HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL

US, 2006, 93 minutes, Colour.
Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgins, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Alyson Reed, Corbin Bleu.
Directed by Kenny Ortega.

High School Musical was an extraordinary success on the Disney Channel. The ratings were very high indeed and led to concerts, stage performances and a national tour in the United States. The same happened in other countries around the world. The film then led to two sequels.

It is surprising to find a film like this in 2006. It is certainly not hard rock. In fact, except for a touch of hip-hop it is very soft rock. And most of the songs are not even that. It is as if Grease had been written by the Carpenters and a touch of Fame had been added.

The film is a throwback to the romantic days of the 50s and 60s. Zac Efron portrays the basketball hero of the Albuquerque High School. His father is the coach. Vanessa Anne Hudgins portrays a mathematical whiz kid who moves to Albuquerque. The villain of the piece (in the vein of Mean Girls and other films of this genre) is Ashley Tisdale and her dancing partner in the songs is Lucas Grabeel playing her brother. Alyson Reed, almost out of Grease, is the drama teacher with a high histrionic style. Corbin Bleu is the best friend.

With these conventional characters, in a nicer-than-nice high school of 2006 (one wonders where all the schools with knives, security guards … have gone?) the film then offers basketball matches as well as auditions for the school musical.

There are romantic songs in the vein of the 50s and 60s, some choreography, led by the director Kenny Ortega, a choreographer who directed a number of episodes for television as well as the feature films Hocus Pocus (with Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as Witches) and Newsies with Robert Duvall and Christian Bail in the early 90s.

The film is old-fashioned and safe – designed for the average American household and its traditional values.

1.The appeal of the film? The audience? Children? Parents? The explanations for its extraordinary success? Sequels?

2.The opening, New Year’s, the party, the youngsters, Troy and his playing basketball with his father, going to the party, having to sing karaoke? Gabriella, reading her book, her mother urging her to the party, the karaoke? The success of the song? “A New Start”? Troy and Gabriella attracted? Exchanging phone numbers?

3.The Albuquerque settings, the town, homes, the high school? Classrooms, gym, auditoriums? The students, clothes?

4.The musical score, the songs, romantic, soft, the touch of rap, the touch of light rock?

5.Troy, at school, his friends, especially Chad Danworth, his playing basketball, the big match? His discovering Gabriella at school? Friendly with her? The possibility of the auditions? His wanting to go, his father’s attitude, his friends ridiculing musicals? His hiding behind the mops? Meeting Gabriella? Their singing with the composer? Miss Darbus? hearing them? Call-back?

6.Gabriella, her mother transferred, entering the school, seeing Troy? Her being approached by the club, her mathematical skills? Her interest in the songs? Finding Troy, singing?

7.The reaction of the basketballers? The characters, Chad, Zeke and his baking? The girls in the intellectual group? Preparation for the competition?

8.Feeling that the musical was a threat, their plan, the video, showing it to Gabriella, her being upset? Her avoiding Troy, his going to the house, his coming and apologising? Troy and his talk with the team, his father’s urging him to the team? His not doing (**shooting??) baskets well?

9.The music, the songs, the composer? Her playing the piano? The rehearsals for Gabriella and Troy?

10.Sharpay and her brother? The mean girl, the dumb brother? The auditions, her expectations, the Broadway style? Her attacks, her mischievous attitudes, changing the audition time? Ryan and his being slow on the uptake?

11.The change of heart of the basketballers and the club? The plan, the match, the competition? The fire alarm? Everybody going to the audition, Miss Darbus’s response, everybody applauding? Troy’s father?

12.The musical numbers, in the gym, outside, the groups, the finale – and even Sharpay and Ryan being nice? A nice musical? Wholesome?