Fame
1980
In Alan Parker's FAME, teenagers selected for New York City's High School for the Performing Arts push their talents to the limit to make it big in show business. This episodic tale follows savvy Coco (Irene Cara), timid Doris (Maureen Teefy), gay Montgomery (Paul McCrane), macho Raul (Barry Miller), soulful Bruno (Lee Curreri),.. Read more
| Starring | Eddie Barth, Irene Cara, Lee Curreri, Richard Belzer |
|---|---|
| Director | Alan Parker |
| Genres | Gay/Lesbian, Music/Musical |
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Fame
In Alan Parker's FAME, teenagers selected for New York City's High School for the Performing Arts push their talents to the limit to make it big in show business. This episodic tale follows savvy Coco (Irene Cara), timid Doris (Maureen Teefy), gay Montgomery (Paul McCrane), macho Raul (Barry Miller), soulful Bruno (Lee Curreri), and others as they struggle to achieve their dreams of stardom while coping with the universal teenage problems of loneliness, insecurity, and embattled, mercurial identity.
Cara, electric as the budding songstress Coco, shines brightest in the infectiously exuberant young cast. The film, which won Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song, overflows at each corner of its loosely unfolding narrative with inspired music and dance numbers that seem to burst forth spontaneously out of sheer irrepressible emotion. With FAME (later developed into a hit television series), Parker finds a happy medium between the wildly diverging tones of his previous two features, the goofy kids-as-gangsters musical BUGSY MALONE and the harrowing prison thriller MIDNIGHT EXPRESS, and in doing so creates an enjoyable, glittering portrait of guileless teenage ambition.
| Starring | Eddie Barth, Irene Cara, Lee Curreri, Richard Belzer, Barry Miller, Meg Tilly, Billy Hufsey, Paul McCrane, Maureen Teefy |
|---|---|
| Director | Alan Parker |
| Studio | WARNER HOME VIDEO |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 8 mins Blu-ray: 2 hrs 8 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Collections | 100 Eighties Greats |
| Genres | Gay/Lesbian, Music/Musical |
| Language | DVD: English Blu-ray: English |
| Released | DVD: 22 Sep 2003 Blu-ray: 28 Sep 2009 Production year: 1980 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (5)
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This musical drama from director Alan Parker is not as much fun as Bugsy Malone and the songs aren't a patch on those in The Commitments. It is, nevertheless, a thoroughly entertaining look at life in New York's High School for the Performing Arts (and, more to the point, it's miles better than the TV series that followed). Interestingly enough, none of the cast playing in a film about making it big has gone on to become a movie star.
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Cleverly shot and edited slice of life which unfortunately features people whose language and personalities are fairly repellent. The result is like A Chorus Line without the music.
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Most helpful member's review
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15 out of 27 people found this review helpful
I'm gonna learn how to fly!
Where else could you leave school at lunchtime in dance gear and stop the traffic on 42nd Street so that you could perform impromptu dance routines on top of New York taxis? I so wanted to be in Fame! But sadly having no discernable talent, I instead became a GP. Ah well, a girl can still dream and I have the legwarmers to prove it. A classic 80's film, if you cannot identify with any of the above then please at least watch it so that you can laugh at the 80's 'fashion' (and not to mention Dr Ramano off ER when he had hair, a ginger afro no less).
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Most recent members' review
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Too much hype!
This was sadly hyped up by people that know me, who know what type of films i like, I sat down to watch fame after wanting to watch it for probably 4 years and just thought eh?, i just really didn't get it. There really isn't much point to the whole thing and hardly any dancing and singing at all. Maybe it's just me expecting too much but i was thinking ok this is 'fame' the energetic stage show, great musical film etc. Erm no, and the language? Jesus how did it become a PG?, i didn't mind but parents, there is alot of swearing in this film. The worst bit was the actual 'fame' song, whataloadarubbish!
Sorry to all you fame lovers, just didn't like it. -
News and features
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Cast of Fame unveiled
- 10 Oct 2008
The cast for the forthcoming remake of classic film Fame is growing, with new names released. According to Hollywood Reporter, MGM has announced nine names confirmed for the film including Kristy Flores, Paul Iacono, Naturi Naughton, Kay Panabaker, Collins Pennie, Walter Perez and Anna Maria Perez de Tagle. It is rumoured that Thomas Dekker, from TV series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, is in negotiations to take the lead male role in the $25 million (£14.7 million) production.... Read more
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In Alan Parker's FAME, teenagers selected for New York City's High School for the Performing Arts push their talents to the limit to make it big in show business. This episodic tale follows savvy ... -
