Cam Bert

Seems to be a rift on West Side Story which in of itself is just a retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare and HSM musical coming together? Is it CakeBug Trench's birthday?

Glee didn't come out until 2009 and assuming the pilot was made in advance that still wouldn't have been shot until at least 2008. Ryan Murphy has said on numerous occasions that he has never seen or thought about High School Musical when it came to Glee. Given the other creators backgrounds, it could be the case that their intent was not to ape HSM but create a show around their personal experiences. That doesn't rule out the possibility that the success of HSM helped in getting it the greenlight. Why do I know this? Because I just can't seem to quit Ryan Murphy.

I know this issue has been talked about a bit but I have some additional thoughts on the matter of the target audience. So Disney animated films for the large part are musicals or very musically heavy. However, in the early 2000s their animated films were moving a bit away from this. Also with the rise of Pixar and other computer animated movies, usually movies were down to one song or just using a pop song. This movie, in a certain sense, seems to be calling back to those days of the Disney musical. Is this do to the change in the animated movies at the time? Or perhaps it was made for the kids who grew up on Disney animated musicals but wouldn't be as inclined to watch an animated movie in their teens and would rather see and hear about kids there own age.

Whoa! Guys, I just came across this. Now granted I haven't seen the later movies but does she redeem herself that much to be the breakout star? Or was it the case that she was the only actress still under contract with Disney?

So not only do you want the longest thread but also the most on topic one as well? I can't help much today because notes are at home and I didn't see the sequels yet, but if we do go OT no doubt we will surpass it.

Everything? Even his budding romance with Gabriella? What a dick.

Wow! Y'all been busy in here. I went to watch HSM2 last night only to discover it's no longer on Netflix here and only 3 is available streaming elsewhere. This now means my only other option is the send away for for them which means I'm out on any sequel discussions for at least three to four days. Seems like you have it all pretty much covered though.

Question for the growing number of people who watched the sequels, does Chad ever sing? I spent most of this musical waiting for him to sing. I mean he's right there on the poster and everything. Or was he brought on for his charm, basketball prowess and dance skills?

Okay a few random thoughts on things. - re:Popularity of Sharpay. I don't have much more to add to this but I'm with the group that thinks she wasn't popular or one of the cool kids. First off, no matter how good at musical theater you are nobody in a school that has giant walls dedicated to their basketball team would care. Second, her drive to be the star of all theater productions and mocking of the kids trying out leads me to believe that not even the other theater kids would like her. She probably doesn't care though because in her mind she's already a star and she's going to go and become famous and show them all. -I think I sadly would be Gabriella. Reading books at New Years parties, correcting teachers, being perused to join the academic decathlon team, general interest in theater, yep that's high school me pretty much. -To cut a long story short, my sister just had a baby and the father is no longer in the picture so my mom has been busy helping her out. That's why no TNH award for Pete's Dragon yet. I'm keeping a running list and when she has time I'm sure she'll love nothing more than playing catch-up and awarding winners. That was not sarcasm either.

I think my favourite hat in the movie was this one from Ryan I think it's a combination of the interesting colour scheme, the fact the hat is clearly too big for his head, and this is one of the few times we see him outside of the flat cap look.

American Gladiator Fun Fact #13 American Gladiator Sabre: Was also in Mortal Kombat Annihilation as Jaxx! (Thanks to Ryan Sz for the assist)

I had Dragonstrike! I preferred HeroQuest though. Sadly never had the SNES American Gladiators.

Thank you. I can sleep soundly now.

Serious question before I go to sleep. This was a TV movie originally right? Were the other ones TV movies too or was it so big that two and three got theatrical runs?

It does. Thank you. I was moving back to Japan when it came out. I've been here as long as this movie has existed.

Hearing everybody's age when this came out is starting to make me feel old...

This just blew my mind. It must be because he's just Ted Neeley Handsome I suppose. This also blew my mind. Also just reminds me how much I disliked Simon!

Also Japanese American character played by Japanese American actor.

You know what just hit about this, the less attractive less talented people were used as comedy. Just think to the auditions. We had shy nervous people, awkward outcasts, arty theater kids, etc. These are the people clearly trying to leave their lane and they are the punchline for a whole scene. They're the only kids we see fail at doing anything and the only ones outside of Martha that fall outside the cookie cutter Disney safe and pretty image. However, I'm glad to hear they make her a cheerleader later on. As long as it's not suppose to be a joke that is.

I don't fully understand the drama teacher and why she goes along with Sharpay's plan. I mean she hears them sing and even though they broke her golden rule about being on time she give them a callback. Clearly she's impressed. Then Sharpay plants the idea that they're trying to ruin the musical. How and why and based on what? When she confronts Coach Dad about it, he has no idea what she's talking about and she finds no proof of sabotage. Yet she continues to listen to and go along with Sharpay's scheme. What happened to giving everybody a fair and equal chance because that's the way of the theater? Scheduling the audition at a time that is purposely hurtful to two people doesn't seem to be honoring that tradition. Troy and Gabriella can sing and seem genuinely interested so why does she continue to believe Sharpay? Just because of her long hatred of sports? Gabriella is new why would she be trying to ruin the musical? Sharpay also claims that she worked so hard on it, but what exactly has she done? Kelsi wrote the score,no parts are cast yet, and detentioners are making sets, so the only thing she might have done is write the book.

Guys, I think we're misjudging Troy a bit. We see that he loves to sing and his sensitive side by running off to his garden safe space. Now if we look at his father we now know why. His dad star high school basketball player, however after school he becomes a regular Al Bundy just clinging to that success and popularity he had as high school basket ball star. From a young age he's putting tremendous pressure on Troy to be a basketball star and protect the J. So much so when they're on a family skiing vacation on New Year's Eve he takes him to the hotel basketball court to practice. He needs him to succeed to validate his own wasted life. Maybe at an earlier age Troy showed signs of enjoying to sing but those were shot down. Then getting into East High where everybody has to stick to their lane further denied him his true passion and he was always under the thumb and eye of his dad. I feel really bad for him.

I totally see that happening.

Wha? They get together in the sequels? What about Zeke and Sharpay?

No doubt you'd hit that target before you got to the tennis balls! I see you're a Malibu man. Personally as a kid I thought Nitro was the coolest.

As a non-American I find it very confusing how important sports are to everyone in school. I played rugby and wrestled in junior high school and at the start of high school. First off, we enjoyed winning but it wasn't the end of the world if we lost, and nobody really came out to watch out games or matches. One guy I wrestled with wanted to go to the Olympics but other than that we did it because we enjoyed it. Those who were more serious joined outside of school leagues. When I told them I was stopping to get more involved with the theater program everyone wished me luck. In every American high school movie and show I see it seems like sports are the most important thing ever and I don't get it. I mean it's a school. You're there to learn things but instead of being like "We have the highest SAT average in all of the state!! Woo!!!!" it seems to largely be about supporting the sports teams and if they bring home the championship. Is this because sports scholarships are a viable way to get an affordable post secondary education? Do schools receive more money for championships? Is this just something played up in movies or are movies and tv not that far off from real life? Also isn't the last game the championship match? Isn't the musical happening after the season? Why should his team care what he does in the off season? I get Sharpay and her lover brother wanting to be the leads, but why does his team care? They seem to be okay with doing a musical number at the start of the film.