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Fame (1980): Four Stars
“Fame” follows a group of students and the studies and lessons they endure at the New York High School of Performing Arts (now presently known as the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts).
Starring: Maureen Teefy, Barry Miller, Irene Cara, Gene Anthony Ray, Lee Curreri, Paul McCrane, Laura Dean, Joanna Merlin, Jim Moody, Debbie Allen, Anne Meara, and Albert Hague.
Directed by: Alan Parker.
Story:
“Fame” follows a group of students and the studies and lessons they endure at the New York High School of Performing Arts (now presently known as the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts).
Characters:
*Doris Finsecker (Maureen Teefy): A mousy drama student who feels like the whole world overlooks the sensitive person she really is, especially her mother who completely doesn’t understand her one bit.
*Ralph Garcia (Barry Miller): A big talker in the drama department who idolizes Freddie Prinze.
*Coco Hernandez (Irene Cara): A cute and sexy multi-talented dancer/singer who tries to convince Bruno to work with her. Too bad they didn’t actually hook up.
*Leroy Johnson (Gene Anthony Ray): Big time typical trouble maker and class clown who has problems reading and is only in dance to get with chicks.
*Bruno Martelli (Lee Curreri): A bright and mature musician who prefers synthesized instruments and often clashes with his father over his reluctance to play his own music in public.
*Montgomery MacNeil (Paul McCrane): A closet homosexual in the drama class who becomes somewhat a good friend of Ralph (no, not in that way) and a closer friend to Doris.
*Lisa Monroe (Laura Dean): Another cute and sexy dancer, this one being white, who does nothing but talk all day in dance class and eventually finds her true calling in acting.
*Miss Berg (Joanna Merlin): The dance teacher.
*Mr. Farrell (Jim Moody): The drama teacher.
*Ms. Grant (Debbie Allen): Miss Berg’s assistant teacher in dance.
*Mrs. Sherwood (Anne Meara): The english teacher. She often clashes with Leroy over his reluctance to learn.
*Mr. Shorofsky (Albert Hague): The music teacher. He often clashes with Bruno over what type of elemental instruments versus technologically advanced instruments.
Overall:
The whole story is split into a few sections: The Auditions introduce the characters including students Doris Finsecker (Drama; a mousy and often misunderstood girl with an irritable mother), Ralph Garcy (Drama; a big talker who idolizes Freddie Prinze), Coco Hernandez (Drama/Music/Dance; a cute dance/singing buff who gets involved with the wrong guys), Leroy Johnson (Dance; a troublemaker who’s only there to score with chicks), Bruno Martelli (Music; a proud and bright musician who only prefers hi-tech equipment), Montgomery MacNeil (Drama; a closet homosexual), and Lisa Monroe (Dance; a cute girl who’s not too much into dance but discovers she has a better chance at acting) as well as the teachers Miss Berg (Dance), Mr. Farrell (Drama), Ms. Grant (Dance), Mrs. Sherwood (English), and Mr. Shorofsky (Music).
The second portion of the film chronicles the students’ lives in Freshman Year where they learn that academics are weighted equally with performing arts. Leroy clashes with Mrs. Sherwood, Doris has problems fitting in and makes friends with Montgomery, and Coco wants to work with Bruno who is clashing with his father. The third portion chronicles Sophomore Year where Coco clashes with a new girl over Leroy (who isn’t all that worth it anyway), Bruno clashes with his music teacher over traditional instruments versus synthesized intstruments, the acting students reveal deep-seated feelings about themselves through monologues, Montgomery begins to come out of the closet, and Lisa is dropped from the dance program and attempts suicide but then realizes she has a better chance at Drama.
The last two portions, Junior Year and Senior Year, chronicle the toughest challenges they will face and the relationships that you didn’t think would happen do in fact happen. “Fame” won a whole slew of awards from the Academy, BAFTA, Grammy, and the Golden Globe. It also spawned a Television show which had a successful long run, a musical, and an upcoming remake (which I feel will become another “Step Up”/”You Got Served” clone, God Help Us All!). “Fame” ends on an unconventional, somewhat open-ended note, it leaves the characters’ fates to our imagination – Who makes it and doesn’t make it to fame and fortune is left up to us the audience to decide.
I received an opportunity to attend the school that is featured in this film back in 2000, however, I chose another Performing Arts School that is about eight blocks or so away from it due to the fact that this school from “Fame” had captive indoor lunch for Grades 9-10 whereas the other school had both indoor and outdoor lunch (I was allergic to the smell of school lunch so I couldn’t stay indoors); both schools are in the vicinity of Times Square. Nevertheless, this film exceptionally depicts what it is like to attend a Performing Arts High School in New York City.
Rating: ****
