Sunday, January 21, 2007

High School Musical

Nobody likes being sick, but it's a good excuse to watch a lot of teev and eat ice cream. (unless it's a G.I. virus, then it's clear liquids, read F.D.'s post scroll down to it)

F.D. told me last week that he would be telling patients that if they weren’t sicker than he was, they didn’t really need to be there.

That's probably what he WANTED to say. He probably said no such thing. I know he said no such thing. You should hear the stuff he tells me he wishes he’d said. But he’s way too nice.

Having a touch of a virus that steadily gained strength (we're talking strength) in this old bod' over time, I worked last week. Didn't kiss any patients, not my style under healthy circumstances, passed out all new pens to people who needed them to sign checks, and didn’t shake a single hand.

But got home and slept and slept, and by Friday night, surrendered.

After a 24-hour slumber felt BETTER (notice, no antibiotics, people, yeah that's in F.D.'s blog somewhere, too. What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger).

Showered, went straight to the family room to check out the night on cable, and lo and behold, there it was, High School Musical!

The very same movie a kid’s mother had brought up in family therapy last week.

That mom couldn’t understand her son’s need to watch it over and over again.

The last movie a parent made me watch because of her kid's obsession was Thirteen.. If you haven’t seen that one it’s about a teenager’s obsession with drugs and dark depressive activities that ultimately might lead to self-destructive behavior like cutting and nasty scarring, scarring that from what I’ve seen in adult borderline cutters really will not fade away without some serious plastic surgery.

So I HAD to see High School Musical.

I know, I know. Fridays were supposed to be movie review days and this is Sunday. But I've little self control and there are so few feel-good venues to recommend (in my line of work it's hard to find them), that when I come upon one feel I must share it. This is on the order of a feel-good venue, but you need the Disney Channel.

No question. People can fault this musical It has derivative songs. It’s so highly formulaic and derivative, that unless you see it as camp you might not even like or appreciate it. I appreciated it as much or more than The Beverly Hillbillies, one of my all-time favorites, and a totally under-rated film. I think. It's been years since I saw that and by now it's surely not P.C.

So you don't need to watch it.

And why watch High School Musical, especially if you'll probably need a shot of insulin first?

The MESSAGE(S) are good, even if you never intend to become a parent.

But first Here’s the quick Wikipedia summary. It’s a quote:
High School Musical is an American made-for-television musical film, produced and distributed by Disney Channel, and was released on January 20, 2006.
The Emmy Award-winning television film was one of the most successful Disney Channel Original Movies ever produced, with a sequel confirmed and soundtrack that is certified triple-platinum, making it one of the most commercially-successful records of 2006.

High School Musical is a story of two high school students: Troy Bolton, who is captain of his school's basketball team, and Gabriella Montez, a shy transfer student who excels in math and science. Together, they try out for the lead parts in their high school musical. Despite other students' attempts to thwart their dreams, Troy and Gabriella persist and inspire others along the way.
Wikipedia’s summary caught the inspiration thing. The kids decide that they can no longer support the status quo, that they have to be themselves, young people growing and becoming in touch with their natural talents. The decide they’re not going to be what everyone wants them to be.

Wikipedia doesn't even tell you that there's no sex or violence in this movie and you don't want any, that it’s a HAPPY movie, on the order of GREASE. There are happy songs and people, young and old, break into song and also, DANCE. Here are the songs as they appear in the movie:

1. "Start of Something New" (Gabriella & Troy) – 3:16
2. "Get'cha Head in the Game" (Troy and the Wildcats) – 2:27
3. "What I've Been Looking For" (Sharpay & Ryan) – 2:03
4. "What I've Been Looking For (Reprise)" (Gabriella & Troy) – 1:19
5. "Stick to the Status Quo" (High School Musical Cast) – 4:28
6. "When There Was Me and You " (Gabriella) – 3:00
7. "Bop to the Top" (Sharpay & Ryan) – 1:47
8. "Breaking Free" (Gabriella & Troy) – 3:27
9. "We're All in This Together" (High School Musical Cast) – 3:51
10. "I Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You" (Gabriella, Troy, Sharpay, and Ryan)
11. "Get'cha Head in the Game (Pop Version)" (B5) – 2:43
12. "Start of Something New (Karaoke Instrumental)" – 3:31
13. "Breaking Free (Karaoke Instrumental)" – 3

Where in the world have I been that I didn’t know about it? Not that I’d watch it again, but I can see why kids would want to watch it again and again.

Here’s sample dialogue and I’m totally paraphrasing since I was drinking tea, not writing down dialogue:

Troy’s father: You can’t sing. Why would you want to be in a musical? You’re a playmaker. You play basketball. Now get focused and lead us to the championship.

Troy (storming off): What makes you think I can’t do both?

So Message One- Let the creative person inside come out, don't be afraid of what others will think.

Message Two:

At the end of the movie, everyone is singing and dancing and everyone is on the SAME TEAM. There’s plenty of conflict between the teens and even teachers throughout the movie, but it magically dissolves at the end because:

People get that conflict based upon jealousy is stupid.

Let it go, get along, cheer one another on. Life’s too short not to like and support each other.

Thirteen , friends, it’s not, and we’re so glad.

Let your kids watch this one over and over again.

Copyright 2006, TherapyDoc

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now I know some people have that (Groucho) Marxist view that they wouldn't want to be in any club that would want them as a member, but I don't think you're the type. Plus, there's been much worse riffraff you that have contributed to Wikipedia. So get over there and edit!

I don't think I've seen any of those movies, though I wanted to see 13. All I could think of when you were describing HSM was this other movie I saw on Disney when there was nothing else on; bad kid has to be in play for punishment, smart girl helps him learn his lines, he rebels and gets moody and she stops helping, he reforms, they fall in love, girl learns a lesson about tolerance and respect for others, they all learn how to be upstanding citizens. Blech. Not my type.

Newsies is about as saccharine as I can stand--great music too.

therapydoc said...

Finding time to edit Wiki isn't going to happen. I can't believe I do this sometimes, honest.

I didn't see Newies but I know it has a huge cult following, so on your recommendation will find it.

Thanks! About bad kid going good to get the girl? Oh come on. NEVER EVER GET INVOLVED WITH A BAD KID TO CHANGE HIM. Right? Cuz it's so easy, right, changing?

Holly Schwendiman said...

If only I'd known you were missing out I'd have filled you in. I think I can recite it word for word...LOL But compared to shows like "Mean Girls" (don't get me started) I'll gladly take the zillionth time hearing the movie.

Hugs,
Holly
Holly's Corner

therapydoc said...

Holly, Just do me a favor. If it's happy, and has music and dancing, just lmk. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Bad kids: that's kind of pessimistic!

No, he didn't go good just to get her, if I recall he went good because she taught him the value of hard work and that some geeky girls are actually pretty fun and interesting. And that it's cool to stay in school. *trying not to blechhh again*

Yeah, Newsies rocks. It's perfectly kid friendly too if I recall, and encourages questioning authority, standing up for oneself, taking risks/initiative, loyalty, and teamwork. Except for Little Mermaid, that's the only other movie I was obsessed with.

Other good music/dancing movies: The Unsinkable Molly Brown, The Music Man, King and I, My Fair Lady (sure you've already seen it), Kiss Me Kate (according to my mom), Evita (with Madonna--I liked it as a kid, but it's kind of dark).

therapydoc said...

loved em all. and what about Annie? Singing in the Rain? We could go on and on. The old ones I've got, it's these newer things, like HSM, that pass me by.

Holly Schwendiman said...

That's because they're more rare today methinks...;o) But every "feel good" movie seems timeless, even the old ones are still enjoyed by myself and my kids. You know me - a broken record saying "Negative screams, positive whispers."

Hugs,
Holly
Holly's Corner

therapydoc said...

Is true. That's why it's so hard to create detours for negative thinking or mitigate negative emotions. So (expletive)demanding!

  Bring them home, the Homeland Concert There's not much to say. Wait, I take it back. There's SO much to say it is too much. There ...