Fame (2009)

Director:

Kevin Tancharoen

Writers (WGA):

Allison Burnett (screenplay)
Christopher Gore (1980 motion picture "Fame")

Release Date:

25 September 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Family | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

Dream It - Earn It - Live It

Plot:

An updated version of the 1980 musical, which centered on the students of the New York Academy of Performing Arts. |

Plot Keywords:

One Word Title | Remake

Cast

Kay Panabaker	...	Jenny Garrison
Naturi Naughton	...	Denise Dupree
Kherington Payne	...	Alice Ellerton
Megan Mullally	...	Ms. Fran Rowan
Bebe Neuwirth	...	Ms. Kraft
Debbie Allen	...	Ms. Angela Simms
Asher Book	...	Marco
Cody Longo	...	Andy Matthews
Walter Perez	...	Victor Taveras
Charles S. Dutton	...	Mr. James Dowd
Kelsey Grammer	...	Mr. Martin Cranston
Collins Pennie	...	Malik Washburn
Anna Maria Perez de Tagle	...	Joy
Paul McGill	...	Kevin Barrett
Paul Iacono	...	Neil Baczynsky

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic material including teen drinking, a sexual situation and language.

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate #45461) | South Korea:12 | Singapore:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Ireland:PG | Australia:PG | Norway:A | New Zealand:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Sweden:Btl | Hong Kong:IIA | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

United Artists

Trivia:

A photo is shown of Ms. Kraft (Bebe Neuwirth) with Broadway stage legend, Chita Rivera. Rivera notably played the role of Velma Kelly in the original 1975 Broadway production of "Chicago". Neuwirth also played Velma Kelly when "Chicago" was revived on Broadway in 1996. Both actresses received Tony Award nominations for their portrayals of the same character. Neuwirth went on to win the honor.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Marco is playing the piano at his parent's restaurant, the song he is playing is filled with sustained chords and legato melodies; which would require the foot pedal to be used quite often in order to achieve the sound that is heard. However, when the camera pans back to show underneath the piano, the pedal is not moving.

Quotes:

Joel Cranston: [from trailer] You have talent. Now let's see what we can do with it.

Movie Connections:

References The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

A Nutshell Review: Fame

I had watched the original Fame movie when I was a kid, enough to know the theme song sung by Irene Cara, but little else. Fast forward to today, I'm pretty sure I still enjoyed the reworked theme song, but the film unfortunately is a disaster, with predictable story lines, cardboard characters, and while I'm quite OK that it may have tried to be more documentary like in its presentation, it just fell short on almost all accounts, save for some of the set musical pieces.

Despite its hip trailer aimed specifically at its demographic audience, the film just didn't work out, and tried too hard to resemble plenty of dance movies already out there, except that it did a lot more worse by injecting too many characters having everyone bear the brunt of the burden in carrying the film through its runtime, through supporting role appearances at best. Having cast a relative bunch of good looking unknowns also helped in providing the fresh-facedness required, but it's akin to watching a bad episode of American Idol, except that you don't get to choose who stays and who goes.

Granted it wanted to be more "School like" encompassing all the various subjects taught from dance to acting, in quite an elitist fashion in getting mere hundreds amongst thousands of applicants, and if quality control was so stringent, it provided critical flaws to the plausibility of the show. For one, these characters are talented folks, and it's just no good treating talented folks like toddlers in school, picking on every little thing they do wrong in hoping to polish those rough diamonds. Also, the screening of candidates, while provided some Audition hilarity, was mostly based on the whims of the various instructors, hence the kind of petty issues they dredge up for themselves, like the angry actor who thought the stage was his calling, throwing tantrums and in need for some serious counselling.

But the most critical flaw of them all, for a movie in its genre, is whence the buildup and character development? We're suppose to believe that after their graduation they're all "ready to make it" in the big, bad, unforgiving world of fine art performance. Unfortunately the output's pretty much the same as the input, save for a few characters who turned into perfect gems overnight, with nary any focus on their transformation. The best just coasted through school, while the worst (amongst the best) turned in much better performances through the sprinkle of magic dust or through the rubbing of shoulders. There must be something in the diet served by the school's canteen as well it seems.

Fame fell short and became plain, formula, predictable, and ultimately boring. The screenplay reeked laziness - who needs yet another teenage movie where it tells you that even the best amongst us suffer from trouble dished out by disapproving parents, romantic relationship roadblocks, yet another naive girl becoming bait for hot looking predatory guys, wanting to fulfill a deep desire and break out of routine, discrimination, trust and integrity. The list just goes on, no thanks to individual cardboard characters being assigned some thematic homework, and turning in the results in little episodes and scenes, without allowing the audience to build any emotional connection, or to even root for the underdogs.

It's ambitious too in its setting, taking on the entire school journey of these select group of youngsters, albeit without a real story, nor gelling them together in one coherent way. Technically, director Kevin Tancharoen (who had so far done music videos) and cinematographer Scott Kevan had opted for the shaky cam technique, for what reasons I do not fathom, and came off quite irritatingly. Someone should start preaching the virtues of mounting the camera of a tripod, versus making it a lame excuse to want to do it documentary style, or to allow for fluid motion in capturing the performances, not!

The only saving grace here, are some of the performances, be it group dance ensembles, or solo acts. I had preferred the former a lot more for their energy and choreography, and amongst all the disciplines, I personally enjoyed the dances a lot more, compared to the others like acting, or even singing, due to the rather lacklustre tunes and mediocre lyrics.

This is one film that I'd rather not remember its name, and could be called anything else other than a remake of Fame.