Starring: Michael Biehn, John Trovolta, Olivia Newton-John, Kenickie, Stockard Channing, fRANKIE aVALON, Sid Caeser
Where better to begin than my favourite film for all times. I could watch Grease over and over again, and I do. I still find it as fresh and exciting as the first time I watched it two years ago.
Easily the best musical ever made (with the songs to match), Grease is surprisingly not set in Greece at all. From the drainage gulleys visible later in the film, it is clearly set in America. The accents are also a giveaway.
A vibrant tale of teenage love set against the backdrop of the 1950s, it tells the tale of Danny Zuckoh (John Travolata). A violent thug with a soft centre, he falls in love with a square prude called Sandy (played with zeal by Olivia Newton John). Of course, Danny's violent friends think this is ridiculous, so he harshly dumps her on Bonfire Night in front of everyone (Sandy is Australian but ends up going to the same school as Danny after they share a summer romance together on an unidentified coast at the start of the film)
But Danny's soft centre prevails and he pursues Sandy regardless. Unable to resist his singing voice, she decides to go out with him. Pretty soon the T-Birds (Danny's gang) have all softened up and start dating the Pink Ladies (a nick name for morally dubious girls). Approximately 45 minutes later the film ends.
The plot is great, but its the songs that really resonate. And I love the way that the characters just start singing for no reason. It's mad! I often wish that I could get away with doing this. Sadly, spontaneous singing in Ipswich town centre would most likely see me attacked by drug-addicted ruffians.
The songs include the classic Summer Days, Hopelessly Demoted, Summer Days and Grease Lightning. The best song though is Grease Is The Word, sung by the Bee Gees in their pomp. I often drive around Framlingham listening to this song at a sensible volume.
Then of course there are the characters. Trovolta has never been better than as Danny. He is believable yet also quite amusing. And his dancing speaks for itself. Sadly, post-Grease Travolta was stung by the complacency wasp and failed to make a good film again until Look Who's Talking in 2009. A real shame.
Olivia Newton John is a personal favourite of mine. In truth Sandy is my perfect woman. My search goes on to find her! Seriously though, I am aware that she is entirely fictional. Nevertheless she has a great scene where she resits Danny's advances at the cinema and slams a car door on his genitals. Hilarious! Outside of Grease she has had many triumphs, not least the huge hit Physical (Let's Get) which was sadly kept from the Number 1 spot by Foreigner's Waiting For A Girl Like YOU in 1982. Luckily I love Foreigner, so for me this was a sensational double whammy.
Stockard Channing is excellent as the shameless school Jezebel and Kenickie is superb playing himself. The T-Birds are a motley bunch whose rough exterior and criminal ways are curbed by the adorable Pink Ladies (only one of whom is actually attractive). There is also an excellent villain called The Scorpion. He doesn't appear much but he is a menacing character, omnipresent throughout.
There are also many older faces, such as Eve Ardon as the school principal and Caeser as the football coach. And keep you eyes peeled for future Terminator Michael Biehn embarrassing himself as a dancing extra.
Of course there are many moments that I don't fully understand. Such as Rizzo expressing delight at not being pregnant. Surely this is good news? And why don't the gang members pay to visit the cinema? Silly plot holes that fortunately do not detract from my enjoyment of the film.
Anyway, I implore you to check this out. If Grease were a bird it would be a golden Eagle, soaring high above all other musicals and even eating a few for breakfast!
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