Before I start this review I will let you know now that I love this film and have loved it since I first saw it when I was just a child. I saw the DVD on sale at £5 (about $8) and had to buy it as I remembered the fun I used to have singing along to my record (yes record) of the soundtrack of the film. I was that bad that I wore the first record out and my mum had to buy me a second one - and I knew all of the words! You can get this on Amazon for as little as around $8 or $9 or on ebay for around the same price so my advice as always is to shop around before you buy.

**The Film**

Set in the summer of 1958, Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John) meet whilst on holiday and fall in love. This is to be short-lived as Sandy is to return to Australia with her parents and Danny is to go back to school in the States. However, it turns out that Sandy's parents stay on in America and Sandy starts the new school year at Rydell High School.

Sandy becomes firm friends with Frenchy (Didi Conn) who is part of the Pink Ladies. The Pink Ladies are associated with The T-Birds, who are the tough guys of the school. Frenchy tries to get Sandy into the Pink Ladies but she ends up being a cheerleader instead. Rizzo (Stockhard Channing) is the leader of the Pink Ladies and is quite sarcastic in her manner.

Whilst telling of her summer-romance, Sandy tells the Pink Ladies about Danny Zuko, who just happens to be the leader of the T-Birds. No-one mentions this and they are re-united at a school night when Sandy is cheerleading. Danny acts all cool and Sandy gets upset and throws her pom-poms at him.

The enemies of the T-Birds are the Scorpions, led by Leo. They are sworn enemies and after T-Bird Kenickie gets a car, he decides that he is going to race this car at Thunder Road. Kenickie and Rizzo get quite friendly in the back of a car and Rizzo ends up thinking that she is pregnant.

Meanwhile, Danny and Sandy have been reconciled and are "dating", although Sandy feels that Danny is still embarrassed at being with her. She eventually decides that drastic action has to be taken in order to make herself more appealing to Danny. However Danny has decided that he must change to make himself more acceptable to Sandy and goes to the school coach (Sid Caesar) for help.

Well, I'm not really going to tell you much more about the film as it would really spoil your viewing enjoyment, but suffice to say, that the film is interspersed with musical numbers galore. Well it is a musical!

**My Opinion**

I love this film. I really enjoy putting the DVD on with the kids and singing and dancing round the living room. I don't really care what I look like because I'm generally having fun with the kids but there are nights when hubby is working late and I have been known to put this on and sit there with a glass of wine and a box of chocolates. This is the perfect girls night in DVD.

The acting can be a bit cheesy, I mean Olivia Newton-John was in her 20's and playing a teenager! But the soundtrack is timeless. I mean, who out there has never heard "Summer Nights", even the badly-screeched karaoke version in the pub?! The special effects are pretty much non-existent but then again, it is supposed to be in the late 1950's so the effects then were cheesy to say the least.

This is a film that has really stood the test of time, and it really does appeal to the young and old alike. Okay there are a couple of sexual references (ie greased lightning being a "real p*** wagon") but these would only be recognised by those of us who would know what was being said. I mean, my kids haven't got a clue what that is but they like to dance to the song.

**DVD Info**

Region - 2 (PAL)

Languages - English & German

Run Time - 106 minutes approximately

Certificate - PG (some scenes may not be suitable for young children)

Cast - John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockhard Channing, Didi Conn, Jeff Conaway, Sid Caesar, Dennis Stewart, Lorenzo Lamas, Eve Ardman, Dody Goodman.

**DVD Extras**

Interview with Cast and Filmakers - this was quite interesting. I'm not going to go into great detail about it as the title is quite self-explanatory but I found it full of interesting facts and opinions.

Original Theatrical Trailer - well this is obvious!

**Trivia**

This film was nominated for 5 golden globes back in 1979.

The black skin-tight trousers that Sandy wears in the final scenes were so tight that Olivia Newton-John had to be sewn into them.

The scene in Frenchy's bedroom where Rizzo sings "Look At Me I'm Sandra Dee". The lines about Elvis were actually filmed on the day the Presley died.

The original Danny and Sandy were meant to be Henry Winkler and Marie Osmond. But Winkler did not want to be typecast following his role as the Fonz and Osmond pulled out because Sandy becomes a "bad girl" in order to get the boy.

**Final Word**

To recommend or not to recommend, that is the main question being asked here today. Well, I wholeheartedly recommend this to everyone! This is a great film to watch and the tunes will have you singing in the shower for weeks! I have, however, given it only a 4 star rating, based on the fact that, in my humble opinion, the acting is a bit cheesy and the singing and dancing a little to over-zealous. But it is still great entertainment.

Thank you for reading. Di xx


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12