Opening Night Comparisons

Another opening night, more girls screaming.  Where do they learn this?  In Twilight, the anticipation to see Edward Cullen (the vampire hero) built, while in High School Musical 3 Zac Efron completely filled the screen at the beginning of the film, both appearances greeted with shouts and clapping.

As I sat through Twilight, I wondered which was a more realistic interpretation of high school.  Was it the bubble-gum happy world of HSM, with all jealousies and problems resolved at the end of the film or a world where vampires inhabit the school, mysterious and beautiful?  Both films included the brainy heroine, though both short a little in the common sense area (one leaves HS before her graduation and one is obsessed with a killer). Both also include the handsome, perfect-man boyfriend, one with charm who can sing, dance and play basketball, the other sexy, enigmatic, and able to climb walls, fly, and kill you with one long bite.

The film of Twilight was entertaining,  following the story faithfully. There were definitely chunks of the story missing such as the history of many of the vampires and the ending woefully cropped, the effects sometimes juvenile.  Both teens and moms preferred the book, though my daughter is ready to see it again.  I felt the book was extremely wordy in the middle–it needed a bit more editing–and the film also bogged down a bit at points, but it was enjoyable and tense escapsim. 

As for which file was better, I am certain that my 8th grader would have a completely different answer than my 5th grader. I shall remain the mum mom.  Maybe they care to chime in below.  C

 

Opening Night, Again

I was just wondering what it means about my life that the latest opening-night films I have seen were High School Musical 3 and Twilight (going tonight for that one). As one who loves going to the cinema and the cinema experience of losing myself in another dimension, I still read the movie openings/reviews/ads every week…but sadly see most of them when they are released on DVD. 

Going to the movies with my daughters gives us time together and allows me to share in their worlds, even if they sometimes sit with their gaggle of girls.  And I get a couple hours to sit, relax, eat my popcorn,  and get lost in the giant screen.   Since Tara and I both read Twilight, we will be able to discuss its conversion to film.  Should be interesting, based on the mixed reviews I have seen to date.

Next film, Bond-James Bond.  C

P.S  While sitting at  the Twilight premiere, I think I have redeemed my opening night viewings, as I also saw the witty Sex and the City on opening night.  Whew–that made me feel a bit better.

 

Opening Night for HSM3

The HSM3 countdown (High School Musical 3, for you neophytes) began in our house this past summer, when Devon–my 10 year old HSM fanatic beyond words–wrote it on the calendar for 10/24.  The excitement built as we flipped the calendar to October, then the daily countdown started until the Huge Premiere on Friday.  It was “the most important day all year” for her.

The theatre was full of giddy girls and a smattering of boys, mixed with the five girls I carted there. As the previews ended (boy, did Walt Disney know and prep their audience for a large number of upcoming Disney flicks),  the audience started clapping and cheering. Uh oh! I had not seen this excitement since waiting for the premiere of Sex and the City (SATC) opening night, when the audience exploded before the film even began.  A bit like being in the Oprah waiting area–a very surreal experience.  Why were people clapping, when there was nothing to cheer for yet?  Well, these girls are definitely preparing themselves for the SATC 22 or HSM for adults, when Troy/Gabriella/Sharpee/Chad are all grow’d up.

The bubble gum high school world that Disney envisions is too squeaky clean and peppy for today; no sex, drugs, violence, but lots of rock and roll and pop. At least Troy showed a bit of senior spunk, playing locker room tricks, and ditching his prom to find his true love.  The storyline was familiar, the characters trying to step out of their cliche roles.  The songs were upbeat, appropriate and dancable for the kids, the choreagraphy was excellent and difficult, the costumes inviting.  Hands down, our favorite scene and song was “The Boys are Back” in the car lot.  Inspiring, reminisent, and plain fun.

After the first expected screeaaammmm at the giant Troy Bolton head filled the screen was followed by some silence after the first couple of songs.  I felt the restrained excitment in the theatre, but I think they felt strange clapping during a film.  One person started after one song, and the hooting and cheering filled the room after every song after that.  Thanks to YouTube and brilliant Disney marketing, the kids knew most of the words to several songs.  I was out of my element there.

I felt that these kids were as into this film as the audience was when we saw SATC.  They knew the characters and storyline, though in SATC there were more surprises, sex and adult-oriented humor.  It was being part of a group watching the movie, almost feeling like a voyeur into a world we already knew.  But, can someone explain the last song to me?  None of us understood the silly “High School Musical” song or the film ending.

I didn’t plan on writing about HSM3 this weekend or ever,  but the experience of going on opening night was so similar to being with my friends at SATC I could not resist.  Without the alcohol, though.  SATC was a better film, though I did enjoy HSM3 more than expected.  C