Fame is a remake of the 1980 semi-classic of the same name that is famous mostly for its emphatic dance number that spills into the New York City streets.  The problem with most remakes is that they fail to replicate the mystery, wonder, and magic that made the original films so popular in the first place.  Thankfully, Fame is the exception that proves the rule.  It is a fun, lively, engaging film that is sure to be a hit… despite getting rid of the famous street-dancing scene.

The rest of the film follows the formula of the original fairly closely.  It is the story of a group of performing arts students working their way through a prestigious New York school with a very uncreative name: The Performing Arts School.  The film begins with auditions, cutting back and forth between the school’s four main programs of music, singing, dancing, and acting, while introducing us to some of the main characters.  The film then follows these characters from their struggles as Freshmen to either their success or their continued struggles as graduation nears.

As in the original, the students’ education comes not only from the classroom, but out in the real world as well.  Whereas the fine teachers at the school want to mold their talent and naïve ambition, there are others who merely want to take advantage of it.  There are some students who have to come face to face with the fact that they may lack the natural gifts required of the profession they seek, while others are finding whole new worlds of creative opportunity open up to them.  Lest it be forgotten, this is also a movie about a high school, and all the usual difficulties that go along with that—grades, parents, relationships—are also present.

If you have seen the original film, then plot-wise there is little in the movie that should surprise you, but the slight changes and the overall appeal of the characters make the experience well worth revisiting.  Besides, the main reason most people are likely to see this movie is not the plot, but the performances.  Fame is filled from fade-in to fade-out with some remarkable performances.  The actors who play the teachers are all faces we recognize, but the principals are all fresh faces.  If their talent level is any indication, it’s a cinch that they won’t remain unknown for long.

Although the plot may not have developed much from the original, the atmosphere has certainly developed into the modern age.  Bach and Gershwin are still on the curriculum, but R&B and rap have become much more prominent.  It’s for this reason that the material avoids feeling stale and manages even to maintain the joy and strength of the original, if not surpass it.

Of course, the main reasons for this are the jubilant, beautiful music and dance sequences.  The famous street dance sequence may be gone, but the lunchroom jam session is back, fueled by an 8 Mile style rap battle and it’s as fun as ever.  A few other stand-outs include a lovely performance of “Our Here on My Own” and a remarkable modern dance performed near the end.  These numbers had me tapping my foot throughout and there were multiple times when I had to resist the instinctive temptation to jump up and cheer.

The new Fame will likely be a huge hit and it should be, but here’s hoping modern audiences also find the opportunity to seek out the original.

Fame is rated PG for “thematic material including teen drinking, a sexual situation and language.”  One student gets lured into a sexual situation and another gets drunk, but other than that there’s not much to worry about in this film for most ages.

Courtesy of a local publicist, Jeff attended a promotional screening of Fame.