High School Musical (Encore Edition)
by Kenny Ortega
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Alyson Reed, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Zac EfronDirector: Kenny Ortega
Brand: Buena Vista Home Video
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language); Spanish (Original Language)
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 98 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-05-23
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Disney
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Movie Reviews of High School Musical (Encore Edition)
Movie Review: An Uncertain Future for the Disney Channel???? Maybe....
Summary: 2 Stars
Before you start to shoot insults and criticisms at me, hear me out. I'm not writing a review on how tacky or unoriginal HSM is, but writing on something that's going through the minds of the a generation that grew up on the Disney classics and television series we cherished throughout our lifetime. Many of us worry that the Disney Channel is heading for serious trouble since it has now become focused on the tweens and teens of today instead of the entire family, and I am one of them. A tad bit bias toward HSM? You could probably say that. But once again, hear me out.
HSM is basically a younger rendition of the Tony Award-winning show Grease, except pointed towards a younger audience. The star athlete Troy (Zac Efron) meets a smart science girl named Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens) at a party, and they probably don't expect to see each other again. However, all of that changes when they both end up in leading roles for the high school musical production, which causes confusion for the vast majority of the cliques (i.e. Geeks, drama clubs, science club, athletes, you get the idea.).
To start things off, the only song I really enjoyed from this film is "Getcha Head in the Game," and I found it really upbeat and good to dance to. The casting, plot, and dancing was okay, but not great. One thing that many people may argue is whether or not this can actually happen in real life high schools. The answer to that is: yes and no. Yes because unfortunately there are cliques in school which exclude many students from really ever "standing out" or even merging togething in another group without being made fun of from the main group. However, it can also true that this film was somewhat exaggerated; the dialogue doesn't seem to be realisitc to an audience as it would be in real life, and the music isn't really helping to reinforce that belief as much as many of us would.
Second, what really surprised was how big of a hit HSM became after premiering on a Friday night; it somehow created the biggest sensation known to teens and tweens everywhere. Also, I was kind of irritated at the attention it got. It's just another film that people should enjoy watching, not the greatest thing in the world. It shouldn't be worshipped as an idol like it is today, alongside Hannah Montana and That's So Raven. Being that I'm an adult, I grew out of things like this and preferred things that have more charm, sentinementality, and even a little bit of originality, such as Singin' in the Rain, The Lion King, or Wicked. You could say that's the reason why I didn't try out for the musical for my high school production (Also because I couldn't dance very well, but that's neither here nor there.).
Now, you're probably wondering about the title of my review. This is the bulk of it. I was born in 1988, and I grew up watching all the classic Disney films (i.e. Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, the Little Mermaid, etc.) as well seeing all the cartoon shows I adored (i.e. Gummi Bears, Talespin, Darkwing Duck, Ducktales, etc.). One of the things going through my mind as I see more shows such as Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place, and That's So Raven being put on the air is the future of the network itself. When I was growing up, the Disney Channel featured something for everyone: the morning geared toward preschoolers, the afternoon geared toward tweens and teens, the evening featuring a family film (usually an animated classic, a comedy, a drama, something along those lines), and the late night dedicated for the young at heart. Today, it seems, soley geared toward tweens and teenagers, with little or no time for the entire family. Futhermore, there was a time when pop, hip-hop, or rap didn't rule the music airwaves on televsion, as well as sex, drugs, or dancing that lacks originality ruling television as it does now.
What concerns me as well as people who grew up in my generation and even parents is whether or not the Disney Channel is going downhill because of being soley focused on a particular group of people instead of the entire family as a whole. Unfortunately, the answer to that is yes. Walt Disney's empire wasn't founded on HSM, Hannah Montana, or anything like that; it was founded on the power of imangination, originality, creativity, and believing in the impossible. It's not all about HSM, Hannah Montana, or even Wizards of Waverly Place; it's about bringing the entire family together to enjoy each other while watching a movie or seeing a show. And even the network allowing these actors to continue doing these things after some of the scandals which went on (i.e. Miley Cyrus' photo shoot w/Vanity Fair) is sending the wrong message to viewers, which also worries me.
Hopefully there will come a day when the Disney Channel goes back to what it originally started out as: a network focused on THE ENTIRE FAMILY, not just one group of people to make money. Some of the cartoons shown today don't even come close to the original shows shown in earlier periods, and some of the original television movies made for the audience today may be a way to make quick bucks for themselves without actually going out into the world and finding something original to make movies from. Futhermore, I hope they begin showing more of the animated and/or live action classics we've grown to love over the years again instead of night after night after night a Disney Channel original movie. It's starting to get old real fast, don't you think?
In conclusion, HSM isn't great, but it isn't horrendous either. It's somewhere in the middle, and I hope people respect my opinion. I applaud the actors and Kenny Ortega for their effort, but it just couldn't grab my attention fully, and judging from the review, you can probably tell why. Do I have a lot of time on my hands? Yes, because I prefer older musicals and animated and/or live action classics to this, and no because I constantly have to deal with this rant day after day, and want to finally have the chance to let it out to people who are willing to read this. Do I have a life? Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. I'm a theatre major and a music minor who loves the musical theatre now more than I've ever had the chance, and I simply don't have time to see things like HSM as well as don't wish to see it. Futhermore, it seems to me HSM lacked something that a lot of films and musicals released didn't have: HEART. Did I give this film a chance? Yes, I tried, but it just couldn't work for me because, like I said in the beginning, I'm an adult with a wider variety of musical choices other than this one. Much of the choreography shown here looks more like music videos rather than an actual musical production, and Ortega did so much better choreography in Newsies; even you can't deny that!
To the die-heart fans, I hope I didn't take up to much of your time, and it's your choice on whether or not you agree with me, and even whether or not you wish to read this. To the parents, please take the time to read this and take at least a little bit of what I said into consideration. To everyone who grew up in my generation, please read this. If you think you're the only one who wishes for the good old days of television and cinema to return, you're not alone. I, too, wish for the exact same thing. I hope anyone who reads this gains something from what I said and my feelings about the Disney Channel, the films, and what is being presented to today's audience. This empire has never really died to begin with; rather, it goes through periods of darkness followed by rebirth, so maybe we are hopefully in the midst of rebirth from the film and television industries. Have faith.
P.S. Just for the record, I'm looking forward to Camp Rock; I enjoy listening to the Jonas Bros, and the story line looks interesting.
Summary of High School Musical (Encore Edition)
The all-new smash hit Disney Channel Original Movie everyone is talking about is now available for the first time ever on DVD -- with never-before-seen bonus features that will rock your house! Troy (Zac Efron) the popular captain of the basketball team and Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) the brainy and beautiful member of the academic club break all the rules of East High society when they secretly audition for the leads in the school's musical. As they reach for the stars and follow their dreams everyone learns about acceptance teamwork and being yourself. And it's all set to fun tunes and very cool dance moves! Featuring the hottest talent HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL celebrates the power of music in this hip entertaining gotta-get-up-and-dance movie. Own all the excitement and the exclusive extras available only on this Encore Edition DVD.System Requirements:Running Time 98 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: G UPC: 786936693652 Manufacturer No: 04954900The Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical is a combination of backstage action and Grease without the unwholesome habits. Scoring record ratings at the time of its January 2006 broadcast, it's a smash hit with tween audiences (ages 6 to 10), but appealing for all ages. At a New Year's Eve party, Troy (Zac Efron of the WB's Summerland) has a chance meeting with Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) when they share a karaoke song. Lo and behold, when school resumes, they discover that Gabriella has just transferred to Troy's East High School, a campus divided into tight cliques of jocks, cheerleaders, brainiacs, and skater dudes. Eager to recapture the magic they'd discovered during karaoke, Troy and Gabriella consider auditioning for the school's upcoming musical, much to the dismay of the school's frost queen/theater goddess, Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody). Problem is, Troy is also the star of the basketball team and Gabrielle is being recruited to compete in the Scholastic Decathlon. Will they give up their cliques to start something new, or will they do as the show's first big anthem urges and "Stick to the Status Quo"? Well, this is a Disney movie, so maybe the sacrifices won't be that hard, and even the hints of romance are mild.
The bestselling soundtrack is catchy in that Disney-pop kind of way, mixing in a dash of hip-hop ("Getcha Head in the Game," punctuated by squeaky basketball shoes and other sound effects), salsa ("Bop to the Top"), and the endearingly hammy ("What I've Been Looking For" performed by Sharpay and her brother, Ryan, played by Lucas Grabeel). It's not hard to imagine High School Musical becoming a semi-staple for high school groups to perform themselves. DVD bonus features include sing-along subtitles; a 9-minute featurette discussing casting, recording sessions, and rehearsals; a multi-angle look at a rehearsal of "Bop to the Top"; and music videos for "We're All in This Together" and a song that didn't make it into the final film, "I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," performed by Efron, Hudgens, Tisdale, and Gabreel. --David Horiuchi
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