I doubt I
will be met with much argument when I state that teenagers are strange
creatures. These half-child-half-adult beings are each a sea of new hormones,
budding with new body parts and functions. It’s a wild environment til their
bodies and priorities (relatively) balance themselves out. And on top of all
that, there’s romance. Teenagers start trying out intimate relationships at
what I deem the dumbest possible time. They are generally at the most immature,
emotionally insecure, and financially unstable points in their lives. Yet they
see, to clumsily pursue this activity above all others during these formative
years with both guns blazing. The only sure thing they’ve got working for them
is their innate sexual combustibility. On that note…
Who doesn’t
love a bunch of singing, dancing teenagers in their late 20s and early 30s,
facing the trials and tribulations of high school, summer love, make out cars, pregnancy
scares, and whatever the “Hand Jive” is? Today,
we’re going to talk about the original “High School Musical,” Grease. I’m gonna stick primarily with
the film version, as I’m assuming that’s the one most folks are familiar with.
If you care to challenge me on that, then you can go and write your own witty,
well-informed blog!
Grease
Music, Lyrics, & Book: Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey
Broadway Debut: 1972 (1978 Film)
Tony Nominations/Wins: 7/0
Grease is a doo-woppin’,
Bad-Boy-meets-Goody-Goody-Girl story of love, cliques, cars, high school
dances, and friendship, featuring true role models for today’s insecure
teenagers. The movie is a beloved classic (one of the few movie musicals [along
with Chicago] that might actually be
better than the stage version!) that chronicles teenage tomfoolery and irresponsibility,
inspiring Halloween costumes and drag queens alike. I myself have been an avid
fan of the movie since the tender age of 9 (it was edited for TV, so I didn’t
see the too-hot-for TV version until way later). I loved seeing the Mexican
standoff between the greasers, the cheerleaders, the jocks, the nerds, and the
square adults played out before me. My 9 year-old self couldn’t wait to get to
high school and hang out with the cool kids (silly me. I was below nerd status
for those 4 years). However, as I got older and saw the film in my post-teen
years, I became rather disturbed by the musical’s ending. Just as Danny is
about to discard his T-Bird membership and (unsuccessfully) go jock to pursue
Sandy, she appears – smoking (literally and figuratively) – in leather pants,
enough teased hair and makeup to choke a horse, and a badassattitude change. She changes her whole game
and morphs from a wholesome, Sandra Dee-esque All-American into the ultimate 1950s
sex kitten in one afternoon.
I’ve become
very disappointed in Sandy. Instead of consenting that her man (and his
buddies) is too shallow to accept her for what she is, she decides to change
everything about herself to impress him. I call shenanigans, Sandy! You were
once a young lady of principles who stayed true to herself. Sure, you were so
sugary-sweet and innocent, you were giving us diabetes. But if you’re gonna make
a change, how ‘bout a gradual, mature change that’s for the better instead of adopting
an entirely different persona (which you once opposed) just to make your man
happy? And may I point out that this transition happened on the Very. Last.
Day. of high school? You do realize that you’ll probably have one more “Summer
Lovin’” summer between you before you go your separate ways, right? Be it
college, career, prison, etc., I’ve got a sneaking suspicion it’s not gonna
work out. I know it was more common for high school sweethearts to make it back
then, but if you’ve gone from Sandra Dee to Sandra D. Minatrix (see what I did
there?) in one day just so your man will like you again, I honestly doubt the
endurance of your future together. Sorry ‘bout ya, but I think you need a Teen Angel’s advice more than Frenchy does at this
point.
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