Synopsis
New girl Sandy (a simpering Olivia Newton-John) arrives at school after a summer romancewith bad boy John Travolta. Will he acknowledge the love they shared together, even if this costshim some of his coolness factor? Whether or not you care can be gauged by how you feel aboutthe extremely 70s soundtrack.
Audio
The film has been given a 5.1 mix, but the result isn’t spectacular. Granted, the soundtrack isalmost 25 years old, but the sound quality he…e is not up to the much older Singin’ in the Rain.Some of the dialogue distorts quite badly, and the effects could do with a boost. The musicsounds fine, though, and that is the flick’s real reason for being.
Video
The packaging boasts that this is part of the “Fullscreen Collection.” Hardly something I’dboast about. There is a widescreen version too, but that isn’t what’s under review. The picture iscropped from a 2.35:1 ratio, and there are shots where the cropping is very noticeable, with thecomposition uncomfortably cramped. The opening shot is horribly grainy, and though the pictureimproves almost immediately, the grain keeps coming back. During the “Greased Lightning”song, speckles and print damage show up too. Otherwise, the blacks are fine, and the colours andcontrasts are very strong.
Special Features
If you’re a fan, the most attractive feature is likely the song book. On the disc itself, allyou’ve got is a 17-minute retrospective featurette (which at least is widescreen) and the trailer.Even the menu is basic.
Closing Thoughts
Like it or not, this was a hugely popular film, and the dearth of extras is bound to disappoint.If you’re the sing-along type, at least there’s the booklet.
Special Features List
- Retrospective Featurette
- Song Book
- Trailer
