Director: Kevin Tancharoen
Starring: Naturi Naughton, Asher Book, Kherington Payne, Walter Perez, Anna Maria Perez, Paul Iacono, and Debbie Allen
Distributor: Independent
Runtime: 107 mins. Reviewed in Nov 2011

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Rating notes: Mild themes and coarse language

There are many movies that capture the drama of choices like this (including “Chorus Line”), but the emphasis here is on showcasing young talent, and modern dance routines. Asher Books, and Khertington Payne are some of the high school students and performers, and Debbie Allen plays effectively the role of Principal of the students’ school, Angela Simms, whose task is to control them, and keep their urges in check, while allowing natural talent to emerge. Particularly impressive is Naturi Naughton as a powerful black singer, Denise, who finds her real talent in jazz after enrolling at the school as a classical pianist.

The quality of the soundtrack to a film such as this one is very important. The soundtrack has classic songs from the original film (such as “Out Here On My Own” and “I’m Going to Live Forever”), but new songs have been added and have been especially written for the movie, and they fit in well. The direction under Kevin Tancharoen and the music by Mark Isham obviously respect the spirit of the original. The choreography of the dance routines is very impressive, particularly in the final graduation performance, and the film tries to enhance the impact of the original by marrying it with contemporary style. The result gives the film a decidedly modern look. Most of the cast are also relatively unknown, and this gives the film a touch of added realism. However, the film is essentially a performance one, where young talent overtakes drama and plot.

To some extent, the film is an exercise in nostalgia, but it is good enough to remind us of how terrific the original was. Despite the fact that drama takes a relatively back seat in this version of “Fame”, the remake re-visits a famous film that became a cult classic for young and old, and it manages to do that very entertainingly, and a little differently.

FAME: Icon Film Distribution. Out September 24, 2009. Starring: Naturi Naughton, Asher Book, Kherington Payne, Walter Perez, Anna Maria Perez, Paul Iacono, and Debbie Allen. Directed by Kevin Tancharoen. Rated PG (Mild themes and coarse language). 107 min.

This movie is a modern remake of the 1980 Oscar-award winning musical of the same name by Alan Parker. Alan Parker’s film was so successful that it spawned a TV series (called “Fame”) that ran in the US from 1982 to 1987. Like the original film, this version tracks a group of dancers and artists over a period of time at high school. All are students at the New York City High School of Performing Arts, in Manhattan, and the movie shows them performing, singing and dancing over four years. Each of the students longs for fame, but only a few manage to achieve their hope. They all want to believe they have the talent and they all want desperately to succeed. Ambitions, however, are tempered by the challenges of self-discovery and the trials and tribulations of every-day living. In high school, life can go terribly wrong, and the film consistently conveys the message: find “who you are, that’s your power”. Ambitions are not helped by the fact that the environment in which the students attempt to succeed is fiercely competitive, and only the strong can endure failure with dignity. Each strives for a moment of fame, but only some have the talent, and discipline, to achieve it.

There are many movies that capture the drama of choices like this (including “Chorus Line”), but the emphasis here is on showcasing young talent, and modern dance routines. Asher Books, and Khertington Payne are some of the high school students and performers, and Debbie Allen plays effectively the role of Principal of the students’ school, Angela Simms, whose task is to control them, and keep their urges in check, while allowing natural talent to emerge. Particularly impressive is Naturi Naughton as a powerful black singer, Denise, who finds her real talent in jazz after enrolling at the school as a classical pianist.

The quality of the soundtrack to a film such as this one is very important. The soundtrack has classic songs from the original film (such as “Out Here On My Own” and “I’m Going to Live Forever”), but new songs have been added and have been especially written for the movie, and they fit in well. The direction under Kevin Tancharoen and the music by Mark Isham obviously respect the spirit of the original. The choreography of the dance routines is very impressive, particularly in the final graduation performance, and the film tries to enhance the impact of the original by marrying it with contemporary style. The result gives the film a decidedly modern look. Most of the cast are also relatively unknown, and this gives the film a touch of added realism. However, the film is essentially a performance one, where young talent overtakes drama and plot.

To some extent, the film is an exercise in nostalgia, but it is good enough to remind us of how terrific the original was. Despite the fact that drama takes a relatively back seat in this version of “Fame”, the remake re-visits a famous film that became a cult classic for young and old, and it manages to do that very entertainingly, and a little differently.