Fame: The Complete Seasons 1 & 2
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DVD details
Actor: Albert Hague, Carlo Imperato, Gene Anthony RayBrand: Sony
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Box set, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 1829 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-09-15
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
DVD Reviews of Fame: The Complete Seasons 1 & 2
DVD Review: FAME TV SERIES: "GONNA LIVE FOREVER"
Summary: 5 Stars
Two years after Alan Parker's original 1980 film, writer Christopher Gore successfully adapted the "Fame" format into a TV Series. The Series is toned down a bit from the film-- the students don't use profanity and Season 1 student Montgomery (P.R. Paul) is now heterosexual instead of homosexual. Minor changes aside, an episodic TV series is actually the better medium to follow the students at New York's School For The Performing Arts and their coming of age stories. When I was 16, I loved music, musical theatre, and performing arts; so Thursday nights at 8:00 pm, from 1982-1983, NBC was the place to be for "Fame." I watched Seasons 1 and 2 religiously.
Most "Fame" episodes are actually mini-musicals; which, I suppose, brings comparisons to the more recent "High School Musical" franchaise and "Glee." While I strongly doubt "High School Musical" or "Glee" will be fondly remembered in future, "Fame" holds up remarkably well. Most of the musical numbers are well integrated into the episodes and staged in an appropriate "performance" context at the school itself. A few take place in other locations, like a music store or New York deli. I vividly recall Debbie Allen (as spirited dance teacher Lydia Grant) and her students dancing exuberantly around the streets of New York City in a number titled "Body Language." I also recall the "Othello"- inspired number "Desdemona" from the Season 1 episode "The Strike." Not surprisingly, the series generated several successful TV Soundtrack Albums.
Albert Hague, Lee Currerri, and the late Gene Anthony Ray reprise their film roles as music teacher Mr, Shrovsky and students Bruno Martelli and Leroy Johnson, respectively. Other principal cast members include Erica Gimpel as Coco, Lori Singer as Julie, Valerie Landsburg as Doris, and Carlo Imperato as Danny. Dancers Stephanie E. Williams and Michael De Lorenzo are also prominently featured in several episodes. Michael De Lorenzo is also recognizable as one of the featured dancers in Michael Jackson's classic 1984 video "Beat It." Morgan Stevens joins the cast in Season 2 as drama teacher David Reardon, replacing Michael Thoma as Mr. Crandall. The death of Mr. Crandall, and the effect on his favorite student Danny, is acknowledged in the touching episode "A Touch Act To Follow." Many episodes deal with a mixture of conflict and compassion between students and teachers. Mr. Shrovsky has many battles with his headstrong student Bruno Martelli, and Lydia and English teacher Elizabeth Sherwood (excellently portrayed by Carol Mayo Jenkins) are often at odds over Leroy. Hot-headed, stubborn Leroy is a dynamic dancer and Lydia's most talented student. But he is also almost functionally illiterate; a matter of great concern to Sherwood. Indeed, "Fame" is not all happy songs and dances. Episodes address such topics as teen-age runaways, censorship, racism and other forms of prejudice, students and teachers with developmental and physical disabilities, death, and suicide. But my favorite "Fame" episode is Season 2: "Not In Kansas Anymore", a fun and inspired tribute to "The Wizard Of Oz," with Doris as Dorothy, Leroy, Bruno, and Danny as the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion, Mr. Shrovsky as the Wizard, Lydia as Glinda, The Good Witch, and Miss Sherwood as the Wicked Witch. This episode includes a beautiful version of "Over The Rainbow," performed by Valerie Landsburg and Debbie Allen.
NBC cancelled "Fame" after Season 2, but the Series was quickly picked up in syndication and ran for three more years. I never saw the rest of the series and would love to! I hope the rest of the Series (Seasons 3-6) is soon made available on DVD; as "Fame" is extremely worthwhile and highly recommended!
Description of Fame: The Complete Seasons 1 & 2
- Audio: English: Stereo, Mono
- Theatrical Aspect Ratio: Full Screen: 1.33:1
Disc 1:
- Metamorphosis
- Passing Grade
- Tomorrow's Farewell
- Alone In A Crowd
- To Soar And Never Falter
Disc 2:
- The Sell Out
- The Strike
- Street Kid
- But Seriously Folks
- Come One, Come All (This episode has been musically edited)
Disc 3:
- The Crazies
- Expose
- A Musical Bridge
- A Big Finish
Disc 4:
- Reunions
- A Special Place
Disc 5 Side A:
- And the Winner Is
- Your Own Song
- Feelings
- Class Act
Disc 5 Side B:
- Teachers
- Beginnings
- Solo Song
- Winners
Disc 6 Side A:
- Words
- Childhood's End
- Homecoming
- A Tough Act to Follow
Disc 6 Side A:
- Relationships
- Star Quality
- Sunshine Again
- Love is the Question
Disc 7 Side A:
- Blood, Sweat and Circuits
- Friendship Day
- Not in Kansas Anymore
Disc 7 Side B:
- Help from My Friends
- Ending on a High Note
- U.N. Week
Featurette - Debbie Allen Piece
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