Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:04am
I just didn't think Hudgens was that great (nor do I expect she would have been any different if she hadn't lost her dad the day before). Like everyone else, she remembered her lines and delivered them without trouble, but she didn't really seem to have a character.
Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:06am
I agree 100% with the Times review, and that's pretty rare.
"If you consider those kinds or references "childish", I would hate to see what your idea of "adult" is."
Really? Or are you writing facetiously?
Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:14am
Amateur question. When the rights to these productions are bought, and like THE WIZ and this production now new elements and songs are added, do the songs and such become part of the official GREASE package? If a school wants to put on this same production with Carly's new song, or add the 50's rendition of Cake By The Ocean for instance, is that an option they have?
Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:19am
Still singing Sandra D, Hopelessly etc this morning. Just an amazing night.
Just imagine the response to Wiz, PP and SOM if Grease was done BEFORE they were. Bad Bad Bad!
Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:19am
best12bars said: "I fully expect Thomas Kail to add a Tony (for Hamilton) and an Emmy (for Grease Live) to his mantel this year."
We can only hope!
Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:28am
mrgiovanni said: "Amateur question. When the rights to these productions are bought, and like THE WIZ and this production now new elements and songs are added, do the songs and such become part of the official GREASE package? If a school wants to put on this same production with Carly's new song, or add the 50's rendition of Cake By The Ocean for instance, is that an option they have?
"
No.
The only way to do a particular version of a show is for that version to be specifically released for licensing and commercial performance.
Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:29am
Phyllis Rogers Stone said: "I just didn't think Hudgens was that great (nor do I expect she would have been any different if she hadn't lost her dad the day before). Like everyone else, she remembered her lines and delivered them without trouble, but she didn't really seem to have a character. "
Absolutely agreed. Her performance of "Worse Things I Could Do" was the one time she or any of the leads, frankly, added an extra dimension to their characters.
Here's the Onion A.V. Club review, which is pretty spot on in the main: http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/better-or-worse-grease-live-revolutionizes-live-tv-231541
They also relocated "Hopelessly Devoted" didn't they? As I recall from the film, it comes earlier in the film, not after the dance. It didn't make much sense for her to be singing mournfully about how Danny pushed her love aside when she's the one who ran off.
Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:30am
I thought the production aspects of Grease Live! were excellent (with the exception of the sound). Great sets, direction, and camerawork. The actors did fine for the most part; the movie has cast a huge shadow on all productions of this show with every Danny, Sandy, and Rizzo being compared to their counterparts in the movie. I thought Aaron, Julianne, and Vanessa each put their own takes on their roles and should be commended.
The gym sequences and, particularly, the last carnival scene in the town square on the Warner Brothers backlot with the audience members in full view was a terrific and exciting way to film the show live. The energy was palpable. I look forward to watching it again.
Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:34am
newintown said: "Theater_Nerd said (with sarcasm), "Yes, GREASE is G-rated family entertainment!"
Childish dirty talk and a puerile take on mild sexual situations do not equal actual adult content.
I wasn't questioning whether it was "actual adult content" - - - I was questioning your misguided assertion that the movie was for children, which it clearly is not given the examples I clearly cited in my post and much of what I did cite is geared for adult/mature audience not children.
Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:42am
The movie is considered by everyone I know, to be family entertainment.
It's also stocked in the family sections of every brick and mortar I've been to.
Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:42am
This is the only review i need today.
Lin-Manuel Miranda @Lin_Manuel 13h13 hours agoMiami Beach, FL
GAUNTLET THROWN. STEP YOUR BARS UP, FUTURE LIVE MUSICALS.
Lin-Manuel Miranda @Lin_Manuel 13h13 hours agoMiami Beach, FL
Hudgens. Unbelievable.
Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:46am
Was there lip synching? I thought Patty Simcox was horrible. I thought Carly Rae was awful as well. She cant sing and her new song sucked.
Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:50am
Phyllis Rogers Stone said: "I just didn't think Hudgens was that great (nor do I expect she would have been any different if she hadn't lost her dad the day before). Like everyone else, she remembered her lines and delivered them without trouble, but she didn't really seem to have a character.
Bless you. I didn't see what was so great about her either. Her performance felt like an off-brand version of Stockard Channing with weirder facial expressions. What did she do that Joe Schmoe from Idaho couldn't do at a community theatre? I just don't get the hype at all.
"
Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:51am
tazber said: "The movie is considered by everyone I know, to be family entertainment.
It's also stocked in the family sections of every brick and mortar I've been to.
Oh, is that how that works? If a store decided to stock let's say for argument's sake "Deep Throat" in the family section that automatically makes it family entertainment?
FYI: There's a reason the scenes and dialogue I cited are edited for television, especially when it airs on ABC Family - - - they are not meant for young children. Read: Not family friendly.
Updated On: 2/1/16 at 10:51 AM
Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:55am
OK, OK, you've made your point, and in BOLD FONT to boot. But there are some grown-ups who disagree with you on this. It's gonna happen.
Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:58am
I use the bold font to differentiate my reply from the message I am replying to.
And sure some people will disagree with me, but to state that "Grease" is for children is not true. It's not a children's film or show for that matter.
Posted: 2/1/16 at 10:59am
OK. Like I said, not everyone is gonna agree with you. Let it pass.
Posted: 2/1/16 at 11:08am
Did FOX produced any kind of "making of" special program/documentary for Grease? (like the ones NBC does)
Posted: 2/1/16 at 11:18am
I have to say that I was really impressed at how they pulled this off - - - they were really prepared. I can't even begin to imagine the time, preparation and all the coordinating that went into this.
It exceeded all of my expectations on so many levels.
Sure there were some glitches here and there but nothing to ruin the overall experience of the production as a whole. As talented as Aaron Tveit is he really did not fit the "Danny Zuko" mold - - - and he looked older, especially opposite Julianne Hough who although 27 looks younger. It was especially evident in the scene at the drive-in when Danny gives her his ring. The lighting didn't help either.
Vanessa Hudgens has my utmost respect. This young lady went on despite losing her father just the night before and delivered in my opinion one of the best performances of the night. She made quite a fetching "Betty Rizzo" and her rendition of "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" was sublime.
The supporting cast was equally impressive. Ana Gasteyer, Eve Plumb, Didi Conn, Barry Pearl, Carlos PenaVega, Carly Rae Jepsen, Keke Palmer, Jordan Fisher and Kether Donohoe all did fantastic jobs.
I was really impressed with the "Born To Hand Jive" number. The camerawork and choreography in that number was just terrific!
"Grease: Live!" definitely raised the bar.
It will be interesting to see what Zadan and Meron will do with "Hairspray" to try to top this.
Posted: 2/1/16 at 11:19am
I thought Keke and Vanessa should have switched roles. Vanessa just wasn't bad-ass enough for Rizzo. I honestly didn't believe one word she said as the character and her line readings were just not up to par. Of course I give her props for getting through the show with her horrific family tragedy, but something tells me she would have given the same dull performance even if her father didn't pass away. She did a little better with her song though.
But let's talk about the real talent: Julianne Hough...holy crap! Talk about a bonafide triple talent star! She was just incredible. Her acting, singing and dancing were all phenomenal. She reminded me of a young Chita and Liza. She really stole the show. Someone create a Broadway musical for her!
.
Updated On: 2/1/16 at 11:19 AM
Posted: 2/1/16 at 11:22am
Ratings are in! 
Fox’s ‘Grease Live’ Ratings Strong: TV’s Top Musical Since ‘Sound of Music Live’
Fox’s three-hour live performance drew 12.2 million total viewers and a 4.3 demo rating on Sunday night, besting NBC’s The Wiz (11.5 mil/3.4) on both counts. Compared to NBC’s The Sound of Music Live, which did a boffo 18.6 mil/4.6 in December 2013, Grease was off just 6 percent in the demo.
NBC’s Peter Pan Live (December 2014) now places a distant fourth with 9.2 million viewers and a 2.4 rating.
http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/grease-live-ratings-strong-fox-1201693599/
Updated On: 2/1/16 at 11:22 AM
Posted: 2/1/16 at 11:26am
kadu335 said: "Ratings Strong: TV’s Top Musical Since ‘Sound of Music Live’
Fox’s three-hour live performance drew 12.2 million total viewers and a 4.3 demo rating on Sunday night, besting NBC’s The Wiz (11.5 mil/3.4) on both counts. Compared to NBC’s The Sound of Music Live, which did a boffo 18.6 mil/4.6 in December 2013, Grease was off just 6 percent in the demo.
NBC’s Peter Pan Live (December 2014) now places a distant fourth with 9.2 million viewers and a 2.4 rating.
"Poor Peter Pan, the worst one ever.
Thank Goodness Megan Kelly didnt demand her daughter play Sandy!
Updated On: 2/1/16 at 11:26 AM
Posted: 2/1/16 at 11:42am
PS I love how they slipped in "Mooning" during the dance until Joe Jonas ruined it then the sound got all garbled up. Hopefully they fix it for the DVD/Digital...
Posted: 2/1/16 at 11:50am
I don't understand how so many are praising this today. I thought Kail's direction was a mess, and the adaptation made no sense half the time. Examples: Sandy never smoked, so the line in "Look at Me" about getting sick from one cigarette had no basis. Sandy is the one who ran away from Danny, so he didn't "push [her] love aside." The carnival at the school was inside and outside, yet the gym set and the carnival set were nowhere near each other, so you had people randomly in and out of character driving a golf cart to the rest of the scene.
Plus, Frenchie's new song was not only unnecessary but musically didn't fit either. And to have that back-to-back with "Beauty School Dropout" while there were achingly long book scenes crying out for music was baffling.
Oh, and the biggest problem: this was a live production that clearly did not use live vocals all the time.
