Question: At the dance competition the camera dwells on a random drunk guy with his tie round his neck for several seconds. He also partly invades the dance floor to dance with Cha Cha during the routine with JT. Who is he or what is his purpose / role?
Answer: It was Sonny or one of the T-birds did that because he was drunk.
Question: At the drive-in, Kenickie confronts Rizzo about being pregnant, but she tells him not to worry because "it was someone else's mistake." What does she mean?
Answer: She says it to hurt him.
Absolutely, she said it, like she said a lot of things - out of malice. Kenickie is genuinely distressed, genuinely meant he would stick by her, even if the baby wasn't his.
Answer: Rizzo doesn't actually mean someone else got her pregnant. She is just letting Kenickie "off the hook," probably because she figures he wouldn't want to take responsibility, anyway, and she was probably going to have to handle this on her own. Kenickie is hurt by this, however, as we can tell by his expression when he replies, "thanks a lot, kid."
I always read it as an expression of relief when he says "Thanks a lot, kid".
It was not meant as an expression of off the hook. It was meant as in, "that's really a messed up thing to say!" He was hurt by her saying that he was someone else's mistake.
She didn't say he was someone else's mistake. I already said that in a different correction. She says "it was someone else's mistake." Meaning the baby isn't his.
Answer: The whole meaning behind it is that Rizzo really is pregnant with Kenickie's kid but Rizzo says it's someone else's: "someone else's problem," pretty much giving a chance for Kenickie to be off the hook as not being the father. But Kenickie obviously knows she is lying. And he's upset and says "thanks a lot kid" sarcastically.
Answer: Both Kenickie and Rizzo are upset and being sarcastic. The interpretations of his and her words are debatable, especially since there is no way of knowing if Rizzo did, in fact, sleep with someone else. However, there's no indication that Rizzo was with another boy/man, so it can be assumed Kenickie is the father and both know this is true. My interpretation was that Rizzo, by saying "it's someone else's mistake", was referring to herself - that she was stupid enough to even have sex with someone like Kenickie in the first place. (The second inferred meaning is that she will not hold him responsible because she knows he isn't interested in being a father/paying.) Kenickie's response, "thanks a lot, kid" was returning an insult - the "thanks a lot" part being sarcastic and "kid" meaning immature and not old enough to have even been given the chance or "be lucky enough" for him to (lower himself and) sleep with her, given all the other "better" girls - WOMEN - around from which to choose.
Answer: It's been a while, but I thought the quote was: Kenickie: I don't run away from my mistakes Rizzo: Don't worry, you're someone else's mistake. I would agree with others that she's essentially letting him off the hook in the storyline (everybody knows it's his), but this particular quote is basically just a joke implying HE was HIS parents' mistake...as a way to lighten the mood.
She didn't say "you're someone else's mistake." She says "it was somebody else's mistake."
Question: As Kenickie is getting ready to drive at Thunder Road, he talks to Danny about a movie where a guy's friend acted as his second in a duel, and then asks if Danny would be his second at Thunder Road. Danny asks if Kenickie wants him to ride with him, Kenickie says no, then they seem to have this moment of mutual understanding and they hug. What's all that about, besides showing that they're friends? What did Kenickie want Danny to do as his second if not ride with him?
Answer: Kenickie is basically saying to fill in for him in case something happens to him. At this point in the movie he still thinks that Rizzo is pregnant, basically wanting Danny to be his baby's godfather. So pretty much saying will you be my second, is saying if anything happens to me take care of my child. Because he's his best friend. And Danny understands what he's saying and happily agrees.
Chosen answer: It's a dueling term. Each party would name a trusted representative (a "second") who would, between them, determine a suitable "field of honour". It was also the duty of each party's second to check that the weapons were equal and that the duel was fair. The exact conversation was: "Hey, Danny, uh... We've been friends a long time, right?" "Yeah." "Remember the drive-in the other night. There was the duel. The guy's best friend went with him, like his second?" "Yeah. So?" "Well, uh... I thought that you could be my second at Thunder Road."
Question: When talking about Kenickie's car, Sonny says: "The girls are gonna have to put out, before they get in." What does he mean?
Answer: To "put out" is slang for a girl to give in to sex. A girl who is a slut or sleeps around will sometimes be referred to in such terms as "Betty puts out" (meaning she gives it up easily.) Here in Texas, at least in San Antonio, you still hear that phrase used commonly.
Question: What does Rizzo mean at the Frosty Palace when she asks Danny if someone is snaking him?
Answer: Actually, according to Cassell's Dictionary of Slang, snake means "to whip or punish, " originating from a teamsters whip which was commonly called a "snake" in the 1930's. I rewatched the scene with this definition in mind and it fits perfectly. Rizzo walks in and immediately notices Sandy sitting at a table with Tom. She walks straight over to where Danny is sitting with the rest of the gang and says, while glancing back over her shoulder at Sandy, "somebody snakin' ya Danny?" It seems clear Rizzo is referencing Sandy's behavior, which is designed to punish Danny for treating her poorly in front of his friends.
Answer: It's 50s slang and she's asking if Tom is moving in and stealing his girl.
Question: Was Principal McGee only bluffing when she announced that the "pictures" of the mooners were "on their way to Washington" to simply scare the three into admitting? Or was she serious about that and therefore wanted to give those responsible a chance to come in?
Answer: It's definitely a bluff. I highly doubt the FBI can identify people by butt.
Question: Why did they change the movie version when it went to VHS/DVD? There was a scene where Sandy was in the office and Kenicky came in and spoke to her... It's lost now?
Answer: It's not uncommon for films to be changed from the theatrical release to the version you can buy for your home collection. Normally the changes are slight and for some older releases were done to secure a more favourable rating - these edits tend to get restored in later releases though. Having said that another version often turns up on the telly one day with scenes that have never been seen before, then there's sometimes a "Director's Cut" on a DVD somewhere which is different still and often significantly longer. TL;DR - there can be multiple versions of a movie.
Question: What is the pink thing Danny is holding in his right hand in the dance scene at the end of the movie? He and Sandy jump into the scene singing and the next time you see them, they are in the car flying off. Is it a pink slip?
Answer: At the beginning of the thunder road scene, the leader of the rival gang, Leo, explains that they are "racing for pinks." When questioned, he clarifies "pinks man: ownership papers" (meaning the winner of the race at thunder road will win ownership of the losers car). Since Danny won the thunder road race, he won Leo's car. I understood the car at the end of the movie to be that car (repainted). The pink thing he was holding on that scene may have been his new ownership papers for Leo's car.
Question: I heard somebody say that Danny and Sandy actually had sex at the beginning, something about how a shot of waves in movies alludes to sex. Is this true? I don't think it is, as it'd go against Sandy, but I'm curious.
Answer: No, they didn't have sex. While water and waves are often used as sexual symbolism, it is unlikely in this case - unless maybe the waves were used as a representation of sexual interest. But right at the end of that opening scene, Danny goes in for a passionate kiss, at which Sandy recoils and says, "Danny, don't spoil it." It's inconceivable that Sandy fears a passionate kiss would "spoil" the romance had they already had sex.
Answer: They did not have sex as one of the Pink Ladies says something like "you spent all that time together and he didn't even lay a hand on you." Rizzo then says he sounds like a creep.
Answer: They did have sex. In the song, "Tell Me More" Danny sings, "We got down in the sand." While gyrating his hips.
Question: At the bonfire scene after Sandy stormed off, Kenickie says "I wonder if she carries silver bullets." What did he mean by that?
Chosen answer: This is a reference to a popular fictional masked cowboy hero, the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger stood for truth, justice, and conducts himself by a strict moral code. When the Lone Ranger would solve a crime or capture a villain he never stopped to explain who he was but he always left behind a silver bullet as his trademark. Even his horse was named "Silver". When Sandy calls Danny a fake and a phony, Kenickie says "I wonder if she carries silver bullets" to mock her for her righteous outburst.
Question: Why did Zuko get mad when Leo said "Pinks you punk! Pink slips! Ownership papers!"
Answer: The ownership papers of cars use to be pink. Whomever won the race would win the other persons car. They were playing for pinks and he did not want to lose their car.
Answer: Pink slips are ownership papers which means the winner gets the loser's car.
Answer: Because Zuko was being called a punk, and they other guy was from a rival gang and putting them down and being generally obnoxious. Plus, it's possible the word "pinks" was meant to be initially misunderstood as the "Pink Ladies."
Answer: Because Danny didn't understand right away what the guy meant by "pinks" and the guy tried to humiliate Danny by calling him a punk for not knowing the lingo - that he was too inexperienced and dumb to know what he was talking about.
Question: When Sandy is watching the race, she takes her shoes off. Why? It makes no sense, because it's a dirty place. And she's wearing very white socks.
Answer: She was wearing regular shoes, not sandals or sneakers, not made for walking on concrete.
She's wearing Keds. So yeah they're sneakers. It makes no sense.
Answer: I was watching the movie recently. I suddenly thought: she, as Olivia, takes them of because they are not comfortable. In the scene she is not walking much on them.
Question: Any idea what the reference to "banging erasers" is all about? I always thought she said "banging your races" or "banging your braces" but never understood what it meant?
Answer: Banging erasers is what kids had to do as punishment. Erasers are used to clear the chalkboards, eventually they will get full of chalk and not work properly anymore so you bang them together to get the chalk out.
Answer: It was a reference to detention. She suggests that he will be banging erasers after school.
Question: Why did Principal McGee look so upset during ChaCha and Danny's dance?
Answer: They had mentioned as part of the rules that any vulgar dancing would result in disqualification, so I think her reaction wasn't just displeasure about the dance moves, but she's stressed and on the fence about whether or not to step in and disqualify them.
Answer: They were dancing in a very suggestive manner, and it made her uncomfortable.
So what? She could've had it broken up, them tossed out but logic's not used in musicals.
Breaking them up and tossing them out, that was not as easy as you make it sound. Before the contest started, McGee even said rule #3 was "tasteless or vulgar" dancing will be "disqualified," however she was not judging the contest. Despite McGee's uneasiness with Danny and Cha Cha's very suggestive dance moves, she chose not to have the popular pair disqualified. Rydell's dance was being televised, and at that point Danny and Cha Cha were the only two dancers left on the floor, surrounded by everyone else's exuberant enthusiastic support.
She was not judging the contest nor was she enforcing the rules, thus making her powerless in this situation.
Question: The T birds were talking about "jugs and nets" what are they referring to?
Answer: The line is, "Nobody's jugs are bigger than Annette's." He is referring to actress Annette Funicello, one of the original Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeers during the 1950s. She was known for her voluptuous figure.
Question: When Vince Fontain talks to the crowd before the contest starts, he says "you Jims and Sals are my best pals" I understand that's how he addresses the students, but does that expression have any connotation? Why does he use it?
Answer: It's just rhyming slang used by radio hosts.
Chosen answer: He is just an extra. They show him once, looking momentarily concerned, as Sandy brushes past him when she storms out of the gym. They show him in the center of the frame again a short time later hamming it up and enjoying himself. And he does partly invade the dance floor and dance in front of Cha Cha, for no apparent reason other than a moment of being noticed. But he has no actual purpose other than adding his ebullience to the background of the scene.
Michael Albert