Fame (1980)

Director:

Alan Parker

Writer:

Christopher Gore (written by)

Release Date:

16 May 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Tagline:

If they've really got what it takes, it's going to take everything they've got.

Plot:

A chronicle of the lives of several teenagers who attend a New York high school for students gifted in the performing arts.

Plot Keywords:

Performing Arts | Singer | Graduation | New York City | Audition

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Eddie Barth	...	Angelo
Irene Cara	...	Coco
Lee Curreri	...	Bruno
Laura Dean	...	Lisa
Antonia Franceschi	...	Hilary
Boyd Gaines	...	Michael
Albert Hague	...	Shorofsky
Tresa Hughes	...	Mrs. Finsecker
Steve Inwood	...	François Lafete
Paul McCrane	...	Montgomery
Anne Meara	...	Mrs. Sherwood
Joanna Merlin	...	Miss Berg
Barry Miller	...	Ralph
Jim Moody	...	Farrell
Gene Anthony Ray	...	Leroy

Also Known As:

Fame: The Original Movie (Australia) (DVD title)
Hot Lunch (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish | French

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | Canada:14A | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:M | Canada:G (Quebec) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Iceland:L | Singapore:NC-16 (cut) | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Haaren High School, 10th Avenue 59th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

This was the first film in the history of the Academy Awards to have two songs nominated in the Best Song category. The nominated songs were the title song, written by Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford and "Out Here On My Own" written Michael Gore and Lesley Gore. The title song won. It has since happened several times.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Mrs. Sherwood is arguing with Leroy about his homework, she wads up the same sheets of paper twice.

Quotes:

Doris Finsecker: Everybody falls in love with their analyst! They have a word for it, don't they?
Montgomery McNeil: Yeah. Homosexual.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Dance Flick (2009)

Soundtrack:

Fame

Loved it

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.