Fame - musical or movie?

Fame.

Fame, the Musical is beyond amazing. I loved it. I saw one show in my home town where a good friend of mine did such a beyond amazing job as one of the dancers.

All of the actors casted for Fame in the local musical did such a beyond fantastic job. I was enthralled in the performance.

This musical focused mainly on the dancing, since a majority of the actors were trained dancers, and they just cast magic over the audience.

I was truly, truly impressed!

Fame the movie.

When I saw the first trailer for this movie in 2009, I was BEYOND excited.

The trailers made the movie look outstanding (as movie trailers and previews are meant to do)

It looks like the movie was also going to focus on dance as the main part of the movie.

So Fame finally made it to the big screen...

and I have to admit, I was a more than a little disappointed.

The one great thing I have to admit, they casted all unkown actors, which made the high school performing arts school that much more realistic and it was easier to relate to them. Especially to those who want to be in the field.

They did not focus on dance. Which surprised me. Maybe they felt there was too much dance movies out there - Step Up? Step Up 2?, Center Stage and the So you think you can dance seasons, I can see why they did it more focused on the theatew and acting and music part of it.

The movie had the ability to be truly fantastic, but it was missing something. I don't think the movie did well with the critics. They probably felt the same, almost unfulfilled.

It was very fast, they go through 5 years of schooling in the movie time frame, but it was also very impersonal.

When you speak to someone in performing arts, its a deep emotional connection and that is what was missing. Especially when they focused on the theatre and music part of the field. There was no connection to the actors.

I enjoyed the music and the minimal dancing that was in it was good, again not fantastic.

This was a mediocre to good movie.

It did have the ability to be great.

Maybe when they remake this movie within the next 10-20 years, they can get it right :)

My personal opinion and verdict...

Musical Verdict = 10 +

Movie Verdict = 2 +