All about Grease

I was just in my dressing room getting ready for my new year festivities which involves not leaving the house, obviously. Anyway, Grease blasted out and it got me thinking:

1) I've only really done one serious post about Grease on here.
2) I've not watched Grease this year.

Back in 1978, when Grease was released, there were two cassettes in my mum's car - the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack and the Grease soundtrack. Life was good, it was all we needed. We listened to it all the time. Then tragedy struck, the tapes were taken to a party and never returned. I don't quite know why my mum didn't go and buy them again, we were not flush with money but times weren't desperate. She didn't and we were left without the music. Literally.

So how about I do my rundown of the Grease soundtrack in order of greatness? Why the hell not? I am going to leave out the majority of the prom songs because good as they are, they don't really count. Obviously I will include Born To Hand Jive because I am not a heathen.

In reverse order:

Hopelessly Devoted To You

Something has to come last. I am not a fan of this drippy ballad. Liv gives it her all but it's all a bit dull.

Beauty School Dropout

I want to like this more than I do and over the years it has grown on me. I love Frenchie, I love her pink hair and the bubble gum. Who doesn't love Frankie Valli? I don't know why this doesn't quite work for me but there you go.

We Go Together

This is so joyous - look at them! Nonsensical lyrics, you wonder how on earth they learned them. Also, some kick-ass dancing!

Sandy

I love Sandy because of Travolta's heartfelt singing and the dancing hotdog. We're now into songs I adore: What will they say, Monday at school. It still remains one of my favourite lyrics.

Born To Hand Jive

The greatest dancing sequence with some hand moves we can all try at home.

Look At Me I'm Sandra Dee

Total genius. I love Stockard's relish as she sings this and the lyrics are hilarious. That bedroom is still my dream bedroom.

You're The One That I Want

Still one of my favourite moments in a movie when Danny first sees sexed-up Sandy. It's just marvellous. A great intro to a song that never quite lives up to the early promise. Still, I am splitting hairs.

There Are Worse Things I Could Do

One of the saddest songs ever written. Stockard really is the star of Grease.

Greased Lightnin'

I love the way Danny jumps on to the table near the beginning, the choreography, the dream silver suits, the dirty lyrics. ALL OF IT!

Grease

One of the best openings to a movie ever. From the over blown Love Is A Many Splendored Thing to the opening notes of this. It's simply perfect.

Summer Nights

This will always be my favourite, it's fun and effortless and it has the best line ever: because he sounds like a drag. Never has one person been so wrong. Danny is not a drag!

Happy 2015 readers!

Bee Gees

I thought I had blogged about The Bee Gees because why wouldn't I have done? I am really never going to run out of things to post about on this blog when after nearly eight months I still haven't got around to something as fundamental to life as Bee Gees.

Where to start? The early years? Disco? Their collaborations? I feel people forget how talented the brothers Gibbs are and it bothers me. Have you sung with Barbra Streisand? Written a world-class hit for Dolly Parton and Kenny Rodgers? Penned a multi-million selling soundtrack? Had big hair both on your head and on your chest? I thought not.

This picture above has always been my favourite picture of them, it's so iconic. It makes me want to go and wear some gold pants immediately. I love most of their songs although I could have done without Immortality thanks. They have a gift for melody and are inimitable. How many bands can say that? So enough Bee Gee bashing, they are fabulous.

I adore the whole of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Stayin' Alive is one of my desert island discs and the introduction of that film is still five minutes that I can watch again and again. I like early Bee Gees too - Massachusetts is a winner. I adore Barry and Barbra singing Guilty. Tragedy is a masterpiece.

Tonight I am in the mood for one of the finest ever love songs, How Deep Is Your Love. It is such a lovely song but YouTube won't let me embed it - boo! Watch it here. And then feast your eyes on this, it's a bit short but it makes me want to move to Brooklyn in gold pants.

Pulp Fiction

Some films come along and hit you right between the eyes and change our perception of film. Pulp Fiction was one of those films for me. I remember going to the cinema to see this having little idea of what it was about and being blown away. I am a real wimp when it comes to violence in movies and although you don't see much actual violence in this, the threat is always there and there are still some scenes I find hard to watch. But no matter, I still watch it again and again.

It's a film that seems to burn on to your retinas and stay there. Every scene is lovingly lit and the cast are dressed iconically. None more so than Uma Thurman as Mia who made us all want to wear white shirt and black trousers and look as cool as her. We wish.

I loved John Travolta since Grease and it always used to annoy me that the 80s weren't good for him. He made some terrible choices (never, ever watch The Experts) and was relegated to Look Who's Talking. It never felt right. But god bless Tarantino who knew there were people like me who were dying to see him make a good film again. He is so fabulous in this - this is the film when everyone said 'oh, he's a good actor' and yet again I sat smiling smugly on the sidelines.

Bruce Willis is also a revelation in this, the first film in which I found him rather fanciable. It has some of the best dialogue committed to celluloid and a great soundtrack. It's in my top 10 films. My favourite scene is, of course, the dance scene. Nothing could be more perfect. I can watch it endlessly.

Saturday Night Fever

This is not just a film, it's a cultural landmark. A perfect marriage of music, dancing, John Travolta, disco, floors with lights, Brooklyn and fabulous clothes.

It's easy to mock Saturday Night Fever and it has been parodied to death. However, at the time it was considered ground-breaking. It is also easy to forget that this is a dark film - I rarely sit and watch the whole thing as I find it quite depressing. Instead I forward through to find the sublime dance scenes.

Oh John. I think he deserves a wall of Oscars for his performance in this. Not only is he a really good actor, he can dance like a dream. I don't think anyone on film has ever been a better dancer than Mr Travolta. And he is so sweet, there is a goofiness to him that I think the picture above captures perfectly.

SNF has one of the best openings of a film. Stayin' Alive and those red boots swaggering down the streets of Brooklyn is pure film-making genius. And the cultural references are beautifully done - Tony getting ready for his night out with Farrah and Al Pacino watching him.

The soundtrack is of course, perfection. This is simply one of the best soundtracks ever made. We bow to the Bee Gees. Yes, we do.

My flaw with SNF is the women in it. Both are beyond irritating and Karen Lynn Gorney who plays Stephanie is just bad. The credits say 'Introducing Karen Lynn Gorney". Introducing and saying farewell all in one film I say. She can't even dance very well.

This is Mr Travolta's film and a career defining moment for him. His crazy Scientology ways can all be forgiven when I watch this scene. Check it out at about 1:40 and report back if you can do that. I shall be very impressed if you can!

Grease

If there is one film that sums up being a perennial teenager, it is surely Grease. A film of pure joy and sheer wonder. One that I never, ever tire of watching. I saw this film when it came out in 1978 and it was the first film I'd watched where I immediately wanted to watch it again. I was seven. I went to stay with my nan in London and begged her to take me to see it again so she did (god rest her soul) and that was the last time she went to the cinema (she died in 1990). I think it was a bit much for her. She was horrified by some of the lines: "Where are you going? To flog your log?" and the sex in the back of the car. But ask any kid who saw this and nobody remembers that. They remember the songs. And what songs. I adore them all especially the Frankie Valli title song.

John Travolta is probably my favourite actor. I try and ignore his crazy Scientologist ways and just think of him in this - all cuteness and dimples and his dancing. Nobody can tear up a dancefloor like John. Him and Olivia are magical together. Of course my favourite character is Rizzo. I am sure she is every girl's favourite. She has the best wardrobe, the best lines and is playing to perfection by Stockard. I'll watch anything Stockard is in based on her performance in this. She was 32 or 33 when she played this part. Everyone in this was too old for the part but it doesn't matter one bit, you still believe in them all.

It's a musical masterpiece and it's such fun. I can't think of any other musical that is as funny as Grease. The 50s retro setting is fabulous - it makes you want to go to an American high school and have a boy carry your books for you. My favourite scene is the dance scene where Cha Cha steals Danny away and they win the trophy. My sister and I call this scene 'the onion' because everytime we watch it, we see something new. If you don't know what I mean, you are not watching it closely enough.

I can't find that clip on YouTube so I shall leave you with the song that makes you ache for summer and smile like a loon.

Grease is the word. Enjoy.