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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that Grease is the only film that could undergo analysis and still remain as beloved as ever?

122 replies

MammaTJ · 05/11/2017 23:02

Currently watching 'New:The Grease Story' on ch5+1. I love Grease. I was taken to see it with a friend for my 11th birthday treat and have loved it ever since.

My DC have all watched it. DD1, no remarkable effects other than a mutual love. DD2 and DS demanded 'Mum, can you please lip sync', when I clearly had to sing along. The judge my singing and I am found wanting!

Anyway, back to this programme, no matter how much they pick apart the film, I still love it! AIBU? I will not listen if you say I am

OP posts:
Theresnonamesleft · 05/11/2017 23:49

Ha yes. The pussy wagon.

He wasn't good at sports though. He kept falling over. He only attempted sports because he was jealous she was dating someone else, and Danny said he could run rings round the guy.

AmIthatbloodycold · 05/11/2017 23:50

Well DD18 put it on tonight and declared it her favourite film ever

Willow2017 · 05/11/2017 23:50

TBF
They did make an edited version of the film without a lot of the sweary sexy words in it and an alternative version of 'Greased Lightning' in it so you can watch that with kids.

GrockleBocs · 05/11/2017 23:53

I saw it in the cinema at 8 and although I loved it, most of the adult stuff and 'language' went over my head :)
I know it's iffy on face value but it's got great songs and it's a talking point when I watch it with dd. She's 12 and likes subtitles so they're banned for Grease.

sailorcherries · 05/11/2017 23:59

I agree with Willows interpretation. I love Grease.

PumpkinSquash · 06/11/2017 00:01

I love Grease too. Know it inside out even though before tonight haven't watched for years!

DotCottonIsMyIdol · 06/11/2017 00:02

I never much liked it as a kid but was rather alarmed to see the lyrics to Grease Lightning tonight.... quite the revelation and pretty grim!

Warching it back now is wrong on many levels.

Greased Lightning

LYRICS
Why this car is automatic
It's systematic
It's hydromatic
Why it's greased lightning (Greased lightning)
We'll get some overhead lifters and some four barrel quads
oh yeah
(Keep talking whoa keep talking)
A fuel injection cutoff and chrome plated rods oh yeah
(I'll get the money I'll kill to get the money)
With a four speed on the floor they'll be waiting at the door
You know that ain't no shit we'll be getting lots of tit
In Greased Lightning
Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go
Go greased lightning you're burning up the quarter mile
(Greased lightning go greased lightning)
Go greased lightning you're coasting through the heat lap trial
You are supreme the chicks'll cream for greased lightning
Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go
Purple french tail lights and thirty inch fins
oh yeah
A Palomino dashboard and duel muffler twins
oh yeah
With new pistons, plugs, and shocks I can get off my rocks
You know that I ain't bragging she's a real pussy wagon
Greased lightning
Go greased lightning you're burning up the quarter mile
(Greased lightning go greased lightning)
Go greased lighting you're coasting through the heat lap trial
You are supreme the chicks'll cream for greased lightning
Go greased lightning you're burning up the quarter mile
(Greased lightning go greased lightning)
Go greased lighting you're coasting through the hit lap trial
You are supreme the chicks'll cream for greased lightning
Lightning, lightning, lightning
Lightning, lightning, lightning
Lightning

Theresnonamesleft · 06/11/2017 00:13

Ok so from her point of view -
She meets a guy and he pushes her into the lake. She nearly drowns. She arrives at the school, meets the Pink Ladies, Danny is elsewhere telling the guys what a slut she is (got down in the sand, and a good girl).

She's then tricked by Rizzo into bumping into Danny. Who makes her feel like shit as he doesn't recognise her, you know how it is we're all rockin and rollin. But of course the guys know who she is and thinks of her as an easy lay.

Then there's the slumber party. Peer pressured to smoke and drink. Has her ears pierced without her permission. And of course the Sandy Dee song.

She goes outside and sings, Devoted to you - "My head is saying, "Fool, forget him." My heart is saying, "Don't let go. Hold on till the end."And that's what I intend to do, I'm hopelessly devoted to you..."

This is about the guy who until this point is an arse to her. Some people go to say he's emotionally abusing her.

Fast forward a bit more. He does something nice for her, well kind off. She's dating a sports guy, Danny's jealous, tells Sandy he can run rings around him. Danny makes an arse of himself. Somehow they end up on a date together. However, he dates her in secret as he doesn't want the rest of them knowing. Remember, she also seeing someone else.

The school dance. Rather than running after Sandy, he stays to dance with Cha Cha, his ex. His defence, we didn't go together, we just went together explaining the relationship with Cha Cha.

She then runs away from the drive in, crying when he gropes her.

Such a short film and she's run from him crying now 3 times, and she hasn't really seen him in the film.

But instead of saying he aint worth this shit. She decides she needs to become a smoking hot chick. But this isn't just for him, it's for her friends as well - remember how they perceived her?

He changed his ways by gaining a sweater, which he quickly took off, seeing her new look.

By why did she have to change her look? He liked her at the beginning when they first met.

Oh and really look at the lyrics for some of the songs. Summer nights with the lyrics did she put up a fight?

HelenaDove · 06/11/2017 00:20

There is also the misogynistic way that Rizzo and Cha Cha are talked about.

TemptressofWaikiki · 06/11/2017 00:24

Dreadful film and crappy music instead of the all the great Blues and Rockabilly, they could have used. 'Cry Baby' was a hell of a lot better!

quaqua · 06/11/2017 00:35

They were both experiencing peer pressure- Danny is one of the cool guys and doesnt want to lose face by admitting how he feels about Sandy. Sandy doesn't fit in with the cool girls. Both of them try to be something that they're not. It would have been more realistic if the parts were played by teenagers, but John Travolta was massive then.

quaqua · 06/11/2017 00:36

When they first met they were away from their peers so could be themselves.

PumpkinSquash · 06/11/2017 00:46

She's then tricked by Rizzo into bumping into Danny. Who makes her feel like shit as he doesn't recognise her, you know how it is we're all rockin and rollin. But of course the guys know who she is and thinks of her as an easy lay.

Confused He does recognise her.
Sandy - "Danny?!"
Danny -"Sandy?! I thought you went back to Australia?!"
Both giggling and nice.
Then he clocks his friends giving him "yeahhh?!" type looks and he tries to claw back his coolness and "yeah, you know how it is, rockin' and rollin...
"Yeah, I do and I wish I'd never laid eyes on you!" storms off and you can see him flinch as it's all an act to make himself look hard but he loves her really.

Battleax · 06/11/2017 00:58

I think you're blinded by movie-love OP. I was bloody appalled when I rewatched it as an adult. So many dodgy messages I don't know where to start.

Battleax · 06/11/2017 00:59

Apart from "go back to high school", maybe. That's a good message.

Theresnonamesleft · 06/11/2017 01:17

What about all the shit he said to her before she stormed off? Whilst he kept looking over his shoulder to laugh with his 'boys'.

Or the drive in, forgot about some of this. So he took his ring off and elbowed her. He looks to her smiling and blurts out 'oh Sandy, I'm so sorry'. Before turning his head away and laughing. He knew he'd hurt her, she told him. When he turned back round she was still rubbing where he'd elbowed her. He pulled out the ring and yea sure he really respected her. Cue next seen. Oh baby it's okay no-one can see us, as she's protesting beneath him.

Awesome family film.

bbpp · 06/11/2017 01:42

It's about women's sexual revolution in the 50's. You had your classical good girls (Sandy), held back by gender constraints, and the emergence of the 'Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll' movement. Its' supposed to contrast. It's supposed to show rebellion and freedom and women's sexual autonomy. Sandy, at the end of show, is America letting go of old-fashioned ideas of female respectability.

To think it's about her 'changing for a man' is missing the point entirely.

Willow2017 · 06/11/2017 07:14

Where do you get he pushes het into a lake and nearly drowns her?
They meet on a beach she got cramp swimming he saved her!

He falls in love with her.
When she turns up he is happy till his mates start ragging on him so he acts all 'cool' its not something that never happened before with young guys!

Its all about peer pressure and at the end Danny drops the cool and proves he will do anything to win sandy back and tells his friends they have to grow up because he loves Sandy and would rather be with her than be 'cool'.

Course there is a lot of misogigny thats how teens acted then and most of it was bragging and posturing but it all changes at the end.

They all go through changes as teen do.

Anyone who watched the film, listened to the songs knew the words to grease lightning ! Why is it such a shocking revalation now?

augustusglupe · 06/11/2017 09:21

MammaTJ Oh well I’m with you anyway Smile
I watched Grease yesterday, I know it’s corny but I still love it.
I also went with a friend when it came out, I was 13 and i don’t remember loving it, but for most years since then I’ve watched it when it’s on and it’s just the nostalgia, I love Rizzo and I love her solo. Sandy still irritates the life out of me however!!
I’m well aware it’s sexist, but I don’t care! It was a time before everything was analysed to death! It is what it is, lighthearted entertainment!! I think I can deal with that. And luckily no voiceover came on afterwards, asking if I’d been affected by any of the scenes and patronisingly giving me a phone number to ring!!
Not so lighthearted was Saturday night fever. Me and my friend got into see that the year before...don’t ask...we were quite tall for our age, wore blue eyeshadow, cherry lipgloss and acted cool..neither of us could believe we’d actually got in!! Grin

PumpkinSquash · 06/11/2017 09:41

She meets a guy and he pushes her into the lake.

Eh? Are you sure you've got the right film?! He doesn't push her into a lake at all. Confused
They're at the beach, in the sea, she gets cramp and nearly drowns. He saves her.

Oblomov17 · 06/11/2017 09:56

watched the analysis programme last night. Is it 'Grease week'?

wasonthelist · 06/11/2017 09:58

YABVU Grease is utter shite

upperlimit · 06/11/2017 10:02

Grease is a shit film with a couple of catchy tunes with suspect lyrics.

hotmilkandcrunchynuts · 06/11/2017 10:02

I really hate the way people have to deconstruct fucking everything and take the joy out of all of it.
Can you leave nothing alone?

DeccaMitfordsEntryVisa · 06/11/2017 10:04

I truly hate this film!