“Grease is the time, is the place, is the motion
Grease is the way we are feeling”
Ironically, my personal favourite film conveys possibly the worst message of the bunch. Essentially, the moral is: if you want to keep the guy, don’t stay true to yourself. While the film doesn’t have the most positive or morally correct message, at least that message is dressed up in the clothing of an amazing musical, with songs that, after a while, instead of being forgotten, simply become a part of your being. My description of the movie is not doing the film justice, partly because the magic of Grease can’t, and even shouldn’t be explained. So if you haven’t seen it, please stop reading. I don’t want to ruin it for you. My least favourite people are the ones who ruin the endings of movies and books. I don’t want to be that person. Because, come to think about it, the more I try and deconstruct the film, the less I like it.
 |
| I refuse to be this person |
The film follows the romance of Sandy Olsen (Olivia Newton-John) and Danny Zuko (John Travolta), two teens who have a summer romance and end up at the same high school. Both people struggle to make the relationship work despite their different social positions and groups of friends. Well, gee, when you put it like that, who would want to watch it? Obviously, in my pithy plot recap I have missed something that can’t quite be captured in writing. At least, that’s what a place cemented in pop culture and a worldwide box office gross of over three-hundred million dollars says.
So why has a film with, upon close inspection, such a negative message stayed around for so long? Because it’s irresistibly fun. The movie is harmless. Sure, Sandy
Set in the 1950s, the film takes a decidedly different approach to the teen movie than Rebel Without a Cause. While the film doesn’t shy away from tougher topics such as dropping out of high school and teen pregnancy, it explores them through the majesty of song, rather than dialogue. (I did just use the phrase “majesty of song”. This is a review of Grease, after all)
Having seen the movie in the third or fourth grade, I was able to have the unique experience of revisiting the film as a teenager. First of all, I was surprised to see how unserious the film was. I can now tell that the film was meant to be fun, and that the frenetic energy was exaggerated, but when I was nine I found it a lot more serious. I guess I figured high school would be a lot like Grease (cue laughter at my nine-year-old self). I was also surprised to see how dirty the film was, which I probably noticed since I was watching with my twelve-year-old brother. (Side note: I shielded his eyes at one point. I am such a good sister)
Rating: 
5/5 Pairs of black hot pants
The Verdict: Grease is a classic due to the:
a) infectious, fun-filled show tunes
b) awesome dancing
c) fun, universally accessible storyline
d) frenetic energy and deft touches of intentional cheesiness
Should You Watch it?
In one word, yes. Watching Grease is akin to trying Coca-Cola, an experience I would argue to be integral to understanding North American culture. Like Coca-Cola, the film is a classic, but not necessarily the healthiest thing out there. Beloved by many people, Grease will undoubtedly remain a classic for as long as people watch movies and listen to music.
Director: Randal Kleiser
Writer: Jim Jacobs, Warren Casey, Bronte Woodard, Allan Carr
Starring: John Travolta
Olivia Newton-John
Stockard Channing
No comments:
Post a Comment