FAME

US, 1980, 133 minutes, Colour.
Irene Cara, Barry Miller, Lee Curreri, Paul Mc Crane, Gene Anthony Ray.
Directed by Alan Parker.

Fame is one of the earliest films by Alan Parker, coming after Bugsy Malone and Midnight Express. Parker was to become a distinguished director of the '80s and '90s with such films as Shoot the Moon, Pink Floyd the Wall, Birdie, Mississippi Burning, Come See the Paradise, The Commitments.

This is an exuberant film, a picture of a school for the dramatic arts in New York in 1980. The film takes us through four years of the students' training from the auditions to their graduation. The film focuses on a group of the students, played very well by a group of actors who, in fact, while often on stage and screen, did not seem to fulfil the hopes shown in Fame: Barry Miller as Ralph, Maureen Tefey as Doris, Paul McCrane? as Montgomery, Lee Curreri as Bruno and even Irene Cara as Coco. The film also focuses on the academic staff and their training of the students.

The stories are skilfully interwoven, keeping a sense of excitement and variety as we watch the changes and the growth - and the crises of living in New York City.

The film won Oscars for its musical score by Michael Gore and for best song, "Out There On My Own". (The film led to a television series during the '80s.)

1.The lively impact of the film? Its success, awards?

2.The work of Alan Parker, his skills, career? Interest in music and musical groups (Bugsy Malone, Pink Floyd the Wall, The Commitments)?

3.The authenticity of the New York locations, the school, the streets, homes, apartments, clubs, subway stations? The authentic atmosphere - especially for the hot lunch collage, the street-singing of "Fame"?

4.The musical score, Oscar winner? Incorporation of the songs into the plot, the mood and the exuberance? The auditions, the hot lunch collage, fame, Irene Cara singing "Out There On My Own"? The climax of "I Sing the Body Electric"?

5.The structure of the four years: the auditions, freshman year, sophomore year, junior year, final year? Watching the change and growth of the central characters? The behaviour of their teachers? The achievement?

6.The title and hopes, yearnings? Fame in fact or not? The applications, the strict auditions and selection, the hard work, the opportunities and lack of opportunities - and Michael being the star student and yet finishing up as a waiter?

7.The impact of the auditions: the editing and range, the introduction to the school, administration? The fears of the students, awkwardness? Music, instruments, song, dance, acting? Excerpts from drama and students revealing themselves? The staff: the English teacher and her strictness, the old man and his musical training, the black drama coach, the dance teacher? Registration? Doris and her mother - and her intrusions? Raoul and his wanting to be Ralph and his dance stomp? Bruno and his playing? Coco and her singing? Leroy as the partner and yet overtaking his partner's audition, her failing and his being accepted? The classical dances? Montgomery and his acting? The joy of being accepted - especially Doris's mother?

8.The academic year, academic classes, English classes and writing and reading? The proportion of subjects to the arts classes? Work, the attitudes of the students at the beginning, their interactions, Doris's admiration of Michael? The changes in the succeeding years, getting older, growing up, love/hate? Friendships, achievement?

9.Doris and her background, her pushy mother, taking photos, participating in the audition, "The Way We Were"? Her sympathy towards Montgomery, their acting and practising together, the discovery about his homosexuality and her reaction? Her fascination with Ralph, his performances, his cross-dressing for the play and accusing her of being a fag-hag? Her love for him, the night with him? Wanting to change her name and her mother's reaction? Her adulation of Michael - and the disillusionment of his being a waiter? Ralph and his performance and her disappointment? Her wanting to grow up, not necessarily have a personality of her own, but to act?

10.Ralph and his Puerto Rican background, not wanting his own name of Raoul Garcia? His audition and the stomping, cheekiness? His admiration for Freddie Prinz, the long monologue and his grief about Prinz's suicide? Brash, acting? Feeling the experience, rehearsing with Doris and Montgomery? His attack on Montgomery? His little sisters, his story about them, the molestation and his going to the church, his angers against the priest and God? The difficulty at home, religion? His mother and the various fathers? His wanting to perform, his success at stand-up comedy? His reactions, the failure and not going with his audience, Montgomery's consoling him - and his ability to accept Montgomery's concern and felt affection?

11.Montgomery, his actress mother, his story about going to psychiatrists? His loneliness, wealth? Acting, friendship with Doris? His story about his homosexuality and accepting it, his adjustment? Singing by himself? His affection for Doris and for Ralph - and leaving them alone? His going to Ralph's performance, sympathising with him, the ability to show affection and touch him? His singing in the finale?

12.Bruno and his music, his taxi-driving father, proud of his son, playing it and the Fame episode on the street? His friendship with Coco, singing together, the music? His achievement - even to blacking out the whole school with his synthesiser?

13.Coco, her singing, friendship with Bruno, performance together, exuberant? Singing "Out There On My Own"? Meeting the photographer, accepting his invitation, going to the studio, the posing for the film - and her reaction?

14.Leroy, black attitudes, spoilt? His partner's audition and her anger? His antagonism towards the English teacher, listening with his headphones, not wanting to read? His inability to read, improving it? His angers and smashing the property in the corridor? His friends, the reaction against them, throwing the garbage in their car? Learning to read, his achievement? Wanting the teacher to give him a reference and his insensitivity when her husband was sick? His change of heart, learning something - and the prospects of his going to the dance company?

15.Lisa, her lack of talent, being accepted, talking with Hilary, not doing things properly, hypochondriac? The dance teacher telling her straight about her lack of ability? The drama of her throwing herself under the subway train - and deciding to go to drama?

16.Hilary, her wealthy background, antagonism towards her parents, her skills at dancing, her constant practice, the relationship with Leroy, taking him home, her pregnancy? Her breakdown and her talking in the hospital foyer?

17.The portrait of the teachers: the old man and his music training, the accompanist? The dance teacher and her strenuous routine? The pianist and her accompanying the dancing - and hardly flapped by Leroy's sensual performance? The black drama coach and his intense relationship with his students, getting them to use every experience? The English teacher, her strictness, the episode with her husband in the hospital?

18.The finale and the exuberance, everybody gathered together, reconciliations, singing "The Body Electric"?

19.The overall impact, arts and artistry, education, talent, opportunity? Optimism?