The music of Fame then and now

What is a soundtrack album of a remake of the ’80s musical Fame without I Sing the Body Electric or worse, without Is It Okay If I Call You Mine? Fans of the picture and of the songs will instantly reply that that album can only be described as incomplete. And that is just what the soundtrack album of Fame of 2009 seems like if you were reading the song line-up. Woefully inadequate, because it lacks those two crucial and well-remembered songs.

But on the other hand, this Fame is of today. It is a movie for an entirely new generation. While the basic plot was taken from the 1980 original, a lot of things have certainly changed in two decades. New York, which is also the setting, is totally different. So is the look of the people, think clothes and hairstyles. So is the sound around them and its most important element, the rhythm and language of the music.

If you love the classic Fame, then watch that movie and listen to that soundtrack. Irene Cara was superb in both. Unlike the famous song though, her fame did not live forever. Wonder whatever happened to her? Those with no attachment to 1980 would do well to listen to the new soundtrack. They will enjoy it and will not miss anything at all.

This Fame has the music of today. This is a mix of hip-hop, This Is My Life by Hopsin, Ak’sent, Tynisha Keli & Donte “Burger” Winston; of covers, John Mayer’s Ordinary People performed by Asher Brook; and oldies like the standards, Someone To Watch Over Me done by Asher and You Made Me Love You by Raney Shockne feat. Oren Waters. They will also discover Naturi Naughton. She sings Fame and Out Here On My Own with a voice that mixes sweetness, great range and clarity of tone. She has all the makings of a big star.

In fact, save for the soundtrack, which has a lot of great stuff, Naturi is the only good thing going for this remake. I think the problem was indecision. It was a case of, do we stick to the gritty, PG-13 original or do we go High School Musical so we can make more money at the tills? Unfortunately, they went for the latter and lost all the engrossing drama that made Fame 1980 a moving experience.

Coincidentally, the release of Fame came at a time of renewed interest in another memorable musical from the ’80s. Patrick Swayze died and fans wanted to watch Dirty Dancing again. I saw it the other night and it is better than I remember. The movie has a quaint charm that is particularly touching and Swayze was fantastic and sexy on the dance floor.

After what happened to Fame, I am prepared to shoot down anybody who would do a remake or what they term the re-imagining or whatever of Dirty Dancing. They should already get it into their heads that some “sequels” of this picture all tanked at the box-office. Besides, even if they do find another Swayze or Jennifer Gray, they would have to get really “dirtier” to top the original. That might not look well on the big screen.

Come to think of it. Maybe I should do the same for those who would want to do another Flashdance. This was also on TV some days ago. Remember Jennifer Beals in that loose sweater with one dropped shoulder and her sweaty muscles shot in extreme close-up? That is not going to happen again. Can you imagine what they will think of dropping next time?

And what about Footloose with the song by Kenny Loggins and a young, dancing Kevin Bacon? They shouldn’t touch that too. But horrors! Might have to bring out the ammunition for this one as I read somewhere that the remake is now being shot and there is a new guy in the Bacon role. All I can say is he’d better be good.

 Footloose, Fame, Flashdance, Dirty Dancing. These are iconic musicals from the ’80s. They were nothing grand like Chicago or Phantom of the Opera. They were quite simple really but they did leave behind a lot of hit songs and created images that have become indelible memories from that era.