High School Musical 3: Senior Year comes out in cinemas today across the UK. And if you didn't know that already, you must have been living under a very large rock for the last few months. Can this movie possibly live up to the hype? Well, as one of those lucky people who got to go to a preview screening, I have to say High School Musical is alive and kicking and may have reached its zenith with its first cinema release — because, let's not forget, the first two films were Disney Channel Original movies (which I'm sure did phenomenal things for their subscription rate).
And after three movies, that's what High School Musical has become, a phenomenon — complete with screaming fans and blanket media coverage the like of which hasn't been seen since The Beatles. Disney have dubbed it 'the little movie that could' and that's exactly what it is. After all, it started out life as a cute, clever but fairly generic little TV movie. Even the title was generic.
Now, having been badgered by my sons into watching the first one, I can totally see why it was popular — an energetic talented young cast, catchy, singalong songs, great choreography and a sweet, innocent teen romance at the centre of it all, what's not to like? — but why has it become such a huge, mega, monumental success? I mean, isn't it just Grease in sheep's clothing? A derivative, albeit professionally made and well-polished, piece of fluff wrapped up in clever marketing and with some bright young things (Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Corbin Bleu and Ashley Tisdale take a bow) to make it shine?
But you see, when asking myself that question, I think I missed the crucial point. And the secret to why HSM has made such a splash in recent years. High School Musical isn't aimed at me, an old fogie with rather too much knowledge of movie musicals and teen romances of yesteryear. I might know that in the new movie they pay homage to everything from All About Eve to the Fred Astaire musical Royal Wedding (yes, Fred did that dancing on the ceiling thing before Zac's dad was even a twinkle is his granddad's eye!), but I haven't a clue why kids today love it so much. So I'm going to hand over the reins to my son Joey and let him explain what it was like seeing High School Musical 3 and why he loves it so much. And then maybe old fogies like me will get it, at long last.
High School Musical 3 is great! Going to a press screening of it weeks before anyone else had seen it was absolutely fantastic and now I can't wait for the rest of the world to experience it too.
The story is a brilliant climax to the series of movies I've been watching for the last three years. I can't imagine life without High School Musical, I feel like I know these characters really well. The build-up for each of the films has been so exciting. It's like Christmas coming twice in one year.
The songs in HSM 3 are incredibly catchy and you'll be singing them for weeks after you've seen the movie, I guarantee it. The dancing will leave you breathless and you may well want to see it 25 more times. So be prepared. I'm going to see it with seven of my friends again today, because the movie is all about coming together and enjoying yourself. So I definitely would recommend this film to anyone who doesn't want to live in a dark hole of depression. Get out there and have fun.
Thanks Joey! So there you have it. High School Musical 3 is all about having fun. And we could all do with a bit more of that right now couldn't we?
