This review is of course about the original film, not the modern day tepid and generic teen dance flick that passed off as a remake three years ago. To be honest, I haven't seen the remake, but from the trailer and the reviews that followed I realized that I never wanted to. It would just tarnish the memories of the original I had lingering in my brain.
So where do these memories come from? I first saw Fame when I was very young, maybe around 10 years of age, and had no real memories of the movie except for the title song. Then, at around 20 years of age I saw it again. I loved it! I thought it was brilliant. Then I saw it again a few years later and I liked it even more. So now, watching the films of Alan Parker, I just watched Fame once again and it's just as good if not better than I recalled.
What makes the film so good? Many things: The genius of Alan Parker, the script, the cinematography, the acting, the cast of relative unknowns, the music, the choreography, the adult nature of the film, the overall enjoyment and feeling one gets when watching it. So let's discuss each one of those aspects in detail.
The script and story is near perfect. This original version of Fame is about the New York City High School for Performing Arts. It is about a group of students who first audition and then spend the four years in the school. It is about trying to make it as an artist and the trials and tribulations of either making it or not. While there is a large cast of well defined characters the story is more about the schooling these characters get and their growth within the school.
It begins with auditions, where we are introduced to a plethora of hopefuls and a handful of teachers. We then follow the freshman year, the sophomore year, the junior year and the senior year of those that successfully passed through. The film culminates and ends at graduation. We only follow our characters through their schooling, there is no back story before the auditions and there is no post coda after they graduate. It is only about the time in school, the process of school and the ambitions while in school. A similar film in tone and scope is Robert Altman's The Company and while a good film in it's own right it is no where near as fine a film as Fame.
The characters in the film are portrayed by a list of unknown (most of them still today) actors who for the most part are excellent. Everyone does a fine job but some performances stand out more than others. All the teachers are phenomenal, especially Anna Meara as the English teacher. The students are perfectly cast and portray characters from all walks of life; poor, rich, controlling Jewish families, hispanics, gays, blacks. And everyone pulls off a fine performance. Irene Cara, as a budding actress/singer/dancer is fantastic and Gene Anthony Ray as a troubled dancer is amazing. For the most part everyone delivers fantastic performances.
The problem, the only problem, with Fame is that the ending (senior year) seems a tad rushed. We spend so much time learning and feeling for these characters that when senior year comes and goes so quickly we are left wanting more. Barry Miller, playing an actor/comedian rises to 'stardom' and crashes and burns way to fast. Problems occur for all the main characters in senior year but before you can blink an eye we are at graduation and then the end credits roll. It's a tad rushed but overall, it doesn't effect the film too much.
Then there is the music, the choreography and the cinematography which all go hand in hand together. Together the cinematographer and the choreographer have created a stunning looking film with rich and detailed photography, unique and lively shots and an utter sense of realism. Fame is a musical, but not in the traditional sense. People don't, out of the blue, break out into song and dance. Instead the music and dancing comes out of the story. The best example of this is the song and dance of Hot Lunch. Inside the jam packed cafetaria are students eating, practicing dance moves and practicing their instruments. The sounds they all make together create a sort of rhythm that is picked up by a few of the students. So they start jamming together and before you know it, we have singing and dancing and music that feels organic and real. The choreography and the cinematography work magic together to make it feel real and organic.
The music throughout the movie is just perfect. The songs are amazing and legendary and work so well within the context of the film. Give or take a rare disco beat, the music is just as modern today as it was back in 1980. And those rare disco beats that pop up throughout the film, well they just place the film in the late 70's early 80's, and not in a bad way. (See my review for Nomads for more on that). All I can say is I love every song and every piece of music in this film.
Alan Parker made a perfect follow up to the Academy Award nominated Midnight Express. Both films are completely different to one another but are both masterfully directed and put together. Parker has a unique sense of framing, storytelling and music. One that doesn't seem to date that much and makes for films that last forever.
He also isn't afraid to hold back. His films aren't for children and Fame is no exception. Unlike the PG rated remake, this film has nudity, sex, swearing, violence and disturbing scenes that run through out. It shows life and reality in an adult and realistic way. Much like he did with Midnight Express, Parker did not hold back when telling the story he wanted to tell.
But even though the film is disturbing at times, and sad at other times, the overall feel of the movie is rather joyous. It is laced with humour and riveting scenes and feels a lot shorter than it's 133 minute run time. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and by the end you will feel an overwhelming feeling of happiness. You'll feel like you were there with these students over the four years of high school. You will feel like you know them, and you will feel like you are there at their graduation. And when those final credits roll you will be left with nothing but a huge beaming smile on your face. Such is the power of Fame. In a word: Brilliant!!
Film Rating: 92%
Breakdown (How Fame scored 92%):
Production Design: 10 out of 10
Cinematography: 10 out of 10
Re-playability: 10 out of 10
Originality: 10 out of 10
Costumes: 8 out of 10
Directing: 10 out of 10
Editing: 9 out of 10
Acting: 8 out of 10
Music: 9 out of 10
No comments:
Post a Comment