Retrospective Film Review

Fame (1980) • 45 Years Later — ambitious yet disjointed representation of youngsters’ stabs at stardom

Four teenagers must prove their mettle as they begin their journey at the New York High School of Performing Arts.

Unlike the Academy Award-winning theme song that accompanied it, is far from idyllic. It presents a gritty and unsparing view of struggling young artists in New York City, never shying away from the difficulty of forging a successful career in the arts. In fact, at times its eponymous song feels like a cruel joke considering how melodramatic the plotting often is. But this song, and the many others in Fame, aren’t about life itself; the film does that heavy lifting. Instead, they’re a representation of this ensemble cast’s big dreams, where not even abject poverty can dim their ability to imagine a far better life for themselves.

Poverty can be a very strong motivator in that regard, especially when it’s dispensed so freely here. Many of the attendees of the New York City High School of the Performing Arts have impoverished…