Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Grease: Live! Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 14, 2018

Note: 'Grease: Live!' is currently only available as part of a three-film 'Grease' collection in SteelBook packaging.

Grease: Live! was a live television event that aired on FOX on January 21, 2016, recreating the world of the original 1978 musical classic Grease with Julianne Hough portraying Sandy (Olivia Newton John in the original) and Aaron Tveit playing Danny Zuko (John Travolta). It's familiar but has clearly undergone a fair bit of reconstruction to both make the program a little more accessible to modern audiences as well as by necessity to work around the constraints that limit a live production.

Grease: Live! Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Grease: Live! generally looks good on Blu-ray. Quick camera pans result in some significant juddering effects, and with the organic, flowing, up-close-and-personal style in which the program was shot, such issues occur with regularity. This 1080p picture, sourced from a digital shoot, is relatively clean. Noise is minimal, banding is practically nonexistent, and macroblocking is rarely an issue. Textural qualities impress, whether considering skin, clothes, or environments. Colors are bold and balanced, including Rydell reds, blue accents in a diner, or the Pink Ladies' pink wardrobe.

Grease: Live! Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For whatever reason, Grease: Live!'s Dolby TrueHD 2.0 lossless soundtrack suffers from horrendous lip sync issues in my home theater. Playing back on an Oppo UDP-203 connected to a Denon AVR-X6400h, which is in turned connected to an LG OLED65C7P, the sync issue is so bad as to make the program unwatchable...at least through its beginning. However, viewing the disc on a PlayStation 4 connected directly to a Sony Z9D via the TV's built-in speakers (living room set-up), sound and picture sync up properly. Dialogue also syncs perfectly on my main system when playing back the English audio description track, and switching back to the TrueHD track seems to get it largely synced up. However, skipping, pausing, anything to disrupt the flow disrupts the sync again. The issue does clear up on its own as the program progresses forward; 30 minutes in and everything is peachy-keen. With all of that in mind, the track plays back with pleasant clarity. Dialogue is front-center focused and well imaged towards that middle ground. Musical clarity is good and width stretches about as far as the stage allows. Environmental details are nicely implemented and complimentary, even without the benefit of surround usage.

Grease: Live! Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Grease: Live! contains a handful of extra content. A digital copy code is included in the SteelBook set with the other two films.

• Without a Net: Performing Grease: Live! (1080p, 5:19): Cast and crew discuss the value of live television and the challenges and rewards of performing live, which includes not just acting but also behind-the-scenes logistics.
• Becoming the "T"-Birds and Pink Ladies (1080p, 4:28): The cast discusses the qualities required to be part of one of the groups that are depicted in the show. Actors also discuss the characters they portray.
• Greasin' Up the Joint (1080p, 4:39): A discussion of re-imaginning Grease for the modern generation. It looks at wardrobe, sets, and props with the former the dominant point of discussion.
• Be-Bop, Swing, and Jitterbug: The Choreography and Dancers of Grease: Live! (1080p, 4:22): As the title suggests, this piece looks at the dance numbers and the actors who bring them to life.
• When Was Your First...? (1080p, 6:21): Actors play a game in which they have to share their memories and experiences growing up.
• My Favorite Grease Moment (1080p, 2:46): A quick piece in which the cast shares their fondest memories of the original movie.

Grease: Live! Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Grease: Live! cannot duplicate the original's charms and appeal, but it does match it for energy and cast enthusiasm. It's a fun diversion that fans of the original, and newcomers alike, should find agreeable, even if it cannot replace the original classic. Paramount's Blu-ray is technically sound beyond what may or may not be a repeatable audio bug within other home theaters. The disc contains several good extras. Recommended.