Fame

Four years at the New York High School of Performing Arts, from auditions to graduation. Students from the drama, music and dance departments; academic failure, the pressure of performing, and the life waiting outside the building. Alan Parker directed and changed the tone himself. Producer David De Silva was focused on the joy the school represented; Parker said he was much more interested in where the pain was. The New York Board of Education refused permission to film at the real school, citing profanity, sexual content and depictions of drug use. The production used abandoned schools instead, converting Haaren High School and Performance Space 122. It won two Academy Awards: Best Original Score for Michael Gore, and Best Original Song for Fame, with music by Gore and lyrics by Dean Pitchford. The song placed 51st on the American Film Institute's 100 Years 100 Songs list. On an 8.5 million dollar budget it grossed over 42 million worldwide. The first reviews were mixed, praising the music and attacking the pacing and direction. Its standing rose over time and it entered the National Film Registry in 2023. Who it is for: viewers who like the performing arts and stories about young people. Who it is not for: anyone expecting a cheerful musical. The film goes into harassment, abortion and being pushed toward the porn industry, and gives nobody a happy ending.