Stylemum / 13 April 2013 / Categories: Movie and TV Shows, Movie

FAME (1980)

Its screenplay is by Christopher Gore, its choreography by Louis Falco and musical score by Michael Gore.

The film follows a group of students through their studies at the New York High School of Performing Arts (which later merged with the High School of Music & Art to become the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts). The film is split into sections corresponding to auditions, freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years. The film ranked number 42 on Entertainment Weekly's 2006 list of the "50 Best High School Movies"

GENIUS FROM ALAN PARKER

When you here the first 8 counts of What a Feeling in Flashdance, Irene Cara (who plays Coco in Fame) starts to sing and Jennifer Beal begins to dance, (even if it was a stunt double for much of the routine) it is one of my all-time movie magic moments. It is scene that was duplicated in power and feel in the White Lodge Royal Ballet audition scene in Billy Elliot, another brick in throat moment.

That said if you have or ever have had the performance bug and have never seen Alan Parker's 80’s masterpiece Fame you are missing out. This movie is about as classic as Animal House, The Shining and The Blues Brothers for generation Xers, sixties baby boomers and it doesn’t matter how old I get, every time I pop it on there is something so amazing about it.

It’s the story of a whole bunch of theatre majors, dancers and musicians going through the gruelling audition process of securing a place at a top performance arts school in NYC. Think Julliard. State funded, so getting in provides an opportunity kids from the street would never otherwise get. If you are a parent or baby sitter looking for something bearable to watch with 7-12 year olds this is an unforgettably good option.

The characters, Doris, Leroy, Coco, Bruno, Laura are lasting and their coming of age is poignant and real as they have to make the choices necessary to be the very best and compete at the highest level, through the 4 years of their education. Out Here On My Own remains one of my favourite tunes ever to this day. The dance scene choreography has not been surpassed by the more recent Step Up series, and even though styles and moves have changed and developed which I love to see, the 2010 remake didn’t even touch the sides. My recommendation would be to stay with the original and you won’t be disappointed. How can you get better than perfection?