WTH is High School Musical?!?

[maczero]

And why is it so popular?

I admit I don't pay as much attention to teen pop culture but this thing is everywhere lately. I've never watched it but it seems like it's on the Disney Channel every week. I was in the store and I heard some kids begging their mom for a copy of the DVD. Now, I hear schools are actually doing the musical. Is it really that good?

[BoosterBronze]

I need to see that. It's replaced "Napolean Dynamite" as the movie all my students talk about.

[Chevan]

It's one of those made for TV movies that the Disney Channel keeps pumping out. High School Musical was just one of the few ones to ever be slightly successful outside of the Disney Channel.

[Loren]

It's decent enough, particularly for what it is: an original made-for-TV musical aimed at the teen and preteen set. It's certainly not Les Mis, but it's a lot better than Cats.

Its best song, IMO, is "Stick to the Status Quo." Catchy tune and fairly well-choreographed.

Funniest line in the show: "Exclamation point!"

My biggest complaint is that at the end, the 'bad guys' of the movie inexplicably become really nice for no reason. So the movie's final minutes end up with a huge "What the?"

[Dark Galaxy]

Plain and simple, it's this generation's "Grease."

A teen musical, with catchy tunes, simple plot, social stereotypes, and a big happy ending.

My 11 year old is all about it. I saw it a couple weekends ago, and it's pretty cute, as far as mindless entertainment goes. And to my embarrassment, I've even found myself humming some of the songs a couple of times.

[dougputhoff]

More information about "High School Musical" can be found on the Internet.

[king mob]

I was talking to a mate who works in Virgin last night in the pub. This has been their second biggest selling DVD this month after Pirates Of The Carribbean.

I'll say it again. The second biggest selling DVD. Nobody over the age of 15 seems to have seen the bloody thing though. Kids eh!

[Fish Sauce]

Yeah, it's a Disney made-for-TV movie. They advertised the hell out of it for a long time leading up to its premiere, touting it as the next Grease.

I think the advertising actually succeeded in making it that.

Personally, I can't stand it, and unfortunately for me my sister has bought the album. It actually even ruined parts of Grease for me. :(

[Athena Bast]

A family of children (I'd say 4 kids and Mom) came into the store last week and the middle child was all, "OMG High School Musical!! They have High School Musical!! OMG OMG OMG!!"

The oldest child (around 12 or so) "OMG Michael, we can just borrow the movie from Jamie next door if you want to watch it. Sheesh!"

[Dan Apodaca]

The hype around this TV movie is freaking insane. But I know somebody who's in it, and I get lots of continuing pleasure from informing obnoxious girls that he is gay.

Ha. Ha. Ha.

[Aggie]

it's this century's "grease" only minus the allusion to bangin', gang and/or otherwise...frankly it creeps me out because everyone too freakin' well adjusted and happy and basically just have white man's problems, ergo, it all works out in the end.

[TheLazy]

I think its cute and catchy. Sometimes I even sing along with it. "Where allllllllllllllll in thiiiiiiiiiis togeeeeeeeeeether....."

I can't believe how big it is though.

[Fish Sauce]

it's this century's "grease" only minus the allusion to bangin', gang and/or otherwise...frankly it creeps me out because everyone too freakin' well adjusted and happy and basically just have white man's problems, ergo, it all works out in the end.

Haha, white man's problems.

My personal favourite part is when they give each other their phone number by swapping mobiles, typing in the number and then taking a picture of themselves before returning the phone.

The musical parts seem way too overproduced, if you know what I mean.

[LtMarvel]

My wife and 6 year old love that flick. I haven't seen it, but I have had the soundtrack playing during road trips. I like the basketball Get Your Head in the Game with all the squeaking sneaker sounds...

[CaptainAwesome]

I had caught the movie on the Disney Channel a few times and had watched parts of it, but it didnt seem like anything special. When it started to gain popularity I figured that it was just the next Lizzy Maguier or something. Now when I go into best buy I see a bunch of different versions of it on DVD. There is the Special Edition verion and the Remix version. I dont even know what that is! Is it the special Director's cut? Does it have loads of extra footage that was "too hot for tv"? I guess what I am trying to say is that this is some kind of inexplicable event that noone over the age of twelve will understand.

[Michael P]

I have unending depths of disdain for this movie, because of how the two leads are a jock and prettygirl who try out on a whim and are naturally great, and the theatre kids are made out to be evil, exclusionist jerks.

As a former high school theater nerd, I can't begin to say how ridiculous and insulting this is. Theatre kids work their asses off. Every jock and cheerleader who ever tried out for a show at my school was a self-absorbed prima donna prick who didn't know the first thing about putting actual effort into something.

This movie was written and produced by assholes who never set foot in a theatre department in their lives.

Fie on them. Fie, I say!

[Athena Bast]

I had caught the movie on the Disney Channel a few times and had watched parts of it, but it didnt seem like anything special. When it started to gain popularity I figured that it was just the next Lizzy Maguier or something. Now when I go into best buy I see a bunch of different versions of it on DVD. There is the Special Edition verion and the Remix version. I dont even know what that is! Is it the special Director's cut? Does it have loads of extra footage that was "too hot for tv"? I guess what I am trying to say is that this is some kind of inexplicable event that noone over the age of twelve will understand.

The Remix edition has both the original and the sing-along "karoake" version.

[Dan Apodaca]

I have unending depths of disdain for this movie, because of how the two leads are a jock and prettygirl who try out on a whim and are naturally great, and the theatre kids are made out to be evil, exclusionist jerks.

As a former high school theater nerd, I can't begin to say how ridiculous and insulting this is. Theatre kids work their asses off. Every jock and cheerleader who ever tried out for a show at my school was a self-absorbed prima donna prick who didn't know the first thing about putting actual effort into something.

This movie was written and produced by assholes who never set foot in a theatre department in their lives.

Fie on them. Fie, I say!

I think I've got you beat on this, as I auditioned to get into my high school, for it's theatre department.

Most theatre kids don't work their asses off. Not of their own volition, anyway. A lot of them just start doing theatre because it's the only place where they aren't outcast and ridiculed. I'm with you on theatre kids being very accepting people, but only of other freaks. I've seen people made to feel like social pariahs for being too "normal".

Also, "theater" is where you put on the plays, "theatre" is the art form.

See, I told you I could beat you on this. Hee hee.

[Dan Apodaca]

I'm having trouble editing again, so I can't fix my mistake.

I see now that you are aware of the difference between theater and theatre, Pullmann. Apologies.

[Michael P]

Most theatre kids don't work their asses off. Not of their own volition, anyway.

Maybe not in California, but we take pride in our work in Katy, Texas.

[CaptainAwesome]

The Remix edition has both the original and the sing-along "karoake" version.

Ok...now Im scared.

[Chevan]

Ok...now Im scared.

Welcome to the world of consumer exploitation.

[Jared]

I don't recall ever hearing about this until Monique Coleman was on Dancing with the Stars, and only after that did I notice ads and kids talking about it and....wait...did I just admit to watching that?...

[The Foreigner]

I have unending depths of disdain for this movie, because of how the two leads are a jock and prettygirl who try out on a whim and are naturally great, and the theatre kids are made out to be evil, exclusionist jerks.

As a former high school theater nerd, I can't begin to say how ridiculous and insulting this is. Theatre kids work their asses off. Every jock and cheerleader who ever tried out for a show at my school was a self-absorbed prima donna prick who didn't know the first thing about putting actual effort into something.

This movie was written and produced by assholes who never set foot in a theatre department in their lives.

Fie on them. Fie, I say!

So your response to the movie stereotyping the theater students as evil, exclusionist jerks is by accusing of jocks and cheerleaders of being self-absorbed prima donnas?

Not exactly the most objective opinion.

When I was in high school, I knew plenty of jocks and cheerleaders who were very friendly and supportive of the theatre program, and I knew just as many who were stuck up jerks as well. I also knew plenty of theatre students who were very accepting to those involved in theatre as well as those who were not, and I also knew a great deal who felt they were God's gift to the stage.

In the end, High School Musical, and any story, needs protagonists and antagonists-- If the theater students weren't painted as evil exclusionist jerks, there wouldn't be much of a conflict, would there?

[saintsaucey]

Sorry but I hate to tell you all groups are evil and exclusive. I'm not saying are jocks and pretty girls are natural singers and dancers but assuming that they are bad at it just because they are jocks and pretty girls.

people tend to be pretty guarded in their clicks and highly suspicious of someone who tries to break in

[Michael P]

So your response to the movie stereotyping the theater students as evil, exclusionist jerks is by accusing of jocks and cheerleaders of being self-absorbed prima donnas?

Not exactly the most objective opinion.

When I was in high school, I knew plenty of jocks and cheerleaders who were very friendly and supportive of the theatre program, and I knew just as many who were stuck up jerks as well. I also knew plenty of theatre students who were very accepting to those involved in theatre as well as those who were not, and I also knew a great deal who felt they were God's gift to the stage.

In the end, High School Musical, and any story, needs protagonists and antagonists-- If the theater students weren't painted as evil exclusionist jerks, there wouldn't be much of a conflict, would there?

The problem, dear heart, is the perpetuation of the moronic notion that the bland, white-bread Zack Morris/Kelly Kapowski types that litter the high school landscape (and, incidentally, grow up into the bland, white-bread Ward and June Cleaver types that litter the suburban landscape) are just so gosh-darned great that they're naturally better at just about everything than people with, y'know, talent, and dedication, who work for their accomplishments.

That, coupled with the fact that it's just lazy, hackneyed writing, equals scorn.

[maczero]

The problem, dear heart, is the perpetuation of the moronic notion that the bland, white-bread Zack Morris/Kelly Kapowski types that litter the high school landscape (and, incidentally, grow up into the bland, white-bread Ward and June Cleaver types that litter the suburban landscape) are just so gosh-darned great that they're naturally better at just about everything than people with, y'know, talent, and dedication, who work for their accomplishments.

That, coupled with the fact that it's just lazy, hackneyed writing, equals scorn.

You could also flip this and say that the movie is breaking out of the convention of making the popular kids the bad guys. I mean how many movies have we seen where the jock is jerk and the pretty cheerleader is a bitch.

Back On Topic: I'm getting the impression that this movie is really for the pre-teen girl set and a 30+ year old guy who isn't really into musicals such as myself won't enjoy this.

[Shade]

The problem, dear heart, is the perpetuation of the moronic notion that the bland, white-bread Zack Morris/Kelly Kapowski types that litter the high school landscape (and, incidentally, grow up into the bland, white-bread Ward and June Cleaver types that litter the suburban landscape) are just so gosh-darned great that they're naturally better at just about everything than people with, y'know, talent, and dedication, who work for their accomplishments.

That, coupled with the fact that it's just lazy, hackneyed writing, equals scorn.


You've SEEN the movie right? Because if you have and still feel that way you are using your own biased and narrow scope to present it. The movie touches on the whole idea that people don't need to be put into categories and stick to them. You can be alot of things with a variety of talents and interests. Yes, the two main "theater kids" are presented as the "villians", but never are they shown to be untalented or not as good as the main characters in what they are doing. Their attitude is what makes bad....not their clique.

[Chevan]

Back On Topic: I'm getting the impression that this movie is really for the pre-teen girl set and a 30+ year old guy who isn't really into musicals such as myself won't enjoy this.

That about sums it up.