1.
One of the greatest things about these schools is the students’ amazing ability to bring out perfectly synchronised impromptu song and dance routines, and still manage to look cool doing it. Those long days spent practising the dance moves to Single Ladies just don’t seem to have the same effect. These guys just do it so much better; from McKinley High School in Glee, bursting with Broadway tunes and bitchy cheerleaders, to Rydell High in Grease, with the sassy Pink Ladies and sexy (…go on, admit it) T-Birds.
2.
But if singing and dancing is too much for a school to provide, then not to worry; most movie schools tend to make up for it with beautiful teachers. Bradley Cooper in The Hangover is quite simply gorgeous; I’d definitely go back to high school if it meant I could stare at him all day. Hell, detention would be fun! Mr Schu in Glee also isn’t half bad; and, although he may not be the sexiest teacher to date, Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society is just the nicest, loveliest person ever.
3.
Some of the goings-on at these schools are just fantastically surreal – Back To The Future, anyone? Marty goes back in time, when his parents are both in high school, and has to simultaneously reject his mother whilst helping his dad hook up with her; sheer brilliance. Although this very specific situation may not be top on the list of things I’d like to do, going back in time would definitely be up there. Only after impromptu singing and dancing, of course.
4.
No list of movie schools would be complete without a reference to Hogwarts. That’s right; the one and only School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, attended by a certain Harry Potter. It’s hard to know where to start with this one, but somewhere that offers lessons in Potions, Charms and Transfiguration, to name a few, clearly beats boring old Maths and English. There are also nine secret passages, a Forbidden Forest, and you get to travel via the Hogwarts Express. So, what are we waiting for? I’ll meet you on Platform 9 ¾.
5.
The fantastic ways students move from high school to university. Even recently, in the last series of Skins, both Pandora and Thomas managed to get a scholarship to Harvard – in Thomas’ case, by running really fast. Honestly. They’re not the only characters to get into Harvard unconventionally – Elle in Legally Blonde was accepted after sending in a ‘film essay’. A top degree and fabulous clothes? Very jealous indeed.
6.
Speaking of fabulous clothes, the fashion in these movie high schools is incredible. Those mini-skirts and feather boas from Clueless? Just amazing. Not to mention the crop tops and trainers in 10 Things I Hate About You, along with the huge prom dresses, platform-sandal hybrids, and far too many white trousers. On second thoughts, maybe it’s the type of fashion to be admired from a distance…
7.
One element of all high school movies that quite simply never fails to impress me is the ‘geeky makeover’ scene, à la Clueless and Princess Diaries. If only all of us slightly nerdy girls could have some miracle sleepover where it turns out we were actually pretty damn hot along, and we just needed some contact lenses and a decent haircut to transform into the next Scarlett Johansson. Sigh. Maybe then Bradley Cooper would be interested.
8.
It’s brilliant how horrible people always get what they deserve. In real life, the school bully tends to get away with it, but, in the movies, they almost always seem to get their comeuppance. Whether it’s Regina in Mean Girls getting hit by a bus, or Kathryn having her previously flawless reputation destroyed in Cruel Intentions, we love to see the nasty girls get punished.
9.
And, last but not least, the wild and often downright crazy parties that always go down in movie schools and colleges have to get a mention. Ryan Reynolds in Van Wilder is testament to this rule of thumb, as well as showing that students in movies are clearly way more attractive than they could ever be in real life. American Pie – and all the spin-offs – also epitomises the spirit of ‘partying hard’… although certain scenes with an apple pie may stand out more. Or Stifler drinking ‘tainted’ beer. Or Finch and a pool table. On second thoughts, perhaps it’s best we don’t go to movie high schools after all…
For Film24
Wednesday 28 April 2010
Wednesday 14 April 2010
Book, Line and Sinker: The Literary Revival That’s Reeled Us In.
Gok Wan, the cast of Wicked, and the York English department; what could they possibly have in common? I’ll give you a clue – it’s not their dress sense. In fact, they are all helping contribute towards the current literary revival, apparent in recent months. At the end of January, earlier this year, the iPad was unveiled, along with a new and extensive iTunes library, leading the way for literature to become technologically relevant. In terms of online opportunities, the success of Txt Lit (www.txtlit.co.uk) shows the appeal of creative writing in a modern way. It holds a unique monthly contest, challenging contestants to write a story based on a certain theme, within 160 characters – the length of an SMS text from a mobile phone. Clever, right?
However, e-books and ridiculously short stories aside, paper and ink books are rapidly increasing in popularity. In popular media, this is reflected in the Channel 4 programme, TV Book Club, which was first aired at the end of January. The premise of the show involves Gok Wan, along with other celebrities including Jo Brand, Dave Spikey, Nathaniel Parker and Laila Rouass, discussing and reviewing a different book each week. The term ‘celebrity’ may be a tad tenuous here, but nonetheless, with the debut episode reaching an impressive daytime peak average audience of around 350,000 viewers, this televised book club highlights a new popular interest in reading, and the beginning of a literary resurgence for this generation.
It’s not, however, simply the reading aspect of literature that has proved popular so far this year – creative writing is making a comeback. The importance of introducing creative and imaginative outlets early on can be seen in the launch of the Young Writers’ Award. Former Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo, with the support of the musical Wicked, is launching this contest as a re-embodiment of the WH Smith Young Writers’ Competition, which was discontinued twenty years ago. Clearly the relevance of creative writing is being placed in the foreground – and, if you need any more convincing, well-known previous winners of this contest include Helena Bonham Carter and Kate Beckinsale; clearly proof that it pays to be poetic.
If this seems a little too childish – to be fair, the competition is open to those as young as five – then there are more sophisticated literary trends also on the rise, providing a more adult approach to literature. The most successful of these appear to combine a social night out with a passion for reading – and a dash of alcohol for good measure, of course. An example of these modern literary endeavours is apparent in the book-reading nights that are held at Shoreditch House Literary Salon in east London – a place which claims that ‘not since the Marquis de Sade has reading been this sexy.’ Cocktails and Coleridge – sounds like the making of a great night to me. And, according to Facebook at least, over 1,500 people agree. The future of book clubs may lie in these ‘literary salons’ – showing that literature can evolve in a way that makes it both approachable and enjoyable, and not simply for an educational environment… Thank goodness.
On a smaller scale, or within our own campus, to be specific, the effects of this literary revival can clearly be seen. At York, the English department has introduced an annual anthology, The Looking Glass, and there is even a newly founded Creative Writing society. Combined with the increased interest on a national scale, this could mark the beginning of an entire literary revolution – or make reading and writing a little more popular, at least.
But why is creative writing making such a comeback? Former Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo believes that “it allows people to really say what they want to say and in a form that suits them. It's not a rigid rule that they need to follow or something they have to do to get to the next stage of their education. It's much freer and allows them to be themselves perhaps.” Michael also feels that not only is creative writing experiencing a revival, but creativity of all kinds may benefit from this new-found interest, saying that “most of us find our own creative outlet, that suits our feelings. Some will do it by writing, some by talking, some by dancing and painting. I think it's something about freedom to express.”
Yet can this resurgence be maintained? Michael believes that unfortunately “we are still hamstrung by the limitation of the testing and exam system in schools which very often smother creativity”, perhaps threatening the future of the interest in writing. However, he also extols the virtues of encouraging personal writing, explaining that “it's a good sign that an award such as Wicked Young Writers has been established to allow young people to write what they want to write and have an outlet for creativity.”
So, what are you waiting for? All you have to do is pick up a pen, or even get on your phone, in the case of Txt Lit. You might just have the opportunity to win some cash for yourself as well! And if writing doesn’t quite appeal, then just grab a book from the library, or go along to a trendy night in Shoreditch to enjoy a sneaky glass of wine (or four..) along with some exclusive readings. The worst that can happen is writers’ block or a disappointing ending – and it’s worth it.
However, e-books and ridiculously short stories aside, paper and ink books are rapidly increasing in popularity. In popular media, this is reflected in the Channel 4 programme, TV Book Club, which was first aired at the end of January. The premise of the show involves Gok Wan, along with other celebrities including Jo Brand, Dave Spikey, Nathaniel Parker and Laila Rouass, discussing and reviewing a different book each week. The term ‘celebrity’ may be a tad tenuous here, but nonetheless, with the debut episode reaching an impressive daytime peak average audience of around 350,000 viewers, this televised book club highlights a new popular interest in reading, and the beginning of a literary resurgence for this generation.
It’s not, however, simply the reading aspect of literature that has proved popular so far this year – creative writing is making a comeback. The importance of introducing creative and imaginative outlets early on can be seen in the launch of the Young Writers’ Award. Former Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo, with the support of the musical Wicked, is launching this contest as a re-embodiment of the WH Smith Young Writers’ Competition, which was discontinued twenty years ago. Clearly the relevance of creative writing is being placed in the foreground – and, if you need any more convincing, well-known previous winners of this contest include Helena Bonham Carter and Kate Beckinsale; clearly proof that it pays to be poetic.
If this seems a little too childish – to be fair, the competition is open to those as young as five – then there are more sophisticated literary trends also on the rise, providing a more adult approach to literature. The most successful of these appear to combine a social night out with a passion for reading – and a dash of alcohol for good measure, of course. An example of these modern literary endeavours is apparent in the book-reading nights that are held at Shoreditch House Literary Salon in east London – a place which claims that ‘not since the Marquis de Sade has reading been this sexy.’ Cocktails and Coleridge – sounds like the making of a great night to me. And, according to Facebook at least, over 1,500 people agree. The future of book clubs may lie in these ‘literary salons’ – showing that literature can evolve in a way that makes it both approachable and enjoyable, and not simply for an educational environment… Thank goodness.
On a smaller scale, or within our own campus, to be specific, the effects of this literary revival can clearly be seen. At York, the English department has introduced an annual anthology, The Looking Glass, and there is even a newly founded Creative Writing society. Combined with the increased interest on a national scale, this could mark the beginning of an entire literary revolution – or make reading and writing a little more popular, at least.
But why is creative writing making such a comeback? Former Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo believes that “it allows people to really say what they want to say and in a form that suits them. It's not a rigid rule that they need to follow or something they have to do to get to the next stage of their education. It's much freer and allows them to be themselves perhaps.” Michael also feels that not only is creative writing experiencing a revival, but creativity of all kinds may benefit from this new-found interest, saying that “most of us find our own creative outlet, that suits our feelings. Some will do it by writing, some by talking, some by dancing and painting. I think it's something about freedom to express.”
Yet can this resurgence be maintained? Michael believes that unfortunately “we are still hamstrung by the limitation of the testing and exam system in schools which very often smother creativity”, perhaps threatening the future of the interest in writing. However, he also extols the virtues of encouraging personal writing, explaining that “it's a good sign that an award such as Wicked Young Writers has been established to allow young people to write what they want to write and have an outlet for creativity.”
So, what are you waiting for? All you have to do is pick up a pen, or even get on your phone, in the case of Txt Lit. You might just have the opportunity to win some cash for yourself as well! And if writing doesn’t quite appeal, then just grab a book from the library, or go along to a trendy night in Shoreditch to enjoy a sneaky glass of wine (or four..) along with some exclusive readings. The worst that can happen is writers’ block or a disappointing ending – and it’s worth it.
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