High School Musical and American myths
I downloaded it. I saw it. I laughed out loud. I rolled my eyes. I enjoyed it, more or less. It was exactly what I was hoping it would be. How often does that happen?! Things I liked and/or was pleasantly surprised by: actual teenagers playing teenagers, singing like teenagers who want to sound like Super Mature Pop Stars would actually sing like, not over sexualized at all, cheesey and stock characters like a musical has, and holy crap Zac Efron is stunning. And no, not just 'cuz he's good to look at. Zac Efron is the only compelling reason to watch these movies - because he can act. No, really. He brings an authenticity and depth to a superficial and hollow trope. Vanessa Hudgens is enh, sweet but enh.
Ok, things I didn't like leading up to what this movie *really* made me think about. I found the stereotypes and high school tropes over the top. Ashley Tisdales' Sharpei character is a walking farce. Is there always a drama queen and is she always blonde and is she always rich? Snooze fest. There's not really any plot. The music is AWFUL. And I haaaaaaaaaaaate teenagers singing like this. HATE. IT. I think it's bad for their voices (although props to Miss Hudgens for being breathy - I think she's actually preserving her voice, which is usually not what breathy does). And I haaaaaate the nasally chesty sound. Oh it's bad singing. I hope this fad passes. I blame Brittany Spears.
What this movie has had me thinking about all morning is: what is with the American myth of high school? During my 6 years in the Bay Area high school reunions came up from time to time. I had just had my 10 year reunion before I moved there*, some were gearing up for theirs, some had long had theirs. What I found unusual was just how unusual my experience seems to be. I don't hate my home town; in fact I'd move back in a heartbeat if I had the economic ability to do so. I wasn't scarred or traumatized by high school; it was fine. I actually care about, even if I don't keep in touch with, most of the people I went to school with. So.... is it just me? Am I some odd-ball naif? What about you? I want to know your experience.
And also: did you have polarized cliques? This cliche has been around since the Brat Pack (before I'm sure, but I grew up in the 80s, so that's my landmark). While my high school had groups, I don't remember it being 'clique-ish'. Lots of people did a variety of things and a variety of friends. I remember popular people, but I only associated those with upper classmen. The spring musical was a Big Fucking Deal in our school (the budget some years was as high as $30k, I kid you not) and that was definitely for popular people, but not only. The fall drama production was definitely only for the hard core acting kids and I never attended a single one. Mostly because I loathed Ms Breeden, the drama teacher, who sadly was a walking cliche. Not because she was overly dramatic, but because she took a drama therapy approach to her acting classes that made me want to kill myself. The only time I remember any 'mean girl' incidences was my senior year and yeah. They were mean and everyone knew it. I was pleased when they didn't show for the reunion. I remember being happy that so many of the nice kids came, though I also remember being disappointed that so many of the 'weirdos' didn't come - because I know they went on to do neat things!
msmidge, you were at JDHS for a little while. What's your take? Am I definitely living in my own world (as I was then, too, I'm sure)? I feel like I was neither here nor there in high school so I have a decent idea of the middle class experience at JDHS, but I could be very wrong. I know JDHS was not a good place to be for many.
(On a side note, I remember my first few months of high school in 1989. The downstairs was dangerous. There was actually a knife fight near the bottom doors near the pool. And there was a smoking lounge for faculty on the top floor. It was very different when I graduated.)
Basically, what I'm trying to say, is that I have a really hard time relating to modern portrayals of high school. It just wasn't my experience in the least. I wonder if I'm in the minority and for the majority the polarized nature of these films are only mildly exaggerated for effect. Or if, this is just a perpetuated myth that mainstream media continues to feed us.
Weigh in and help me out?
*DOOD. My twenty year reunion is 3 years away. WTF? I'm like, nearly middle aged. *cry*
ETA: In thinking about the 20 yr reunion, I remember something that my friend's older husband told me about his 20 yr reunion. He said the 10 yr one was fun - those that could come back did and it was drinking and catching up. But by the 20 yr one, people had kids, been divorced, had had cancer, or we heard about the ones who had died. It was a little more somber. I had already been divorced by my 10 yr one, so scratch that off the list. And I only know of one friend who has died (Tim, who continues to be missed). I hope that in three years there won't be many more. It will be interesting to see who shows up at the next one. Perhaps I'll win most changed again. ;)
Ok, things I didn't like leading up to what this movie *really* made me think about. I found the stereotypes and high school tropes over the top. Ashley Tisdales' Sharpei character is a walking farce. Is there always a drama queen and is she always blonde and is she always rich? Snooze fest. There's not really any plot. The music is AWFUL. And I haaaaaaaaaaaate teenagers singing like this. HATE. IT. I think it's bad for their voices (although props to Miss Hudgens for being breathy - I think she's actually preserving her voice, which is usually not what breathy does). And I haaaaaate the nasally chesty sound. Oh it's bad singing. I hope this fad passes. I blame Brittany Spears.
What this movie has had me thinking about all morning is: what is with the American myth of high school? During my 6 years in the Bay Area high school reunions came up from time to time. I had just had my 10 year reunion before I moved there*, some were gearing up for theirs, some had long had theirs. What I found unusual was just how unusual my experience seems to be. I don't hate my home town; in fact I'd move back in a heartbeat if I had the economic ability to do so. I wasn't scarred or traumatized by high school; it was fine. I actually care about, even if I don't keep in touch with, most of the people I went to school with. So.... is it just me? Am I some odd-ball naif? What about you? I want to know your experience.
And also: did you have polarized cliques? This cliche has been around since the Brat Pack (before I'm sure, but I grew up in the 80s, so that's my landmark). While my high school had groups, I don't remember it being 'clique-ish'. Lots of people did a variety of things and a variety of friends. I remember popular people, but I only associated those with upper classmen. The spring musical was a Big Fucking Deal in our school (the budget some years was as high as $30k, I kid you not) and that was definitely for popular people, but not only. The fall drama production was definitely only for the hard core acting kids and I never attended a single one. Mostly because I loathed Ms Breeden, the drama teacher, who sadly was a walking cliche. Not because she was overly dramatic, but because she took a drama therapy approach to her acting classes that made me want to kill myself. The only time I remember any 'mean girl' incidences was my senior year and yeah. They were mean and everyone knew it. I was pleased when they didn't show for the reunion. I remember being happy that so many of the nice kids came, though I also remember being disappointed that so many of the 'weirdos' didn't come - because I know they went on to do neat things!
msmidge, you were at JDHS for a little while. What's your take? Am I definitely living in my own world (as I was then, too, I'm sure)? I feel like I was neither here nor there in high school so I have a decent idea of the middle class experience at JDHS, but I could be very wrong. I know JDHS was not a good place to be for many.
(On a side note, I remember my first few months of high school in 1989. The downstairs was dangerous. There was actually a knife fight near the bottom doors near the pool. And there was a smoking lounge for faculty on the top floor. It was very different when I graduated.)
Basically, what I'm trying to say, is that I have a really hard time relating to modern portrayals of high school. It just wasn't my experience in the least. I wonder if I'm in the minority and for the majority the polarized nature of these films are only mildly exaggerated for effect. Or if, this is just a perpetuated myth that mainstream media continues to feed us.
Weigh in and help me out?
*DOOD. My twenty year reunion is 3 years away. WTF? I'm like, nearly middle aged. *cry*
ETA: In thinking about the 20 yr reunion, I remember something that my friend's older husband told me about his 20 yr reunion. He said the 10 yr one was fun - those that could come back did and it was drinking and catching up. But by the 20 yr one, people had kids, been divorced, had had cancer, or we heard about the ones who had died. It was a little more somber. I had already been divorced by my 10 yr one, so scratch that off the list. And I only know of one friend who has died (Tim, who continues to be missed). I hope that in three years there won't be many more. It will be interesting to see who shows up at the next one. Perhaps I'll win most changed again. ;)