Fame (1980)

To Live Forever

After reading a few pages of Richard Yates' celebrated novel A GOOD SCHOOL I tossed it onto the cushions of my bed, rebelliously thinking that if I wanted a disjunctive, multivalent account of four years of high school, the good times and the bad, I would rather be watching the DVD of FAME. Bruno Martelli, the hero, has a supportive father and uncle, a pair of colorful taxi drivers who cheer their boy's talent though they don't fully understand his drive to make music. And yet Bruno suffers from low self-esteem, thinking that he will never score with a girl, which seems sadly true, at least until his musical talent allows him to give Coco, his Puerto Rican muse, the sort of gift which a girl might really appreciate--a brace of pop tunes that might make people "remember her name."

Director Alan Parker struggles with his actors, especially with stolid Lee Curreri in the role of Bruno--he could really have used somebody mercurial or fiery, instead he wound up with a curly-haired pound cake. "Coco" has to do all the work, the impressive Irene Cara, good in both the tender moments and the hard ones, and very affecting in the scene in which she is tricked into taking off her clothes in front of the camera for a con man affecting a French accent and an acquaintance with the films of Jean-Luc "Goddard." The other young players are awfully good, though it is hard to believe that Godspell-like Barry Miller, as a would be standup comic with a Freddie Prinze obsession, is magnetic enough to attract both Doris (Maureen Teefy) and Montgomery McNeil (Paul McCrane), both of whom run quiet circles around the brash young Miller. FAME is sometimes decidedly hard-edged and nasty, which is all to its credit and reflects its appearance at the tail end of the 70s, while the New American Cinema could still get a movie like this made, and the hopeful ending does not feel unjustified--these boys and girls have already lived life hard, and maybe they'll make some use out of all the pain in their lives. Though as Montgomery warns, it's a pie in the face business and there are no guarantees.
June 19, 2008

Wonderful film of the 80s

Fame is a wonderful film by Alan Parker about the struggles that face a group of talented youngsters reaching for their dreams while attending the School of the Performing Arts. The audience may wonder at the end of the film who may actually may succeed but thankfully that is never touched upon.
I love the soundtrack and energy of the film. Each of the stars gets enough screen time without overwhelming the other. The only gripe I may have is the Montgomery McNeil character. You have to admit that it was rather peculiar that he was the only known gay student in a school of the arts. That would be like a lone lesbian in a women's basketball team; it just doesn't make sense. Still, I think we can forgive the producers for that.
I'm not sure if I can say that this film has aged well though. Some of the scenes, especially the dancing in the streets during the title song can be perceived as corny by today's standards. Some of my friends say this film, like Flashdance, is a guilty pleasure. Still, it's a great movie and I highly recommend it. May 19, 2008

The beginning of all dance movies.

This is a great movie to give your teenage daughter. She will love this "old" movie about artistic kids attending a School of Arts in New York. February 9, 2008

It Made Me Want to Come to New York and Jump on a Car

"I always wanted to be a dancer when I was younger, and 'Fame' was so inspiring. It made me want to come to New York and jump on a car. I even had a velour 'Fame' tracksuit with gold stitching. I had a 'Fame' bag too!" That's what Victoria Beckham, wife of world-famous British soccer star David Beckham, now playing for Los Angeles, recently said; and let's not forget she's world-famous herself as "Posh," of the 1990's British girl group sensation, "The Spice Girls." But "Fame" (1980), now nearly 30 years old, was such a box office smash, and is so infectious, that even those of us who lived in New York wanted to come here and jump on a car.

The musical-comedy-drama is set in one of New York's specialized music and arts high schools, of which there are a few, admission by audition only. It follows a group of youngsters from audition to graduation: the sweet, sheltered girl; the snooty rich beauty of a ballerina; the manipulative girl; the sensitive gay boy; the skinny, obnoxious Puerto Rican boy,(Barry Miller) who worships the late Freddie Prinze, and wants to be a comic, too; the near-homeless black boy who sure can dance; the ethnic working class boy who thinks he can get all Beethoven down on his synthesizers; the lovely Puerto Rican girl who can really sing(Irene Cara). Ann Meara, well-known, then as now, red-headed comic actress, wife of comic Jerry Stiller and mother of very funny Ben, plays an English teacher. Debbie Allen, talented dancer-choreographer, has a small part as a dance teacher. The Canadian-Chinese Meg Tilly, later an actress( "The Big Chill," "Agnes of God"), plays one of the principal student dancers, without a line of dialogue to her credit. Comic Richard Belzer plays himself, as master of ceremonies at a famous comedy club.

The film was, surprisingly, directed by the British Alan Parker, who'd just horrified us with the hard-to-take "Midnight Express." It was written by Christopher Gore, no relation to Michael Gore, who wrote the score. It's working title was "Hot Lunch," after its intoxicating early dance scene, but there was, just then, a porno film of the same name. That irresistible choreography was by Louis Falco: even "Hot Lunch;" you'd swear the kids were making it up as they went along, but director Parker says Falco got that effect by having the dancers all start a beat or two later than each other. The title song, and "I Sing the Body Electric" were also great dance achievements.

Barry Miller came from attracting notice in 1977's unforgettable "Saturday Night Fever." Irene Cara had been performing since childhood. She won an Oscar and Grammies for her work in "Fame," and went on to have a monster hit, that won an Oscar, a Grammy, and Golden Globes, for her "Flashdance" (1983) song, "What a Feeling." But you'd have to say that none of these kids really did achieve lasting fame: the best-known performers now were the best-known performers then: Meara and Belzer.

Embarassingly enough, until quite recently, I thought the score was by the Italian Giorgio Moroder, patron saint of the synthesizer, and disco: he actually penned Cara's Oscar-winning "Flashdance." But "Fame's" score is by Michael Gore, brother of the 1960's solo singing star Lesley Gore ("It's My Party"). Lesley and Michael co-authored the beautiful "Out Here on My Own," that Cara so touchingly delivers (though you should hear the adult Lesley do it). Both "Out Here on My Own," and the title song were nominated for Best Song Oscars; "Fame" won. But "Fame," movie and song, have to be considered all-around winners.

September 29, 2007

No one loves FAME like I love FAME

FAME is not only one of my favorite movies, it's also my sisters' favorite movie, so I've been lending it out!
And we dance along to it. One great work-out program!
I love it. September 22, 2007

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