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Review: Grease was the first movie that I saw when I was a kid that caused me to go back and see it again and again. Then the re-release came out in 1998 and I saw it for old's time sake. I ended up seeing it three more times while it was still cinemas because it brought back the same feelings plus new ones from having watched the film from an adult perspective. On the one hand, it's easy for me to watch it so many times because it's a musical and when you find the tunes catchy you can't resist it. But it's not just that. Much to my surprise, I remembered every line of dialogue. What makes this movie a classic is that it is still great even if you cut out the songs. How many musicals can you say that about? The dialogue and one liners are so colorful and energetic and the movie works as a 50s comedy. It's funnier than I remembered and it is without a doubt the raunchiest PG movie ever made. The occassional adult theme and questionable dialogue crammed full of sexual innuendos are both unneccesary because the story line is enough to capture the viewer's attention. The 'PG' certificate sounds about right, but still, Grease is unsuitable for the younger viewer and that's a shame really. All in all, a film that should be re-released every twenty years so a new generation of movie lovers can watch it, not just because it was one of the last great musicals but also because it truly captures the essence of what it was like to grow up in the 50s. This "new" DVD version is truly remarkable. The picture is sharper (which - thankfully - gives much needed improvement to the opening "cartoon" segment), and the soundtrack has been digitally remastered giving it a much clearer sound. I have seen the digitally remastered VHS version of "Grease", but it's pale in comparison to the DVD. In fact, I found myself re-playing the songs just to hear how good they really are (most notably the improved quality of "Sandy", "Hopelessly Devoted To You" and "You're The One That I Want"). The only negative remark worth mentioning about the DVD version of "Grease" has to be the rather disappointing extras. To be honest, I was looking for more than just the original theatre trailer and a somewhat dated 18 minute interview section (which was originally produced for the 20th Anniversary VHS edition). Hopefully there will be a "Grease: Special Edition DVD" released soon that will rectify these lacklustre 'extras'. Still, "Grease" is an excellent purchase - especially if you want to listen to the songs in glorious CD quality. Jon. |
DVD Films
