FOX News had a fun little article revolving around the original Chicago stage production of Grease in the 70’s (‘Taxi’ star Marilu Henner on turning down ‘Grease’ film, befriending John Travolta: ‘A special kind of talent’). It later moved to Broadway, then a national touring cast and of course the film version. Marilu had mentioned they really cleaned it up after Chicago to make it much more palatable for a national audience.

I had thought that kind of odd because that was one takeaway I had from the movie when I saw it originally, was how coarse it was. And that was cleaned up from the stage production?? Everyone in the comments was talking about how much they loved or hated it. One guy (Buckeye4ever) called it in his top 10 greatest of all time movies. I’m thinking yeah? Fun little movie but Top 10? He had another strange one on his list at #9, ‘Back to the Future’? All his others were solid choices then he had those two:

1. Passion of the Christ
2. Saving Private Ryan
3. Forrest Gump
4. Rocky 1-3.
5. Grease (?)
6. Exorcist
7. Jaws
8. Rambo 1-2
9. Back to the Future (?)
10. Godfather 1-2

So I got to thinking, what would my “Top 10” be? His list basically has ones I really like. Manly movies from the ‘over 50’ or 60 crowd. I’d told him that Clint Eastwood had made a couple (15:17 to Paris and Richard Jewell) that were such an homage to the ‘every man’ that I consider them to be two of the most beautiful films ever made. I would have to add those two to my list. And dumb as it is, Summer of ’42. The vision of Jennifer O’Neill in that movie will never leave my head.

And I must really like director Robert Mulligan, because another of his, ‘To Kill A Mockingbird‘ would have to be on my Top 10 list. So that’s 4 so far. Movies that stick in my head the past 60 years? Not many. ‘Stagecoach‘ (1939) would be #5. Say ‘Rambo‘ #6. While I’m thinking about my ‘final four’, I’ll finish my thoughts on Grease from the FOX article. Sorry Marilu, but everyone seemed confident ONJ was the correct choice for Sandy. I was talking to a guy on the music page on Gab, and he said when he saw her in concert circa 1975, he thought she was the most beautiful woman that ever lived.

I didn’t think so at the time, but I sure do now. She seems like a nice person too. But the one I had forgotten that had made such a cultural impact back then was John Travolta. He’s made a lot of disgusting crap in the last 35 years, but for a 10 year period from say ’74 to ’84, he was a trendsetter. Take it from someone who lived back then. He made a goofy but culturally influential movies (one of his first), ‘Boy in the Plastic Bubble‘. Then you had the TV show ‘Welcome Back, Kotter‘, which was huge because of him. Then Saturday Night Fever in 1977. Huge. ‘Grease‘ in ’78. ‘Urban Cowboy‘ 1980. It started this whole ‘country-western’ thing with “bull riding” and bars, it was crazy. Then more dancing of a different type in ‘Stayin’ Alive‘ 1983. Six years after the first appearance of Tony Manero.

Maybe I’m not seeing it clearly, but while a lot of people are “popular”, like his costar Olivia, its weird but I would say Travolta had more cultural impact hands down. And she was huge. But back to the movie list. Xanadu? (ONJ) Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid? (Rachel Ward) Just doesn’t seem right. I think I’d rather throw in ‘The Blind Side‘ 2009, for my undying love of Sandra Bullock. That would be #7. I’m going to be able to do it! I didn’t think I was there for a minute. Richard Widmark in ‘The Last Wagon‘ 1956 (#8). Sidney Poitier in ‘Lilies of the Field‘ 1963 (#9). The #10 spot was a tie between Maltese Falcon and Rear Window. There’s a couple of places Falcon messed up, so I’ll go with Grace Kelly for the win in ‘Rear Window‘ 1954! She was probably 24 when she made it. Holy cow. #10

(Put your top 10 in the comments!)