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 | Audition | Actor

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

Eddie Barth	...	Angelo
Irene Cara	...	Coco Hernandez
Lee Curreri	...	Bruno Martelli
Laura Dean	...	Lisa Monroe
Antonia Franceschi	...	Hilary van Doren
Boyd Gaines	...	Michael
Albert Hague	...	Mr. Shorofsky - Music Teacher
Tresa Hughes	...	Mrs. Finsecker
Steve Inwood	...	François Lafete
Paul McCrane	...	Montgomery MacNeil
Anne Meara	...	Mrs. Sherwood - English Teacher
Joanna Merlin	...	Miss Berg - Dance Teacher
Barry Miller	...	Ralph Garci / Raul Garcia
Jim Moody	...	Mr. Farrell - Drama Teacher
Gene Anthony Ray	...	Leroy Johnson
Maureen Teefy	...	Doris Finsecker
Debbie Allen	...	Lydia
Richard Belzer	...	M.C.
Frank Bongiorno	...	Truck Driver
Bill Britten	...	Mr. England
Eric Brockington	...	Plump Eric
Nicholas Bunin	...	Bunsky
Cindy Canuelas	...	Cindy
Nora Cotrone	...	Topless Ballet Student
Mbewe Escobar	...	Phenicia
Gennadi Filimonov	...	Violinist (as Gennady Filimonov)
Victor Fischbarg	...	Harvey Finsecker
Penny Frank	...	Dance Teacher
Willie Henry Jr.	...	Bathroom Student
Steve Hollander	...	Drama Student (as Steven Hollander)
Sang Kim	...	Oriental Violinist
Darrell Kirkman	...	Richard III
Judith L'Heureux	...	Nurse
Ted Lambert	...	Drama Student
Nancy Lee	...	Oriental Student
Sarah Malament	...	Dance Accompanist
James Manis	...	Bruno's Uncle
Carol Massenburg	...	Shirley
Isaac Mizrahi	...	Touchstone
Raquel Mondin	...	Ralph's Sister
Alba Oms	...	Ralph's Mother
Frank Oteri	...	Schlepstein
Traci Parnell	...	Hawaiian Dancer
Sal Piro	...	Rocky Horror M.C.
Lesley Quickley	...	Towering Inferno Student (as Leslie Quickley)
Ray Ramirez	...	Father Morales
Loris Sallahian	...	Drama Student
Ilse Sass	...	Mrs. Tossoff
Dawn Steinberg	...	Monitor on Stairs
Jonathan Strasser	...	Orchestra Conductor
Yvette Torres	...	Ralph's Little Sister
F.X. Vitolo	...	Frankie (as Frank X. Vitolo)
Stefanie Zimmerman	...	Dance Teacher
Tracy Burnett	...	Principal Dancer
Greg De Jean	...	Principal Dancer (as Greg DeJean)
Laura Delano	...	Principal Dancer
Michael DeLorenzo	...	Principal Dancer
Aaron Dugger	...	Principal Dancer
Neisha Folkes-LeMelle	...	Principal Dancer (as Neisha Folkes)
Karen Ford	...	Principal Dancer
Robin Gray	...	Principal Dancer
Hazel Green	...	Principal Dancer
Eva Grubler	...	Principal Dancer
Patrick King	...	Principal Dancer
Cynthia Lochard	...	Principal Dancer
Julian Montenaire	...	Principal Dancer
Holly Reeve	...	Principal Dancer
Kate Snyder	...	Principal Dancer
Meg Tilly	...	Principal Dancer
Louis Venosta	...	Principal Dancer
Philip Wright	...	Principal Dancer
Ranko Yokoyana	...	Principal Dancer
Adam Abeshouse	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Yvette D. Carrington	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Fima Ephron	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Anthony Evans	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Crystal Garner	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Lisa Herman	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Thais Hockaday	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Karen Hoppe	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Frankie Laino	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
April Lang	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Richard Latimer	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Lisa Lowell	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Ann Marie McDermott	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Kerry McDermott	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Maureen McDermott	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Josh Melville	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Peter Rafelson	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Ann Roboff	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist (as Anne Roboff)
Boris Slutsky	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Alan Vetter	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
Evan Weinstein	...	Principal Musician and Vocalist
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Judith Blaylock	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Guido Corte	...	Man in Airport (uncredited)
Donna Edge-Rachell	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Nancy Gilliam	...	Extra (uncredited)
Douglas Rowan	...	Rocky Horror 'Dr. Frank-N-Furter' (uncredited)
Holland Taylor	...	Claudia van Doren (uncredited)

Directed by
Alan Parker

Writing credits
Christopher Gore		(written by)

Produced by
David De Silva	....	producer
Alan Marshall	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael Gore		(original music by)

Cinematography by
Michael Seresin		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Gerry Hambling		(edited by)

Casting by
Howard Feuer		(casting)
Jeremy Ritzer		(casting)

Production Design by
Geoffrey Kirkland

Art Direction by
Ed Wittstein

Set Decoration by
George DeTitta Sr.		(as George DeTitta)

Costume Design by
Kristi Zea

Makeup Department
Joseph Coscia	....	hairdresser (as Joseph G. Coscia)
Joe Cuervo	....	make-up (as Joseph Cuervo)

Production Management
David Golden	....	unit production manager
Candace Suerstedt	....	assistant production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert F. Colesberry	....	first assistant director
Ray Greenfield	....	second assistant director (as Raymond L. Greenfield)
Joseph Ray	....	second assistant director (as Joe Ray)

Art Department
Joseph M. Caracciolo	....	property master (as Joe Caracciolo)
David Coleman	....	property master (uncredited)
Richard Shelton	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Arthur Bloom	....	recordist
Jerry Bruck	....	stereo consultant
Rusty Coppleman	....	sound editor
Jay M. Harding	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael J. Kohut	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dennis Maitland II	....	boom operator
Christopher Newman	....	sound mixer (as Chris Newman)
Aaron Rochin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Thomas Scott	....	sound consultant: Dolby (as Tom Scott)
Les Wiggins	....	sound editor
Robert Davenport	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)
James Fenton	....	sound crew chief (uncredited)
Duncan McEwan	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)
Otto Snel	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Stunts
Colette Alexander	....	stunts (uncredited)
Sandy Alexander	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Holly Bower	....	still photographer
Catharine Bushnell	....	still photographer
Joseph F. Coffey	....	camera operator
Bill Gerardo	....	second assistant cameraman (as William Gerardo)
Vinnie Gerardo	....	first assistant cameraman (as Vincent Gerardo)
Martin Nallan	....	key grip (as Marty Nallan)
LeRoy Patton	....	first cameraman: New York (as Leroy Patton)
Tom Priestley Jr.	....	camera operator
Frank Schulz	....	gaffer (as Frank O. Schulz)
John Stanier	....	camera operator
Garrett Brown	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Billy Kerwick	....	best boy grip (uncredited)
Sal Martorano	....	electrician (uncredited)
Robert Shepherd	....	electrician (uncredited)
Sandi Sissel	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Margery Simkin	....	special casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Al Craine	....	wardrobe supervisor: men's
Beverly Cycon	....	wardrobe supervisor: women's
Thelma Gregory	....	wardrobe supervisor: women's (as Thelma S. Gregory)
Ellen Mirojnick	....	assistant costume designer
Mark Burchard	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Stefna Borges	....	assistant editor (as Stefna Smal)
Terry Busby	....	assistant editor
Jack Gardner	....	assistant editor
Leonard Green	....	assistant editor
Michael B. Hoggan	....	additional editor: Los Angeles
Norman Hollyn	....	assistant editor
Eddy Joseph	....	assistant editor
Yoshio Kishi	....	additional editor: New York
Glenn Cunningham	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Chuck Irwin	....	music recording engineer
Don Brooks	....	musician: harmonica (uncredited)
Norman Hollyn	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Harold 'Whitey' McEvoy	....	transportation captain (as Whitey McEvoy)
Patrick Hogan	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Pamela Adler	....	assistant: Mr. Parker and Mr. Marshall
Arlene Albertson	....	production office coordinator
Renee Bodner	....	script supervisor
Louis Falco	....	choreography by
William Gornell	....	assistant choreographer
John Kane	....	unit publicist: Solters & Roskin, Inc.
Ellie Linas	....	production auditor
Angela Micklesburgh	....	assistant to producers: London
Grant Reid	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
Lynda Van Damm	....	assistant production accountant (uncredited)

Thanks
Paddy Chayefsky	....	acknowledgement: excerpt from "Marty" courtesy of
Bruce Jay Friedman	....	acknowledgement: excerpt from "Steambath" by

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Greater Union Organisation (GUO) (1980) (Australia) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Video (198?) (Australia) (VHS)
• Vídeo Arte (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Cherokee Studios  music recorded and mixed at (uncredited)
• Cherokee Studios  original music recorded and mixed at (uncredited)
• High School of Music and Art, New York City  the producers would like to thank: the students and their parents of; who made this film possible
• High School of the Performing Arts, New York City  the producers would like to thank: the students and their parents of; who made this film possible
• Joy Todd Casting  extras casting (as Joy Todd, Inc.)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios  rerecorded at
• RSO Records  original soundtrack album available on (as RSO Records & Tapes)
• Warner Bros. Pictures  acknowledgement: monologue from "Dark at the Top of the Stairs" by William Inge through the courtesy of (as Warner Bros. Inc.)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish | French

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | Canada:14A | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:M | Canada:G (Quebec) | Peru:14 | Australia:PG (TV rating) | 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:

Church of Saint Mary the Virgin 145 West 46th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The school is based on the real-life Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts in Manhattan. It is a public school, and therefore available to any New York City high school student who successfully auditions.

Goofs:

Continuity: At one point when Leroy is arguing with Mrs. Sherwood in the hospital, her hands are up by her shoulders but in the next shot they are down.

Quotes:

Hilary van Doren:[about Leroy] Son derriere noir... c'est formidable!
Lisa Monroe:Wow, I love your accent. What did you say?
Hilary van Doren:I dig his black ass.

Movie Connections:

References "Marcus Welby, M.D." (1969)

Soundtrack:

Fame

Good. Could have been great.

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.