The guardian angel who sang Beauty School Drop Out to Frenchie was Frankie Avalon. He was a teen heartthrob singer in the 1950s and 60s. He also starred in a lot of the teen beach movies from that era. His love interest in most of the movies was Annette Funicello. She got her start as one of the original Mouseketeers. The joke about the jugs being bigger than Annette's was a reference to Annette Funicello's figure. She had some rather large "attributes" even as a young teenager.
This was Stockard Channing’s breakout role. I love her world-weariness as a contrast to Sandy, although that was helped by her being 34 when the movie was released. “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” is definitely my favorite song in the film.
National Bandstand was not an actual thing. American Bandstand was, from 1952 to 1989. It was hosted by Dick Clark, the same guy that used to do New Year's Eve from Times Square every year. American Bandstand started in Philly and then went national a few years later. The show would play the most popular songs of the day and feature musical guests. When I was a teenager in the 1970s, it came on at 12 noon every Saturday in our market. And at 1 pm was Soul Train, which was basically the same thing but for soul ( meaning Black) artists and fans. We all just HAD to watch both shows each week, so we could learn all the new dance moves, hear all the best songs and see our favorite artists perform.
And don't forget about Wolfman Jack! Music & dance & movie/music idols were everything to us in the 60s and 70s! The guy singing about Beauty School Dropout was VERY popular, Frankie Avalon. The announcer at the dance contest was Ed "Cookie" Burns. So many cameos in this fun show! 💖
Great reaction. Since you made no mention of Olivia Newton-John, I can only assume you don't have any idea of how huge she was. It’s been almost two years since her passing and I am still carrying a very heavy heart. She sold over 100 million albums and between 1978 and 1984, she was the biggest female pop star in the world. She was the biggest selling female recording artist of the 1970’s and the second biggest selling female recording artist of the 1980’s. I became a huge fan in 1973 when I was around 8 years old and heard her first major hit in the US called “Let Me Be There” - long before “Grease”. Before “Grease” in 1978, she had already released 9 studio albums had 3 Grammy Awards, numerous Country Music and American Music Awards, 2 People’s Choice Awards, several top 10 hits, two #1 hits, two #1 albums. She actually released her first greatest hits album in late 1977. She never considered herself “an actress”. She was also the first female recording artist to re-invent herself. “Grease” gave her the opportunity to expand her music into a more soft rock / rock / pop sound. And with her vocal ability, she could sing in any genre. She is a true ICON! She battled breast cancer for 30 years and spent those years raising awareness and raising funds to fight and research cancer. She helped build the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Center (in conjunction with the Austin Hospital) in her hometown of Melbourne, Australia. And tirelessly devoted herself to raising funds to support this endeavor. She was truly an amazing human being and no one ever had a bad thing to say about her. Many of my generation adore her and she is incredibly missed.
Another fun fact about Olivia: She placed 4th (!!!) in the 1974 Eurovision Song contest, representing Great Britain. The winner that year was none other than ABBA!
Dinah Manoff (Marty Maraschino) is the daughter of Oscar-winnng actress Lee Grant. In 1980, Manoff made her Broadway debut in Neil Simon's play, I Ought to Be in Pictures, winning a Best Featured Actress in a Play Tony Award. She also starred for 7 years on TV's Empty Nest (1988 to 1995).
Even 46 years later, the soundtrack for Grease is the fifth best-selling film soundtrack album of all time. The top four are The Bodyguard, Saturday Night Fever (another Travolta film!), Dirty Dancing and Titanic.
@@OGBReactsand you’re right about the accents, I’m born and raised in Brooklyn girl and you just made realize these California boys sound like a bunch of Brooklyn Guinea’s! lol I can’t believe after 40 years I never questioned why?! I guess I just learned something new from your reaction 😂😂
@@OGBReactsFor the Fourth of July, would you please consider watching the musical 1776? I think you will really enjoy it, and a lot in it was taken from actual history. It’s about America seeking Independence so it fits July 4th so well.
Back in the day, that is exactly what we did at sleepovers. Smoke cigarettes & blow smoke out the window, drink Boone's Farm apple wine & pierce each other's ears! The tv show they are imitating is American Bandstand with Dick Clark, who created & hosted New Year's Rockin' Eve, which is now hosted by Ryan Seacrest. I really enjoyed watching you react to this!
Seeing the older actors was fun: Eve Arden as the Principle, Sid Caesar as the gym coach, Joan Blondell at the restaurant. Eve Arden had her own TV show "Our Miss Brooks" in which she played a school teacher in very much the same sarcastic character.
@@christhornycroft3686 His first hit was actually at the tail end of 1959...Venus, which I loved as a little girl. Anette Funicello actually began her career on The Mickey Mouse Club.
Stockard Channing (Rizzo), for me, stood out even in a great cast. Her two big songs are so strongly contrasted (the sassy, hilarious "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee" and the defiant "There Are Worse Things I Could Do"), and as an actress she really nails them. I was 15 when this movie came out and noticed that SC was older than a high school student (she was 34!), but she was so damn good, I didn't care!
There was an urban legend about the ending of this film. Supposedly Sandy had hit her head while at the beach and went into a coma. And the whole movie was a dream with her and her dream man flying off into the distance together. Thanks for an awesome review, Sam. Great job editing and loved your perspective on a film from my childhood (in the 1970's). Now lets do "GREASE 2" and watch Michelle Pfeiffer sing her lungs out.
Fun Fact: The Kill Bill P-Wagon is a direct tribute to Grease Lightning. I was in 4th grade when this movie came out. We used to reenact the Grease lighting scene in a friend's back yard on his dad's old car. Somehow we got away with the P-Wagon line without any adults saying anything. The 1970s... Smh.
When Rizzo brings Sandy out to see Danny, she knew the the REAL greaser Danny would come out. Rizzo did that deliberately because he probably scorned her in the past.
Part of the fun of this movie is that most of the teachers are played by well-known comedic actors from the 50's. It just feels natural to see them in a movie set in that era.
- This was originally a Broadway musical, and only one performer from the original cast is in the film, Jamie Donnelly who played Pink Lady Jan, the one always eating. However, Jeff Conaway (Kenickie) did the Broadway cast as a replacement for Danny, then toured the country. And Travolta played Doody in a road company (Doody was the one who had the water pistol). One kind of "dick move" that Travolta pulled during filming was using his star power to take "Greased Lightning" from Jeff Conaway. The song is sung by Kenickie in the stage show, but Travolta wanted to do it for the film. - Although the characters are in high school, in the stage version the show starts at a class reunion, with the cast then becoming high schoolers, like a flashback. So, the fact that everyone in the cast was way over high school age is not important...but Jamie Donnelly was already going gray when the movie was filming. - "Hopelessly Devoted To You" and "The One That I Want" were written for the movie by Olivia Newton-John's main songwriter, John Farrar. He would also write most of her songs in her next film, the cult classic Xanadu. However, given the popularity of both songs, the latest Broadway revival of the show included both songs, and many professional theater companies will seek the rights to use the songs in their productions. The song "Grease" was also not from the show, but written by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, and sung by Frankie Valli, who was a teen heartthrob and a member of the Four Seasons during the time period the movie takes place in. If you ever see the movie musical Jersey Boys, that's the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. - Coach Calhoun was played by Sid Caesar, one of the legends of TV comedy and the king of 1950s comedy with "Your Show of Shows". Among the talents from that show came Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, Larry Gelbart, Carl Reiner, and Woody Allen. - Teen Angel was played by Frankie Avalon, a teen heartthrob singer and actor. His biggest hit was "Venus", and he did several low budget musical comedy movies like Beach Blanket Bingo with Annette Funicello. - Vince Fontaine was played by Edd Byrnes, who was a TV heartthrob from a series called 77 Sunset Strip. - Prior to Grease, Olivia Newton-John had only done one other film in Australia, and was one of the biggest recording artists in the world. While she never had much of a film career, with only a handful of credits, she was still beloved when she passed in August 2022. She had fought different forms of cancer over the last 30 years of her life, starting with breast cancer, and was triumphant most of the time, and still making music and performing. She also started a charity for cancer research, and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. She was a class act all her life, and when she passed, John Travolta was almost inconsolable because of their friendship since Grease. Her work and legacy as an advocate for cancer research is being continued by Olivia's only child, Chloe Lattanzi.
Many Legends of Early TV and Hollywood are in this movie. Eve Arden played the Principal, Sid Caesar played the Coach and Joan Blondell played the older blond Waitress. The Band playing at the National Bandstand TV show (Johnny Casino and the Gamblers) was Sha-Na-Na who performed at Woodstock 69 just before Jimi Hendrix closed the Weekend. Rumor is that Olivia Newton-John had to sewn into those incredibly tight black pants during the Carnival scene near the end of the film.
I watched this at least 12 times when it came out. It was a hot summer I was 10 years and we had a brand new theater in the mall that was in lot where back to the future was filmed. We could just walk to the movies back then no parents needed. Every person we knew who had not seen it was an excuse to go.
Whenever a movie is made based on a stage musical, there are two traditions: one is to add a song that's new to the movie, so that it's eligible for "best original song" awards (the other songs count as being an adaptation, which is a less prestigious category). The other tradition, which is less explicit and not as universal, is to add some element of breaking the fourth wall, as if to emphasize that this is based on a play, and if you glance to far to one side or the other you're back to reality. For Grease, the final number served both of those purposes. "We Go Together" was a new song, and the fantasy element of the car flying away was the fourth wall break that wasn't part of the original play.
“We Go Together” has been in the stage version of Grease since the original Chicago production. It just ends Act 1 instead of being the finale of the show. The new songs added for the movie were, “Grease (Is The Word)”, “Hopelessly Devoted To You” (replacing Sandy’s solo, “It’s Raining on Prom Night”), “Sandy” (replacing “Alone at a Drive-In Movie”) and “You’re The One That I Want” (replacing “All Choked Up”).
The car flying away at the end is how the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ends. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was made in 1968, so this is where the inspiration for the end of Grease comes from.
What a fun reaction. I'm glad you knew some of the songs...when my friends and I would have sleepovers we'd play the soundtrack album! The band playing at the dance was the real-life group Sha-Na-Na. They had their own television show in the 1970s. The show opened with a girl announcer saying "Hey there all you GREASERS, it's time for Sha-Na-Na!", and always ended the program with "Goodnight Sweetheart." The tall skinny guy in the black T is Bowser...🎉
Rest in peace Patti simcox. She passed a couple days ago. The guy in the letterman sweater (when Kenichi put the frog in her purse during morning announcement) is the wonderful Kyle Reese from terminator movies. Not too many realize it
This was a fun reaction too. Totally all-time classic movie that will never die as long as we don't blow it up. Wished to see more of Sandy and Danny in their last song, and then the 'we go together' ending.... really fun to watch reactions to that, and the dancing is next level. Glad you liked it Sam!
After Saturday Night Fever and Grease, John Travolta was a superstar. I think "Urban Cowboy" was his next movie and it's pretty good. Olivia Newton-John, already America's sweetheart throughout the 70s, went on to superstardom after this movie, especially with her songs on the soundtrack. Her music style changed after this movie and she went on to hit the Pop charts several times in the early to mid 80s. I think "Xanadu" was her next film (so-so movie), and her singing was on that soundtrack which was another huge hit. Stockard Channing (Rizzo) became a great actress. My favorite movie with her is "Six Degrees of Separation" along with "To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything".
I saw this in the theater when I was 8 or 9. All the risque stuff went over my head. I loved it though, but more for the opening animation and car stuff at the time. I completely unintentionally was wearing a t-shirt with a 57 Chevy on it that night. I don't know why I remember that. National Bandstand is a play on American Bandstand with Dick Clark.
I watched this for the first time when I was 12 and I just became obsessed! Got the soundtrack on CD and listened to it all the time. Being from Sweden I didn't pick up on the California setting and Italian American influence, but I really enjoyed seeing you enjoing it now! So much fun Sam.
I saw it a a movie theater in London, fall 1978 or ‘79. I had just graduated beauty school in California and saw it with a friend who was a London hairdresser. We both LOVED “beauty school dropout”!!!!!!!!!!!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Nobody has mentioned Edd Byrnes as the heart-throb parking lot attendant Kookie on 77 Sunset Strip and his combing his hair. There was a song about it. Kookie Lend Me Your Comb.
A lot of the inspiration for the I’m just Ken dance sequence is apparently the dream ballet sequence in Singing in the Rain. Personally it reminds me of the beginning sequence with the Sharks and Jets in West Side Story.
This is probably the most popular musical for high school drama classes in America. We were suppose to do it my senior year (1996), but it was being produced on Broadway at the same time, so we couldn't get the rights to the play and songs. :(
The guardian angel was Frankie Avalon who was famous for a series of teen beach movies with former Mouseketeer, Annette Funicello (the same Annette they were talking about when Knickie said, "Nobody's jugs are bigger than Annette's"). Those beach movies were before my time, but I saw them on reruns on TV. Kinda hokey by today's standards, worth a pass. National Bandstand was a spoof of Dick Clark's American Bandstand where they had teens dancing to the week's top hits and also had at least one "live" performance from a current big singer or pop band. The show lasted forever and didn't end until the 80s when most people preferred to watch videos on MTV. If you've ever seen the movie, Hairspray, the Corny Collins Show in that movie owes some inspiration from American Bandstand as well (although I think some major cities had their own local versions of the show back in the 50s and 60s). And Hairspray is well worth watching as well, and coincidentally also has John Travolta in it. I agree, the "chubby" girl was never really heavy, but to be fair, after watching this movie a few times, I notice she's also in the background at the end behind Sandy, and she's also wearing a very revealing outfit and she's clearly showing off her figure, so I think we're supposed to assume that she lost weight over the school year. I'm not sure, but I think the car Danny and Sandy drove off in at the end wasn't Knickie's car, I think it was the car they won from the Scorpions for winning at Thunder Road (they were playing for pink slips after all). You mentioned how the movie is clearly set in California, even though they seem to have New Jersey or New York accents and mannerisms, but this musical ran a long time on Broadway, and several of the actors had starred in the New York productions. I think both Travolta and Conaway (Knickie) had played Danny on Broadway. So the accents may be somewhat genuine.
12:25: “My 25¢ insurance policy…” “It broke.” Listen…when I was a kid (like, 7 years old)…and watched this movie on repeat…I thought it was an actual insurance policy (piece of paper) that tore in half. This is one of those movies you watched innocently as a child, to only realize just how dirty it was as an adult.
I've never bought into the theory that she was changing for him at all. She changed for herself. The song clearly says "something more than what THEY see", stating the group, not just him. For heaven's sake, she is a high school senior about to go to adulthood and college and/or career. Young girls could relate to the societal expectations of that time for a young woman to be meek and fit into the stereotypical "good girl" image. What she does here and what many young girls related to was that she was willing to step out of that "good girl" expectation and assert herself and take control. The movie goes to the bit extreme makeover, but the feeling of empowerment is what we got as young girls. The song "You're the One that I Want" is a total woman's empowered song, if you listen to the lyrics. And she is NOT stating that she is going to jump into bed with Danny. I believe many young girls could see themselves in good girl Sandy, being a bit shy and wanting to please everyone. One of the reasons why I think the song "You're the One That I Want" was so huge was it expressed a joy of feeling you can take control of any situation. Just my opinion.
See, I think the very title "You're the One That I Want" says that Sandy *does* want to bed Danny and is underlined by Olivia's nymphomaniac costuming. I love every bit of this movie EXCEPT for the finale. I agree that female empowerment is one of Grease's virtues, but for me that's embodied by Rizzo much more than Sandy. Rizzo loves to present herself as tough as nails, but we can see she has feelings (even if conflicted ones) about Kenickie and Zuko. I think the most powerful song in the film is "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" where Rizzo shows toughness, defiance, AND vulnerability. Stockard Channing totally nails it.
@@geoffwieting hey.everyone is entitled to their opinion. I was a young girl then and absolutely related to the “Sandy” character. Still do. Stockard Channing is an amazing actress, no doubt. Just not a fan of the character. And just saying you’re the one that I want is stretching it to say that means you are ready to jump into bed with them. To me, just means she knows who and what she wants. They both do, according to the song. I guess you were a young girl with different perception. To each her own. As for the costume, it was a late 70’s movie and ONJ looked great. I turned out great. It only influenced me very positively. 😊
@@havensmm9308 I suspect the creators of the original musical didn't intend a sexual meaning to "You're the one that I want", but Randal Kleiser, the movie's director probably did, given his "extreme makeover" of Sandy at the end (and yes, ONJ did look great in it). The scene just doesn't work for me after the rest of the film. It was a late '70s movie, but it was, up till then, a pretty accurate (I believe) description of high school in the '50s. A less extreme makeover might have been the ideal solution--which is why I'd love to see the show onstage. (BTW, please don't refer to me as a girl, young or old. I'm a cis-gender male--a teenaged boy when the movie came out and now an older guy looking back nostalgically.)
So in the original stage production of Grease, Jan was played by a plus sized actress, so there’s always comments about her weight and she was going on a diet throughout the story. They had intended to cast a plus sized actress for the movie, but Jamie Donnelly was so perfect for the role they casted her and never changed the script. They tired to give her padding for scenes towards the start of the movie, but it’s not noticeable.
I forgot how tickled I get when Sandy says “ah, gotcha talking”, ahh, RIP Olivia Newton John I also love that laugh Danny does “hah hah hah” and I FULLY believe Ryan Gosling does the same thing in “Barbie”
I love how the first song that they sing Summer Lovin is the different perspective of what their summer love affair was like from each one of them. They are very different views on what was going on. This is a classic.
I think all of us back in the day had some version of Greased Lightning that we re-enacted in the living room or backyard with our neighborhood crew! The guest appearances and inside jokes in this film were never-ending, from Rydell High to Eve Arden to Frankie Avalon. This movie was also one of Travolta’s trifecta of iconic roles. He also starred in Saturday Night Fever and Urban Cowboy, both worth a look. Loved watching this with you, so glad you chose this movie! Peace …
Loved the reaction! This movie and Hairspray (1988) were staples of my childhood. My friends and I used to watch both on repeat and have so much fun singing and dancing along! I highly recommend watching Hairspray from 1988 if you have never seen it.
@@OGBReacts I’ve never seen that version, but I am familiar with it and have seen Travolta in character as Edna Turnblad in clips. I would move to see what you think of the OG vs. the remake. Have you seen any other John Waters films?
Thank you for reacting to this iconic musical! This was one of my mom favorite movies, and it’s like she still here singing to the entire movie. Tragically ironic, I was wearing my Grease musical cast t-shirt when the news of Olivia Newton-John’s death was announced. I would really love to see you to react to John Travolta’s Hairspray, Footloose, and Mamma Mia. Also the Hand Jive is 2 leg pats, 2 hand claps, 2 right over left, 2 left over right 2 right to left bumps, 2 left to right bumps, 2 right shoulder points and 2 left shoulder points. If you loved John Travolta check out Urban Cowboy and Look Who’s Talking trilogy. 🧑🏻👩🏼🦱🚘🖤❤️🤍
12:02 This was the first song I danced to with my first girlfriend after I asked her to "go with me" (i.e. go steady) at my first school dance. I was 13 and this film had just come out. Ah, magic!
The story is actually based around 1950's William Taft high school in Chicago, greasers. It's a story about firsts in all young adults lives. First boyfriend/girlfriend. First car. Peer pressure etc.
12:07 Ugh even though you've muted it for copyright i still hear it, still feel it. Hopelessly devoted... RIP Olivia Newton John, she was a national treasure.
I'm pretty sure this was the start of movies casting actors in their 30s and almost 40s to play teenagers. Before that, maybe they'd be in their early 20s. But these people are clearly looking at their high school years through their rear view mirror - disappearing over the horizon. But it still works, because it's a nostalgic fantasy. This isn't what the 50s were actually like for teenagers, it was what people who lived through those times wanted them to be like. What they told their kids it was like while attacking their generation. I used to watch this a lot as a kid in the 80s and 90s and watching it now as an adult, there's a lot more sexual innuendo than I caught back then. "Nobody's jugs are bigger than Annette's," "a chick has to put out before she puts in," "bite the weenie, Rizz," (to which she responds, "with relish"), "Rizzo's got a bun in the oven," "You gonna go flog your log?" I'll give the movie credit - it does capture the raunchiness of high school very well. I can't remember if Saturday Night Fever was before or after this, but they came out around the same time and other than that, the only other really notable thing John Travolta had been in was Welcome Back, Kotter, about a high school teacher and his students. The show was notable for having a stereotypic gay character, Horshack. Travolta plays a similar character to Danny, except that of course, it's set in the late 70s, not the 50s. The 70s were before my time, but they undoubtedly had some of the best American sitcoms. I still watch All In The Family and The Jeffersons just for the social commentary. There's one episode where resident bigot Archie Bunker unknowingly saves a drag queen by giving her mouth to mouth. Given recent events, that episode suddenly became more relevant now than it ever did then. There's another episode where Archie discovers an old buddy and tough guy is gay. Terrific television back then.
This video was just recommended to me :) I watched Grease every day during the summer when I was in 7th grade. I never watched the whole movie since. I really enjoyed your reactions and have subscribed :)
Thanks for this video, Sam! I probably drove my family crazy singing "Hopelessly Devoted to You" as a kid. Since then, I heard that the scene where Sandy sings it was filmed and edited in after the production had wrapped up.
15:07 Tom is played by Lorenzo Llamas who in the 90s was in a tv series called Renegade. Look at him here then pull up photos or an episode of that show. 26:46 I don’t think it was so much her weight but that she kept eating lots of junk food and she’s trying to cut back on junk food.
Like I said on one of the livestreams, this movie is very much a Homer Simpson "That's good, that's bad" routine for me. The good: These songs didn't all become huge hits for no reason, and they're still all bangers that will quickly get you swaying along. The performances are all great, everyone knowing exactly how to toe the line between the "innocent" '50s setting and edgier material. The bad: Certain views of gender roles have aged like nitroglycerin, most notoriously the "Be a slut to get your man" message that the ending goes with. There was a live TV version in 2016 which very clearly struggled with how to make this acceptable to a modern audience without just totally rewriting it.
The original play has been reworked a lot over the years. I saw a YT video that went into detail all of the permutations of especially the stage show changes.
Agreed about the ending except that I don't think it "aged". When I saw the movie on its 1978 release, I adored all of it except the ending which left a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't buy that Sandy could (or would) reinvent herself overnight as a nympho or that Danny was such a schmuck that he'd go for that (after all, he'd fallen for the Sandra Dee-type Sandy during the summer). I'd be interested to see the 2016 version (or any other remake) to see how they dealt with that really disappointing ending.
@@geoffwieting It shows that her strict conservative parents had forced her into being that kind of person, and now she's become her real self. And Frenchie makes very sure it's what she actually wants for herself before helping with the makeover.
@@Rmlohner If the movie showed us her "strict, conservative parents" in action, I'd probably be more ready to accept Sandy's total transformation as a reversion to her real self. But as it stands, the final scene just comes out of nowhere, imo, which really bugs me.
Gotta love the message. If a guy and girl like each other and he’s an ass, just give her tight leather pants and everything will work out. Lol. My grandmother’s favorite song is Rizzo’s solo. I didn’t get what she liked about it when I was a child but now I understand what a great song!
I watched Grease several time in theaters when it came out, not because of John, but because I was the BIGGEST fan of Olivia Newton-John. I enjoyed the film for what it was, BUT years later I fell on a conspiracy page on the internet where it was advanced that the entire film was the last thoughts of a dying Sandy. According to this theory, the part of the song, Summer Nights that John sings rather than the more innocent version Olivia gives to the girls. Each aspect of the film is highlighted in support of this theory. Of course the big one is how in the end the car flies off and Olivia looks back beaming happily.
This theory was completely debunked by the original creators and the movie's director. But most people will believe what they want to believe, even if it's not true.
@@havensmm9308 Yeah, I understand that those involved with the film (those who KNOW the motivations) denied this theory, BUT when you watch the film KNOWING the theory--even knowing it was debunked--you still can't help but see why the theory came into being. That was my point. Art, and film is an art, as we are constantly told is SUBJECTIVE. For example, I don't think of a banana duct taped to a white wall is art, yet thousands of people in NYC went to the 'opening' of this 'exhibit' and RAVED about it--until a homeless dude came in and ATE the banana. I think of art as those busts--Nefertiti--and statues--David--the portraits and painting like the NIGHT WATCH as art. So, the theory works for me simply because all of the elements that made it theory ARE there.
This movie is about two people drowning at the beach and having a hallucination about their senior year of high school, which ends in them flying away to heaven in a souped up classic car... They died. the end. :)
Growing up, we almost never went to the movies (this was pre-cable, pre-VCR). My parents were going to take us to this, but at the last minute I think they learned there was going to be some suggestive content, and we wound up seeing Watership Down instead. I'm glad they did, as Watership Down was amazing to see as a kid, and made me more interested in literature. I did wind up seeing Grease somehow. Maybe my older sister snuck us out to see it.
When I was a kid, I definitely didn't understand that this was a parody of 50s teen movies. I think there are probably still a lot of references that I'm missing!
Danny's look is very 'cinematic Elvis' - front curl, tight pants/short shorts, loafers with socks - while also evoking the 'greaser' culture of the period - leather jackets, pomaded hair, cuffed jeans. The greaser look was largely started by gearheads who would slick their hair back with grease from working on cars/bikes, while leather jackets were about the only protection available to bikers back in the day and wouldn't save a life but would spare a rider from minor scapes and falls.
I think the funniest part of this movie is how they tried to pass off these nearly middle aged full grown adults as high school seniors 😂 Rizzo could literally be approved for a mortgage😂
I saw this movie so many times as a kid, and it brings back such good memories! I know you have a long list of movies to get to, but someday you should check out the sequel, Grease 2. I also love that one!
The guardian angel who sang Beauty School Drop Out to Frenchie was Frankie Avalon. He was a teen heartthrob singer in the 1950s and 60s. He also starred in a lot of the teen beach movies from that era. His love interest in most of the movies was Annette Funicello. She got her start as one of the original Mouseketeers. The joke about the jugs being bigger than Annette's was a reference to Annette Funicello's figure. She had some rather large "attributes" even as a young teenager.
Oops! I should have looked further down before adding my comment above, which was extremely similar what you wrote! Well done. :)
Oh, never realized the reference to Annette Funicello. Makes sense.
I'm named after Annette Funicello.
I NEVER knew this:)
She's also referenced in Look At Me I'm Sandra Dee.
Keep your filthy paws off my silky drawers. Would you pull that crap with Annette?
Even if someone isn't a fan of musicals, you could never deny the chemistry that existed between Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta.
This was Stockard Channing’s breakout role. I love her world-weariness as a contrast to Sandy, although that was helped by her being 34 when the movie was released. “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” is definitely my favorite song in the film.
Me too. that's the most emotional song of the film. Love it.❤
same
National Bandstand was not an actual thing. American Bandstand was, from 1952 to 1989. It was hosted by Dick Clark, the same guy that used to do New Year's Eve from Times Square every year. American Bandstand started in Philly and then went national a few years later. The show would play the most popular songs of the day and feature musical guests. When I was a teenager in the 1970s, it came on at 12 noon every Saturday in our market. And at 1 pm was Soul Train, which was basically the same thing but for soul ( meaning Black) artists and fans. We all just HAD to watch both shows each week, so we could learn all the new dance moves, hear all the best songs and see our favorite artists perform.
So, like in Hairspray?! Man, I'm not from the US so this is kinda like the red cup thing, so weird that they exist in real life.
Very much like in Hairspray, yes.
And don't forget about Wolfman Jack! Music & dance & movie/music idols were everything to us in the 60s and 70s!
The guy singing about Beauty School Dropout was VERY popular, Frankie Avalon. The announcer at the dance contest was Ed "Cookie" Burns. So many cameos in this fun show! 💖
RIP, Olivia Newton John, Sandy
RIP, Susan Buckner, Patty.
Dont forget RIP Jeff Conaway (Kenickie). Loved him in Babylon 5.
Great reaction. Since you made no mention of Olivia Newton-John, I can only assume you don't have any idea of how huge she was. It’s been almost two years since her passing and I am still carrying a very heavy heart. She sold over 100 million albums and between 1978 and 1984, she was the biggest female pop star in the world. She was the biggest selling female recording artist of the 1970’s and the second biggest selling female recording artist of the 1980’s. I became a huge fan in 1973 when I was around 8 years old and heard her first major hit in the US called “Let Me Be There” - long before “Grease”. Before “Grease” in 1978, she had already released 9 studio albums had 3 Grammy Awards, numerous Country Music and American Music Awards, 2 People’s Choice Awards, several top 10 hits, two #1 hits, two #1 albums. She actually released her first greatest hits album in late 1977. She never considered herself “an actress”. She was also the first female recording artist to re-invent herself. “Grease” gave her the opportunity to expand her music into a more soft rock / rock / pop sound. And with her vocal ability, she could sing in any genre. She is a true ICON! She battled breast cancer for 30 years and spent those years raising awareness and raising funds to fight and research cancer. She helped build the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Center (in conjunction with the Austin Hospital) in her hometown of Melbourne, Australia. And tirelessly devoted herself to raising funds to support this endeavor. She was truly an amazing human being and no one ever had a bad thing to say about her. Many of my generation adore her and she is incredibly missed.
Another fun fact about Olivia: She placed 4th (!!!) in the 1974 Eurovision Song contest, representing Great Britain. The winner that year was none other than ABBA!
Thank you for informing people of this beautiful and classy Aussie icon
@@Angelicwings1 I have been a fan of ONJ since the 70s, I still have her original albums.
Dinah Manoff (Marty Maraschino) is the daughter of Oscar-winnng actress Lee Grant. In 1980, Manoff made her Broadway debut in Neil Simon's play, I Ought to Be in Pictures, winning a Best Featured Actress in a Play Tony Award. She also starred for 7 years on TV's Empty Nest (1988 to 1995).
RIP Susan Buckner who played Patty Simcox
That just broke my heart.
Was sad to see that news Tuesday.
Even 46 years later, the soundtrack for Grease is the fifth best-selling film soundtrack album of all time. The top four are The Bodyguard, Saturday Night Fever (another Travolta film!), Dirty Dancing and Titanic.
I don't know how many times I've watched this movie throughout my life but it is A LOT! Never tired of it. Love it!
This was such a big part of my childhood that it shocks me when I hear people say that they’ve never seen it.
Andddd that's why I made this channel! 😂 Gotta catch up
@@OGBReactsand you’re right about the accents, I’m born and raised in Brooklyn girl and you just made realize these California boys sound like a bunch of Brooklyn Guinea’s! lol I can’t believe after 40 years I never questioned why?! I guess I just learned something new from your reaction 😂😂
I have the same association with The Sound of Music
@@OGBReactsFor the Fourth of July, would you please consider watching the musical 1776? I think you will really enjoy it, and a lot in it was taken from actual history. It’s about America seeking Independence so it fits July 4th so well.
@@OGBReactsthe pink ladies call Danny by his surname Zuko
Back in the day, that is exactly what we did at sleepovers. Smoke cigarettes & blow smoke out the window, drink Boone's Farm apple wine & pierce each other's ears! The tv show they are imitating is American Bandstand with Dick Clark, who created & hosted New Year's Rockin' Eve, which is now hosted by Ryan Seacrest. I really enjoyed watching you react to this!
Seeing the older actors was fun: Eve Arden as the Principle, Sid Caesar as the gym coach, Joan Blondell at the restaurant. Eve Arden had her own TV show "Our Miss Brooks" in which she played a school teacher in very much the same sarcastic character.
And Dodie Goodman as blubbering Blanche!
The guardian angel is Frankie Avalon...a teen heartthrob of the 1950's.
Early 60s. He did a lot of movies back then with Annette Funicello, the first teen actress that everyone creeped on until she became an adult.
@@christhornycroft3686 His first hit was actually at the tail end of 1959...Venus, which I loved as a little girl. Anette Funicello actually began her career on The Mickey Mouse Club.
He reinvented himself! He got a much younger fan base!
My husband met Rizzo back in the early 90’s. Said she was the most wonderful funny person ever
Stockard Channing (Rizzo), for me, stood out even in a great cast. Her two big songs are so strongly contrasted (the sassy, hilarious "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee" and the defiant "There Are Worse Things I Could Do"), and as an actress she really nails them. I was 15 when this movie came out and noticed that SC was older than a high school student (she was 34!), but she was so damn good, I didn't care!
There was an urban legend about the ending of this film. Supposedly Sandy had hit her head while at the beach and went into a coma. And the whole movie was a dream with her and her dream man flying off into the distance together.
Thanks for an awesome review, Sam. Great job editing and loved your perspective on a film from my childhood (in the 1970's).
Now lets do "GREASE 2" and watch Michelle Pfeiffer sing her lungs out.
Yes! I also love Grease 2.💙
I love that a group of teenagers in Southern California all sound like they are from New York. Lol
The Grease soundtrack is probably in the Top 5 most historical soundtracks of all time along with Saturday Night Fever.
Cant forget Dirty Dancing
Fun Fact: The Kill Bill P-Wagon is a direct tribute to Grease Lightning. I was in 4th grade when this movie came out. We used to reenact the Grease lighting scene in a friend's back yard on his dad's old car. Somehow we got away with the P-Wagon line without any adults saying anything. The 1970s... Smh.
When Rizzo brings Sandy out to see Danny, she knew the the REAL greaser Danny would come out. Rizzo did that deliberately because he probably scorned her in the past.
And she was jealous of Sandy and wanted to humiliate her
Part of the fun of this movie is that most of the teachers are played by well-known comedic actors from the 50's. It just feels natural to see them in a movie set in that era.
If you think Travolta's walk in Grease is funny, wait till you see him walk in Saturday Night Fever (and the ridiculous sequel Staying Alive)
- This was originally a Broadway musical, and only one performer from the original cast is in the film, Jamie Donnelly who played Pink Lady Jan, the one always eating. However, Jeff Conaway (Kenickie) did the Broadway cast as a replacement for Danny, then toured the country. And Travolta played Doody in a road company (Doody was the one who had the water pistol). One kind of "dick move" that Travolta pulled during filming was using his star power to take "Greased Lightning" from Jeff Conaway. The song is sung by Kenickie in the stage show, but Travolta wanted to do it for the film.
- Although the characters are in high school, in the stage version the show starts at a class reunion, with the cast then becoming high schoolers, like a flashback. So, the fact that everyone in the cast was way over high school age is not important...but Jamie Donnelly was already going gray when the movie was filming.
- "Hopelessly Devoted To You" and "The One That I Want" were written for the movie by Olivia Newton-John's main songwriter, John Farrar. He would also write most of her songs in her next film, the cult classic Xanadu. However, given the popularity of both songs, the latest Broadway revival of the show included both songs, and many professional theater companies will seek the rights to use the songs in their productions. The song "Grease" was also not from the show, but written by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, and sung by Frankie Valli, who was a teen heartthrob and a member of the Four Seasons during the time period the movie takes place in. If you ever see the movie musical Jersey Boys, that's the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
- Coach Calhoun was played by Sid Caesar, one of the legends of TV comedy and the king of 1950s comedy with "Your Show of Shows". Among the talents from that show came Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, Larry Gelbart, Carl Reiner, and Woody Allen.
- Teen Angel was played by Frankie Avalon, a teen heartthrob singer and actor. His biggest hit was "Venus", and he did several low budget musical comedy movies like Beach Blanket Bingo with Annette Funicello.
- Vince Fontaine was played by Edd Byrnes, who was a TV heartthrob from a series called 77 Sunset Strip.
- Prior to Grease, Olivia Newton-John had only done one other film in Australia, and was one of the biggest recording artists in the world. While she never had much of a film career, with only a handful of credits, she was still beloved when she passed in August 2022. She had fought different forms of cancer over the last 30 years of her life, starting with breast cancer, and was triumphant most of the time, and still making music and performing. She also started a charity for cancer research, and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. She was a class act all her life, and when she passed, John Travolta was almost inconsolable because of their friendship since Grease. Her work and legacy as an advocate for cancer research is being continued by Olivia's only child, Chloe Lattanzi.
Yup, you're a dick, Travolta. Go back in the closet.
Many Legends of Early TV and Hollywood are in this movie. Eve Arden played the Principal, Sid Caesar played the Coach and Joan Blondell played the older blond Waitress. The Band playing at the National Bandstand TV show (Johnny Casino and the Gamblers) was Sha-Na-Na who performed at Woodstock 69 just before Jimi Hendrix closed the Weekend. Rumor is that Olivia Newton-John had to sewn into those incredibly tight black pants during the Carnival scene near the end of the film.
I watched this at least 12 times when it came out. It was a hot summer I was 10 years and we had a brand new theater in the mall that was in lot where back to the future was filmed. We could just walk to the movies back then no parents needed. Every person we knew who had not seen it was an excuse to go.
Fun choice! My parents had the movie on BETA tape. I learned how to use the VCR as a toddler just to watch my favorite movies, this included.
Whenever a movie is made based on a stage musical, there are two traditions: one is to add a song that's new to the movie, so that it's eligible for "best original song" awards (the other songs count as being an adaptation, which is a less prestigious category). The other tradition, which is less explicit and not as universal, is to add some element of breaking the fourth wall, as if to emphasize that this is based on a play, and if you glance to far to one side or the other you're back to reality. For Grease, the final number served both of those purposes. "We Go Together" was a new song, and the fantasy element of the car flying away was the fourth wall break that wasn't part of the original play.
“We Go Together” has been in the stage version of Grease since the original Chicago production. It just ends Act 1 instead of being the finale of the show.
The new songs added for the movie were, “Grease (Is The Word)”, “Hopelessly Devoted To You” (replacing Sandy’s solo, “It’s Raining on Prom Night”), “Sandy” (replacing “Alone at a Drive-In Movie”) and “You’re The One That I Want” (replacing “All Choked Up”).
What a fun and funny reaction! A musical that endures as an Americana film classic! 🥰👍🏽
The car flying away at the end is how the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ends. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was made in 1968, so this is where the inspiration for the end of Grease comes from.
This was 💯 inspiration for I’m Just Ken! & Ken’s laugh, almost perfect recreation of Danny’s at 15:20 😂
What a fun reaction. I'm glad you knew some of the songs...when my friends and I would have sleepovers we'd play the soundtrack album! The band playing at the dance was the real-life group Sha-Na-Na. They had their own television show in the 1970s. The show opened with a girl announcer saying "Hey there all you GREASERS, it's time for Sha-Na-Na!", and always ended the program with "Goodnight Sweetheart." The tall skinny guy in the black T is Bowser...🎉
Iconic soundtrack.
Rest in peace Patti simcox. She passed a couple days ago.
The guy in the letterman sweater (when Kenichi put the frog in her purse during morning announcement) is the wonderful Kyle Reese from terminator movies. Not too many realize it
Travolta kind of had the same walk and attitude in the show welcome back kotter. Where he got his start from
Omg you’re right!
@@OGBReacts I've always loved Michael. He's great in every movie he's done
I love Rizzo’s solo. It speaks volumes about the times and general misogyny, patriarchal standards
I was absolutely obsessed with this movie as a kid. I would spend all day watching it, rewinding it, watching it again, repeat lol
This was a fun reaction too. Totally all-time classic movie that will never die as long as we don't blow it up. Wished to see more of Sandy and Danny in their last song, and then the 'we go together' ending.... really fun to watch reactions to that, and the dancing is next level. Glad you liked it Sam!
I KNEW when I saw this on your page that you'd love it! I love your reactions. Keep it up!!
This came out when I was in high school. My band, choir, and theater nerd friends and I learned every word and every dance move. Such fun!
After Saturday Night Fever and Grease, John Travolta was a superstar. I think "Urban Cowboy" was his next movie and it's pretty good. Olivia Newton-John, already America's sweetheart throughout the 70s, went on to superstardom after this movie, especially with her songs on the soundtrack. Her music style changed after this movie and she went on to hit the Pop charts several times in the early to mid 80s. I think "Xanadu" was her next film (so-so movie), and her singing was on that soundtrack which was another huge hit. Stockard Channing (Rizzo) became a great actress. My favorite movie with her is "Six Degrees of Separation" along with "To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything".
I saw this in the theater when I was 8 or 9. All the risque stuff went over my head. I loved it though, but more for the opening animation and car stuff at the time. I completely unintentionally was wearing a t-shirt with a 57 Chevy on it that night. I don't know why I remember that.
National Bandstand is a play on American Bandstand with Dick Clark.
"You can't walk out of a drive in!!"😂😂😂
The actress who played Patty Simcox just passed away this week
Oh no! RIP
Susan Buckner {Patty Simcox} (January 28th, 1952 - May 2nd, 2024) - RIP.
I watched this for the first time when I was 12 and I just became obsessed! Got the soundtrack on CD and listened to it all the time. Being from Sweden I didn't pick up on the California setting and Italian American influence, but I really enjoyed seeing you enjoing it now! So much fun Sam.
Loving your reaction. When this came out, the lines to the theater were lined down the block for weeks at a time each night. Very cool time. ❤
I saw it a a movie theater in London, fall 1978 or ‘79. I had just graduated beauty school in California and saw it with a friend who was a London hairdresser. We both LOVED “beauty school dropout”!!!!!!!!!!!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
The Guardian Angel is Frankie Avalon. He was HUGE in the 60's. He is best known for the song Venus.
Edd Byrnes (Vince Fontaine) doing that front forward flip into shot after Born to Hand Jive always get's me! :)
Nobody has mentioned Edd Byrnes as the heart-throb parking lot attendant Kookie on 77 Sunset Strip and his combing his hair. There was a song about it. Kookie Lend Me Your Comb.
As soon as I saw you were doing this reaction - I was wondering what you were gonna think about the Tbirds, wasn't disappointed. Haha!
A lot of the inspiration for the I’m just Ken dance sequence is apparently the dream ballet sequence in Singing in the Rain. Personally it reminds me of the beginning sequence with the Sharks and Jets in West Side Story.
This is probably the most popular musical for high school drama classes in America. We were suppose to do it my senior year (1996), but it was being produced on Broadway at the same time, so we couldn't get the rights to the play and songs. :(
You should try to find some old episodes of "Welcome Back Kotter".
The guardian angel was Frankie Avalon who was famous for a series of teen beach movies with former Mouseketeer, Annette Funicello (the same Annette they were talking about when Knickie said, "Nobody's jugs are bigger than Annette's"). Those beach movies were before my time, but I saw them on reruns on TV. Kinda hokey by today's standards, worth a pass.
National Bandstand was a spoof of Dick Clark's American Bandstand where they had teens dancing to the week's top hits and also had at least one "live" performance from a current big singer or pop band. The show lasted forever and didn't end until the 80s when most people preferred to watch videos on MTV. If you've ever seen the movie, Hairspray, the Corny Collins Show in that movie owes some inspiration from American Bandstand as well (although I think some major cities had their own local versions of the show back in the 50s and 60s). And Hairspray is well worth watching as well, and coincidentally also has John Travolta in it.
I agree, the "chubby" girl was never really heavy, but to be fair, after watching this movie a few times, I notice she's also in the background at the end behind Sandy, and she's also wearing a very revealing outfit and she's clearly showing off her figure, so I think we're supposed to assume that she lost weight over the school year.
I'm not sure, but I think the car Danny and Sandy drove off in at the end wasn't Knickie's car, I think it was the car they won from the Scorpions for winning at Thunder Road (they were playing for pink slips after all).
You mentioned how the movie is clearly set in California, even though they seem to have New Jersey or New York accents and mannerisms, but this musical ran a long time on Broadway, and several of the actors had starred in the New York productions. I think both Travolta and Conaway (Knickie) had played Danny on Broadway. So the accents may be somewhat genuine.
The song Olivia sings on the porch was written for the movie
12:25: “My 25¢ insurance policy…”
“It broke.”
Listen…when I was a kid (like, 7 years old)…and watched this movie on repeat…I thought it was an actual insurance policy (piece of paper) that tore in half.
This is one of those movies you watched innocently as a child, to only realize just how dirty it was as an adult.
Rest in Peace, our beautiful Olivia. We miss you. 💚💛
Thank you for reacting to this one, i was cracking up 😂 I have been watching this movie my whole life, i cant even remember the first time i saw it. 💜
I've never bought into the theory that she was changing for him at all. She changed for herself. The song clearly says "something more than what THEY see", stating the group, not just him. For heaven's sake, she is a high school senior about to go to adulthood and college and/or career. Young girls could relate to the societal expectations of that time for a young woman to be meek and fit into the stereotypical "good girl" image. What she does here and what many young girls related to was that she was willing to step out of that "good girl" expectation and assert herself and take control. The movie goes to the bit extreme makeover, but the feeling of empowerment is what we got as young girls. The song "You're the One that I Want" is a total woman's empowered song, if you listen to the lyrics. And she is NOT stating that she is going to jump into bed with Danny. I believe many young girls could see themselves in good girl Sandy, being a bit shy and wanting to please everyone. One of the reasons why I think the song "You're the One That I Want" was so huge was it expressed a joy of feeling you can take control of any situation. Just my opinion.
See, I think the very title "You're the One That I Want" says that Sandy *does* want to bed Danny and is underlined by Olivia's nymphomaniac costuming. I love every bit of this movie EXCEPT for the finale. I agree that female empowerment is one of Grease's virtues, but for me that's embodied by Rizzo much more than Sandy. Rizzo loves to present herself as tough as nails, but we can see she has feelings (even if conflicted ones) about Kenickie and Zuko. I think the most powerful song in the film is "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" where Rizzo shows toughness, defiance, AND vulnerability. Stockard Channing totally nails it.
@@geoffwieting hey.everyone is entitled to their opinion. I was a young girl then and absolutely related to the “Sandy” character. Still do. Stockard Channing is an amazing actress, no doubt. Just not a fan of the character. And just saying you’re the one that I want is stretching it to say that means you are ready to jump into bed with them. To me, just means she knows who and what she wants. They both do, according to the song. I guess you were a young girl with different perception. To each her own. As for the costume, it was a late 70’s movie and ONJ looked great. I turned out great. It only influenced me very positively. 😊
@@havensmm9308 I suspect the creators of the original musical didn't intend a sexual meaning to "You're the one that I want", but Randal Kleiser, the movie's director probably did, given his "extreme makeover" of Sandy at the end (and yes, ONJ did look great in it). The scene just doesn't work for me after the rest of the film. It was a late '70s movie, but it was, up till then, a pretty accurate (I believe) description of high school in the '50s. A less extreme makeover might have been the ideal solution--which is why I'd love to see the show onstage. (BTW, please don't refer to me as a girl, young or old. I'm a cis-gender male--a teenaged boy when the movie came out and now an older guy looking back nostalgically.)
How many students thru our the years and decades have said the infamous words "I dont take crap from nobody" then turn to oatmeal when confronted.
So in the original stage production of Grease, Jan was played by a plus sized actress, so there’s always comments about her weight and she was going on a diet throughout the story. They had intended to cast a plus sized actress for the movie, but Jamie Donnelly was so perfect for the role they casted her and never changed the script. They tired to give her padding for scenes towards the start of the movie, but it’s not noticeable.
I forgot how tickled I get when Sandy says “ah, gotcha talking”, ahh, RIP Olivia Newton John
I also love that laugh Danny does “hah hah hah” and I FULLY believe Ryan Gosling does the same thing in “Barbie”
And timely too because where I live there is currently a musical of Grease playing right now
I love this movie and i just noticed how funny the walk is 😂😂
I'm so happy you enjoyed this! Such a classic movie and so much fun!
Saw this Ike 9 times in the theater 1978 ❤😂🎉glad you liked it !!
I love how the first song that they sing Summer Lovin is the different perspective of what their summer love affair was like from each one of them. They are very different views on what was going on. This is a classic.
I think all of us back in the day had some version of Greased Lightning that we re-enacted in the living room or backyard with our neighborhood crew! The guest appearances and inside jokes in this film were never-ending, from Rydell High to Eve Arden to Frankie Avalon. This movie was also one of Travolta’s trifecta of iconic roles. He also starred in Saturday Night Fever and Urban Cowboy, both worth a look. Loved watching this with you, so glad you chose this movie! Peace …
I love OGBs funny comments. What a great reaction thanks ❤
Loved the reaction! This movie and Hairspray (1988) were staples of my childhood. My friends and I used to watch both on repeat and have so much fun singing and dancing along! I highly recommend watching Hairspray from 1988 if you have never seen it.
I’ve seen the newer one with John Travolta as the mom! 😂
@@OGBReacts I’ve never seen that version, but I am familiar with it and have seen Travolta in character as Edna Turnblad in clips. I would move to see what you think of the OG vs. the remake.
Have you seen any other John Waters films?
One of the first records I ever bought. Yes I’m that old. 😂
Thank you for reacting to this iconic musical! This was one of my mom favorite movies, and it’s like she still here singing to the entire movie. Tragically ironic, I was wearing my Grease musical cast t-shirt when the news of Olivia Newton-John’s death was announced. I would really love to see you to react to John Travolta’s Hairspray, Footloose, and Mamma Mia. Also the Hand Jive is 2 leg pats, 2 hand claps, 2 right over left, 2 left over right 2 right to left bumps, 2 left to right bumps, 2 right shoulder points and 2 left shoulder points. If you loved John Travolta check out Urban Cowboy and Look Who’s Talking trilogy.
🧑🏻👩🏼🦱🚘🖤❤️🤍
12:02 This was the first song I danced to with my first girlfriend after I asked her to "go with me" (i.e. go steady) at my first school dance. I was 13 and this film had just come out. Ah, magic!
The story is actually based around 1950's William Taft high school in Chicago, greasers. It's a story about firsts in all young adults lives. First boyfriend/girlfriend. First car. Peer pressure etc.
12:07 Ugh even though you've muted it for copyright i still hear it, still feel it. Hopelessly devoted... RIP Olivia Newton John, she was a national treasure.
I tried to let yall hear even just a little bit of it- I know if I did it anymore than I did, I would’ve been copyclaimed, definitely 🤪
I'm pretty sure this was the start of movies casting actors in their 30s and almost 40s to play teenagers. Before that, maybe they'd be in their early 20s. But these people are clearly looking at their high school years through their rear view mirror - disappearing over the horizon. But it still works, because it's a nostalgic fantasy. This isn't what the 50s were actually like for teenagers, it was what people who lived through those times wanted them to be like. What they told their kids it was like while attacking their generation.
I used to watch this a lot as a kid in the 80s and 90s and watching it now as an adult, there's a lot more sexual innuendo than I caught back then. "Nobody's jugs are bigger than Annette's," "a chick has to put out before she puts in," "bite the weenie, Rizz," (to which she responds, "with relish"), "Rizzo's got a bun in the oven," "You gonna go flog your log?" I'll give the movie credit - it does capture the raunchiness of high school very well.
I can't remember if Saturday Night Fever was before or after this, but they came out around the same time and other than that, the only other really notable thing John Travolta had been in was Welcome Back, Kotter, about a high school teacher and his students. The show was notable for having a stereotypic gay character, Horshack. Travolta plays a similar character to Danny, except that of course, it's set in the late 70s, not the 50s.
The 70s were before my time, but they undoubtedly had some of the best American sitcoms. I still watch All In The Family and The Jeffersons just for the social commentary. There's one episode where resident bigot Archie Bunker unknowingly saves a drag queen by giving her mouth to mouth. Given recent events, that episode suddenly became more relevant now than it ever did then. There's another episode where Archie discovers an old buddy and tough guy is gay. Terrific television back then.
This video was just recommended to me :) I watched Grease every day during the summer when I was in 7th grade. I never watched the whole movie since. I really enjoyed your reactions and have subscribed :)
Thank you!! Welcome in :)
I love watching flicks with you! Your take on things is so on par with mine, lol. Thank you!
Thanks for this video, Sam! I probably drove my family crazy singing "Hopelessly Devoted to You" as a kid. Since then, I heard that the scene where Sandy sings it was filmed and edited in after the production had wrapped up.
15:07 Tom is played by Lorenzo Llamas who in the 90s was in a tv series called Renegade. Look at him here then pull up photos or an episode of that show. 26:46 I don’t think it was so much her weight but that she kept eating lots of junk food and she’s trying to cut back on junk food.
Lorenzo's first big hit show was the prime-time soap, "Falcon's Crest".
Like I said on one of the livestreams, this movie is very much a Homer Simpson "That's good, that's bad" routine for me.
The good: These songs didn't all become huge hits for no reason, and they're still all bangers that will quickly get you swaying along. The performances are all great, everyone knowing exactly how to toe the line between the "innocent" '50s setting and edgier material.
The bad: Certain views of gender roles have aged like nitroglycerin, most notoriously the "Be a slut to get your man" message that the ending goes with. There was a live TV version in 2016 which very clearly struggled with how to make this acceptable to a modern audience without just totally rewriting it.
The original play has been reworked a lot over the years. I saw a YT video that went into detail all of the permutations of especially the stage show changes.
Agreed about the ending except that I don't think it "aged". When I saw the movie on its 1978 release, I adored all of it except the ending which left a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't buy that Sandy could (or would) reinvent herself overnight as a nympho or that Danny was such a schmuck that he'd go for that (after all, he'd fallen for the Sandra Dee-type Sandy during the summer). I'd be interested to see the 2016 version (or any other remake) to see how they dealt with that really disappointing ending.
@@geoffwieting It shows that her strict conservative parents had forced her into being that kind of person, and now she's become her real self. And Frenchie makes very sure it's what she actually wants for herself before helping with the makeover.
@@Rmlohner If the movie showed us her "strict, conservative parents" in action, I'd probably be more ready to accept Sandy's total transformation as a reversion to her real self. But as it stands, the final scene just comes out of nowhere, imo, which really bugs me.
Fun Fact: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Grease end in the same way.
Gotta love the message. If a guy and girl like each other and he’s an ass, just give her tight leather pants and everything will work out. Lol.
My grandmother’s favorite song is Rizzo’s solo. I didn’t get what she liked about it when I was a child but now I understand what a great song!
The stage show John Travolta played Kinickie & wanted to play him in the movie, but got Danny anyway.
This was a great reaction! I laughed a lot. Thanks for a great night :)
OGB and Grease, how could you not click on this video. :)
Ya know that Olivia Newton John as Sandy (before the finale makeover) very much looks like a young Diana Spencer (before she married Charles)
I watched Grease several time in theaters when it came out, not because of John, but because I was the BIGGEST fan of Olivia Newton-John. I enjoyed the film for what it was, BUT years later I fell on a conspiracy page on the internet where it was advanced that the entire film was the last thoughts of a dying Sandy. According to this theory, the part of the song, Summer Nights that John sings rather than the more innocent version Olivia gives to the girls. Each aspect of the film is highlighted in support of this theory. Of course the big one is how in the end the car flies off and Olivia looks back beaming happily.
This theory was completely debunked by the original creators and the movie's director. But most people will believe what they want to believe, even if it's not true.
@@havensmm9308 Yeah, I understand that those involved with the film (those who KNOW the motivations) denied this theory, BUT when you watch the film KNOWING the theory--even knowing it was debunked--you still can't help but see why the theory came into being. That was my point. Art, and film is an art, as we are constantly told is SUBJECTIVE. For example, I don't think of a banana duct taped to a white wall is art, yet thousands of people in NYC went to the 'opening' of this 'exhibit' and RAVED about it--until a homeless dude came in and ATE the banana. I think of art as those busts--Nefertiti--and statues--David--the portraits and painting like the NIGHT WATCH as art. So, the theory works for me simply because all of the elements that made it theory ARE there.
this movie came out the same year my moms graduate year in high school she loved it!
It’s funny watching a bunch of grown adults ranging from 20ish to 40ish play teenagers. They’re literally the same ages as the teachers.
This movie is about two people drowning at the beach and having a hallucination about their senior year of high school, which ends in them flying away to heaven in a souped up classic car... They died. the end. :)
Growing up, we almost never went to the movies (this was pre-cable, pre-VCR). My parents were going to take us to this, but at the last minute I think they learned there was going to be some suggestive content, and we wound up seeing Watership Down instead. I'm glad they did, as Watership Down was amazing to see as a kid, and made me more interested in literature.
I did wind up seeing Grease somehow. Maybe my older sister snuck us out to see it.
Great story. Watership Down actually has more violence than Grease!
Jeez.. Watership Down was way more traumatic to kids than Grease... LOL
We watched that in school and the whole class was bawling our eyes out.
Cool radio voice!! Easy to listen to.
When I was a kid, I definitely didn't understand that this was a parody of 50s teen movies. I think there are probably still a lot of references that I'm missing!
**pops collar** what are you, my subscriber?
Danny's look is very 'cinematic Elvis' - front curl, tight pants/short shorts, loafers with socks - while also evoking the 'greaser' culture of the period - leather jackets, pomaded hair, cuffed jeans. The greaser look was largely started by gearheads who would slick their hair back with grease from working on cars/bikes, while leather jackets were about the only protection available to bikers back in the day and wouldn't save a life but would spare a rider from minor scapes and falls.
Great reaction.Glad you enjoyed it
The Grease soundtrack was one of the first CDs i got as a kid.
I think the funniest part of this movie is how they tried to pass off these nearly middle aged full grown adults as high school seniors 😂 Rizzo could literally be approved for a mortgage😂
Olivia Newton John was the youngest. I think she was in her late 20s
... everyone's favorite late 1970s movie about teenage life in the late 1950s!!!
I saw this movie so many times as a kid, and it brings back such good memories! I know you have a long list of movies to get to, but someday you should check out the sequel, Grease 2. I also love that one!