Back in 2013, a movie hit cinema screens that took me by surprise. By the logline, Pitch Perfect would be the last thing you’d expect me to enjoy — it’s a girl-power fueled musical, filled with A Capella numbers and a classic romantic ending. Yet the original Pitch Perfect is also dense with satire. It was clearly a response to the popularity of hyper-cheerful teen musicals like FOX’s Glee. The film shined a light on A Capella culture, both what makes it great and its grating earnestness. The closing musical number still gets decent rotation in my Spotify cue.
Yet as the marketing cycle for Pitch Perfect 2 reached a fever pitch this week, I found myself disconnected. The first film’s marketing almost seemed embarrassed of its identity. Early trailers pitched the film on its comedic strengths, hiding the various musical numbers. But for 2, the melodic action is front and center. Rather than the outsider to this subculture, Beca (Anna Kendrick) now leads the pack. Cameos from famous A Capella groups are touted. An entire co-branded marketing campaign cast a new generation of Bellas to sing the praises of women’s razors, set to rewritten pop hits. In the aftermath of success, Pitch Perfect has become what it set out to mock. Which ironically enough, has happened before.
Back in 2009, a TV show hit FOX that took me by surprise. Written by Ryan Murphy (of Nip/Tuck, and who would go on to create American Horror Story), it was a refreshing dark comedy on the high school experience. While it may be hard to remember, Glee started as a rather pessimistic show. It was a counterpoint to the hyper-cheery nature of Disney’s High School Musical franchise, and a culture addicted to nostalgia for the mythical high school experience.
Yet then something awful happened — success. The Glee soundtracks shot up the iTunes charts. The show was a ratings smash with youth demographics. As a result, the tone started to warp. Rather than showing an outsider’s perspective, the show became insular. Characters who expressed doubt, or criticism over A Capella culture became staunch advocates. After a world tour and 3D concert movie, the point became pretty clear — the show wasn’t for adults with cynical nostalgia anymore. It was for high school students, to engage with the issues of today, and be sold the latest iTunes single.
It’s a trend that haunts over success, the idea of “selling out.” Just like your favorite musical act started to phone it in when the checks started cashing, satire has a hard time staying biting when it’s not the underdog. The genre is best when it’s the voice of an underrepresented or repressed community. So when capitalism steps in, and declares that voice the new standard, it becomes difficult to remain cynical. Just as stand-up comedians are at their funniest when they’re down in the dumps, and rock stars at their brightest when poor and loaded with drugs, A Capella musicals have to be hated to be lovable.
Follow Chris Berg on Twitter, @Mushroomer25