Grease (1978)
Average Rating: 6.7/10
Reviews Counted: 56
Fresh: 45 | Rotten: 11
Grease is a pleasing, energetic musical with infectiously catchy songs and an ode to young love that never gets old.
Average Rating: 5.6/10
Critic Reviews: 13
Fresh: 9 | Rotten: 4
Grease is a pleasing, energetic musical with infectiously catchy songs and an ode to young love that never gets old.
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Average Rating: 3.7/5
User Ratings: 1,078,571
My Rating
Movie Info
"Grease," said the poster and the Barry Gibb song, "is the word." Transferring its setting from Chicago to sunny California, and adding a dash of disco to the ersatz '50s score, producer Allan Carr and director Randal Kleiser turned this long-running Jim Jacobs-Warren Casey Broadway smash into the biggest blockbuster of 1978. 1950s teens Danny (John Travolta) and Australian transfer Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) spend their "Summer Nights" falling in love, but once fall comes, it's back to Rydell
Jun 1, 1978 Wide
Sep 24, 2002
Paramount Pictures
Watch It Now
Cast
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John Travolta
Danny Zuko -
Olivia Newton-John
Sandy Olsson -
Stockard Channing
Rizzo -
Jeff Conaway
Kenickie -
Didi Conn
Frenchy -
Eve Arden
Principal McGee -
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Dinah Manoff
Marty -
Michael Tucci
Sonny -
Barry Pearl
Doody -
Kelly Ward
Putzie -
Susan Buckner
Patty Simcox -
Eddie Deezen
Eugene -
Lorenzo Lamas
Tom Chisum -
Dennis Stewart
Leo -
Annette Charles
Cha Cha -
Dick Patterson
Mr. Rudie -
Fannie Flagg
Nurse Wilkin -
Darrell Zwerling
Mr. Lynch -
Ellen Travolta
Waitress -
Frankie Avalon
Teen Angel -
Edward Byrnes
Vince Fontaine -
Sid Caesar
Coach Calhoun -
Alice Ghostley
Mrs. Murdock -
Dody Goodman
Blanche -
Sha Na Na
Johnny Casino and the G... -
Michael Biehn
Jock (Basketball Player... -
Dennis Daniels
Dancer -
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Johnny Casino & the Sha-N...
Johnny Casino & the Gam... -
Daniel Levans
Dancer -
Steve M. Davison
Leader of the Scorpions -
Andy Tennant
Dancer -
Mimi Lieber
Dancer -
Sean Anthony Moran
Dancer -
James Donnelly
Jan -
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Grease Trailer & Photos
All Critics (57) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (55) | Rotten (11) | DVD (40)
The screenplay is a prepubescent shambles, the direction is by acne out of disposable douches, the dubbing and looping of the songs is painfully obvious, the characterizations are generally repulsive and the whole thing is utterly without style.
Travolta is a riot. Alternately swaggering to prove his "coolness" and re-affirming his ability on the dance floor, the actor gives the kind of performance that's perfect for the role.
Grease holds up for new generations because it captures the enthusiasm of youth and the vibrancy of California's sunshine-and-cars culture.
Grease has got it, from the outstanding animated titles of John Wilson all the way through the rousing finale as John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John ride off into teenage happiness.
Limp, cheaply made.
An unembarrassed movie musical, something my generation experienced only in Sunday-afternoon movies on TV.
A dumb but lively rock musical.
I love the film's energy. I love the movie-star charisma of John Travolta in the lead. I love the "am I doing this right?" hesitancy of much of Olivia Newton-John's performance. I love the fact that the film is so unapologetically filthy.
A film that's immortal for its unbridled enthusiasm and top notch production that makes it arguably the best musical ever made...
One of the most commercially successful transfers of a Broadway musical to the big screen, Grease is not a great movie but it's a lot of fun to watch and listen due to superlative cast.
Problematic but ultimately irresistible adaptation of Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey's hit Broadway musical. [Blu-ray]
As Blu-Ray still remains largely the province of gamers and fanboys, I don't really see the point of even releasing Grease on the format at all.
...there's no denying the charisma of the stars and the infectious nature of the song-and-dance numbers. (Blu-ray Edition)
...comes to life when Travolta and company are singing and dancing.
Overall, the Grease (Rockin' Rydell Edition) is absolutely worth buying even if you have the previous edition, as much for its newly-remastered transfer as the bounty of bonus materials.
Randal Kleiser's 1978 musical, set in the Fifties, has some horrible acting but the kind of exuberance that has made it a cult classic.
There's a surprising strain of filth, too - this is much closer to Hairspray than High School Musical. The message is: burn rubber, have sex, strut about like a chicken. It's one that's hard to resist.
Much-loved but somewhat overrated.
Travolta and Newton-John burn up the screen with all the passion of a potato salad while occasionally singing a song you know all the words to because they play it every week in small-town nightclubs.
Good, clean, high-spirited fun.
Audience Reviews for Grease
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
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- Frenchy: [to Sandy] Uh Sandy here's your toothbrush.
- Sandy Olsson: [grabs it through the door] Oh thanks Frenchy, I'm sorry to be so much trouble.
- Frenchy: Oh it's okay.
- Rizzo: [puts on blond wig] Ooh This Goody Two-Shoes makes me wanna barf.
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- Kenickie: Hey Zuk man those Scorpions are asking for it Hey yo Danny what's up you still think about that chick?
- Danny Zuko: What are you nuts?
- Kenickie: No I just thought that.
- Danny Zuko: Get in there, I don't think that much.
- Kenickie: Oh that's cool.
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- Sandy Olsson: Tell me bout it stud.
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- Vince Fontaine: It doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's what you do with your dancin' shoes.
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- Danny Zuko: You can't just walk out of a drive-in.
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