Grease (1978)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Randal Kleiser

Writers:

Jim Jacobs (based on the original musical by) and
Warren Casey (based on the original musical by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 June 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

Grease is the word

Plot:

Good girl Sandy and greaser Danny fell in love over the summer. But when they unexpectedly discover they're now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance?

Plot Keywords:

Love | School | Beach | Australian | High School

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. July 5	8:30 AM	BRAVO
Sat. July 11	8:30 AM	BRAVO
Sun. July 12	1:00 AM	BRAVO

Cast

John Travolta	...	Danny Zuko
Olivia Newton-John	...	Sandy Olsson
Stockard Channing	...	Betty Rizzo
Jeff Conaway	...	Kenickie
Barry Pearl	...	Doody
Michael Tucci	...	Sonny
Kelly Ward	...	Putzie
Didi Conn	...	Frenchy
Jamie Donnelly	...	Jan
Dinah Manoff	...	Marty Maraschino
Eve Arden	...	Principal McGee
Frankie Avalon	...	The Teen Angel
Joan Blondell	...	Vi
Edd Byrnes	...	Vince Fontaine
Sid Caesar	...	Coach Calhoun
Alice Ghostley	...	Mrs. Murdock
Dody Goodman	...	Blanche
Sha-Na-Na	...	Johnny Casino & The Gamblers
Susan Buckner	...	Patty Simcox
Lorenzo Lamas	...	Tom Chisum
Fannie Flagg	...	Nurse Wilkins
Dick Patterson	...	Mr. Rudie
Eddie Deezen	...	Eugene Felnic
Darrell Zwerling	...	Mr. Lynch
Ellen Travolta	...	Waitress
Annette Charles	...	Cha Cha DiGregorio
Dennis Stewart	...	Leo, Scorpions member (as Dennis C. Stewart)
Barbi Alison	...	Dancer
Helena Andreyko	...	Dancer
Jennifer Buchanan	...	Dancer
Carol Culver	...	Dancer
Cindy DeVore	...	Dancer
Deborah Fishman	...	Dancer
Antonia Franceschi	...	Dancer
Sandra Gray	...	Dancer
Mimi Lieber	...	Dancer
Judy Susman	...	Dancer
Dennis Daniels	...	Dancer
Larry Dusich	...	Dancer
John Robert Garrett	...	Dancer
Daniel Levans	...	Dancer
Sean Moran	...	Dancer
Greg Rosatti	...	Dancer
Andy Roth	...	Dancer
Lou Spadaccini	...	Dancer
Andy Tennant	...	Dancer
Richard Weisman	...	Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lennie Baker	...	Johnny Casino & The Gamblers (uncredited)
Jon 'Bowzer' Bauman	...	Johnny Casino & The Gamblers (uncredited)
Michael Biehn	...	Mike, school athlete (uncredited)
Greg Bradford	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Johnny Contardo	...	Johnny Casino & The Gamblers (uncredited)
Carol Demas	...	Girl fixing hair in mirror at drive-in (uncredited)
Donna Felix	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Vinny Genna	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Kristine Greco	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Frederick 'Dennis' Greene	...	Johnny Casino & The Gamblers (uncredited)
Jocko Marcellino	...	Johnny Casino & The Gamblers (uncredited)
'Screamin' Scott' Simon	...	Johnny Casino & The Gamblers (uncredited)
Wendie Jo Sperber	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Donald 'Donny' York	...	Johnny Casino & The Gamblers (uncredited)

Directed by
Randal Kleiser

Writing credits
Jim Jacobs		(based on the original musical by) and
Warren Casey		(based on the original musical by)
Bronte Woodard		(screenplay) (as Bronté Woodard)
Allan Carr		(adaptation)

Produced by
Allan Carr	....	producer
Neil A. Machlis	....	associate producer
Robert Stigwood	....	producer

Cinematography by
Bill Butler		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John F. Burnett

Casting by
Joel Thurm

Production Design by
Philip M. Jefferies		(as Phil Jefferies)

Set Decoration by
James L. Berkey		(as James Berkey)

Costume Design by
Albert Wolsky

Makeup Department
Edwin Allen	....	makeup artist (as Eddie Allen)
Christine George	....	hair stylist
Daniel C. Striepeke	....	makeup artist (as Dan Striepeke)
Bron Roylance	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Neil A. Machlis	....	unit production manager
Lindsley Parsons Jr.	....	executive production manager: Paramount (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerry Grandey	....	assistant director
Paula Marcus	....	second assistant director
Lynn M. Morgan	....	second assistant director (as Lynn Morgan)

Art Department
Eugene S. Kelley	....	construction coordinator (as Gene Kelly)
Richard Valesko	....	property master
John Rozman	....	leadman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Sean Hanley	....	looping editor
Jerry Jost	....	sound mixer
Charles E. Moran	....	sound effects editor (as Charles Moran)
Bill Varney	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Ken Speed	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Ron Hays	....	electronic visual effects
Dion Hatch	....	roto artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Wally Crowder	....	stunt coordinator (as Wallace Dwight Crowder)
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Dunn	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Eddie Paul	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Colin J. Campbell	....	gaffer (as Colin Campbell)
George Hill	....	key grip
Earl L. Clark	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Dave Friedman	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Animation Department
John D. Wilson	....	animator: main titles (as John Wilson)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Betsy Cox	....	wardrobe: women
Bruce Walkup	....	wardrobe: men

Editorial Department
Robert Pergament	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
June Edgerton	....	music editor
Michael Gibson	....	music post-scoring
David J. Holman	....	musical engineering consultant
Bill Oakes	....	music supervisor
Louis St. Louis	....	creative music consultant
Louis St. Louis	....	music adaptor
John Farrar	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
Peter Frampton	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
Jay Graydon	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
Cubby O'Brien	....	musician: drums (uncredited)
Lee Ritenour	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
Ernie Watts	....	musician: saxophone (uncredited)

Other crew
Patricia Birch	....	choreographer
Carol Culver	....	assistant choreographer
Alan B. Curtiss	....	location manager
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer: end titles
Gary Kalkin	....	unit publicist
Joyce King	....	script supervisor
Tommy Smith	....	dance consultant
Marty Eli Schwartz	....	location manager (uncredited)

Thanks
Anthony D'Amato	....	acknowledgment: produced on the Broadway stage in association with
Maxine Fox	....	acknowledgment: produced on the Broadway stage by

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1981) (USA) (TV)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• CIC (1978) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1978) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (1978) (France) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS) (rental)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS) (retail)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (Rockin' Rydell edition)
• Paramount Home Video (2002) (Canada) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Pictures (1998) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Park Circus (2008) (UK) (theatrical) (re-issue)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (Argentina) (theatrical) (re-release)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1998) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (re-release)

Other Companies

• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.®)
• Modern Film Effects  opticals
• Post Logic Studios  digital film mastering
• RSO Records  original soundtrack album on (as RSO Records & Tapes)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS (re-release) (1998) | Dolby Digital (re-release) (1998) | Dolby (35 mm prints) (original release) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (original release)

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1998) | Canada:PG (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) (Canadian Home Video rating) | Iceland:L | East Germany:(Banned) | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Belgium:KT | Canada:G (Quebec) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-11 (20th anniversary edition) | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Ireland:PG | Netherlands:AL | Norway:12 (1978) | Norway:7 | Peru:14 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987) | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

4524 Kingswell Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Danny's blue windbreaker at the beginning of the film was intended as a nod to Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

Goofs:

Continuity: In the dance-off, just before Cha-Cha replaces Sandy as Danny's dancing partner, there is a wide shot of Danny and Sandy dancing. In the corner you can see Cha-Cha walk out from behind some students. The camera then makes a close-up and she repeats the same movement.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Sandy: I'm going back to Australia; I might never see you again.
Danny: Don't... don't talk that way, Sandy.
Sandy: But it's true! I've just had the best summer of my life, and now I have to go away. It isn't fair.
[Danny starts kissing her]
Sandy: Danny, don't spoil it!
Danny: It's not spoiling it, Sandy, it's only making it better.
Sandy: Danny... is this the end?
Danny: Of course not; it's only the beginning.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Les bronzés font du ski (1979)

Soundtrack:

SUMMER NIGHTS

One of the best (and most enjoyable) musicals!

GREASE (1978) **** John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Jeff Conaway, Stockard Channing, Dinah Manoff, Eve Arden, Sid Caesar, Edd `Kookie' Byrnes, ShaNaNa, Frankie Avalon, Joan Blondell, Ellen Travolta, Eddie Deezen, Lorenzo Lamas. One of the best Broadway musicals ever adapted for the big screen largely thanks to producer Allan Carr and director Randal Kleiser set at Rydell High circa 1950s with Travolta (in his other iconic role) as leather jacket wearing, hunky hood with a heart-of-gold Danny Zuko recalling his `Summer Nights' with Aussie sexpot Newton-John (in her sunny to sultry iconic turn) as goody-goody Sandy who learns some things from The Pink Ladies' tough yet tender leader Rizzo (Channing, ditto). Good old fashioned knuckle-headed comedy and toe-tapping tunes that will have you dancing and singing along to `Greased Lightning' (imagine Elvis doing this!) , the dance contest's hyper-paced `Hand Jive' sequence and the closer `We Go Together'. Title tune by Franki Valli. A film I've seen probably a hundred times and never tire of.