Record breaking. A smash hit. A phenomenon. High School Musical was expected to be like any other Disney Channel movie; a pinch of romance, a parent’s disapproval, and resolved happily. Instead, it changed the world’s view of tween movies forever. The movie’s soundtrack reached the top of the Billboard charts in early March, a little more than a month after it premiered. This was unusual because CDs tend to reach their peak of popularity when they first come out and then go down from there. The movie’s premier in the U.S. attracted 7.7 million viewers and has been seen by over 225 million viewers globally. The movie was remade in three other countries and translated in many other languages.
I remember the tortuous anticipation of waiting 20 days for the first High School Musical to air on television. My friends were planning parties, I knew all of the songs by heart, and of course there was Zac Efron. As a newly-official-teenager, High School Musical gave me exactly what I was looking for in a movie. It was a corny, Romeo and Juliette type story about a boy and a girl trying to break away from their opposing high school cliques (jocks and geeks) by trying out for a musical. It fueled a fantasy about how a geeky new girl could get the hot athletic “big man on campus.” It only helped that the “big man on campus” was Zac Efron, the new teenage heartthrob. He had the full package: the looks, the voice, and the charm.
The premier of the first movie in 2006 was just the beginning; it was a puff of smoke in comparison to the mushroom cloud of its far-reaching implications. The first movie was so popular that there are rumors now of a possible fourth movie being made. Stemming from the movie are also concert tours, “on ice” performances, video games, clothing lines, action figures, accessories, a book series, karaoke sing alongs, an adapted auditorium version, a reality competition, and the soundtracks. If High School Musical was like so many others, why did it take off like a rocket while others were left in the dust? The screenwriter of the movie, Peter Barsocchini , said “What’s most people’s fantasy? To be a rock star, to get on stage…there’s a little of that aspirational magic in High School Musical.” The best example of this is towards the end of the movie when Troy and Gabriella show the whole school their talents by singing “Breaking Free.” I believe that Peter Barsocchini was on to something. I know, personally, that sometimes I wish I could get up in front of people and impress them with some hidden talent. I think that this hidden desire appeals to a lot of people because they like to see what “coulda-shoulda-woulda” been, if only they had the balls. Others believe that HSM was so successful because it was the musical movie of our generation. For the past few generations, the movie was Grease and before that, it was West Side Story. These movies all have teenage love mixed with sudden outbursts of song. I personally believe that the movie’s success was a combination of Barsocchini’s belief, the musical movie theory as well as the addition of technology into the mix because the “word of mouth” form of publicity was far more affective when tweens had access to cell phones.
Now that I am past the tween stage and therefore, the High School Musical phase, I don’t watch the movies or listen to the music any more but the lyrics and the dance to “We’re All in This Together” will forever by engraved in my memory.
Firstly, excellent choice! It's funny because I feel like something that was such a phenomenon for so long has suddenly slipped away in the past year or so (probably because of the Twilight craze). I think this is a good post because you mention how much has stemmed from this little made for TV Disney channel movie, then go on to try and figure out why exactly it was such a hit. Finally, you relate it to yourself and give your own opininons. Good Job! -Mary T.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing to me how far the effect of High School Musical has gone, and I really learned that in your piece! I loved how you talked about all the different ways HSM has expanded, such as Ice Shows and action figures. Personally, it still baffles me why it became so popular, but I really think you hit on the point of how the cast, mainly Zac Efron, drew in the tween audience. I remember when it first came out and how obsessed we all are with it, so it was nice to read about it again after it's popularity has died down. Nice job expressing your opinions on it - Marin :)
ReplyDeleteHigh School Musical!!! I loved when you mentioned how you had to wait the 20 days, and then you got to have you HSM party(I had one too). I enjoyed reading this article because you are able to show how it relates to other things outside of the Disney world, how it became so popular, and why it appealed to you. Great Job!
ReplyDeleteMary R.
HAHA this made me very happy! The way this is written is so relatable and exactly the right way to be explained. The one thing that I am curious about is your opinion on the movie. As a movie and how you think it affected pop culture. Just wondering. I too was secretly excited when it came out and watched it with my friends. You made this very relatable! NICE JOB!! :P
ReplyDelete-Lauren
This whole blog post is sooo true. You nailed High School Musical on the head and captured my interest within the first two lines. I too grew up with High School Musical in my household because of my little sister, who seemed to be singing the songs and watching the movies all the time. I loved how you made the HSM fad so relatable and also related it to past generations as well as present.
ReplyDelete-Leo
i'll start by saying that i generally don't like many musicals at all, let alone a musical starring a lip-synching 9 year old named zac (that was hyperbolic, i apologize). nevertheless, your post intrigues me, because i think that you are really effective in pinpointing exactly what fundamental elements successful musicals can be broken down into. your analysis of "breaking free" is on point, who doesn't sometimes get the feeling that they have something they wish they could share? this post serves to remind me that what is silly and petty to one generation can be cathartic and life-changing for another. cool stuff lara!
ReplyDelete-john
I love this! I like how you talk about your personal experience with it and how it has stuck with you, I feel that I can relate to that as well. Then how you give the facts about how it has changed the media and why the musical was so well liked. Did you find any facts about the fourth movie? And do they think that it will bring in the same audience as the first two and maybe even the third? Also do you know which movie was the most viewed? That would be interesting to see if there were and patterns great job I really like this!
ReplyDelete-Lucy