Grease Broadway Debut: 1972 Film Release: 1978

Film Background Info Based on Jim Jacobs’ and Warren Casey’s stage musical, Grease Set at Rydell High School in Southern California Starring John Travolta as Danny Zuko and Olivia Newton-John as Sandy Olsen

Other Facts Budget for the film was $6,000,000 Gross revenue for the film is $394, 589, 888 Grease confirmed John Travolta’s fame The movie soundtrack was the 2nd best selling album in the US Grease spawned a sequel, Grease 2 in 1982, starring Michelle Pheiffer

Sandra Dee 1950s movie star Sandra Dee  a symbol for artificial American adult life Poster girl for the big studios’ attempts to make teen movies Studios’ teen flicks were artificial in the extreme, creating a freakish and clueless adult imitation of the teen world that teens could see right through. To savvy teenagers, Sandra Dee was a teen sellout, a fake – in her life, her acting style, and in her onscreen emotions To adults, she reassured parents that their teen was a “good girl.” Sandy is America in its progression from puritanical repression in the 50s to sexual freedom in the Sexual Revolution of the 60s.

Subculture: Greasers Started in the 1950s among teens in the northeast & the south Rock and roll music was a major part of the culture Two main figures of the look were Marlon Brando and James Dean

Subculture: Greasers Known for love of hot rod cars, being fans of 1950s Doo Wop and Rock and Roll, being in motorcycle gangs wearing jackets displaying their gang’s name Women often depicted as the property of male gang members

Subculture: Greasers Name “greaser” came from their greased-back hairstyle, which involved combing back hair using hair wax, hair gel, creams, or pomade Typical hairstyles included the pompadour and the Duck’s ass

Subculture: Greasers Fashion included: White t shirts (often with the sleeves rolled up) Leather jackets Black or blue jeans (with rolled up cuffs) Bandannas, black leather gloves, chain wallets Footwear: motorcycle boots, Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars