I wanna be a Pink Lady!! (Grease (DVD))

Member Name: idodoyou

Product:	Grease (DVD)
Date:	13/09/01 (1538 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cool, Cool, Cool

Disadvantages: Pah, don't make me laugh.....

This actually my second attempt on an op on this topic. The first was….. basically c**p. And has hopefully been deleted from the dooyoo records forever? Unless they keep them and use them in the future to bribe and torture their members in some way?? If that is the case, I’ll give up now!!
Seriously, it was bad. Very bad. So, I mailed Amit and asked him ever so nicely if he wouldn’t mind deleting it, and my meagre collection of points in order to make way for this one. He did, (nice guy that Amit) it has, and therefore, you are now reading it.
Anyway, sit back, relax, and let idodoyou transport you back into the hallowed halls of Rydell High, graduation year of 1959!!


***HOW COMES I’VE GOT IT?***

Grease first hit the cinema screens 23 years ago in 1978. It first hit our television screens about 2 years later in 1981 (?) on Boxing Day. I was the ripe old age of 8 but I can remember my first encounter with the Birds and the Ladies as if it were yesterday.
My auntie was hip, she was cool, and she was the only one out of a house of four adults that wanted to actually see the film. I don’t know how, but she won and so we all sat and watched, however she and I were the only ones glued to our seats. Amid the moaning and groaning (‘its my house, and I’ll watch what I want’, ‘don’t be so mean’, ‘will you shut up I’m trying to watch this’ etc, etc) not knowing who the actors were, not really understanding the plot, or following the story line, basically, not knowing much of anything as an innocent 8 year old, for some unknown reason, idodoyou fell in love with this movie.
20 years down the line, she still does. Well, doesn’t everyone? How could they not hey?
Anyway, as the years passed, the screening on TV increased (good ole BBC ~ you can rely on them for repeats if nothing else!) And idodoyou got older, she came to understand the sto
ry line. She came to know the actors (not personally you understand) She came to be able to sing the songs, and, and she has to admit, she can even quote some parts of the script. How sad is that?
She became like hundreds, thousands of others and went out and bought the video. And she came to realise that Grease most definitely is the word, is the word, is the word, is the word!!!


***SPECS AND STUFF***

Director ~ Randal Kleiser
Producers ~ Allan Carr & Robert Stigwood
Screenplay ~ Bronte Woodard
Adapted ~ Allan Carr
Original Musical ~ Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey
Certificate ~ PG
Starring ~ John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
Duration ~ 106 minutes, although this is not always recorded the same, I have books that say 110, the video cover says 106 and yet, the TV Times said 120. I’ve plumped for the video cover duration. It might be wrong. It might not.


**Director Randal Kleiser can thank Grease for his internationally known reputation in the world of directing. Grease was his first big break, and from then in, he has continued to hand out well-received films. ‘Blue Lagoon’ (Brooke Shields) ‘Honey I blew up the Kid’ (Rick Moranis) to name a couple. He has also worked on many American TV shows.
**Producer Robert Stigwood is one of the most influential figures in show business. He heads a groups of companies that deals with theatre, television and film recordings, personal management, music publishing and concert tours. He is responsible for launching the careers of many including the Bee Gees and Cream. He also helped produce the 1975 rock film ‘Tommy’ and ‘Jesus Christ Superstar, but perhaps better known for one of the biggest money makers in movie history, ‘Saturday Night Fever’.
**Producer Allan Carr is one of Hollywood’s most celebrated personal managers and producers. Just some of his clientele include Ann Margret,
Stockard Channing, Tony Curtis, Paul Anka, Petula Clark, and the late Sonny Bono. He has worked with Stigwood on many occasions raking in great success with ‘Tommy’.
**Adaptation was by Bronte Woodard. After selling his first script to Allan Carr they became friends and so when Carr was looking for somebody to adapt his screenplay, Woodard received his big break.

The movie commands a PG certificate, however it is usually edited for the TV. Why? The parts that they ditch for terrestrial viewing are certainly no worse than some of our soaps and daytime TV that we are allowed to watch. The two scenes which immediately spring to mind are; when outside Frenchy’s house Rizzo asks Zuko if he’s ‘off to flog his log’! Now, imagine if you will, 20 years back when idodoyou was a sweet innocent child (pah ~ some would say she’s never been sweet, others would say she’s never been innocent either?!) she had no idea what that meant. She just thought it was some kind of American terminology, and never paid it no mind until maybe 6 years later and watching the film again ….. bingo ….. idodoyou knew what it meant!! The second is part of a song. It is part of a verse or two in ‘Greased Lightning’ Again why? But then again, who am I to argue, I guess the TV channels know what they are doing?? Don’t they?


***ACTORS***

The main actors, and those that were billed as such are/were John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. But through out the whole film the acting is excellent on all levels, and therefore all (well, most anyway…) should be given a mention.
**John Travolta ~ Danny Zuko** Ultra sexy, ultra cool, and inevitably the leader of the pack! Of course, the pack in question is the ‘T-Birds’. He plays the part to perfection, and whether or not it’s the whole imagine thing, but I can’t think of another actor to play the character as
well, or better than Travolta. But it might be just a case of thinking Zuko, and my mind automatically travelling to Travolta!!?? This movie catapulted Travolta into the spotlight, and there he stayed for a while, having hits like Saturday Night Fever and it’s sequel along the way. But, success didn’t stay long and he soon found himself starring in …. What can only be described a ‘smush’! Sorry to all you Travolta fans, but I calls em as I see em!
But proving to the world of critics, and idodoyou, his ‘smush’ days ended and he has bounded back with some terrific performances over the last 7 – 8 years.
**Olivia Newton-John ~ Sandy Olsen** The heroine for our hero. Australian born actress plays the young, innocent and demure character brilliantly. Even though she was quite a bit older than the character she played was meant to be. Newton-Johns career did not follow the path of Travolta’s and, as I type, I can only think of only one of Olivia’s movies that were considered passable, and that being ‘Xanadu’. Oh, she did do more stuff, but they were …. ‘smush’ too. In fact, Travolta and Newton-John actually starred together again in a movie called ‘Two of a Kind’ it was …. ‘smush’!! Olivia concentrated more on her singing than her acting, and it paid off.
**Stockard Channing ~ Betty Rizzo** Loud mouthed, rough, tough but kinda vulnerable leader of the Pink Ladies. A role that she was made to play. Channing also never made it as an A grade actor, or, even a B class. She basically went from Grease to mainly made for TV movies, other than Grease, the parts she has had have been small but in reasonably successful films, ‘Moll Flanders’(with the one from ER?? Alex Kingston?) ‘The First Wives Club’ (Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton) and ‘To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything Julie Newmar’ (Patrick Swayze)
*
*Jeff Conaway ~ Kenickie** Cool dude number 2, the second in command after Zuko. And, after Zuko, it has to be said, the coolest of the remainder. Again, his career never took off took to the heady heights that are enjoyed by Travolta, and be his probably only known for his 3 year stint in the TV show ‘Taxi’ after Grease? I did see a film with him once, ‘BayCoven’ ~ quite a watchable little movie, it was about a couple that moved to an island only to find that it was actually a witches coven!! As I say, watchable…..
**Michael Tucci/Kelly Ward/Barry Pearl ~ Sonny/Putzi Doody** The three remaining members of the T-Birds, and all……….. dorks!! I’m sorry, but I thought that the Birds were meant to be an ultra cool gang?? Something went drastically wrong here? No big movies following on from Grease for these guys either, just the usual TV movies, bit and guest parts on various American TV shows.
**Didi Conn/Jamie Donnelly/Dinah Manoff ~ Frenchy/Jan/Marty Maraschino (as in cherry!!)**
The three remaining Pink Ladies. All play their parts well, but again, not on the same level as Rizzo I don’t think? We did see Conn return to our screens in Grease 2, and in the hit series ‘Benson’ from 1981 – 85. But along with the other two, bit parts and guest’s is the extent to their careers.

Although maybe the image is wrong with a couple, they do however all work perfectly together, and when all is said and done, Joel Thurm did a good job with the casting don’t you think?

While we are still on/in Actors …… must just quickly mention Eve Arden (Principle McGee) Joan Blondell (Vi) and Sid Caesar (Coach Calhoun). All three have had a long and varied career, both in movies and guest/bit parts for TV shows. Blondell can count Elvis Presley as a co-star when she worked with him on the movie ‘Stay Away Joe’ ~ not one of his best though.
Ard
en, Caesar and Dody Goodman (the dippy secretary Blanche) all made a return appearance for Grease 2.

**Lorenzo Lamas ~ Tom Chisom** The ‘Jock’ . Lamas went on to play Lance in long running daytime American soap ‘Falcon’s Crest’ and then later taking the main lead as a bounty hunter on the run from the police in ‘Renegade’. (great body, shame about all that long hair though ~ bleurrggghhh!!) as well as various other guests on TV shows and TV movies.

**Dennis Stewart ~ Leo** The leader of the rival gang the ‘Scorpions. Ole’ Crator face came back to grace our screens as Balmudo in Grease 2. Since then, his acting career was pretty much the same as the others.

***WHAT’S IT ABOUT?***

The concept is not new.
The ending is predictable.
But still it continues to entertain, delight, and amuse viewers the whole world over.
Boy meet girl, they fall in love, they part, they meet again, there are misunderstandings, they stay parted, and then after being parted for a good part of the film, they reunite, and live happily ever after.

What? You want more? You want the plot done ‘idodoyou’ style……?? OK then, it’s a long one…. you have been warned.

The first scene takes us to the beach. Two young lovers are messing about on the sand, they are in love. Cue the music for ‘Love is many a splendid thing….’. the two lovers are Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsen, sharing the first tender moments of young love, ohh …. The innocence of it all! Before the romance can be cranked up a notch, the sweethearts have to part company. Sandy must return to Australia and Danny to school. As they say all good things come to an end.

But hold ya horses there buster, you know this ain’t the end don’t ya……

The hands of fate intervene and Sandy doesn’t go back to the land down
under, no siree, she’s off to Rydell High. And would you believe, Danny’s there too. Of course, this would be a whole different story if they weren’t at the same school, but as I say, a whole different story, and one we won’t carry on with ………….

The phrase … ‘in all of the high schools in all of the world, you had to walk into mine’!! springs to mind ….. Sorry, let’s get back shall we?

Now, as you and I both know, Danny Zuko is cool, in fact he is frozen solid he his sooo cool. But for some reason, that summer, Danny left his ice white exterior at home and the Danny Zuko that we all know and love became a big ole puppy dog! It was the puppy dog Danny that Sandy fell in love with. So, you can imagine the reaction when ‘not so by chance but more like arranged by the scorned lover meeting’ takes place Sandy is most definitely not expecting a white T-shirted, black leathered, hip swaggering 6 foot block of ice?? Eekk. For one fatal and reputation dashing moment, Zuko loses his cool and once again reverts to the puppy dog. Ooops, not affording to stay in this land of uncool, Zuko returns to hip city as quickly as he left, but in the process belittling Sandy, and basically, making the poor girl cry. Cruel b**s***d”!!!
She flees the scene (the all American pep rally, Cheerleaders, the bon fire, the whole shebang!) only to be comforted by Frenchy, who’s feeling slightly guilty by her hand in the whole set up thing. a quick biology lesson ensues, you know the ‘men are rats Sandy, they’re lower than that, they’re the flea’s on rats, they’re amoeba’s on flea’s on rats’ speech. Surprisingly this does not cheer her up and so a sleep over at Frenchy’s house is arranged.

Oops, before I go on, lets just get this spurned lover thing out of the way….. Rizzo and Danny used to be an it
em. But he dumped/ditched/chucked or any other adjective you wish to use when describing the leaving of something, her. Anyway, when Rizzo learns of Sandy’s summer lovin, her ignorance that Zuko is closer than she could imagine, Rizzo can not wait to set this little soiree up. ‘Hey Zuko, I gotta surprise for you’.

So, back to the sleep over. And to be honest, if this is Frenchy’s idea of cheering people up, I’d hate to be on the receiving end of her trying to ‘depress’ somebody? The evening does not go well, she maims Sandy’s ear, trying to pierce it but only resulting in pain and blood, and if physically hurting the girl wasn’t enough, Rizzo continues to take the p**s out of her all night. ‘You know what you need Sandy, a night in with the girls’ !! Sandy…….. don’t go!!!!
The evening ends with Rizzo shinning down the drainpipe, off to ‘get her kicks while she’s still young enough to get em’. And Sandy singing to herself and to Zuko in a paddling pool in the garden. I must just warn you, please don’t rush out and buy a paddling pool expecting Travolta to be there. He won’t. I know this cos a friend (?!) bought one expecting to see him ……….. <idodoyou is looking sheepish>

Life at Rydell High continues.
Sandy chooses to ignore Danny because of his attitude, who can blame her? But on teasing him that a ‘jock’ was better than he was, Danny turns to the athletic field and takes up running. The other T-Birds are all making better use of their time, stealing hubcaps and other bits of paraphernalia needed to make a car. Kenickie has taken up the challenge of racing at Thunder Road, which to be honest, was totally stupid considering that he had a ‘hunk of junk’ only really useful for dancing over!! But still they continue to steal, and as predictable as the story is, you know, and I k
now that he will get the car finished in time. Rizzo thinks she’s pregnant, and tries to keep it a secret, but in an excellent scene her news reaches the end of her walk before she does and she’s greeted with it by the time she gets back to her car, ‘good news travels fast’! Danny and Sandy patch things up for a while and they go to the drive-in. Danny tries to get all romantic and offers Sandy his class ring, she gets all romantic and excepts, Danny considers this an opener to do more in the back seat whilst at the drive in than just watch the movie. It isn’t and he finds himself stranded and walking funny (door slammed on a very painful part for a guy!) Frenchy has a rather unfortunate incidence with a colour and ends up with hair the colour of candy floss, which in turn means a visit from Teen Angel, a.k.a Frankie Valli. This has totally put me off dying my hair ever again. I live in fear of the Teen Angel visiting me if anything goes wrong!! This was not needed in the film. Ditch the Teen Angel sequence!!
National Bandstand comes to Rydell High, Sandy and Danny have patched up their differences enough to be able to go together, but wouldn’t you just know it, another misunderstanding rears it’s ugly head and they leave apart. Rizzo and Marty turn up on the arm of Leo, the T-Bird rival gang leader of the Scorpions. In turn Kenickie bounds in with the ‘best dancer from St Bernadette’s’ and Leo’s girlfriend which, as you can imagine, doesn’t go down too well with ole crator face Leo.
The dance begins, we are witness to some…..pretty strange moves, and some great songs … only to finish with 3 bare a***s and spot light dance of the winners.

The next morning dawns bright and sunny, bringing with it the race at Thunder Road.
The car’s ready, the guys are ready, and, we are ready for some good old fashioned 1959 hot rod racing, except they ain’t h
ot rods and no race is fun if you know who the winner is? C’mon, don’t tell me you thought the rival gang was gonna win? Hello, predictability rearing it’s all too evident head here.
It’s while Sandy is watching the race she realises she ain’t happy being little ‘miss virgin’ and with Frenchy’s help thinks she knows away to make happy. They skip off almost hand in hand to get started on the transformation.

With the race over, all that remains is the end of semester (term to you and I) fair, it’s graduation and school is over. It’s time to celebrate.
Danny’s running has paid off and he’s earnt himself a Lettermans sweater (if there are any guys from across the pond, what is the relevance with these things please?) and thinks that a stunning white cardigan with red lettering is going to have Sandy running into his arms. He needed have bothered, for instead of the innocence and purity that once was Sandy, standing before him he is greeted with the bride of Satan herself. Skin tight, and I mean skin tight, black satin trousers (I think there will be those of you that will join me when I say bitch ……!!) with the customary leather jacket, and trying ohh so sexily to smoke like a pro. Of course, Danny is gob smacked to say the least, so amazed that he breaks out into song. They both dance and sing while in the funny house (no pun intended I can assure you, they are on a fun fair after all!) and at last it seems that Sandy can give Danny all that he wants by putting on the satin trousers. Most be some kinda kegs to have that kinda effect on a gal? They are happy.
Kenickie and Rizzo make up, again, and both are relieved to know that she ‘doesn’t have a bun in the oven’. They are happy. Jan and Putzie are together. They are happy. Frenchy and Doody are together. And they are happy. Marty is with Sonny. And I know that she could be happier!!
But with a lot of wop bop a loo bopping, and a few chang, chang, changity changity bops the movie comes to an end. With the closing shot being one of nothing less that a miracle, either that or Harry Potter has taken over?? Danny and Sandy take off in their flying car……………….!!!

Phewwww ……….. <idodoyou brushes the beads of perspiration from her brow>



***SOUNDTRACK***

Now, if any film review is worth it’s salt, and a crown, it really should have segment about the soundtrack. Ladies and Gentlemen, I think that you will agree with me that, 1 ~ I have wittled on for long enough, and 2 ~ the Grease soundtrack is one of such mammoth proportions that it deserves an op of it’s very own. Of which I might attempt sometime so watch this space or rather a space over yonder in the Music cat!! And so, I have taken it upon myself to by pass the subject of the soundtrack, and only pausing slightly to say, it certainly does the film much credit, and is well worth a listen, even if never having seen the movie before.

I move swiftly on, and you will be pleased to know, heading towards the final curtain ……



***WHAT DID I THINK, AND WILL IT GRACE MY GOGGLE BOX AGAIN?***

As long as I can see, and hear, and as long as there is life in the VCR (haven’t got round to the new fangled DVD way of watching stuff yet) and my goggle box, this movie will be one that will be continued to be played time after time after time.

I love the whole 1950 – 60’s American experience. If I could time travel, you’d find me in one of those flarey skirts and bobby socks (and idodoyou hates wearing skirts!! She hasn’t got the knees for skirts and things, shorts …. She looks good in them but skirts …….. noooooo!!)
I love the gangs, the burger and milkshake joints (Central Perk 30 – 40 years
ago!!) the music, the whole shebang really. Why wouldn’t I love this movie? I can’t go back and experience it for real, I might as well glean a little from the movies.

OK, so the plot is predictable ……. So what? It’s still entertaining. The story line somewhat corny .…. so what? It’s still entertaining. It’s a musical ….. so what? It’s entertaining, did you not hear me the first time??
We don’t all need sex, violence and swearing (well, not all of the time!) in order to enjoy a film. It’s light hearted, it’s clean wholesome family viewing. And who cares if you have a load of leather jackets guys dancing on cars, or lovesick teenagers singing into paddling pools. It’s still ENTERTAINING. There’s a feel good factor when it all comes together.

And, ladies and gentlemen, Grease and idodoyou go together like ……………….. a wop bop a loo bop, a wop bam boo!

There ………… thas me done for a while or so …. My fingers hurt, my head is sore, and I can’t get those bloody wop bop a loo bops out of my head!!

I thank you for staying to the end, and I thank you in advance for rating, as I know, like all good dooyoo members that you are, you’re about to do!!
Oh, and please feel free to comment.
idodoyou loves to hear your comments, she particularly likes the ones singing her praises. The ones that don’t …….. well, she ignores them ; )

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