I am quite happy to be in the minority on this film and say I cannot stand it. If there was a delete button on my memory I would use it for erasing all vestige of tunes and lyrics. Oddly enough I do find Electric Boogaloo not so repulsive.
I don't have so much of a problem with the movie (though its loud following is somewhat inexplicable), but the over the top "sing a long" graphics in the trailer are really annoying and over the top.
Wouldn't just about anyone who cares enough to go to this thing already know most of the lyrics by heart? At least aside from the "We Go Together" song at the end with all the made-up sounds? I haven't watched Grease in two decades - aside from a dreadful Broadway production with a middle-aged Sheena Easton in the cast (who knew Rizzo had a Scottish accent?) - and I could still give you all the words to Summer Nights and You're The One That I Want at the drop of a hat.
<p>I first saw Grease during its initial release when I was 7, and the soundtrack album, in all its unbleeped splendor, was a regular selection on the classroom turntable (again, I'm freakin' old) during third grade. So am I completely nuts to find it, in 2010, wildly inappropriate to show to my almost 9-year-old daughter (not to mention her 6-year-old sister)? </p>
<span>Well yeah, same reason I'm not going to show them Kill Bill Part I. But it's not just the language, it's the hyper-aggressive sexuality portrayed in the film that I don't want to dump on them at this age (and no, I do not think it will go completely over the older one's head, even edited for TV).</span>
By "<span><span>hyper-aggressive sexuality," are you referring to that brazen hussy Cha Cha Di Gregorio? Because I think kids can handle that. </span></span>
No, what I recall of the stuff with Cha Cha isn't the issue -- I don't remember the "Hand Jive" dance sequence being any more suggestive than anything on SYTYCD or DWTS, other than the mooning. It's more the Rizzo-Kenickie plotline (which I'm pretty sure is not edited for tv, other than some of the language); Danny getting handsy with Sandy at the drive-in and then, after she objects and leaves, getting to sing a sad ballad about how he's in misery and she hurt him real bad (true, she did slam the car door on his crotch, but methinks his self-pity is misplaced; don't recall how all this is handled in the tv print); and the I'm-not-even-gonna-call-it-a-mixed message of the "You're the One That I Want" sequence.
Let's be clear -- I'm just saying I don't feel comfortable showing it to my kids at their ages, not that you shouldn't show it to yours if you think it's OK. In a few years, I may feel differently, and it may lead to good discussions with them. </span>
I've held off on showing it to my girls (9 and 6) for many of the same reasons. The filmmakers got away with a lot for a movie that was marketed as a film the whole family could enjoy. I never understaood why Rizzo was so worried about being late -- I thought she was talking about class.
On the other hand, we watch "Xanadu" regularly. I like to think I'm teaching them about Greek mythology and the awesomeness that was Gene Kelly.
I remember going to the theater with my family and being allowed to choose between two movies: "Grease" and "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". I liked the Beatles more than Frankie Valli, so I picked the latter. My mother muttered, "That is NOT what that song is about!" the whole time.
A funky little theatre in Pittsburgh used to run Grease at midnight on Saturdays, specifically for singing along. No on-screen lyrics necessary, because pretty much everyone knew all the words. It was buckets of fun. I was surprised when the sing-along fad hit The Sound of Music first, though Grease certainly hits an older demographic.
Grease is not for kids, and it is not so family friendly! And just because Olivia Newton John had a hit song doesn't change that. I mean for the love of god it started out as a second city sketch show pitched to adults and the whole story arc is good girl goes bad.
I mean I enjoy it to pieces, but it was chosen as the musical for the high school I was drama advisor for and then a cadre of religious parents got all up in arms because of the teen pregnancy, teen sex, etc business. Now they had all seen the movie, but somehow it cleared WAY over their heads in the film, even in the tv version. And they supported it being picked but you know, not done without heavy censure. Ridiculous to my mind! Do freaking Bye Bye Birdie.
The movie came out when I was 11 years old. And I think I paid something like a quarter of 50 cents to see it at the military theater on the base where we were living. I saw it MULTIPLE times (12, I believe), owned the album and even had a book that was marketed. I was so innocent that I totally did not get it at all. I had the sense that there was something edgy going on but really did not get it. Just loved the fact that is was a musical and we all sang along.
Fast forward 15-20 years when I was constantly making sure my daughter didn't see it because I had finally figured out what it all meant. We eventually taped (via VCR - remember those?) an edited TV version. She watched that for a year or two, then I asked a friend to babysit one day. They were looking through the babysitter's videos and my daughter points out Grease and mentions how much she likes it so they pop it in. When I picked her up that day she asked me why her version of Grease had all kinds of things on it that ours didn't. Fortunately, she was still too young to figure out a lot of it. She's 19 now and was watching it on tv the other night and started talking about how she had finally figured it out and she can't believe that she watched it all those years not knowing what was going on. Ah, the passing of the torch from generation to generation...
Chicago thing throwers meet up??
ReplyDeleteIt's a sub-Webber musical who's only saving grace is Stockard Channing stealing every minute of screen time she's allowed?
ReplyDeleteI am quite happy to be in the minority on this film and say I cannot stand it. If there was a delete button on my memory I would use it for erasing all vestige of tunes and lyrics.
ReplyDeleteOddly enough I do find Electric Boogaloo not so repulsive.
I don't have so much of a problem with the movie (though its loud following is somewhat inexplicable), but the over the top "sing a long" graphics in the trailer are really annoying and over the top.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't just about anyone who cares enough to go to this thing already know most of the lyrics by heart? At least aside from the "We Go Together" song at the end with all the made-up sounds? I haven't watched Grease in two decades - aside from a dreadful Broadway production with a middle-aged Sheena Easton in the cast (who knew Rizzo had a Scottish accent?) - and I could still give you all the words to Summer Nights and You're The One That I Want at the drop of a hat.
ReplyDelete<p>I first saw Grease during its initial release when I was 7, and the soundtrack album, in all its unbleeped splendor, was a regular selection on the classroom turntable (again, I'm freakin' old) during third grade. So am I completely nuts to find it, in 2010, wildly inappropriate to show to my almost 9-year-old daughter (not to mention her 6-year-old sister)?
ReplyDelete</p>
I believe the words you're looking for are "pussy wagon". Find an edited-for-tv version.
ReplyDelete<span>Well yeah, same reason I'm not going to show them Kill Bill Part I. But it's not just the language, it's the hyper-aggressive sexuality portrayed in the film that I don't want to dump on them at this age (and no, I do not think it will go completely over the older one's head, even edited for TV).</span>
ReplyDeleteBy "<span><span>hyper-aggressive sexuality," are you referring to that brazen hussy Cha Cha Di Gregorio? Because I think kids can handle that.
ReplyDelete</span></span>
from our archives, on Grease-banning.
ReplyDeleteNot sure you're in the minority as much as you're in the minority among people likely to be reading this post.
ReplyDelete"You know it ain't no shit 'cause we'll be gettin' lots of tit with Greased Lightning."
ReplyDelete<span>
ReplyDeleteNo, what I recall of the stuff with Cha Cha isn't the issue -- I don't remember the "Hand Jive" dance sequence being any more suggestive than anything on SYTYCD or DWTS, other than the mooning. It's more the Rizzo-Kenickie plotline (which I'm pretty sure is not edited for tv, other than some of the language); Danny getting handsy with Sandy at the drive-in and then, after she objects and leaves, getting to sing a sad ballad about how he's in misery and she hurt him real bad (true, she did slam the car door on his crotch, but methinks his self-pity is misplaced; don't recall how all this is handled in the tv print); and the I'm-not-even-gonna-call-it-a-mixed message of the "You're the One That I Want" sequence.
Let's be clear -- I'm just saying I don't feel comfortable showing it to my kids at their ages, not that you shouldn't show it to yours if you think it's OK. In a few years, I may feel differently, and it may lead to good discussions with them.
</span>
I've held off on showing it to my girls (9 and 6) for many of the same reasons. The filmmakers got away with a lot for a movie that was marketed as a film the whole family could enjoy. I never understaood why Rizzo was so worried about being late -- I thought she was talking about class.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, we watch "Xanadu" regularly. I like to think I'm teaching them about Greek mythology and the awesomeness that was Gene Kelly.
I remember going to the theater with my family and being allowed to choose between two movies: "Grease" and "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". I liked the Beatles more than Frankie Valli, so I picked the latter. My mother muttered, "That is NOT what that song is about!" the whole time.
A funky little theatre in Pittsburgh used to run Grease at midnight on Saturdays, specifically for singing along. No on-screen lyrics necessary, because pretty much everyone knew all the words. It was buckets of fun. I was surprised when the sing-along fad hit The Sound of Music first, though Grease certainly hits an older demographic.
ReplyDeleteGrease is not for kids, and it is not so family friendly! And just because Olivia Newton John had a hit song doesn't change that. I mean for the love of god it started out as a second city sketch show pitched to adults and the whole story arc is good girl goes bad.
ReplyDeleteI mean I enjoy it to pieces, but it was chosen as the musical for the high school I was drama advisor for and then a cadre of religious parents got all up in arms because of the teen pregnancy, teen sex, etc business. Now they had all seen the movie, but somehow it cleared WAY over their heads in the film, even in the tv version. And they supported it being picked but you know, not done without heavy censure. Ridiculous to my mind! Do freaking Bye Bye Birdie.
Sub-Webber? What does that mean? (My hatred of ALW may be coloring my confusion here.)
ReplyDeleteI love Andrew Lloyd Webber, given how much coverage he gives me on the internet.
ReplyDeleteThe movie came out when I was 11 years old. And I think I paid something like a quarter of 50 cents to see it at the military theater on the base where we were living. I saw it MULTIPLE times (12, I believe), owned the album and even had a book that was marketed. I was so innocent that I totally did not get it at all. I had the sense that there was something edgy going on but really did not get it. Just loved the fact that is was a musical and we all sang along.
ReplyDeleteFast forward 15-20 years when I was constantly making sure my daughter didn't see it because I had finally figured out what it all meant. We eventually taped (via VCR - remember those?) an edited TV version. She watched that for a year or two, then I asked a friend to babysit one day. They were looking through the babysitter's videos and my daughter points out Grease and mentions how much she likes it so they pop it in. When I picked her up that day she asked me why her version of Grease had all kinds of things on it that ours didn't. Fortunately, she was still too young to figure out a lot of it. She's 19 now and was watching it on tv the other night and started talking about how she had finally figured it out and she can't believe that she watched it all those years not knowing what was going on. Ah, the passing of the torch from generation to generation...