Musical Mondays Week 84 Fame

[grudlian. 4725]

1 hour ago, Cameron H. said:

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.

I'm not totally ready to give up on kast. Most of us had occasional trouble hosting on rabbit. So, I don't think any site is going to be perfect yet. I think rabbit was slightly more intuitive but people are using kast the same way we used rabbit.

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

I hope it's OK to post my notes on the remake as I'm doing it anyway.  Misery loves company.   Spoilers abound but I try to keep them general in scope.

1) The music is entirely forgettable.  I really enjoyed the lunchroom song in the original.  I couldn't tell you one line from the remake except to say it appeared everyone was well-rehearsed for it.  It didn't appear to grow organically like the 1980 film.

1a) The title song is reduced to one singer who doesn't punch "Fame!" when singing.  The movie opens with a minor-key version (my term for a lesser-sounding rendition) of just "Remember, remember, remember".  The title song appears in the credits.

2) I do have to give credit to the remake for fleshing characters out somewhat.  According to Vudu I had rented the Extended Dance edition but the movie I watched was the theatrical length and had none of the extended scenes.  (This link is to a comparison of both versions.)  Apparently the extended edition adds more back story and character development and the movie is better for it.  An e-mail to Vudu is in the works to complain.

3) I did the original a disservice by saying the ending song "I Sing the Body Electric" left out the drama department.  Having seen the remake I realize the original also left out the dance department.  The remake uses a different song but throws in components of dance, music and vocal singing.  The drama department still gets short shrift. <grin>

4) The original's shortcomings of a) letting students slide on academics until shortly before graduation, and b) letting an acting student slide on letting themselves go until shortly before graduation are in the remake.  The suicide is also here but is a real potential suicide.  The student is rescued at the last minute and breaks down crying in their rescuers' arms.

5) I wish the teachers had more pop.  Debbie Allen was the principal.  Kelsey Grammer was the music teacher.  He tried exhortation to encourage students (in his teacher character's way) but fell flat.  Bebe Neuwirth (Lilith on Cheers/Frasier, Kelsey Grammer's wife for a while and, famously, Velma in Chicago) was the dance instructor.  Megan Mullaly (I haven't seen her in anything but I know her name) was the vocal teacher.  One fun part was Megan taking the students to a karaoke bar as part of their class.  She sang a song but in a childlike voice.  Maybe that's the way she sings but it seemed out of place to me, especially given the song she sang.  Otherwise the teachers were just teachers.  Aside from a nod to Chicago being PA's spring performance (I got to meet Bebe Neuwirth once on Broadway after a performance), the teachers did nothing different than the original.  You could have had Bebe do an amazing dance, showing what was possible.  They did explore Megan's character's background at or after the karaoke bar but that was about it.

6) More characters left school by "succeeeding" than failing.  Anyone who left before graduating was shown working in a paying acting job.  No one left thinking they would succeed and then failed like the original's hotshot actor who wound up a waiter.

7) Relationships broke up and got together for the flimsiest of reasons.  One dancer got successful and dumped their significant other simply on the reason of "I'm busy now so I'll have no time for you.  Bye!"

 

I think that's enough.  I will try to find some videos to show what I mean.

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

Here's a music video of the title song.  Notice how "Fame" is always in the background.

 

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

Here's the big finale.