Grease: Rockin’ Rydell Edition
Starring John Travolta, Olivia Newton John, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conway, Michael Tucci Kelly Ward, Didi Conn, Dinah Manoff, Eve Arden, Frankie Avalon, Sid Caesar
Directed By Randal Kleiser
Paramount Home Video
Rated PG
Grease is not only the word, but the ultimate movie for those wanting a blast into 1950’s nostalgia. Filmed in 1978, Grease has become a part of Americana, a cultural phenomenon. Pick up the newly released DVD wrapped in it’s campy leather zip-up jacket and you’re in for a real treat, a rock n’ roll musical with something for people aged 2 to 100. Who can resist sex-pot, singer, dancer extraordinaire, John Travolta, crooning, Sandy, can’t you see, that I’m in misery.? Add in super music sensation Olivia Newton-John belting out, My head is saying, fool forget it! My heart is saying, don’t let go! I’ll hold on ’til the end, that’s what I intend to do. Hopelessly devoted to you… and you’re soon left wondering where you can purchase your very own leather T-Bird and Pink Ladies jackets.
Didi Conn is unforgettable as the ditsy, pink haired Pink Lady who drops out of high school to go to beauty school. Conn confesses in the DVD behind the scenes interview that her starry eyed performance when serenaded by Frankie Avalon in the soda shop is real. She had just as big of a crush on Avalon as all our own mothers did back then! What boy wasn’t secretly in love with Rizzo, played by Stockard Channing, the wild, raunchy Pink Lady with a heart of gold? What girl didn’t want to jump through the screen and join the pajama party? Hey, I still want to and I was eight when the film came out!
The DVD includes a Rydell sing-along of eleven deleted, extended, alternate scenes with an introduction by director Randal Kleiser, Grease memories from the 25th anniversary DVD launch party, in depth interviews of cast members, photo galleries and trailers. Travolta and Newton-John reunite to sing heart stopping duets. These two super stars prove that they haven’t lost a thing, oozing with sex appeal, fever and fun. Travolta admits in one of the interviews that he wanted Newton-John for the role of Sandy because she was every boy’s “dream girlfriend” at the time. How cool is that? It’s even cooler to watch Travolta admit it in an interview and smile that sideways grin of his that has not diminished in sex appeal one iota. Newton-John shares her memories of the day she walked on set in her “hot pants. The reaction from the cast and crew wasn’t too far off from the on-screen reaction to Sandy, the bombshell, all dressed up to tell Danny Zuko, turned jock, You’re the one that I want! One of the most memorable moments of Grease is Sandy stomping on her cigarette, licking her lips, saying, Tell me about it, stud! Or what about when Danny yells, It’s electrifying!
Movies just don’t get better then this. The Grease DVD has it all; teenage nostalgia, love, romance, sex, music, dancing, cars, studs, chicks, big stars and a happy ending all zipped up into a leather T-Bird jacket of rock n’ roll fun! Go pull out the sofa bed, put on your pajamas, fetch a bowl of popcorn and go back to Rydell High!
