Which songs from 'High School Musical 3: Senior Year' will Oscars voters prefer?
There are so many strong songs in "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" that Disney doesn't know which ones to trumpet in their Oscar campaign for best song. Remember, the rules are different this year. While the Mouse House was able to score three nominations last year for tunes from "Enchanted," the most bids any one film can reap now is two. Theoretically, to keep things simple, the studio should inform voters which two songs those should be, but the best it can do is narrow the choices down to four.
These four songs are being officially campaigned for "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" — "Can I Have This Dance?" (written by Adam Anders and Nikki Hassman, sung by Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens), "I Want It All" (written by Matthew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil, sung by Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel), "A Night to Remember" (written by Matthew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil, sung by film cast) and "Scream" (written by Jamie Houston, sung by Zac Efron).
When I asked our message-board posters which song has the best shot to be nominated and win, I got a lot of cynical replies from snarky non-fans of the "High School Musical" franchise who harrumphed, "None!" Ah, well, others were more helpful.
Kams says, "My favorite song is 'I Want It All,' but, since I have seen the movie, I have the feeling that 'Can I Have This Dance?' will be nominated."
Dr. McPhearson agrees, adding, "'I Want It All' would be the easiest choice were I an Oscar voter: it references show-biz, paparazzi, and even makes a mention of Oscar (when Grabeel says, 'And the Oscar goes to...'). It is most likely going to be the nominated one, if any."
What do you think?
Photo: Disney
I think Can I have this dance is the best..I love it..PLUSSS Zac and Vanessa would have to perform it right?? Cuz in the last oscar all the nominated songs were performed. Think of the Zanessa moment that would be!!!
Posted by: Chrys | November 24, 2008 at 08:00 PM
Can I have this Dance?
is the best song of every movie HSM3
Posted by: Mery | November 24, 2008 at 02:59 PM
i think can i have this dance. scream is probably second. i would have liked walk away - i love that song.
Posted by: Emma | November 24, 2008 at 04:21 AM
The problem is, there's too many cynics over on the board who can't see anyone but Gabriel or Springsteen winning, when in fact Oscar has NEVER been a big fan of rock. They love to diss the prospects of HSM3, Miley Cyrus AND Beyoncé, all of whom IMO have better chances than The Boss (who already has one of the few Oscars ever awarded to rockers); it's a wonder they didn't do the same to the Mariah Carey/Willie Nelson collab, or Jennifer Hudson's SATC song co-written by Cee-Lo. (Gabriel will be nommed, but IMO is a long shot to win.)
That said, the problem is even one HSM3 song, plus Gabriel & Miley, will mean too many Disney songs. (Disney doesn't hoard this category like it used to.) With Gabriel probably safe for a nom, either HSM3 or Miley must go; with HSM3 split among so many songs, it may have a hard time beating Miley for the non-Pixar Disney slot. (Yes, I know the board may hate a Miley nom even more than an HSM3 nom, but then they're not the Academy.)
Posted by: RBBrittain | November 23, 2008 at 07:58 PM
I Want it All is horrendous on it's own as a song instead of as a scene. I Want it All fit the characters and it fit the movie with its flashiness and obnoxiousness. It is too amateur to be considered for an Oscar. Also on just a purely vocal level, Lucas's(while also being talented) voice is amazing, Ashley Tisdale's voice however is nonexistent. The girl cannot sing at all and for an Oscar to be mentioned that is in anyway connected to her would be a travesty. Also yes it had the subject matter "of showbiz & oscar" but it is entirely self indulgent and is done in a way to glorify childish selfishness.
Can I Have This Dance is a sweet & simple song. It had the waltz going for it and much more of an older appeal. If any of the songs has a chance, I rather it be this one.
Posted by: opinion | November 23, 2008 at 02:03 PM
Thanks for the mention, Tom.
I still think that these songs push too hard. "Can I Have This Dance" TRIES to be a love ballad, and ends up sounding studio-sugared and phony. "Scream" is the kind of I-have-to-find-myself angst crap that pollutes RadioDisney's soundwaves time and again. "A Night to Remember" seems like it would be a better Oscar theme song than Oscar nominee; changing the context from prom to the Oscars ceremony would be clever.
I think "I Want it All" will be the nominee simply because of its subject matter.
But with Peter Gabriel and Bruce Springsteen sure to be nominated as well, I don't see Disney pulling out with their HSM3 chances. If anything, Disney will take home an Oscar for Wall*E's "Down to Earth."
Posted by: Dr. McPhearson | November 22, 2008 at 02:14 PM
Question! There is that two song from a film rule (which really hurst HSM this year but w/e) but there is also the rule where at least X number of songs need to score above some number. What if all four HSM songs score over that and only a couple more do too. As in the only way they could have five nominees is if they give HSM 3 nominations. If not they'll only have three nominees even though enough songs scored high enough.
did that make sense?
Posted by: AJ | November 22, 2008 at 08:33 AM
Yes Ryan, I agree completely.
Posted by: AJ | November 22, 2008 at 08:22 AM
I like "Can I Have This Dance" and "I Want It All." The first is very sweet and quite well done. While the second would be AWESOME to see performed on Oscar night.
I don't mind "A Night to Remember." Very catchy and if nominated then the WHOLE CAST can perform. I hope "Scream" is NOT nominated. I would've replaced it with the final song which was the title song "High School Musical."
Posted by: Ryan | November 22, 2008 at 05:49 AM
I think I Want It All is more commericially viable but I was touched by Can I Have This Dance and it was sweetly reminiscent of a Fred and Ginger number. Quite lovely.
Posted by: marcia | November 21, 2008 at 11:13 PM
Well, i belive, that "I Want It All" has the best chances, but "A Night To Remember" is a little better, in my humble opinion.
Posted by: Sir D. | November 21, 2008 at 10:01 PM
The moment "Can I have this Dance" ended in the theater I predicted it as a nominee. Not only is self contained, it is well written, well sung, and your typical Oscar ballad.
"I Want it All" does have the showiness to it which definetely helps. I can imagine it being fun to watch during the stage performence (see "Blame Canada, Under the Sea, How Does She Know?")
I don't think either has a chance to win both nominations are definitely possible and people need to stop counting it out cause of its genre.
It is still from Disney, the biggest hoarders of the Best Song category...
Posted by: matt | November 21, 2008 at 05:05 PM
I Want it All and Can I Have This Dance are both self-contained so that's a major plus (assuming the branch still sit down and watch all the scenes randomly still-or ever maybe I made that up). A Night to Remember is also self contained but a little confusing because it's not the actual prom, it's the fake prom in the play so it's all staged. Scream would be confusing, but it does have some good images. Efron sings "whole worlds upside down" as the whole world actually turns upside down and so on.
Posted by: AJ | November 21, 2008 at 01:12 PM