DVD Review HTF Review: Grease Rockin' Rydell Edition (1 Viewer)

[MielR]

So do I. That may be a deal-breaker for me on this release.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I just don't get enough replay value from the film to warrant the purchase of the new edition--coupled with the fact it doesn't sound like this new release is ANY kind of upgrade over the prior release. Heck, I've seen both the black leather and pink jacket covers and really didn't like either one of them either.

Maybe if I heard that the transfer was improved and the sound was an improvement.

 

[Daryl L]

According to THIS review at DVDFile.com the video transfer is vastly improved.

 

[Mike Frezon]

All right. So maybe I DO need to swing by K-Mart when I go out today! But if I don't get the K-Mart price, I'll probably wait until it hits the used bin.

Thanks, Daryl. I remember the last release seemed to be a tough one for reviewers to agree on as well.

 

[ScottR]

The video itself isn't poor by any means. Could it be better? Yes. It's the audio that is disappointing. And since I am a logo enthusiast, I don't like the updated Viacom logo either. Especially since it doesn't include the original fanfare that accompanied this film's initial theatrical screenings.

 

[Frank@N]

I sold for my old copy at FYE for $5; so better video, extras, and the leather jacket only cost me about two-fifty.

 

[TheBat]

I got a used copy of grease.. the new se with the jacket. it was like 7.99 I never owned the original dvd of grease.

Jacob

 

[Mark Bendiksen]

Wow, I wasn't aware of all these soundtrack changes. Yuck! I saw this movie multiple times during its original theatrical release back in 1978. That's the way I want it preserved.

 

[Dan Keefe]

Guess what...it worked...A buddy and I went in saw this on opening night in '98. we were drunk and during Greased Lightning, we stood up sang and did the whole routine...we thought for sure we were gonna get booted, but the whole audience cheered when we were done. from that point on the wole audience sang along and clapped to every song...it was surreal, probably becuase we were drunk, but now I kinda know what the Rocky Horror picture thing is all about...


Good Times!!

 

[Vegas 1]

I'm still hanging onto my WS laserdisc of Grease, the pcm track still sounds the best IMHO. Hopefull a HD/BR will do justice.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

I love the new anamorphic video transfer as it is much cleaner and brighter than the previous DVD. HOEVER, the sound is still horribly botched! MY 1990 VHS had better sound. Call me crazy, but I edited that soundtrack to conform to the m2v video track of the new DVD release and made my own dual-layer PCM Stereo version that blows both the 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby Digital tracks out of the water! For just one of the remixing flaws on the new DVD, check out "You're the One That I Want." After Travolta says "Electrifyin'!" and falls to his feet there is a bit of reverb, and then when Olivia turns to face her friends and they suggest putting out her cigarette, there Travolta is again with "Electrifyin'!" mixed into the center channel as if he said it again! All the horrible reverb added to the vocals - and the terrible way it switches from rever-heavy to no reverb during the reprise of "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee" when Frenchie calls out to Sandy.... All gone on the PCM Stereo track. It's amazing I had to go back to a pan/scan VHS release to get superior sound in this day and age...

 

[Tucker J]

It's absolutly craziness that the original soundtrack was left off the dvd.
Now that it's been remixed does that maybe mean that the old soundtrack doesn't exist anymore and is gone forever?

 

[Frank@N]

What a downer...Grease and Little Mermaid...botched.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

Add SHOCK TREATMENT, GUYS AND DOLLS, and SWEET CHARITY to that list of botched releases.

 

[ScottR]

and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

What's up with TCM?

 

[MielR]

Well, I caved and bought this new GREASE DVD. I couldn't resist when I saw that little leather jacket...

But...does anyone else hate the fact that there are a bunch of movie trailers that you now have to manually skip over in order to get to the menu?? The other DVD edition did not have this. I guess this is a thing with Paramount now, since my new DVD of AIRPLANE! ('don't call me shirley' edition) has this also. VERY annoying!!!

I also still don't understand why, if they bothered putting a 5.1 mix and a 2.0 mix on the DVD, the 2.0 mix couldn't be the original theatrical mix.

 

[Ethan Riley]

Chuck, what's wrong with Sweet Charity? I didn't notice anything, but I didn't think the sound was very good...

All in all, Grease: Rockin' Rydell is right down there with the Little Mermaid and the original Star Wars trilogy as some of the most disappointing dvds of the year! Let's hope the new Superman releases are better than these late-dvd turkeys, but I'm losing optimism! It's almost like the studios are pissing us off intentionally so that we run out and buy Blu-Ray and HD...

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Ethan,

My fear is that the studios will use these same transfers/mixes
for the HD-DVD/Blu-Ray releases.

 

[Stephanie B]

im not gonna buy this release im gonna wait till they get it right