Rated down for two major audio glitches ("Hopelessly Devoted" and "Hand Job") It fell flat in a few places. Diversity is a good thing, but The Pink Ladies should have all been pink. My 1970's high school was "mixed". Everybody got along fine, but did not mix socially at all. Just a fact. Taped on several of Warner's massive sound stages. Julianna Hough was great as Sandy but Arron Tveit lacked the charisma of Travolta's Danny Zuko. The production never pretended to be "real" and used the change-of-location as a clever "running gag" that worked well. Most of the sexual references were toned down, but hand job, as always, is just too obvious, isn't it? At it's worst when it tried to "carbon copy" the iconic movie. A breathless finale, although the "Greased Lightning" car is barely seen. High points included: The walk thru over "Grease". Sandy at the cheerleader try outs. Keke Palmer's break out USO number ("Freddie My Love"). "National Bandstand" (sadly, with "dead air" for several seconds). The drag race photography. Eugene became a hero. Vanessa Hudgens as "Rizzo" was the best performance of all. Sandy's catsuit and vocals. The finale. (Wow!) Closing comments: "The Coach" wasn't all that funny. Boyz II Men are not an aging rock star as "Teen Angels", and they should have performed it "50's Style". (I guess Johnny Mathis or Frankie Valli were busy?) The video-photography,using a special "film-look" process and overhead Crane cameras, looked seamlessly great. I would like to see it again, with better sound.
Review of Grease Live!
Grease Live!
(2016 TV Movie)
Haunted by the Movie's Success and Sound Gremlins
1 February 2016
Warning: Spoilers