Greased Lightning

This one has been a favorite of mine ever since I first watched it on cable in the late 70's. Richard Pryor is just perfect as Wendell Scott, the first black stock-car racing champion. The rest of the cast is great as well, all perfect in their roles. This is definitely a perfectly cast film!

The film itself is very decent but does have a few problems, most notably that once Wendell starts racing there seems to be too many large gaps in time, as if a lot of footage that has been left on the cutting room floor. But the script does move along well even with that problem.

I would think Pryor fans especially would pick this up on DVD if it ever got a proper release, in widescreen, some commentary, and with those obviously deleted scenes left behind. Hopefully this will be on DVD before some Hollywood clown remakes this with tons of computer effects crap and ruins the whole thing.

I was going to rate this movie a 5/10 or lower based upon the start. It was so absurd.

Wendell Scott (Richard Pryor) was a moonshiner steadily running from the law. He was so good he would always get away from the local sheriff in Danville, Virginia. He was able to parlay his moonshining into NASCAR racing.

That's not the absurd part. What was absurd was that the police knew who he was, knew he was running liquor, yet, for whatever reason, they had to catch him in the act to arrest him. If they couldn't catch him in his car with the booze then they would have to let him go. It was like watching Dukes of Hazard.

But, because the way the movie wrapped up and, more importantly, because Wendell Scott was a real person--I couldn't give it a bad rating in good faith. Pryor, however ill-suited for the role, represented a real black man that really won in NASCAR in the 60's. That's powerful. So, even if the movie was overly dramatized, I have to respect them bringing Wendell Scott to the public.

This movie showed that. Nothing can hold you down. Not even color. Wendell Scott showed what a person can do. When the backs and prejudiced are up against the wall. I'm so proud of him I dont know what to do. I can view this movie over and over again.

It's not often I get to see a movie that isn't 1) unbelievably complicated in psychological meaning OR 2) unbelievably complicated in futuristic technology SO

I found it GREAT ENTERTAINMENT, REFRESHING, POSITIVE, AND most of all CLEAN, HEALTHY FUN!

This is the best I've seen Richard Pryor star in, and the real life Horatio Alger story is a real force for success motivation, even though I am a WASP.

Only the jaded and/or mean spirited would turn this one down.

..seeing as how there aren't that many to begin with.This is one of the best if not thee best! Partly due to the fact that it's based on a true story.The rest is due to the action/racing and the acting.I feel this is one of Richard Pryors best perfomances,by far.I don't think many people remember this movie due to this not by a Pryor type of comedy.It's more of an action/dramodey.

Anyway,this is a must see for the NASCAR fan.You'll get a real glimpse of vintage NASCAR racing from the early 60's to the early 70's.Not to mention Earl Hindman aka "Wilson" of T.V.'s "Home Improvement",minus the fence.There's also a snappy soundtrack/theme song provided by one of the movies stars,Ritchie Havens.I swear you'll be humming or singing this song for a few days after you see this film.

A good movie overall,I believe it was a sleeper in it's original release.Go,Wendell!!Go!!