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Fame (1980)

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80 comments in total

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13 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
The last of the 70's movies, 27 agosto 2002

Author: Tasos Tz. de London, England

'Fame' (1980) is brilliant. It's got all these qualities that made the late 70's movies so great. It is proud of its directness and not ashamed of being over the top.

What really matters here, is the journey, not the destination. Ignorant idiots with soap opera mentality, will never realize that 'Fame' is about the struggles, anxieties and triumphs of these young people, not about their careers.

Ironically enough, none of the very talented actors of 'Fame' made it in Hollywood. 'Fame' marked the end of an era. The end of artistic freedom and experimentation and the beginning of commercialization and political correctness. It's the last statement of a generation that had a voice of its own.

10/10

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14 out of 17 people found the following comment useful :-
Fame! I'm going to live forever. I'm going to learn how to fly., 3 julio 2000
Author: PinkBubbles de Ottawa, Canada

I LOVE this movie.

It is way too bad they don't make movies like this any more, and that teenagers are more amazed by a bunch of trashy movies with big name actors and big time special effects, but not big time plots and characters.

I'm 15 years old, a teenager in the "nothing 90's" (oh, so it's 2000 now, who gives a care?), and being a lover of musicals, 80's high school movies (The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, etc.) and those sort of things, I was recommended this by a "Fame fanatic", my aunt.

I knew after the audition scenes that this was a perfect movie for me. It follows the lives of tear-jerkingly believable characters of several different backgrounds. I laughed, I cried, and I bought the soundtrack. The acting is so excellent that the first time I saw it, I'd forgotten that these were not real living, flesh people, only actors.

There a some flaws, however. There are a few gaps in some of the characters, and the movie should have went on for another 30 minutes, although it was already about 2 hours and 30 minutes (which it didn't feel like). It is also outdated, and you sometimes can't help but laugh at how much it is.

If you've never seen this movie, and you are a fan of musicals, arts, and realistic teenage movies, run, don't walk, to a local video store.

Hopefully, Fame will truly live forever!

My rating: **** (out of 5 *'s)

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8 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Loved it, 3 enero 2005
Author: jlon de Dublin

Parker's best movie. DVD review.

Four years in the lives of talented students attending a performing arts school on 46th Street, New York.

Amazing, energetic, funny, lively, and memorable movie dealing with a group of performing pupils. That scene where everyone literally dances in the street has to one of the best scenes from the '80s. Picture has incredible editing where most of the early scenes are only a few seconds in duration. Highlights include the Rocky Horror scene, the student playing those awesome analogue synths (one was a Prophet 5?), the girl pretending to be OJ Simpson, the ballet dancers, and the spontaneous singing and dancing in the canteen (Cara has a great voice). Some of the drama and character plots seemed a bit forced (and dated) but nevertheless this is my favourite movie from director Parker.

Fame is a must-see movie from the early '80s.

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8 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Story about potential., 20 abril 2001
Author: Schlockmeister de Midnight MovieLand

This movie showcases a LOT of incredible talent. Fantastic performances throughout. The movie also is a great story about potential and how people use, abuse or ignore it in themselves. This is a story about students who look like they are all headed for fame and fortune. It shows the pitfalls along the way. We learn that talent is not enough. We also learn that many fall short and give up along the way. As an adult who was a teenager back when this movie first came out, it is a very bittersweet look at potential in us all and has us examine what we did with it in our lives, are we where we thought we would be? Yes, this movie is dated, it is over 20 years old, it HAS to be in some regard. But the story is timeless and will rank among classics of teenage movies and also always have a warm spot in the hearts of adults who grew up in the era. Highly recommended. Would make a great double feature with "Gold Diggers of 1933" just to show contrast and to see how Broadway has changed over the years.

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9 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
Brilliant movie, 2 marzo 2006

Author: adam-1009 de Poland

I truly hate musicals because music numbers just start out of the sudden and usually spoil scenes, but this one is completely different - it's simply brilliant. Plot perhaps isn't any challenge for the viewers, but the simplicity of people life stories makes this movie great.

I've seen it at least dozen times and still I'm not tired with the plot, characters or music (I just love the soundtrack - it's the only soundtrack that I've really wanted to have and most probably will remain the only one that I owe).

For me it's a must-seen kind of movie, great characters compiled with entertaining songs and a lot of things to think about after the movie end.

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6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Good. Could have been great., 10 enero 2007

Author: TOMASBBloodhound de Lincoln, NE USA

A recent survey of children in the UK re-enforced the notion put forth by this film 27 years ago. That being more than anything else, young people want to grow up to be somebody famous. It used to be doctors and firemen that kids wanted to be. Now, everyone wants to be famous. Fame is a story of a group of kids accepted into the High School for Performing Arts in New York City. We seen them first audition, then take classes and learn about life for the next four years. The film has a lot of fine qualities, but ultimately leaves you feeling a little unsatisfied.

Alan Parker's bold directorial style fits the story pretty well. The film has been classified as a musical, but more than anything it is a drama. Musical numbers and dance routines break out here and there, and Parker keeps them as close to realistic as they really could have been filmed. The acting is for the most part top-drawer with a few exceptions. The pacing is a little off, particularly toward the end of the film, but by that point, the story has already taken a few wrong turns anyway.

First off, the auditions at the beginning of the film should have weeded a couple of the principle characters out. It seems unlikely that anyone would show up and audition for one department, then stumble their way through admissions to another. Some of these people just don't look that talented or interested to begin with. Once the first year of classes gets going, the film settles into a nice groove. The interaction between students and teachers is very well handled, and it leaves you wanting more. The film begins to lose itself later on as we see more and more of the students' lives out of school. Some of these people just aren't worth caring about.

The film's biggest mistake is making the Ralph Garcy character so prominent. This guy is a boorish; self-centered jerk. A "professional a-hole" as he proudly declares on stage during his comedy routines. The audience is supposed to somehow feel for this guy and his tragic personal situation, but I was just hoping they'd throw his butt out of school. Irene Cara, Maureen Teefy, Paul McCrane and the late Gene Anthony Ray are the people you'll care about by the time this film is over. Try as I might, I still can't develop abs like Gene Anthony Ray had in this film.

Overall this film is good. It is memorable, interesting, and full of daring scenes and performances. It runs maybe a little too long, and perhaps some of the wrong characters get fully developed while others kind of hover in the background. The musical numbers are great, and there is even a surprise or two waiting to be discovered by the time the film is over. Though not perfect, Fame will be a film that lives on in one way or another for many years to come.

7 of 10 stars.

The Hound.

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6 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Seeking a Spot in the Show Business, 9 marzo 2008

Author: Claudio Carvalho de Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In New York, a group of freshmen join the High School for the Performing Arts after being well succeeded in their audition. For four years, their dreams, deceptions, success, love and personal dramas are disclosed though the insecure Doris Finsecker (Maureen Teefy), the homosexual Montgomery (Payl McCrane), the aggressive Leroy (Gene Anthony Ray), the hopeful Coco (Irene Cara), the ambitious Ralph Garci (Barry Miller) and their friends until their graduation day.

Twenty-eight years ago, "Fame" was a great success, with the story of teenagers seeking a spot in the show business, and I loved this movie and the soundtrack on CD. I have just watched "Fame" on DVD, and presently I would say that it is a good movie with a great potential only, but with too many flawed subplots. The story follows too many characters and leaves many situations without answer. I do not know whether Alan Parker had edition problems to reduce the running time of this movie, but what happened, for example, with the ballerina that goes to a clinic for abortion? What happened with Leroy and his teacher, did he fail due to his grammar problem? What happened with Coco after undressing her blouse in the apartment of that crook? The musician that plays synthesizer and his proud father are left behind in the subplot. Anyway, "Fame" is still a delightful entertainment and a cult-movie for me. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Fama" ("Fame")

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8 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
Can you believe this movie was made over 20 years ago? It still hasn't lost its punch 20 years later., 6 marzo 2003
Author: raysond de Chapel Hill,North Carolina

Its amazing after 20 years this movie still hasn't lost none of its punch and its too bad that they don't make movies like this anymore. I remember when this movie came out. I was 14 years old and I thought it was going to be another one of those idiotic teen comedies and so forth. Boy, was I dead wrong. This movie had a lot to go for it especially during a decade where a lot of high school movies of the 80's consisted of "The Breakfast Club", "Sixteen Candles","Pretty In Pink","Fast Times At Ridgemont High", "The Last American Virgin" and so forth. Fame consisted of eight talented teenagers all hotly pursing their dreams at the prestigious New York's High School Of The Performing Arts. Its a stunning combination of drama and pathos,but in the same level it's an explosion of pulsating song and electrifying dance numbers that made this one of the most memorable movie musicals of the 1980's. Director Alan Parker(of Midnight Express,Mississippi Burning,and others)brings to the screen a profusion of fresh young talent in front of the camera and behind it(like choreographer Louis Falco and composer Micheal Gore who won Oscars for the film's dynamic score and the title song he co-wrote with lyricist Dean Pitchford). The action here is very intense as it spills all over the Big Apple from the shadows of 42nd Street to the bright lights of the great white way and not to mention the sequences around Times Square. As for the characters who were then unknowns at the time it was a stark reality check as it follows the lives of several individuals from different backgrounds. Some of them made it while the others were just getting by and the rest knew the getting their fame would cost them the ultimate price. However,there are some gaps in some of the characters but after seeing it again it makes you wonder after 20 years that this film still has the emotional pull and from there it never lets go. The soundtrack to this movie is still great even after 20 years later. If you have never seen this movie brace yourself for some roof raising pleasure cause from the beginning its one helluva ride. Make sure that you get the director's version which contains additional scenes that were cut from the original print. NOTE: "Fame" also brought some unknown talent like choreographer/dancer Gene Anthony Ray,and also singer/ songwriter Irene Cara(who would got on to become one of the biggest R&B/Pop singers of the decade--the Mariah Carey of her generation)and also two years later would become a subsequent TV series that would showcased the talents of Ray and other original cast members including Debbie Allen(which ran for five seasons ending its run in 1986). As for movie itself,its worth seeing.

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11 out of 19 people found the following comment useful :-
GREAT songs but has serious problems in drama, 6 abril 2005

Author: Wayne Malin (wwaayynnee51@hotmail.com) de United States

Film follows a bunch of students in the NYC High School of the Performing Arts. There's Coco (Irene Cara) a black singer who WILL make it to the top despite everything. She's helped by Bruno (Lee Curren) a white musician. Then there's Doris (Maureen Teefy) who wants to be an actress--but she's shy and scared. She becomes friends with Motgomery (Paul McCrane)--purportedly the only gay student in the school and is romanced by Raul (Barry Miller). Then there's Leroy (Gene Anthony Ray--who sadly died in 2003) who's homeless and a great dancer--but can't read. Then there's various teachers (Albert Hague, Anne Meara stand out) trying to teach the kids.

The songs are GREAT (the title tune and "Out Here On My Own" were nominated for Best Song--"Fame" won), the dances are energetic and the young cast shows plenty of ambition and talent. BUT this film misses the boat in the drama department. Many plot lines are brought up and completely left open-ended by the end of the movie. Why did Coco do a porno? Did Doris and Raul remain together afterwords? Did either make it? How about Montgomery--what happened to him? And did Leroy ever graduate--and how? There are too many long speeches (Raul has two) and moments that just lead to nothing. I'm assuming there were cuts in the script--I can't believe the movie just left all this open.

Still, it's worth seeing for the acting and, again, the music. There's basically not one bad song and the dances go full force (and at one point stop traffic--literally!). My favorites are "Fame", "Out Here..." and "I Sing the Body Electric" which is a great closing song. So I recommend it but can only give it a 7--the script really needed to tie up loose ends--and it didn't.

Trivia: They wanted to shot this film at the actual School for Performing Arts but couldn't get permission. The dean of the school read the script and said there was way too much swearing in the film. That is true--there is a LOT of foul language but that's how high school kids talk. Avoid the TV version which abysmally overdubs it.

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
not really good, 28 abril 2007

Author: thetoweriscloser de United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

There were very few good moments in this film. Only a couple of characters were fleshed out and not that well. There were plot holes big enough to drive a truck through. The pace creep-ed along like an old man. There were many moments that the film never came back to like Coco stripping. What happened to her? How about Garci's sister? Is she better now? What about Leroy? We learned absolutely nothing about him. What about the electronic piano guy? How about the rich girl that got an abortion? What happened to her? That was an interesting subplot.

Overall this is not a good movie and I recommend another musical that was in this film. LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN!!!!!!!

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