Fame

This remake of Alan Parker's 1980 film showcasing New York's High School for Performing Arts is populated with an enthusiastic new generation of ambitious kids, like Denise (Naturi Naughton), a classical pianist who defies her conservative parents by switching to pop singing; Malik (Collins Pennie), who channels anger and frustration into acting/rapping; and laid-back aspiring vocalist Marco (Asher Book), who has conflicts with his insecure girlfriend, Jenny (Kay Panabaker). When we first meet them and others, they're auditioning for admission; over the next four years, some find their true talent, while some don't. Key faculty members are played by Kelsey Grammer, Charles S. Dutton, Bebe Neuwirth, Megan Mullally, and Debbie Allen (a teacher in the previous version, returning here as the principal). Unfortunately, screenwriter Allison Burnett hops onto the splashy, sanitized High School Musical/American Idol bandwagon rather than revisiting the nitty-gritty reality of Christopher Gore's earlier edgy subplots, which included students struggling with social issues like racism, poverty, illiteracy, teenage pregnancy, and homosexuality. Instead, the greatest peril this batch of competitive kids face is the casting couch. Choreographer-director Kevin Tancharoen doesn't restage the famous dancing-on-taxi-cabs Times Square finale, and replaces the cafeteria jam with a rap-off. Mark Isham's music is hardly memorable, and the catchy, Oscar-winning title song is only heard over the end credits, which is a shame. The original Fame electrified teens in the 1980s—but lightning doesn't strike twice here. Optional. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include both the theatrical and extended versions of the film, deleted scenes (18 min.), “Remember My Name” character profiles (17 min.), “The Dances of Fame” featurette (7 min.), a “Fame National Talent Search Finalists” featurette (7 min.), the “Fame” music video, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a disappointing film.] (S. Granger)