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In the 65-plus years since Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland first all but patented the idea of putting on a show, the spirited high-school-musical formula has been reworked on film countless times. Still, one is hard pressed to recall a variation that has met with more phenomenal, out-of-nowhere success than the Disney Channel's surprising High School Musical. Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) is his school's star basketball player. Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) is a math whiz he meets on vacation. They make beautiful music together in a karaoke contest. Shades of Grease -- she turns up as the new transfer student at his school, and together, they decide to try out for the school musical, a threat to the social status quo. The karaoke-crossed lovers first face peer pressure from Troy's teammates and Gabriella's "brainiac" pals. Then, there are the machinations of the school's reigning drama queen, Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) and her brother, Ryan (Lucas Grabeel). Ultimately, of course, there is a jubilant conclusion, played out during a confluence of musical call-backs, a championship hoops game, and the scholastic decathlon. Alyson Reed deserves applause as the hilariously "harsh" drama teacher Mrs. Darbus, who is part Margo Channing (from All About Eve) and part Simon Cowell. Director and choreographer Kenny Ortega (Dirty Dancing) makes all the right moves with such high-spirited showstoppers as "Stick to the Status Quo," "Get'cha Head in the Game," and the sassy, Latin-flavored "Bop to the Top." Since High School Musical debuted on the Disney Channel in January 2006, the film has become a pop-culture phenomenon, an innocent Rocky Horror for the tween set. It became the highest-rated program in Disney Channel history, spawning sing-along and dance-along rebroadcasts, as well as chart-topping soundtrack album and singles. Much more would seem inevitable for this sudden smash, and for all involved. Donald Liebenson

All Movie Guide

The captain of the East High basketball team and the key member of the academic club shock the student body by teaming to audition for the upcoming school musical in a Disney Channel Original Movie that's all about being yourself and following your dreams. Troy (Zac Efron) is best known as the player who keeps the East High basketball team on the scoreboard. Of course, life isn't always about athletics, though, and as Troy slam-dunks on the boards, beautiful and brainy Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) is raising the reputation of East High as the key member of the school's successful academic team. Despite their outgoing natures, no one would ever peg Troy and Gabriella as theater types. When word gets out that this popular pair has secretly chosen to reach for the stars and try their luck on the stage, the students of East High are about to learn an important lesson in teamwork while gearing up for a musical performance that will have their audience dancing in the aisles. Jason Buchanan

Product Details

• UPC: 786936693652
• Source: WALT DISNEY VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Language: English
• Time: 1:38:00
• Sales Rank: 25,018

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• High School Musical 3-Dvd Pack

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