"FAME: THE COMPLETE SEASONS 1 & 2"
DVD Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: *** (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *1/2 (out of 5 stars) STARRING Gene Anthony Ray as LEROY JOHNSON Debbie Allen as LYDIA GRANT Carlo Imperato as DANNY AMATULLO Albert Hague as BENJAMIN SHOROFSKY Carol Mayo Jenkins as ELIZABETH SHERWOOD Erica Gimpel as COCO HERNANDEZ Lori Singer as JULIE MILLER Rated TV-G Studio: MGM Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
After the popularity of the 1980s musical drama “Fame,” MGM Television produced a successful television series which originally ran on NBC, then in first-run syndication from 1982 through 1987. The series follows the dramatic lives of kids in the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. A variety of different kids attend the school for various talents in music, art and drama. MGM has released the first two seasons of the series in a box set in anticipation for the feature film remake, opening on September 25, 2009.
WHAT I LIKED
I never saw the original “Fame” feature film when it came out in the 1980s, simply because it was rated R, and I was only nine when it hit the theaters. However, as a kid reaching my teenage years during the television show’s run, I watched the series on and off throughout junior high school.
Revisiting “Fame” now is like revisiting any television drama from the 1980s. The show reeked of the decade in terms of style, fashion and music. However, like other quality dramas from that era like “Hill Street Blues,” “Fame” was well produced and well acted.
There’s a great deal of nostalgia that I felt in watching these old shows. The characters all came back to me, and I found myself wrapped up in their lives. As a kid, I always thought this show was edgy, but that’s because I probably watched the lion’s share of the episodes before I was old enough to drive. It’s got a squeaky-clean TV-G rating now, and there’s really nothing wrong with that. The drama among the kids is just as real as it would be today.
The format of the show worked well... so well that it inspired some flops like “Cop Rock.” Still, the ability of the kids to break out in song and dance in different episodes was completely understandable considering the series took place in a Performing Arts school. After watching enough episodes of the series, you can expect some show-stopping numbers in each one. Some worked better than others, and some were complete flops, but for anyone involved in the arts in school, it was a treat to watch.
With the first two seasons packaged together, it’s easy to compare them, and the series has a consistent look over the two years. There are some neat guest stars (like Jimmy Osmond and Art Carney) and before-they-were-stars moments (including Fran Drescher, Dean Devlin and Jasmine Guy), so keep your eyes open.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Like any series from the 1980s, “Fame” doesn’t totally hold up to today’s audiences. There are quite a few cliches in the characters, but that was to be expected for any show that tried to tackle some issues.
The movie was rated R, so back in the day, “Fame” had a slight bad-boy reputation – at least it did with my parents. However, upon reflection more than 25 years since these episodes aired, “Fame” is a bit too corny at times. It got preachy (as did most of the shows in the 1980s), and there was a certain corniness that permeated the series.
So, for the new viewer, “Fame” might not be as good as your parents said it was. But for anyone looking for nostalgia for the series, this Season 1 & 2 box set is the way to go.
DVD FEATURES
With the exception of a slate of trailers on the Season 1 set and a “Fame: Then and Now” teaser on the Season 2 set, there’s no other bonus material.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
People in their 30s nostalgic for this series from their childhood.
