Grease 40th Anniversary

"Danny, is this end?" "Of course not, it's only the beginning." 

And what a beginning it was. Since it is the 40th anniversary of Grease this year, I thought it would be appropriate to write a post about why I love this movie and why it's still so popular 40 years later...

I can't tell you the age I was when I was first introduced, I think I was 7 or 8 and so most of the innuendos went over my head, but I loved it for the music. I have loved musicals since I was a child and ever since I first saw it, I liked it and it becomes even more awesome every time I see it.

Now, I know many people have opinions about this movie (especially the ending) and while I see where they are coming from, I have my own opinion of how I interpret it. Here we have this girl who thought she was going to move to another country after having the best summer of her life and then plans change and she goes to the same high school as Danny. He acts differently around his friends when they do reunite causing Sandy to respond with: "You're a fake and a phony and I wish I never laid eyes on you." Which of course is completely understandable and I would probably react the same way, but then Danny wants to get her back and she wants him back, so the majority of the film is spent on just that. Changing for each other. Not in the sense that I have to change so the other person likes you better because Danny already liked Sandy the way she is. I mean they wouldn't have been together all summer if he hadn't. He is trying to show that he can be the kind of guy she met during the summer and she wants to shed her wholesome image and be more confident and bold. I don't see it as, 'I have to change my appearance for the guy and then we live happily ever after.' No, they did those things for each other. Not one person having to conform to what the other wanted and I think that's actually really sweet because like Danny told the guys, "I'm gonna whatever I can to get her." and he did. So did she. That's why I think it's so iconic. I mean, everyone is going to take it however they want to, but ulitmately it's a story about finding yourself. All of these characters were trying to figure out what was going to happen after graduation and were just trying to make the most of their senior year.

Now, I know people have issues with certain things in the movie and I understand that. Everyone has their own perspective, but it's really not supposed to be taken that seriously. Yes, we can learn from situations in the movie, but mainly it's supposed to be fun and silly and predictable. Most musicals are, and there is nothing wrong with that. For everyone that enjoys musicals, whether they are theatre musicals or movie musicals, let's all unite and keep Grease alive for another 40 years. GREASE IS THE WORD!