Fame

Story

Fame is a musical drama telling the story of a group of students at the High School of Performing Arts in New York City from first auditions to graduation.

Why we chose it

Fame captured something of what it is to be young and ambitious and to want something very badly. It didn’t glamorise or romanticise the life of a performing arts student but showed something of what life was like for the young New Yorkers at the School for Performing Arts. The song and dances numbers were spectacular too. It was one of the most successful films made by director Alan Parker.

Where it went next

Alan Parker (1944-2020) was an English filmmaker. He worked in advertising for years before starting on films and made his directorial debut in 1975 with the immensely popular Bugsy Malone. Fame was inspired by the musical A Chorus Line (1975). It was based on the real-life High School of Performing Arts (now known as Fiorella H. La Guardia High School) and the entire student body auditioned for the film. Only one, Laura Dean (Lisa), got a main role, although many other students appeared as extras.

Alan Parker wanted to show the reality of life at the school, the hard work, the desire to succeed, the fear of failure. He spent time at the school and with the students as he worked on the script.

Where it went next

Fame was nominated for numerous awards and won two Oscars, a Golden Globe, and a Bafta.

It was followed by a number of spin-off versions, none of which involved Alan Parker, including a stage musical, and a less successful 2009 remake. The long running television show in the 1980s, written by Christopher Gore and starring two of the cast of the original film, lacked the grit of the original but went on to be hugely successful in countries around the world, including Britain.

Associated stories

Alan Parker directed many films over his career. Along with Fame and Bugsy Malone, he is also well-known for Mississippi Burning (1988), The Commitments (1991), and Evita (1996). Fans of Fame may also like Flashdance (1983), Footloose (1984), A Chorus Line (1985), and Step Up (2006).