‘Grease': The movie as sing-a-long

When the musical comedy “Grease” first hit theaters in June of 1978, director Randal Kleiser had no idea it would become timeless celluloid.

But on opening weekend, he got a hint. Disc jockeys on multiple radio stations were spinning the songs repeatedly, he recalls. And soon the “Grease” phenomenon took off like, well, greased lightning.

Click here for local "Grease" sing-a-long showings.

New generations also embrace the film. On July 8, a special sing-a-long version will arrive in select theaters with animated lyrics added to encourage audience participation.

When we asked Kleiser about its ongoing popularity, he said he can’t believe his little film that could has yet another life of its own.

Q: “Grease” sing-a-long events have been going on for a while. Is this why Paramount decided to release an official sing-a-long version?

A: I think they heard about it, because I’ve been to several sing-a-longs, and usually we had to project the lyrics with a PowerPoint onto the screen. And even with that low-tech version, the audiences went crazy. With this new one, they not only added animated subtitles to all of the songs, but they also enhanced the color and sharpened the picture.

Q: As a filmmaker, does it bother you that animated lyrics are on top of your movie?

A: The original movie hasn’t been touched at all. This is a digital version, and it’s for die-hard fans who watch it over and over again. So it’s not like they’re destroying or changing the movie. This is another version of the movie that is a lot of fun for people who really know the lyrics, know the songs really well and want to see something new and fun. The animation that’s been put in it is in that spirit. It’s like a party, and it doesn’t really affect the original movie.

Q: Could you have imagined “Grease” still being popular some 30 years later?

A: No, not at all. When it was being made, we were treated like this small movie that no one was paying attention to. At the same time, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” with the Bee Gees was being made, and they thought that was going to be the big hit. Nobody had any faith that “Grease” was going to take off. For their movie, they had mounds of caviar and champagne for their wrap party. And we had hot dogs and hamburgers.

Q: But you were working with a 23-year-old John Travolta, who was one of the hottest things going at the time. What was it like working with him?

A: It was interesting, because I worked with him on his first leading role, which was “The Boy in the Plastic Bubble.” He was excited to be a lead in something and very concerned about his part and making sure everything worked. And on “Grease,” the next film I did with him, he was the same except he had become a big star because of “Saturday Night Fever.” So suddenly he had an entourage, and he had a good side and a bad side. And he had a whole different attitude about how he was. He was still easy to work with, but I could tell he had gone through that transition of becoming a movie star.

Event preview

"Grease Sing-A-Long"

A Paramount Pictures release, at select theaters July 8. Click here for local showings.

Rated PG-13 for sexual content including references, teen smoking and drinking, and language.