1978's Grease's ending being very different in the movie, the 1978 film also made several other alterations and omissions. However, the film version didn't just leave parts out, it also added sequences, and they've become some of Grease's most beloved moments.

Grease still ranks among the changes between the source material and the Grease movie are largely negligible, as the overall story remains pretty much identical. The majority of those tweaks are to accommodate the narrative's jump from the stage to the big screen. As such, a movie needs bigger moments, so the 1978 production added one in particular that perfectly fit the tone.

Grease's Thunder Road Race Only Happens In The 1978 Movie

Greased Lightning is never put through its paces in the original musical

In a movie that's essentially a love story between two hormonal teenagers, exciting action sequences are understandably pretty hard to come by. To inject a little adrenaline into events, the Grease movie pays much more attention to Kenickie's famous car - Greased Lightning. Although Kenickie's boy racer attitude is strongly implied in the stage production, the nature of the medium makes it pretty difficult to include a high-octane car scene like the one from the movie. Luckily, the 1978 effort filled in the blanks and included the Thunder Road race.

The movie doesn't just give Greased Lightning more to do than the musical, but the car's extensive overhaul doesn't even take place in the source material.

The movie doesn't just give Greased Lightning more to do than the musical, but the car's extensive overhaul doesn't even take place in the source material. Instead, it remains in its run-down throughout and continues to be a thing of good-natured ridicule. Overall, it's a much smaller part of the story in the original version - although it does still appear several times. The heavier use of Greased Lightning makes perfect sense for both versions. The musical couldn't easily facilitate a car chase scene, and the movie was in desperate need of some additional material that changed the pace.

John Travolta's Danny Zuko Wasn't Supposed To Sing "Greased Lightning" In The Movie

Kenickie sings the song about his car in the original version of Grease

When analyzed even closer, Greased Lightning's increased presence in the movie presents a couple of issues - and they both come down to who actually owns the car. In both versions of Grease, the car belongs to Kenickie. Interestingly, the movie deals with this piece of information in creative ways. Bolstered by his success in movies like 1976's Carrie and 1977's Saturday Night Fever, Travolta's role as Danny Zuko inarguably made him Grease's leading man. As a result, he was able to take the showstopping number for this character, regardless of how little sense it made to the plot.

In both versions of Grease, the car belongs to Kenickie. Interestingly, the movie deals with this piece of information in creative ways.

Speaking to why Danny sings "Greased Lightning" in the movie instead of Kenickie, Travolta has openly itted, “I wanted the number. And because I had clout, I could get the number.” However, Travolta didn't just take the song from his co-star. Logically, Kenickie should also have been the one behind the wheel of Greased Lightning during the race at Thunder Road. Instead, presumably as an extension of Travolta's snagging singing duties for the car's titular anthem, Danny raced.

The Grease Musical Has Done Well Not To Be Influenced By The Movie's Success

1978's Grease movie is still a cultural phenomenon to this day

Although the musical continues to thrive, there's no denying that the Grease movie has eclipsed the source material. That being said, the movie's legacy has resulted in fans seeking out the stage production to witness the story unfolding before their eyes. While they are still likely to enjoy the original musical, the extra songs and other differences are bound to be a little jarring to those who have only ever seen the movie. Because of this, the musical could very well have evolved over the decades and aligned itself more closely with the adaptation. Thankfully, it has resisted the urge.

Keeping crowds happy with a version of events more like the movie hasn't been a priority. Instead, the original musical has remained unchanged and has essentially allowed itself to remain separate from the adaptation. For example, it's not uncommon for audiences to attend the show with "T Birds" or "The Pink Ladies" emblazoned on their backs." While the latter wouldn't be an issue, the musical has retained the name of "The Burger Palace Boys" for Danny's Crew rather than adopt the movie moniker. This way, Grease's legacy is both immortalized via the movie and also maintained by the original's integrity.

Source: Vanity Fair