# Grease (1978)

### reviewed by
Luke Buckmaster

    REVIEW: Grease
    By Luke Buckmaster (bucky@alphalink.com.au)

Cast: John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway, Barry Pearl, Michael Tucci, Kelly Ward, Didi Conn, Jamie Donnelly, Dinah Manoff, Eve Arden, Frankie Avalon, Joan Blondell, Edd Byrnes, Sid Caesar, Alice Ghostley

    Director: Randal Kleiser

Australian re-release date: July 2nd

This review is also available with pictures from the film and extra production information at the following address: http://moviezone.alphalink.com.au/Reviews/Grease

    (Commentary only)

A daring thought, if I may: Grease in the 70's is no where near as impressive as Grease in the 90's. Whilst the film; first released in the beginning-of-the-end of "the psychedelic era", may have been a spectacular, vivid musical celebration back then, I sense that it means so much more now. Not only is it a celebration, but it's a retrospective celebration. It's a journey back in time to when leather jackets clearly defined the cool from the nerdy, when Jimi Hendrix rocked on and when sex was safe. It looks genuine, because it is. Through the span of twenty years, Grease has lost none of its charm and, if anything, is more magical now than ever before. In summary: it was great back then. It's even greater now.

John Travolta (at that time, famous for his role in Saturday Night Live) stars as the now legendary character of Danny Zuko, who had the perfect summer romance with Australian Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John). But school comes all too soon for the two, and they split paths - mistakably thinking that they will never see each other again. On the first day at Rydell High we find Danny with a slick, leather jacketed image as the leader of the "T-Birds." The rebellious T-Birds comprises of Danny and his friends - Kenickie (Jeff Conaway), Doody (Barry Pearl), Sonny (Michael Tucci) and Putzie (Kelly Ward). Meanwhile, the T-Birds female counterparts - the "Pink Ladies" - welcome Sandy (who transferred schools to Rydell) to the school. It doesn't take long for Danny and Sandy to meet again, but this time Danny has a reputation to live up to - so things don't go as well as he would have liked.

As the couple begin to appreciate each other again, different subplots emerge as the Pink Ladies' Rizzo (Stockard Channing) has the possibility of being pregnant from a rousing night with Kenickie, and Frenchy (Didi Conn) quits Rydell to go to beauty school.

If I did have a gripe about Grease, it's a small one: occasionally, the films conversion from spoken dialogue to sung is not as good as it should be. In one scene, involving Frenchy and her "guardian angel," a rendition of "Beauty School Dropout" is included simply to add another song to the track list. It may be enjoyable, but it isn't entirely appropriate - the best types of musicals are those that feel exactly like one, not just a collection of scenes with musical slabs meshed in to create a higher entertainment level. But on the whole, Grease's lyrics are wonderfully written, and the unashamedly 70's style dialogue is charming and easy to absorb.

I have no doubt that the same people who have ignored Grease's flourishing existence will dodge the re-release at all costs. But for many - fans and spectators alike - Grease should still be the word as we remember, with loyal respect, such a screen wonder that paved its way through two grueling decades of film - looking better with every year behind its back.

    Review © copyright Luke Buckmaster

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