DVD Reviews

Fame (1980) - Blu-ray Review

By June L. Jan 27, 2010, 14:00 GMT

Seven classes a day and a hot lunch. That?s what New York City?s High School for the Performing Arts guarantees. Stardom? That?s something the school?s teenage musicians, actors, dancers and dreamers strive for. "Fame" sings the body electric, celebrating the growing-up process of honing talent, confronting realities, finding love, living life. Director Alan Parker brings an energetic style to the crisscrossing stories of students (including future Academy Award(R) winner Irene ...more

Long before there was High School Musical, and many years before Glee was a television hit, there was another school where students reached for their dreams in the performing arts. 

Fame, the story of the students and teachers at New York City’s High School for the Performing Arts was a hit with audiences in 1980 and now that original film is available on Blu-Ray.

Fame chronicles the trials and triumphs of talented students, telling their story from the auditions to get in to the Performing Arts School, through their Senior Year and Graduation.  Most of these students come from harsh backgrounds, but have a love for music, drama, dance that is the driving force in their lives. 

Audiences are introduced to Coco Hernandez (Irene Cara) who has multiple gifts being equally good in dance, music and drama, Ralph Garci/Raul Garcia (Barry Miller) whose dream is to be a stand up comedian like his hero Freddie Prinz, Leroy Johnson (Gene Anthony Ray) a rebellious young man from Harlem whose battles against the administration are seemingly endless, Doris Finsecker (Maureen Teefy) whose abilities in drama are at odds with her self assessment of being ordinary in comparison to the more flamboyant students. 

There is Montgomery MacNeil (Paul McCrane) a drama student who has to come to grips with his homosexuality, Bruno Martelli (Lee Curreri) whose gift of music is almost lost, but becomes a galvanizing force for his classmates, and Lisa Monroe (Laura Dean) who desperately wants to be a dancer, but will end up on another career path.  The lives of these students are full of emotional highs and lows, and like ordinary teens they face a series of problems both academic and personal, that threaten their futures. 

Although set in the 1980’s, it is a timeless story of the dedication and sacrifice that those gifted in the performing arts must undergo on the way to finding their dreams.

The staff and faculty of the school play important roles in the lives of their students, as they are dedicated educators.  They are also human so Leroy constantly clashes with Mrs. Sherwood (Anne Meara) the English teacher.  Mr. Shorofsky (Albert Hague) and Bruno have many discussions about the quality of modern synthesized instruments versus those in a traditional orchestra. 

Miss Berg (Joanna Merlin) demands much and finally forces Lisa to realize that the desire to succeed will not be enough to turn her into a brilliant dancer.  Educational advances and academic performance are as important as artistic endeavors, and the faculty never let the students forget that they must excel in all these areas. 

They are tough, but the careers that these students aspire to lie at the end of very rough paths.

 Fame The Original Movie is presented on single disc with a variety of special features including The Class Reunion Commentary with Branching Video Highlights, featuring Director Alan Parker and cast members Lee Curreri, Laura Dean, Gene Anthony Ray and Maureen Teefy. 

A vintage featurette “On Location With Fame” takes a look behind the scenes of the film with cast and crew.  The “Fame Field Trip” featurette shows viewers around the school that inspired the film. It is rated R for nudity, language and content.

For a movie circa 1980, the Blu-Ray is exceptionally clear and crisp, good audio. 

Visit the DVD database for more information.