Musing on Starlight...
Feb. 9th, 2007 08:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bookzombie...Express that is.
See, I was listening to the soundtrack of Starlight Express in the car earlier in the week, the first time I had listened to the show for probably 12/13 years.
My opinion on it hasn't really changed in that time: some good tunes but still a very silly show that I find difficult to suspend my disbelief for. I did actually see the show back when I was a student, rumpty-tum years ago, and despite all the spectacle I found it rather dull.
But my epiphany this time around is that Starlight Express is actually an American High School Romance. Yes, I know this might be blatantly obvious to everyone else in the world, but last time I listened to it I wasn't familiar with the genre.
The story goes like this: The big train race (sporting event) is coming up. The diesel train (chief jock) is favourite and has all the passenger carriages (cheerleaders) fawning over him. No hoper steam train (loser) wants to win and loves the new carriage (head cheerleader). New electric train also arrives to race (new rich kid from out of town). There is the old steam train father-figure (the old-style sporting guy who had to retire after injury) and the apparently nice caboose, really helping the bad guys (weasily secondary villain). There is the none-too-bright freight truck who helps our hero finally win the big race (geek). The guy gets the girl, the flashy new boy leaves town and there is some redemption for the chief jock. Oh yes, and there's lots of guff about 'believing in yourself'.
It's so obvious I can't believe I didn't spot it before!
See, I was listening to the soundtrack of Starlight Express in the car earlier in the week, the first time I had listened to the show for probably 12/13 years.
My opinion on it hasn't really changed in that time: some good tunes but still a very silly show that I find difficult to suspend my disbelief for. I did actually see the show back when I was a student, rumpty-tum years ago, and despite all the spectacle I found it rather dull.
But my epiphany this time around is that Starlight Express is actually an American High School Romance. Yes, I know this might be blatantly obvious to everyone else in the world, but last time I listened to it I wasn't familiar with the genre.
The story goes like this: The big train race (sporting event) is coming up. The diesel train (chief jock) is favourite and has all the passenger carriages (cheerleaders) fawning over him. No hoper steam train (loser) wants to win and loves the new carriage (head cheerleader). New electric train also arrives to race (new rich kid from out of town). There is the old steam train father-figure (the old-style sporting guy who had to retire after injury) and the apparently nice caboose, really helping the bad guys (weasily secondary villain). There is the none-too-bright freight truck who helps our hero finally win the big race (geek). The guy gets the girl, the flashy new boy leaves town and there is some redemption for the chief jock. Oh yes, and there's lots of guff about 'believing in yourself'.
It's so obvious I can't believe I didn't spot it before!
