ALL SCI-FI

[Brent Gair]

The greatest movie ever?

Probably.

This spectacularly successful movie is nearing a $400,000,000.00 gross on it's $6,000,000.00 budget. It was an immediate hit with critics and audiences.

80% certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, Grease has enjoyed an unbroken presence in the public consciousness for nearly 40 years. Not only does the movie receive regular TV airings, but the stage version (which predates the movie) has been rewritten to more closely reflect the film version.

But, since this is a near perfect movie, why is there still a small percentage of the population that isn't onboard? It's my belief, from reading many posted comments, that, in a very real sense, some people don't "get it". Either it's just over their heads or, more likely, they just weren't paying attention when they watched it.

GREASE is a fantasy film for adults. Nothing in the movie is meant to be literal. I see people scoff at 35 year old teenagers . . . but they are not supposed to really be teenagers. This is not the Disney production of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL. GREASE is a movie for grown-ups who want to live or re-live an idealized era of summer romance and do-wop music. If played literally with teenagers in the roles, the movie would never work. And, at it's heart, it's a sweet movie about, love, friendship, sacrifice and redemption.

Let me give special mention to the penultimate musical number . . . the climax of the movie and a sequence surprisingly misunderstood by the movie's detractors.

Looking at youtube and IMdB comments, I read things like, "Why does Sandy have to turn into a bad girl", and "This is a bad message because it says you can find happiness by becoming something that you are not".

I know even our own Bud Brewster once expressed some reservations.

First, I want to reference O. Henry's GIFT OF THE MAJI in which Della sells her hair to buy Jim a chain for his pocket watch and Jim sells his pocket watch to buy Della combs for her hair. It's the story of two people so in love that they will sacrifice what they can to express that love to each other.

As Danny explains at the start of this scene, his buddies mean a lot to him but so does Sandy, and he intends to do anything he can to get her . . . so he letters in track and appears without his trademark T-Birds leather jacket.

People needed to play closer attention to understand Sandy's transformation.

We learn earlier in the film that Danny has dated Rizzo and "Cha-Cha" DiGregorio and this is an "issue" with Sandy. Immediately prior to this scene, we see Sandy in her pink poodle-skirt approach her friend "Frenchie" from the beauty school with "an idea".

While Sandy takes on the trappings of a bad girl, she is clearly putting on an act for Danny. Notice that, after Danny falls to the ground near the start of the song, Sandy, with a puzzled look on her face, turns around seeking advice from her friends. She clearly has no idea what to do (she takes direction to dump the cigarette).

She has not become a bad girl. She is adopting dress and mannerisms to attract Danny's attention. Who among us has not donned a suit and ordered expensive wine to impress a date? I don't wear a blue pinstriped suit and order Dom Perignom in my daily life . . . but if I do that to impress a girl, does that really make me a phony?

Or does it make me just a regular guy who really likes a girl?

Danny loses his black leather jacket to become a "good boy" for Sandy and Sandy slides into the look of a "bad girl" for Danny.

Watch this number and imagine two complete opposites who are so crazy in love that they will do whatever they have to in order to win each other's hearts.

__________ Grease - You're The One That I Want


___________

[Krel.]

[Brent Gair]

[Bud Brewster]

______________________________________________

From time to time I'll read a post on All Sci-Fi by a member who argues in favor of a movie I dislike . . . and suddenly I find myself realizing something amazing!

The member who likes the movie is RIGHT!

And by God, that means . . . I'm WRONG!

When I first saw Grease at a theater in 1978 with the people who are now my ex-wife, ex-sister-in-law, and ex-brother-in-law . . . I hated it.

Conversely, all those Ex-People loved it.

I couldn't believe they enjoyed a movie so completely different from the wonderful American Graffitti — which is what I was hoping it would be similar to!

However, after reading Brent Gair's wonderful post above, I suddenly realize that my expectations had sabotaged this movie for me, and I'd completely missed the beautiful message it conveyed!

I owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Gair for enlightening me, and I hope he'll accept my apology for my negative remarks about this film on other threads.

Thankfully, he looks like the forgiving type, doesn't he?


__________


Then again, he kinda looks like a bad ass!
_________________
____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)