to a nifty packaging, but the menus aren't gawkable. All in all, the DVD presentation is a fair one.

Grease is a piece of cinema classic fare if there ever was one. Disagree with me? It's okay. But I know me, a fan, and tons of others agree with that statement.

Rating: 5 - Hopelessly Devoted to this movie!
Grease was the first film that I saw more than once in the theatre (6 times to be exact) in 1978. It was the largest running musical in theatre history and the film was closely based on the 1972 musical play. The film featured a '50s theme, cashing in on the nostalgia craze that was going on at that time, containing the fashions, the music and the fads of that era plus [desire] overtones expressed by the teenagers.

The story revolves around the seniors of Rydell High School and tells of their boy-girl problems, their lack of interest in School, the importance of having a fast car, the loud chaos of dances, pep rallies and the end of the year carnival. This film really gave me a false perception of what high school should be. It shows high school to be fun and games and glamorous. I was disappointed when I began attending high school and realized that it was not was it was like in the movies. :)

Produced by Robert Stigwood (of Saturday Night Fever, Tommy and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band fame) the film featured humorous songs ('Beauty School Dropout'), '50s era inspired music ('Born to Hand Jive'), and songs that were also popular during that era ('Hound Dog' and 'Blue Moon'). Some songs had also been featured in the Broadway musical ('Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee' and 'Summer Nights') and some were written specifically for his movie ('Grease' and 'Hopelessly Devoted to You')...

There are two highpoints in the film. The first once occurs at midpoint in the movie, when Rydell High is featured on National Bandstand and the whole school is dancing to 'Rock and Roll is Here to Stay' and 'Born to Hand Jive.' The other is when the end of the school year carnival occurs where everybody sings and dances to 'We Go Together.' These two scenes feature large production numbers involving the entire cast and solo dancing featuring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John...

While watching Grease, I found the film to be lively and uplifting that helped people relive the '50s all over again and those who never lived in the '50s wished they had. Photography, editing and the ages of the cast was completely overlooked once I became engrossed in the plot and the music.

The film was a hit not because the film company said it was good. It was a hit because it appealed to the public, adults and teens and it was a timeless film that will be enjoyed by the public for years to come.

Rating: 4 - Hickey From Kenickie....
Grease is an interesting thing. It's one of those movies that stays with you and goes wherever you go. Watching it again or hearing any of the songs on the radio is like opening up your own high school yearbook. A trip back through time. A reunion with friends you feel like you know, or could have known. It's a special thing indeed. The movie, as I'm sure everyone knows, was based on a musical. It was made into this film and was released in 1978. The movie became the highest grossing musical in box office history. Rightfully so. The movies takes place in California in the 1950's. Just as Amazon said, this nostalgia was running rampant in the 1970's. We first meet Danny Zuko and Sandy(John Travolta and Olivia Newton - John) having a romantic time on the beach. It all seemed so perfect. We jump right to the beginning of a new school year. Students are coming to Rydell High for the first day of school. Young, beautiful Sandy is coming for the first time. She immediatley meets and befriends pink haired Frenchie(Didi Conn), and her clique of friends known as the Pink Ladies, headed by Rizzo(Stockard Channing). Rizzo is a tough, feisty thing, and Channing gives the role her all in a great and memorable performance. Sandy runs into her summer love, Danny. Danny is the leader of the cool gang in school known as The T Birds. The rest of the movie is pretty much the love and attraction between the two and how Danny tries to regain his cool and not seem like a whipped, lovestruck little puppy. What makes the movie great and undeniably cool and enjoyable is how it is shamelessly great, cool, and enjoyable. Does that make any sense?. It's a bright, colorful, popcorn movie that wants nothing but to be a good, fun movie. It achieves that goal on every level. While the movie is looked on quite fondly by people and lots of younger kids as a nice movie, you really have to look deeper and pay more attention to certain dialogue and lyrics to see how the movie was actually kinda nasty in some ways. I'm sure there are things that would get edited out if I printed them, so I won't. Be on the lookout if you haven't noticed it already. The supporting cast is chock full of memorable faces. Comedy legend Sid Caesar is the gym teacher; Eve Arden is the principal; Lorenzo Lamas is the jock; Eternal nerd Eddie Deezen as, well, the nerd. And, of course, the cameo by Frankie Avalon. The music. I've saved the best for last. The music in this film is pure kitsch, but a lot of it is actually solid songs. With a movie this campy and fun, you can't really expect the songs to be different. It's just that kind of a movie. Olivia Newton - John could sing from the telephone book and I wouldn't care. She has such a lovely, warm, and beautiful voice, she make anything sound good. Who can deny the pleasures of "Greased Lightning", "Hopelessly Devoted To You", "Your The One That I Want", "Summer Lovin", and, of course, "Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee"?. Pure pop done at it's very best. The writing is corny and sometimes cheesey, but guess what?. That's the movie. That's the era it's in. It isn't meant to be anything else. It is what it is supposed to be, and does it very well. The actors are all great. All well suited for their roles. Was John Travolta any cooler?. Olivia is a sight of pure loveliness. If you ask me, she looks even better today at the age of 54. Just gets better with age. Grease isn't a film that is going to be seen as Oscar material(the songs yes), and it wasn't meant to be. It has survived for the last 24 years because it's a good movie that can reach anyone in any age group or race. It's a film that takes place in a certain time, but the legacy will live on for all times. Grease is the word.

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Grease (Widescreen Edition)