DVD Review: Grease

There are two sorts of people who were around in the 1970's: Those who love Grease...and everyone else. It's just one of those films.

If you happen to be of the second group, then this review isn't for you. You don't understand or appreciate the film and you never will. This doesn't say anything negative about you or your character; it's just that you don't relate and so, to get it out of the way, you won't like this disc, so don't bother.

For those of you still with me, I think I can safely make one or more of the following assumptions about you: You like musicals; you had/have a crush on Olivia Newton John; you had/have a crush on John Travolta; you can appreciate a film filled with people have a goofy, fun time. Any one of those traits is about all that's necessary to love Grease.

You already know the story. Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and Sandy Olsen (Olivia Newton John) have just spent the summer falling in love. As the new school year is about to start, Sandy is planning to return to Australia and the two lovebirds think they will never see each other again.

School begins and Danny falls back into his role as the leader of the T-Birds, Rydell High School's resident greaser gang. Little does Danny know, but Sandy didn't go back Down Under, but instead enrolled at Rydell and has fallen in with the Pink Ladies, the de facto girlfriends of the T-Birds.

Rizzo (Stockard Channing), the top Pink Lady discovers the identity of Sandy's summertime crush and arranges a surprise reunion with Danny Zuko. The problem, of course, is that while Danny was the perfectly sweet boyfriend over the summer, he now has an image to worry about. Being cool is a full time occupation, you understand. So, the conflict is established, as Sandy is continually hurt by Danny's overriding need to appear cool at her expense.

Sure the story is simplistic and contrived and even our 10-year old figured out within the first half hour that the two lovebirds would work it out in the end. But that's not the point. This is a film about style over substance. We care about the characters not because of how well developed they are, but because of how much energy and fun the actors bring to their roles.

And then there's the music.

If you don't find yourself singing along to the soundtrack, or at the very least tapping your toes, then have someone shove you over and toss some dirt over you. You've died and haven't realized it yet.

When it comes right down to it, Grease isn't the highest grossing musical of all time for its acting. The music is a very real character in this film. Of course, the success of the soundtrack, and the entire story itself, was already proven on Broadway, where Grease was a huge hit. Free from the limitations of the stage, the songs are able to take on all new life.

The great thing about film is that on the one hand, you have a medium capable of telling deeply meaningful stories of human drama. On the other hand, film can give us pure entertainment just for its own sake. Grease falls into the category of pure entertainment. I feel confident in saying that there will never be another film quite like it (just look at the disastrous Grease 2 if you need proof). If ever there is to be an icon of American filmmaking, Grease is the word.

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