A Homage to Grease 2
Published on Monday 25th January, 2.16pm, Written by Carrie Dunn
I never realised it before, but there are a lot of theatre enthusiasts out there hiding a secret passion.
It’s a love so socially unacceptable that they fear ostracism should they dare to announce it; an affection so firm and true that they have hidden it and indulged it in secret over the years.
Michelle Pfeiffer - up a ladder - in Grease 2
I am of course talking about admiration for that most exceptional of musical sequels, Grease 2. Over the weekend, many respected theatrical aficionados revealed their fandom via Twitter, and I for one am proud of us.
Indeed, I suspect there are more out there who have not yet summoned up the courage to come out of the Rydell closet.
After all, who doesn’t thrill to the sight of Michelle Pfeiffer in her Pink Lady jacket, or her Christmas tree dress? Or Maxwell Caulfield’s vocals, pitched an octave higher than his leading lady’s gravelly growl? And Lorna Luft — who is, let’s face it, Hollywood royalty — is there in spandex trousers!
You thought John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John and their classmates all looked a little too old to be in high school? This lot are even more superannuated, with all the T-Birds and Pink Ladies (excepting Pfeiffer) knocking on 30. And why not? Why should only teenagers get to mess around on motorbikes, dress for luaus, and climb stepladders on the middle of a stage?
Yet for me the true beauty of Grease 2 lies in its songs. Even as a child I wondered if Caulfield’s character was named Michael just so they could rhyme it with “cycle” in Who’s That Guy?. Now I just fear for Stephanie’s mental health as she undergoes a breakdown during the end-of-term show, performing a song in a dream sequence (with a duet partner and dance routine) AND on stage (without duet partner, but with a flying star, for some reason) SIMULTANEOUSLY.
In one way, it’s a shame that nobody’s ever been able to adapt this piece of cinematic history for the stage; but in another, no theatrical production could ever match the sheer lunacy of this masterwork.
Share your love for Grease 2 in the comments. You’re not alone.
7 Comments to A Homage to Grease 2
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Finally a blog on the incredibly underrated Grease 2. It’s good to know I’m not alone in my secret love for this slice of cheese. Let’s be honest, what’s not to love about this piece of cinematic history?! All films should feature dance routines with feather light bowling balls, a luau ending with cake throwing and a bike jumping a swimming pool. I have to admit I have both the DVD and soundtrack. I think most of my year shamelessly stole the line “Hamlet is tormented by his uncle’s incestuous relationship with his mother” for our English essays and used Reproduction as a mnemonic for our Biology exams!
most of my female mates are word-perfect in Grease 2. Even that horror that is Michael’s soupy ballad.
Why, why, why has no-one staged this? As a musical it’s actually better and has a more coherent storyline than the original.
Love, Love, Love Grease 2. Had it on VHS recorded from the TV for years, and then had to buy it on DVD. It is watched often and although I am mocked for owning the DVD I do not care!
I was working at Empire before Christmas and put Grease 2 on the office telly twice. My joy was unconfined, everybody else was incredulous. God I love that film. Did you know Yale (yes, that one) did a stage production of it in 1998?
http://www.sonofgrease.org/g2play_review.html
Love it. I’ve even been Grease2.net’s UK correspondent – although, to be fair, since Bad Film Club put it on a couple of years ago, there hasn’t been a lot to correspond.
Really interesting to read about the Yale production! I remember reading a rumour on a messageboard (I know, I know) that David Ian has supposedly acquired the rights to Grease 2 for the stage, possibly intending to mount a Xanadu-style tongue-in-cheek musical.
Also, I had no idea there was an official novelisation. This review is worth a read: http://talkingmoviezzz.blogspot.com/2007/06/book-review-grease-2-novelization.html
And clearly the time is right for some kind of Grease 2 event, even if it is watching the film and getting drunk (or in the reverse order).
Also, this is amazing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIfJNx_kT3Y