Musical Mondays Week 84 Fame

[tomspanks 9039]

I probably liked this more than most here.  Maybe it's because it was constantly on tv, but I didn't have a problem with the number of characters.  Sort of like high school IRL, you know of lots of kids in your class peripherally, but you don't really know their story beginning to end.      

My favorite part was the graduation scene.  Loved the song, the choreo, the familiar faces in the audience, and the warm gold light in the auditorium.  It was such a hopeful and joyous moment, but also heartbreaking because we know most of them will become struggling artists.  

[Cameron H. 23786]

14 minutes ago, tomspanks said:

I probably liked this more than most here.  Maybe it's because it was constantly on tv, but I didn't have a problem with the number of characters.  Sort of like high school IRL, you know of lots of kids in your class peripherally, but you don't really know their story beginning to end.      

My favorite part was the graduation scene.  Loved the song, the choreo, the familiar faces in the audience, and the warm gold light in the auditorium.  It was such a hopeful and joyous moment, but also heartbreaking because we know most of them will become struggling artists.  

I share your affection for it. 
 

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

OK, my original theory fell through but I'll post this anyway.  I was curious where "I Sing the Body Electric" came from.  I knew this song and the Twilight Zone episode.  I thought maybe they were related but they aren't.

The original line is from a Walt Whitman poem.  The original poem was untitled and didn't contain the line until a later edition.  The Twilight Zone episode is about a widower hiring an electronic grandmother (a robot) to watch his kids.  That's the IMDB synopsis.  I haven't seen the episode so I don't know what happens.  The song came from an idea the songwriter had.  He remembered the line then wrote the rest of the first part on the way to a party.

[grudlian. 4725]

44 minutes ago, tomspanks said:

I probably liked this more than most here.  Maybe it's because it was constantly on tv, but I didn't have a problem with the number of characters.  Sort of like high school IRL, you know of lots of kids in your class peripherally, but you don't really know their story beginning to end.      

My favorite part was the graduation scene.  Loved the song, the choreo, the familiar faces in the audience, and the warm gold light in the auditorium.  It was such a hopeful and joyous moment, but also heartbreaking because we know most of them will become struggling artists.  

I actually liked this just fine. I think there's a lot of energy in the performances and the direction. I think a major motion picture in 1980 having a prominent gay character or a white woman pursue an interracial relationship were a big deal at the time.

But I can't deny that a lot of the major plot points come out of nowhere (except a lot of it is very stereotypical so it's not a total surprise). I get that major life changes can be unexpected but they seemed to all be out of nowhere. So, my primary complaint is that I want this to be longer. I'm kind of thinking of just watching the series now.

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

I've rented the remake (on Vudu) and will watch it tonight or tomorrow night.

[GrahamS. 803]

I liked it for what it was until the fake suicide scene (which turned me off because it initially felt like it was randomly tossed in to be “topical”, then when the character didn’t do it it, it felt like the movie was just shrugging its shoulders and saying “gotcha!” Which was somehow worse), then the rest of the movie became kind of a slog. It was such a mix of parts I thought worked and others that didn’t that I i were to grade it, I’d probably give it a C. It’s definitely good material for a TV. Most recently, I’d say Glee was that show. I liked the first season of that, then it began to wear thin.

[Cam Bert 8145]

10 hours ago, tomspanks said:

I probably liked this more than most here.  Maybe it's because it was constantly on tv, but I didn't have a problem with the number of characters.  Sort of like high school IRL, you know of lots of kids in your class peripherally, but you don't really know their story beginning to end.      

My favorite part was the graduation scene.  Loved the song, the choreo, the familiar faces in the audience, and the warm gold light in the auditorium.  It was such a hopeful and joyous moment, but also heartbreaking because we know most of them will become struggling artists.  

To me it's in that classic situation of "Didn't hate it, but won't rewatch it, but will listen to the soundtrack." I was far from hating it. It was a solid "like." I just wished I could have been more connected to the characters which I felt would have come from cutting back on characters as well.

I could also see this movie working more for me if the style was more like a documentary like the audition section at the beginning.

[Cameron H. 23786]

12 minutes ago, Cam Bert said:

To me it's in that classic situation of "Didn't hate it, but won't rewatch it, but will listen to the soundtrack." I was far from hating it. It was a solid "like." I just wished I could have been more connected to the characters which I felt would have come from cutting back on characters as well.

I could also see this movie working more for me if the style was more like a documentary like the audition section at the beginning.

I loved the Auditions. Everything felt so claustrophobic and desperate. In regard to Leroy, though, he’s only 14, right? I’m not sure how I feel about the dance teachers lusting after him like that.

[Cam Bert 8145]

2 minutes ago, Cameron H. said:

I loved the Auditions. Everything felt so claustrophobic and desperate. In regard to Leroy, though, he’s only 14, right? I’m not sure how I feel about the dance teachers lusting after him like that.

Yes the auditions were my favourite bit, then the graduation. Ended and started high.

It didn't occur to me until you mentioned it that they are suppose to be 14 at the start of the movie. That does change things.

[GrahamS. 803]

I think the Fame reboot should be directed by the Safdie Brothers (Uncut Gens, Good Time)!

[GrahamS. 803]

Or Takashi Miike!

[GrahamS. 803]

Which probably inappropriate but possibly interesting director (s) would you pick for a Fame reboot?

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

14 hours ago, GrahamS. said:

Which probably inappropriate but possibly interesting director (s) would you pick for a Fame reboot?

I would pick Paul Greengrass for his documentary style (Bloody Sunday).  Make the movie more like the auditions.

[Cameron H. 23786]

Just curious, has anyone tried Kast yet? I keep meaning to check it out but keep forgetting. I also saw some people say it’s not that good—that the streaming can be laggy. 

[grudlian. 4725]

35 minutes ago, Cinco DeNio said:

I would pick Paul Greengrass for his documentary style (Bloody Sunday).  Make the movie more like the auditions.

This is a good option I haven't thought of.

I was leaning towards James Franco just because of Disaster Artist. I think he was able to get to the heart of these people chasing dreams of celebrity but I'm not sure how he'd handle a big cast with intersecting stories.

I also like Greta Gerwig. I think one of the best things about this movie is how vibrant it can feel. I think she could do that well. 

28 minutes ago, Cameron H. said:

Just curious, has anyone tried Kast yet? I keep meaning to check it out but keep forgetting. I also saw some people say it’s not that good—that the streaming can be laggy. 

I tried it shortly after Polly Darton suggested it. I didn't notice any lag on the audio or video. I just jumped in some random room though and wasn't in it long. So, maybe I was lucky. 

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

3 hours ago, Cameron H. said:

Just curious, has anyone tried Kast yet? I keep meaning to check it out but keep forgetting. I also saw some people say it’s not that good—that the streaming can be laggy. 

I have a room open right now.  I want to try a watch party tonight of the Fame remake.  Please log in and see if you can see anything.

https://s.kast.gg/g/4cpw6w3gnm1

 

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

37 minutes ago, Cinco DeNio said:

I have a room open right now.  I want to try a watch party tonight of the Fame remake.  Please log in and see if you can see anything.

https://s.kast.gg/g/4cpw6w3gnm1

 

I've shut it down.  Will try tonight at 8 p.m. if anyone wants to join.

[Cameron H. 23786]

14 minutes ago, Cinco DeNio said:

I've shut it down.  Will try tonight at 8 p.m. if anyone wants to join.

I won’t be able to stay for the whole thing, but hopefully I can drop in to test it out. Thanks, Cinco!

[grudlian. 4725]

2 hours ago, Cinco DeNio said:

I've shut it down.  Will try tonight at 8 p.m. if anyone wants to join.

I should be able to get in on this

[Cameron H. 23786]

4 hours ago, Cinco DeNio said:

I've shut it down.  Will try tonight at 8 p.m. if anyone wants to join.

I probably won’t be able to make it after all. Sorry! Let me know how it goes.

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

The room is open.

https://s.kast.gg/g/4cpw6w3gnm1

 

[GrahamS. 803]

12 minutes ago, Cinco DeNio said:

The room is open.

https://s.kast.gg/g/4cpw6w3gnm1

 

Won’t be able to do this tonight, but am curious as to what this is? I have a very vague idea.

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

Sorry.  Grudlian was a trooper but it didn't work.  Kast has issues.  I will read up on their tech docs and see if I can get it started another time.

[grudlian. 4725]

22 minutes ago, Cinco DeNio said:

Sorry.  Grudlian was a trooper but it didn't work.  Kast has issues.  I will read up on their tech docs and see if I can get it started another time.

It seems like a needlessly complicated setup. I ended up downloading the app because it pushes it so hard. I thought it might be easier than through the browser. I could get to a place where I think I might have been streaming something from my end. I can't say for sure though.

[Cameron H. 23786]

1 hour ago, GrahamS. said:

Won’t be able to do this tonight, but am curious as to what this is? I have a very vague idea.

We used to get together on rabb.it and watch movies together. Sometimes for MM and sometimes for something we used to call HDTGM Classics. Basically, we would get together once a month and watch a HDTGM movie. It was a lot of fun, but the site we used, rabb.it, shut down. We’ve been trying to find something to replace it ever since. Kast looked promising, but I guess not.