I Will Never Understand The Love For GREASE (1978)

#grease #deepfocuslens

[eeriedragonjiheun]

I see that we decided to choose violence today

[aSuspiciousPete]

Just watched it yesterday for the first time. Fun, lighthearted, silly, colorful. It’s clearly not taking itself too seriously. Please don’t judge the film for what it’s not.

[robcop]

Here's my take: We were not so fractured as a nation back then, and some cultural touchstones we made were as a group. Grease was one of them. Nearly everybody went to see it in its first run--young AND old. Grease, the movie, was the final shot of nostalgia for that era of the 1950s. There was a revival of interest in this period of time, stretching from Sha Na Na performing at Woodstock in 1969 to the opening of Grease, the film, across the country in 1978. I saw the original musical (I still have the ticket stub) at the Royale Theatre on Broadway back in the 70s. I was thirteen and I loved it. Some of the songs from the original show were cut, including my favorite, Those Magic Changes. At the time, I preferred 50s rock'n' roll to the easy listening and hard rock sound prevalent in the early to mid 1970s. I saw Grease (twice) on a big screen--not on a television--in that long ago summer of 1978. I think maybe you had to be there (at the time) to understand it. It's just one of those things.

[chandumanoj]

Have you seen Martin Scorsese’s After Hours (1985)? If you’ve seen it I would love to see your review on it. If you haven’t I highly recommend it.

[KrisBryant]

Maggie this film worked because of the visual style and in addition to the fact that it's celebrating a bygone era. The film just naturally works whether you get it or not. But that goes for any movie honestly.

[ElectricShark]

The original Grease was a play that came out in 1971 that wasn't just about Danny and Sandy but the lives of working class teenagers in the 1950s trying to find their ways in life. The reason I like Grease is because of the characters. Rizzo has a lot of character depth to her. She was complex and even though she presented as tough, she had vulnerability and a soft side. Marty was multi dimensional, a teenage girl trying to pass as an older woman and yet when with an older man, ends up not being ready. Jan with her secret insecurity over her lack of beauty and yet still finding love and acceptance. I can relate to these characters. Grease is not without it's flaws though.
Some of the messages are bad (Change yourself for a man, etc)
But the characters make it worthwhile. Fun fact: my late pet toad would sit and watch Grease with me. Only movie he would ever watch.

[GrandSlamSilver]

Grease is my favourite musical, and one of my favourite films.

[atimtg]

I disliked it also until I discovered ONJ and her wonderful music. Then I watched like the first time again and loved it because of her.

[PrinceofPain-wvlo]

Grease Rocks!!!..The film does a good job representing teenage life..Like it or not..This is how humans act..Thump up for Grease

[zakrowe]

I absolutely love grease, mainly because of my mom, it’s one of her favourite movies and growing up it always felt like a big deal watching it.

It definitely has its flaws but for what I love about it, it’s just a fun watch. The nostalgia, not even just for my childhood but also for the 50s, i just find it really immersive. I love all of the songs, except for one. It’s got good humour and The charchters are pretty good too.

[gaberodriguez]

I think the appeal of GREASE is that many of us first saw it as children. When you're in grade school, this feels like an idealized depiction of what high school will be like, and John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John are such larger-than-life presences. It was a movie that everyone just knows and songs from, but is usually never analytical of. I think most people look back on the movie again later in adulthood and realize how dopey it is. Sure, the plot is stupid. But it's not a movie worthy of getting angry over.

[lacrimatorium]

I was on a transatlantic flight in 1978 for the first time in my life. I had no idea how these things worked. They announced the movie for the day, that we all had to watch, a film I thought was called Greece. I thought 'Oh a documentary on Greece could be good.' I was wrong. It was indeed Grease. I am still waiting to see the documentary called Greece. I'm sure it would have been better. Thanks Maggie!

[bobbyokeefe]

If it wasn't a musical, I would agree, the meat in a musical are the songs, plot and character development is secondary, it's like watching "Debbie does Dallas" and being upset that Debbie is a one-dimensional character, the reason why people remember this film is for its catchy songs, heck even the people who never watched the film know them for the most part.

[thoth]

John Carpenter's CHRISTINE is my kinda GREASE. Nothin like watchin a bike shop loser being chased down an alleyway by a possessed Plymouth Fury.

[crystalkadletc]

I was a child in the 80s when I fell in love with Grease. I love Grease even in all its flaws. It’s the music that I love. It’s Olivia Newtown John that I love. And the simplicity of the time. Not everything has to be perfect. I appreciate your review. But the music of Grease is top notch. I won’t saw Tony award worthy, but it’s great music .

[danielrosas]

Either way to this day its still the best-selling soundtrack because its super popular.

[stanleyrogouski]

Another reason to see Pablo Larrain's film Tony Manero. There's a key scene where the anti-hero goes to a theater expecting to see Saturday Night Fever and they're playing Grease instead and he flies into a murderous rage.

[charleskidney]

The movie is a master piece. I don't understand how you can't like it. The music, is cool. All the characters are great and they all work of each other so well. Plus the movie has a lot of wisdom thrown in, if you are open to it. Stunned 😯 that you don't like one of best movies ever made

[martinavila]

its called nostalgia and its a powerful thing, for example i see hocus pocus as a really bad film however i loved it and feel a connection because i remember watching it when i was a kid with my family

[hawkwhirlwind]

As an older fellow, I'd like to state that we've been ripping on this movie for decades.