Dec 7, 2006

Overrated films part 19

While not a critical success, no one can deny the massive popularity of Grease. I have to admit I do enjoy this film from time to time, but for different reasons than most. I hate most of the music, the actors are way to old to be playing high school kids, Olivia Newton John should've never had a career, and I still can't accept John Travolta playing a tough guy. I also can't buy anyone wanting to sleep with Stockyard Channing.

There are times though that I laugh out loud at this film. The ridiculous Grease Lightning sequence has me howling. The silly, but admittley cute, Summer Nights song cracks me up as well. Really the film isn't a total bunch of tripe, but what makes me loathe watching this is the friggin ending. When Sandy steps out in that slutty leather outfit with the huge hair I can't help but think why anyone thought that was an improvement. I found the pony tail and cheerleader outfit much hotter.

I guess that last line makes me a pervert. Oh well.

Maybe I'm getting older, but I find the films message a little disturbing. I feel having a movie tell women to tramp it up for a guy like Danny Zucco an affront to feminsim. Hey girls you want to be happy? Start smoking, look like a slut, and add a serious amount of hairspray and you'll find happiness.

The film has an appeal that spans many generations and we won't likely see it fade away anytime soon. This movie has massive following and already we've seen a few special editions of it on DVD.

Fine musicals such as Fiddler on the Roof are lost on our youth, but many people of my generation worship at the altar of Grease.

"Grease" hasn't improved much in two decades. It remains a juvenile remembrance of a mythologized '50s, a musical lacking grace." - Jeffery Westhoff

2 comments:

rawbean said...

I Love it!

Anonymous said...

I love this movie. Mostly for the nostalgia as my great uncle intorduced it to me when it first came out and I fell in love with Olivia Newton John. I for one LOVE the music, I understand your point of view on the message and I guess I never really looked at it this way, however, you forgot to mention that Danny also tried to become a jock for Sandy. So I think part of the message was compromising for the one you love.

~Andrea