Fame (2009 film)

Last updated

Fame
Fameposter2009.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Kevin Tancharoen
Screenplay by Allison Burnett
Based on Fame
1980 film
by Christopher Gore
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyScott Kevan
Edited by Myron Kerstein
Music by Mark Isham
Production
companies
Distributed by MGM Distribution Co.
Release dates
  • September 23, 2009 (2009-09-23)(The Grove Theatre)
  • September 25, 2009 (2009-09-25)(United States)
Running time
107 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$18 million
Box office$77.2 million [1]

Fame is a 2009 American teen musical drama film directed by Kevin Tancharoen from a screenplay by Allison Burnett. It is a loose remake of the 1980 film of the same name. The film follows talented high school students attending The High School of Performing Arts in New York City, where students get specialized training that often leads to success in the entertainment industry.

Contents

Debbie Allen, who portrays the school principal Angela Simms, is the only person to appear in the original film, the subsequent television series (in the film and the series she played the role of dance teacher Lydia Grant), and the remake.

Fame premiered at The Grove Theatre in Los Angeles, California on September 23, 2009, and was released in the United States on September 25, by MGM Distribution Co.. The film received generally negative reviews from critics, but was moderately successful, grossing $77.2 million worldwide against a production budget of $18 million.

Plot

Auditions

During the opening scenes in auditions and orientation, it is told that in 1936, New York City Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia founded the High School of Music & Art in order to provide a facility where the most gifted and talented public school students of New York City could pursue their talents in art or music, while also completing a full academic program of instruction. In 1948, the School of Performing Arts (P.A.) was created to provide training in performance skills to students who wished to prepare for professional careers in dance, music or drama.

Freshman year

Students learn on the first day of classes that their teachers expect them to know everything. In dance class, the teacher Ms. Kraft is worried about Kevin's dancing, but is easily impressed by Alice.

In acting class, Jenny feels uncomfortable to let loose and be crazy like everyone else. In music class, Mr. Cranston gives Victor pointers, while Denise plays the music perfectly on the piano.

In the lunchroom, everyone practices their major and they all get up and dance ('This Is My Life'), while Denise and Malik escape the madness and they talk to each other, Denise saying that her uptight and conservative parents thinks that the school is "people sitting around, practicing cello all day", and that they would die if they saw this. Malik reveals that his mother doesn't even know that he is coming to the school because she works three jobs and would never notice.

Just before freshman year ends, it shows Malik at his apartment, his mother finding his report card, making it clear that he goes to Performing Arts. She is angry but he continues to go to the school. The year closes after she goes to work and leaves Malik standing alone.

Sophomore year

As the new school year begins, it shows the dancers all practicing in a circle, but once it is Kevin's turn, he is out-shone and is forced to go back in his original spot.

In music class, Victor is having trouble sticking to the right music, and adds his own spin on whatever he is playing, which doesn't sit well with Mr. Cranston.

In theater class, Malik talks about his dead sister, Ayanna, causing Mr. Dowd to ask questions that he refuses to answer. Malik then leaves, stating that he's going to be famous, no matter what anyone else says.

Meanwhile, Denise is playing her classical piano, but then starts to sing, assuming she is alone. ('Out Here on My Own') When she leaves, it is revealed to the audience that Malik was watching the whole time. He brings her to Victor and convinces her to sing for the album that they are producing. She agrees to it, as long as her strict father doesn't find out.

At a Halloween party, Malik plays the song, but says the vocals are "anonymous", upsetting Denise, which confuses Malik. Later, Joy is in Central Park drinking beer. She gets up and does a rap, vomiting at the end of it. Neil captures this in his documentary and presents it to the class. Marco asks Jenny out on a date (though not for the first time). She agrees to go with him to dinner at his father's restaurant, where she convinces him to play a song and sing on the piano. He does ('Try'), and she gives him a money tip. The sophomore year ends with them kissing.

Junior year

Joy has another audition, but is annoyed, because the other girls competing against her always seem to get the part. Neil says that he is meeting with a producer for a short, independent film he wrote and hopes to direct himself.

Meanwhile, Marco and Jenny go to a party, where Jenny sees a guy named Andy Matthews, a former P.A. student who claims to be a professional actor and known player. He tells her that he can have her meet with his agent, and the naive Jenny gives him her cell phone number. Marco leaves, having seen the last part, and Jenny runs out after him. They have a minor fight, but she promises that she will never talk to Andy again, and they go back to her house.

Victor, Malik, and Denise meet with a man from a record company, who says that their demo is interesting, and he will play it at the next meeting and get back to them. Victor and Malik are overjoyed, but Denise is still hesitant. At the next meeting, the producer tells them that Denise is the reason he was interested in their music. He tries to persuade her to stay.

Joy tells Jenny and Neil that she got a part-time acting job on 'Sesame Street' and is very excited about it. Ms. Rowan, the voice teacher, takes some of the students to a karaoke bar where she ends up singing as well. Jenny goes to meet Andy despite what she said to Marco. When she arrives, Andy tells her the director is out sick. He comes onto her, but she stops him and angrily leaves. She tells Marco, and he asks if Andy tried anything, saying that he knew this would happen and that if fame was really that important to her then he hopes she gets the job. He then leaves her sobbing his name on a rooftop.

Neil tries to get his equipment for the movie, but when he tries to find his producer, he is discovered to be gone, along with the $5,000.

Senior year

Kevin has a meeting with Ms. Kraft, the dance teacher, because he asked her to write him a letter of recommendation. She says she can not write him the letter, because she believes he is not talented enough to become a professional dancer. Meanwhile, as they talk, Alice is dancing to ('Black and Gold') practicing her jazz piece. This conversation with Ms. Kraft causes him to attempt suicide by stepping in front of a subway car. Joy, Rosie, and Jenny are there to stop him.

Victor is told by his girlfriend, Alice, that she is going on a world tour next week. He asks if she will visit him, but she says that after P.A. couples usually go their separate ways.

Joy drops out of school before graduation because she is working on 'Sesame Street' full-time now and her grades have suffered.

Malik talks with Mr. Dowd about his father, which leads to Mr. Dowd telling him about breaking down his walls. Victor, Malik and Denise put on a hip-hop concert at a club at which her parents are at, but Denise told them it was classical jazz because of her father's wishes for her to pursue classical piano and not vocals. Despite this, she defies her father and goes on anyway and wins over her mother during the performance. Marco, along with Neil, Joy, and Rosie, is there to watch but when he sees Jenny come in, he says he has to go. Jenny stops him from leaving, saying that she's been thinking a lot about him, and that it kills her that she hurt him.

Later, during the concert, he puts his arms around her and they smile at each other. When Denise leaves with her parents, her father is outraged and tells her that he is pulling her out of P.A., even though she is about to graduate. Her mom stops him and says that if Denise wants to sing, she should sing.

Graduation

Before graduation, Jenny gives a speech about success to the graduating class, saying that she felt it when she was in the school. Kevin tells Joy that he is moving back to Iowa (following the advice Ms. Kraft gave to him), and that he is going to be "the best god damn dance teacher there ever was". During the graduation performance, everybody participates ('Hold Your Dream'), with Denise as the main singer. It ends with all the characters following graduating (except Joy and Alice).

Cast

The main cast is featured on the official website. [2]

Students
Teachers and staff
Other characters

Release

Critical response

"Why bother to remake Fame if you don't have a clue about why the 1980 movie was special? Why take a touching experience and make it into a shallow exercise? Why begin with a R-rated look at plausible kids with real problems and tame it into a PG-rated after-school special? Why cast actors who are sometimes too old and experienced to play seniors, let alone freshmen?"

 —Roger Ebert
Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]

Fame has received generally unfavorable reviews from critics. [4] Rotten Tomatoes reported that 24% of critics gave the film positive reviews based on 121 reviews with an average score of 4.4/10. [5] The site's consensus states: "Fame is ultimately undone by its choppy editing, its incomplete characterizations, and its apparent desire to appeal to the High School Musical generation." [5] Based on 26 critical reviews sampled by Metacritic, it gave an average score of 39% for the film. [4] On At the Movies , Michael Phillips gave the film a "See It" while A. O. Scott gave the film a "Skip It". [6] Parker voiced his disapproval of the remake and described it as an "awful" film. [7] Maureen Teefy also criticized the film, stating, "They're using the same formula, but it doesn't have the same substance. It's not staying true to the grittiness and authenticity of the original." [8]

Box office

Fame opened at third place behind Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and the newly released Surrogates with approximately $10,011,682. [9] The film has grossed $22,455,510 domestically and $50,930,003 in the foreign market with an international gross of $73,385,513, making it a moderate box office success. [10]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was released on September 7, 2009. It features a blend of American standards and new pieces, written specifically for the movie. Included from the original film are the piano ballad "Out Here on My Own" and the title theme "Fame" (both sung by Irene Cara for the 1980 original film). [11] There's a version of the theme song with a verse by Collins Pennie, but didn't make the album, although it was included in The Radio Mixes EP of the song [12] and there was made a music video for it to promote the film. [13]

Track listing

  1. "Welcome to P.A." – Raney Shockne
  2. "Fame" – Naturi Naughton
  3. "Big Things" – Anjulie
  4. "Ordinary People" – Asher Book
  5. "This Is My Life" – Hopsin, Ak'Sent, Tynisha Keli & Donte "Burger" Winston
  6. "Out Here on My Own" – Naturi Naughton
  7. "Street Hustlin'" – Raney Shockne feat. Stella Moon
  8. "You'll Find a Way" (Switch & Sinden Remix) – Santigold
  9. "Can't Hide from Love" – Naturi Naughton & Collins Pennie
  10. "Black & Gold" – Sam Sparro
  11. "Back to Back" – Collins Pennie feat. Ashleigh Haney
  12. "I Put a Spell on You" – Raney Shockne feat. Eddie Wakes
  13. "Get On the Floor" – Naturi Naughton & Collins Pennie
  14. "Try" – Asher Book
  15. "You Took Advantage of Me" – Megan Mullally
  16. "Too Many Women" (Damon Elliott Remix) – Rachael Sage
  17. "Someone to Watch Over Me" – Asher Book
  18. "You Made Me Love You" – Raney Shockne feat. Oren Waters
  19. "Hold Your Dream" – Kay Panabaker, Asher Book & Naturi Naughton

Additionally, a More Music From Fame [14] and two solo albums by Naturi Naughton and Collins Pennie titled Fame Presents Naturi Naughton as Denise: Didn't I Tell You? [15] and Fame Presents Collins Pennie as Malik: Best Believe That [16] were released in February 2010.

Related Research Articles

<i>Wild Things</i> (film) 1998 film by John McNaughton

Wild Things is a 1998 American erotic thriller film directed by John McNaughton and starring Matt Dillon, Kevin Bacon, Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, Theresa Russell, Robert Wagner, and Bill Murray. It follows a high school guidance counselor in South Florida who is accused of rape by two female students and a series of subsequent revelations after a police officer begins investigating the alleged crimes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiely Williams</span> American singer

Kiely Alexis Williams is an American singer, dancer and actress. She is known for her membership in the girl groups 3LW, the Cheetah Girls and BluPrint.

Timothy Kevin Story is an American film director. He is best known for Barbershop (2002), Fantastic Four (2005), and the Ride Along franchise. He has been nominated for two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Directing in a Feature Film/Television Movie in 2006 and 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naturi Naughton</span> American actress and singer

Naturi Cora Maria Naughton-Lewis is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Naughton is best known as one-third of the R&B group 3LW and for her acting roles in the films Fame and Notorious, playing rapper Lil' Kim in the latter film. Naughton was a series regular on the NBC series The Playboy Club as Bunny Brenda, starred in the first season of the Lifetime drama series The Client List as Kendra and starred in the Starz drama Power as Tasha St. Patrick, a role she reprised in the spin-off series Power Book II: Ghost. In 2022, she starred as Jill “Da Thrill” in the ABC series Queens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lela Rochon</span> American actress (born 1964)

Lela Rochon Fuqua is an American actress. She is best known for her starring role as Robin Stokes in the 1995 romantic drama film Waiting to Exhale. Rochon also had roles in the films Harlem Nights (1989), Boomerang (1992), The Chamber (1996), Gang Related (1997), Knock Off (1998), Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998), and Any Given Sunday (1999).

<i>Fame</i> (musical) Musical

Fame is a stage musical based on the 1980 musical film of the same name, with book by Jose Fernandez, music by Steve Margoshes and lyrics by Jacques Levy. Conceived and developed by David De Silva, it premiered in 1988 in Miami, Florida, and has spawned many stagings worldwide, including an Off-Broadway production at the Little Shubert Theatre from 2003 to 2004, under the title Fame on 42nd Street.

<i>The Family Way</i> 1966 British film by Roy Boulting

The Family Way is a 1966 British comedy-drama film produced and directed by John and Roy Boulting, respectively, and starring father and daughter John Mills and Hayley Mills. Based on Bill Naughton's play All in Good Time (1963), with screenplay by Naughton, the film began life in 1961 as the television play Honeymoon Postponed. It is about the marital difficulties of a young newlywed couple living in a crowded house with the husband's family.

<i>Guide</i> (film) 1965 film by Vijay Anand

Guide is a 1965 Indian bilingual romantic drama film directed by Vijay Anand and produced by Dev Anand, who co-starred in the film with Waheeda Rehman. Based on R. K. Narayan's 1958 novel The Guide, the film narrates the story of Raj (Anand), a freelance tour guide and Rosie (Rehman), the repressed wife of a wealthy archaeologist.

<i>Step Up 2: The Streets</i> 2008 American film

Step Up 2: The Streets is a 2008 American dance film directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Toni Ann Johnson and Karen Barna. The film is the sequel to Step Up (2006) and the second installment in the Step Up film series. It stars Briana Evigan, Robert Hoffman, Will Kemp, and Cassie Ventura.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hosea Chanchez</span> American actor

Hosea Chanchez, also credited as Hosea, is an American actor best known for his recurring role on For Your Love and the quarterback football player Malik Wright on The CW/BET sitcom, The Game and its 2021 revival.

<i>An Education</i> 2009 film directed by Lone Scherfig

An Education is a 2009 coming-of-age drama film based on a memoir of the same name by British journalist Lynn Barber. The film was directed by Lone Scherfig from a screenplay by Nick Hornby. It stars Carey Mulligan as Jenny, a bright schoolgirl, and Peter Sarsgaard as David, the charming conman who seduces her. The film was nominated for 3 Academy Awards in 2010: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay for Nick Hornby, and Best Actress for Carey Mulligan.

<i>The Boy in the Dress</i> (novel) Book by David Walliams

The Boy In The Dress is a comedic children's book written by David Walliams and illustrated by Quentin Blake, published in October 2008. It is the first book by Walliams, a television comedian best known for the cult BBC show Little Britain. It tells the story of a fourteen-year-old boy called John and a twelve-year-old boy called Dennis who is encouraged by a rebellious friend to cross-dress and the reactions of his family, friends and school. It is aimed at readers aged eight to twelve, and has been adapted into a television film and a musical.

<i>Mr. Soft Touch</i> 1949 film by Gordon Douglas, Henry Levin

Mr. Soft Touch is a 1949 American film noir crime film directed by Gordon Douglas and Henry Levin and starring Glenn Ford and Evelyn Keyes. The film is also known as House of Settlement.

<i>Lottery Ticket</i> (2010 film) 2010 American film

Lottery Ticket is a 2010 American comedy film directed by Erik White and starring Bow Wow, Brandon T. Jackson, Naturi Naughton, Keith David, Charlie Murphy, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Terry Crews, Mike Epps, Loretta Devine and Ice Cube. The story follows a young man from Atlanta who wins a $370 million lottery, and soon realizes that people from the neighborhood are not his real friends, but are after his money.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collins Pennie</span> American actor

Collins Pennie is an American actor. He is known for his roles in Prom Night as Ronnie Heflin, and in In Time as Time Keeper Jaeger. He also starred in the films Fame and Stomp the Yard: Homecoming.

Raney Shockne is an American music composer and producer based in Los Angeles. He has written and produced songs for Giorgio Moroder, Pitbull, Britney Spears, Foxes, Matthew Koma, Leona Lewis and others. His score and songwriting collaborations have appeared in over 30 films and 100 televisions shows to date. Shockne is perhaps best known as the composer of USA drama Queen of the South, CBS primetime comedy Kevin Can Wait, Anger Management starring Charlie Sheen, the film The To Do List, and Fame, where his remake of the title song reached the American Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, Shockne's current video game credits include Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Battlefront II, Tron RUN/r, Dragon Age: Inquisition and The Sims franchise.

<i>Notorious</i> (2009 film) 2009 film about the Notorious B.I.G.

Notorious is a 2009 American biographical drama film directed by George Tillman Jr. and written by Reggie Rock Bythewood and Cheo Hodari Coker. It is based on the life of Brooklyn-based hip-hop artist The Notorious B.I.G. Much of the film dramatizes key events in Biggie's life: his criminal lifestyle, arrest and release from prison, his relationships with Sean Combs, Tupac Shakur, Lil' Kim and Faith Evans, his involvement in the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry and his drive-by-shooting murder on March 9, 1997. The film stars Jamal Woolard as Wallace, with Angela Bassett, Derek Luke, and Anthony Mackie in supporting roles. Biggie's mother, Voletta, served as a producer for the film, alongside his former managers Wayne Barrow and Mark Pitts.

<i>Blinded by the Light</i> (2019 film) 2019 film directed by Gurinder Chadha

Blinded by the Light is a 2019 comedy-drama film directed by Gurinder Chadha. It was inspired by the life of journalist Sarfraz Manzoor and his love of the works of Bruce Springsteen. Manzoor co-wrote the script with Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges. It is based on Manzoor's 2007 memoir Greetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion and Rock N' Roll. Set in the town of Luton in 1987 Britain, the film tells the coming-of-age story of Javed, a British-Pakistani Muslim teenager whose life is changed after he discovers the music of Springsteen. Viveik Kalra stars in the lead role, along with Hayley Atwell, Rob Brydon, Kulvinder Ghir and Nell Williams in supporting roles.

Fame is a 2009 American musical drama film and a loose remake of the 1980 film of the same name. The film's music accompanied American standards and new pieces, written specifically for the film. The original soundtrack to the film was first released for promoting the film, along with an extended play of remixes of the title track. An additional soundtrack which features dialogs, karaoke versions of selected tracks and performances that were not included in the first soundtrack music followed the film, along with two solo albums from Naturi Naughton and Collins Pennie.

References

  1. ↑ Fame at Box Office Mojo
  2. ↑ "Full Cast". Official fame website. MGM Studios.
  3. ↑ Ebert, Roger. "Fame Review". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on January 31, 2010. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
  4. 1 2 "Fame (2009): Reviews". Metacritic . CNET Networks. Archived from the original on September 28, 2009. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
  5. 1 2 "Fame Movie Reviews, Pictures". Rotten Tomatoes . IGN Entertainment . Retrieved September 27, 2009.
  6. ↑ Phillips, Michael; Scott, A.O. (September 26, 2009). "Fame Movie Review". BV Entertainment.com . Retrieved September 28, 2009.[ permanent dead link ]
  7. ↑ coopa.net. "Fame". Alan Parker - Director, Writer, Producer - Official Website. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  8. ↑ "The 'Fame' gang: Maureen Teefy - USATODAY.com". usatoday30.usatoday.com. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Weekend Box Office Results for September 25–27, 2009". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved September 27, 2009.
  10. ↑ "Fame (2009)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  11. ↑ "Fame (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Various Artists". iTunes . Retrieved January 3, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Fame - The Radio Mixes - EP by Naturi Naughton". iTunes . Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  13. ↑ "FAME Theme Song Naturi Naughton & Collins Pennie". YouTube. September 17, 2009. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Fame (More Music from the Motion Picture) by Various Artists". iTunes . Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Fame Presents Naturi Naughton As Denise: Didn't I Tell You? by Naturi Naughton". iTunes . Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Fame presents Collins Pennie as Malik: Best Believe That by Collins Pennie". iTunes . Retrieved February 25, 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.