On Planet COVID, with uncertainty into how jeopardous attending school actually is, I’m relieved I’ve no longer kids of an age who’d be impacted by this conundrum. Well, not directly anyhow. From my understanding, though, there’d still be risk from coming into contact with children asymptomatic consequential of attending their alma mater.
Borrowing many life lessons re-school life from the fictional ‘kids’ in the movie Grease, I was concerned on recalling character Danny Zuko words, which appear to allude even school kids cars can pass on contagious diseases. Young Daniel teaching us that:-
“Why, this car is automatic
It’s asymptomatic, it’s hydromatic
Why, it’s greased lightning
(Grease lightning)……..”
Prior to continuing, I’d like to make it clear I realise the word in this upbeat refrains second line is systematic, not asymptomatic as adapted by yours truly. This tweak of the lyric made by yours truly to impart a little levity in proceedings……. They were also included to point out you may have a motor that goes like s**t off a shovel, but not to get too smug as it’s no better at negating against spreading pathogens.
I apostrophised the work kids when referring to the original Grease movie cast as none of them looked under 30, giving the impression there must’ve been a dearth of late teen/early 20’s actors during the mid-70’s. The production team obviously going for talent, as opposed to any authenticity the lads and lasses were high school age.
However, although looking a bit on the old side for students, cast members produced accomplished character portrayals in the iconic movie. Their professionalism stretching to such high plateaus actor Michael Tucci, who played Sonny, performed the challenging dance routines despite recently undergoing a double hip replacement and a prostate procedure.
In fact, it was decided when looking to cast the sequel, the guys playing the T-Birds looked so old in the original not to hire them for the sequel. Producers fearing, a few years older the dance routines would look as though they were being preformed by the undead in Michael Jackson’s Thriller video.
Tucci’s shock of black curly hair and ruddy complexion made him a doppelgänger for my uncle Bernard, who was 37 at the time. If my uncle Bern had’ve been an actor, Tucci would’ve made a great stunt double. Sadly for the New Yorker, he wasn’t an actor, and my auntie Joan’s husband had little requirement for a stunt double in his plumbing/engineering business.
To be fair to John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, I think they were both in their 20’s at when Grease was released. And only teenagers, in 1971, when ex-Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa was released. Hoffa disappearing three years prior to the release of the original movie……. Although, to be honest, the two events aren’t believed to be linked.
As a hormonal 15 year-old boy when Grease was released, Olivia Newton John’s tight leather trousers made a big impact on my life at that time. As with Danny Zuko, I’d chills that were multiplying and I was losing control, cause the power she was supplying was electrifying!….. (Electrifying!).
