FAME
US, 2009, 107 minutes, Colour.
Naturi Naughton, Kay Panabaker, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, Kelsey Grammer, Megan Mullally, Bebe Neuwirth, Charles S. Dutton, Kherington Payne, Debbie Allen, Walter Perez, Paul Mc Gill, Paul Iacono, Asher Book, Collins Pennie.
Directed by Kevin Tancharoen.
For many older audiences, Alan Parker's 1980's Fame has a hallowed place in their memories. It was a film of great exuberance, colourful, and an encouragement for young people, no matter what their background and previous opportunities in life, to discover, recognise and develop their particular gift and talent. A school for the performing arts with skilful teachers showed what was possible. The score and the title song won Oscars. A remake?
The director, Kevin Tancharoen, was born several years after the release of Fame and the television series that followed. So, a Fame for a new generation. The word used for this kind of re-make is 're-invention'. Tanacheon has credentials: directing a worldwide tour for Brittney Spears when he was only 19 and work with Madonna and Jennifer Lopez. He directed Fame, his first film, at 24.
This new fame is certainly exuberant in much the way of the original, though it does not have quite the verve of the Hot Lunch scene – this time it is a lively cafeteria music jamming which could have gone on a bit longer – and there is no dancing in the streets. That said, this time there is plenty of variety in the auditions and, using the same structure as earlier, the auditions and the four years of the course to graduation, plenty of zest. Fame is sung over the final credits and Naturi Naughton has a show-stopping sequence singing 'Out there on my own'.
This version has some reliable older actors as the teachers, including Charles S. Dutton, Bebe Neuwirth, Kelsey Grammar and Megan Mullaly. New talent is called upon for the students.
There seem to be less urgent personal problems this time with only a few glimpses of parents. The personal relationships are very much presented in a PG way which means that there is less dramatic tension than before.
However, each generation has to go through its own version of problems and do the same old learning in their new way, with disappointments, triumphs, hurts and recovery. And this is what this Fame shows.
Fame is a morale-boosting film, encouraging people not to give up – and creates a more realistic picture of hard work and discipline over years instead of instant celebrity by catching something on one' s mobile phone and putting it on YouTube? and imagining that one is gifted and famous.
1.The popularity of the original? Its impact in its time? The 70s to the 80s? Talent, creativity, the arts? The Oscars for the music and songs?
2.A 20th century revisioning, the same themes? The contrast with instant celebrity with YouTube…? The call for discipline and hard work? The range of the arts? The styles of teaching?
3.The musical score, the use of Fame and Out There On My Own? The Cafeteria Song, The Club, the hip-hop style, the gospel choirs, the lyrics?
4.The plot: the structure and the auditions, the four years, the development of the students over those years? In depth, slight? The students and their talents, stories, parents? This version’s lesser emphasis on characters and stories?
5.The school, the performing arts, the range of studies, seeing the classes, dance, playing instruments, dancing, ballet, performance, acting? The range of auditions? The grades, standards?
6.The staff and their abilities: the principal, her welcoming speech, her hard demands, Joy leaving because of poor grades; Mr Cranston, love for music, affirming the students, inviting Denise to play for Chicago, at the club; Lyn Kraft and ballet, her being tough on Kevin, praising those who were talented, the interview with Kevin and failing him, suggesting he be a teacher; Mr Dowd, his enthusiasm, drama, interactions with Malik, Jenny, wanting the students to express their real feelings; Fran Rowan, singing, Jenny as a poor singer, Marco singing Someone To Watch Over Me? Her own song at the club and the aftermath? Her explanation of her life story, auditions, teaching?
7.The students, the introduction to each, their arrival, waiting for the auditions, the cross-cutting of the variety of auditions? Types, class, race, talent?
8.Jenny, her strict family, her nervousness at the audition, her wanting to act, her poor singing, friendship with Marco, doing her homework, Marco inviting her to dinner, her acceptance and enjoying it? The encounter with Andy Matthews, the party, Marco being upset, warning her? Her going to the soap opera filming location, in the caravan, Andy and the rehearsal, the attempted seduction, her disgust? The alienation from Marco? The strength of her apology?
9.Marco, singing, at his parents’ restaurant, courting Jenny, inviting her to the meal, warning her about Andy Matthews, seeing her at the party, the reconciliation, discovering that she had gone to the location, his being hurt?
10.Denise, her parents, the father wanting her to play classical music, her skill at performance, singing Out There On My Own, Malik hearing her, the invitation to sing, her hesitation, with Victor and Malik, the demonstration, going to the office, the upset and not being accepted – but the invitation for her, her walking out? Achievement and final song, her mother taking control and stopping her father from criticising her?
11.Malik, wanting to do drama, his own angers, his mother and her not wanting him to be there, the clash with her, the walkout from Mr Dowd?, the invitation to explain his feelings about his sister’s death, his father walking out – and the later expression of that, especially in the lyrics of the songs? Producing with Victor, the invitation to Denise? The disappointment with the record company? His working behind the scenes at the school for the performance?
12.Victor, skill at instruments, producing, upset with the record company, his attraction towards Alice, her parents critical, Alice leaving, playing Denise’s song at the party?
13.Alice, wealthy background, her parents wanting her to perform, the attraction to Victor, hopes, getting the job and leaving the school and Victor?
14.Joy, vibrant, getting the job on Sesame Street, poor grades, leaving?
15.Kevin, from Iowa, his sexual orientation, the criticisms by Lyn Kraft, her strongly telling him that he would not have a career as a dancer, in the subway, contemplating suicide, rescued by the students? His determination to go back to Iowa and be a teacher?
16.Neil, wanting to be a director, filming people, jokes? Going to the company, the sponsor, raising the money from his father, going back to find that it was a scam?
17.Andy Matthews, leaving the school, getting the job in the soap opera, self-confidence, seductive, his treatment of Jenny and her spurning him?
18.The effect of the set pieces, the cafeteria, the club, the Halloween party, the finale?
19.The film as an encouragement for people to recognise their talents, to work hard, to achieve? A morale-boosting message film in an age of easy and instant celebrity?
