HANNAH MONTANA THE MOVIE
US, 2009, 102 minutes, Colour.
Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Emily Osment, Jason Earles, Lucas Till, Vanessa Williams, Margo Martindale, Peter Gunn, Melora Hardin, Barry Bostwick.
Directed by Peter Chelsom.
Definitely not the target audience for this movie spin-off from the Disney Channel's popular series about the 'ordinary' girl, Miley Cyrus, and her media persona, Hannah Montana, I thought I should see a film which has been enormously popular with young girls and has the approval of many of their parents.
It is a cheerful show, directed by Britain's Peter Chelsom (Funnybones, The Mighty, Shall We Dance) who, allegedly, had never heard of Hannah Montana before he agreed to make the film. Since she is on television, has had a 3D film of a concert and has several albums and an autobiography, she is a celebrity phenomenon.
That is what the film is about. The fact that Miley Cyrus dons a blonde wig and becomes Hannah on stage is a secret – though the device of the wig meaning that no-one will recognise her is too much of a stretch, especially in the film where she is running from one meal to another and the infatuated boyfriend sitting across the table doesn't realise that Hannah is Miley. Which must mean that the film is designed for very young, undiscriminating audiences.
Miley herself is OK, has some energy for singing, but does not have the charisma of other young actors. Her real life father, singer Billy Ray Cyrus, plays her screen father. Acting is not his forte.
With veterans like Vanessa Williams as a pushy agent, Margo Martindale as the most agreeable grandma and Barry Bostwick as the ambitious developer, other members of the cast, including gawky Lucas Till as Travis, the farmhand who falls in love with Miley, are not such great shakes at acting either.
So, the film is mainly the keeping of Miley''s secret as her father wants to teach her that her sense of her own importance and her capitalistic, consumerist, spendthrift shopping sprees are not what life and career are about. Her getting down to do some hard work back in Tennessee is a key to the message.
As with this kind of film, Miley is able to get a better idea about ordinary life and to keep her career as well. One suspects that the Hannah Montana popularity is studio generated and may be just a passing phenomenon.
1.The intended audience for the film? The television audience? Young girls? Their parents?
2.A Disney creation, the actress, the character she portrays, identity, the interaction of the two characters? The credibility of people recognising or not recognising her – especially with the wig?
3.Celebrity, people, fans, agents, the fawning public, paparazzi, journalists seeking scandal stories? How well did the film offer explorations of these themes?
4.Hannah Montana as a creation, as a personality, singing, performing, the entourage, the agent and the pressures, the critique of celebrity? Money, shopping, the fight about shoes with Tara Banks? Opportunities? Real or unreal?
5.The concerts and the songs? The audience participation?
6.Miley as a person, age, dreams of singing, changing, California, her father as her manager, the fight with Tara Banks, wanting the jet? Back in Tennessee, stranded, her own horse? The encounter with Travis?
7.Her father, his character, her brother and his pratfalls, Grandma? Her celebration? The possibilities for change? Resenting being present in Tennessee? Resisting?
8.The family and its capacity for pratfalls, slapstick comedy?
9.Travis, working, memories, the horse, his own dreams, selling the eggs, building the barn, sharing with Miley, infatuated, the dinner and his dressing up, upset about the truth?
10.Her father, Lorelei as the manager, a charming woman, at work, with the machines, organising the mayoral dinner, the fiasco and the farce?
11.Oswald Granger, British, his snobby editor? His daughters and their wanting to see Hannah Montana? Following Miley, the farcical episodes, his final decision and persuasion? His daughters?
12.Mr Bradley, the plans for development, his model of the town, its being broken? At the fair? The possibility of development or not?
13.The values, Miley learning, the dinner with the mayor, running to Travis? The functions, getting everybody dancing? Her final song, telling the public the truth? Their joining in the song?
14.Their people agreeing that she should have a career – and her success, but having learnt her lesson about ordinary life and real people?
15.The public and Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus being a role model – or not?
