Souless Fame

[Oldschool]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 12:40am

This is a bit off topic for a Broadway board, but I just saw a trailer for the remake of the 1980's musical film "Fame." In hearing the music tracks, particularly the opening number, all I could think was that they over-produced, over-processed, over-stylized the track and sucked the grit and soul right out of the song when compared with the original performances. Where's the beef!

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 8:01am

Could not agree more
Any drama and grit the original had has gone, its all RnB and Rap and does not represent what Fame was about at all. The CD is horrid

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 10:15am

I personally love the new soundtrack. You have to remember that it is not NYC in the 80s during the AIDS epidemic...homeless piled on top of each other....hookers in the streets. These people did what they did to try to survive and better themselves. Today, NYC is different. Majority of the "grit" is gone. And you are judging a move based on it's soundtrack? Also, the title track "Fame" was meant to be a dance hit back then and it is meant to be one now.

[Oldschool]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 11:37am

I was merely making a comment about the song's reinterpretation. The movie hasn't been released and I am not commenting on it. As for the issue of its interpretation, the new track has lots of compression and flange on the vocals and it is stylized in a way that I don't find satisfying. Shoot me, but I like Irene Cara's vocals because they are straight ahead and raw but controlled power. Her singing is devoid of the over vocalizations so prevalent in modern singing. NYC may be dressed up better because Times Square isn't the pit it used to be, but you can't tell me that the grit of the city isn't there anymore, nor the grit and grizzle it takes to be an artist and keep pushing in the face of adversity. This reinterpretation is at odds with its own lyrics. The lyrics speak of an artist in development and them saying that they have the backbone and talent to go to the top. Where's the muscle in this new interpretation? It's softer vocal and easier backing don't speak to that moxy.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 11:41am

"they over-produced, over-processed, over-stylized the track"

Doesn't this describe 98% of all music put out nowadays?

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 11:51am

The point of the music from the original Fame was it did not just represent a musical sound of the day. It had songs which were just a Piano with no Vocals, a gospel moment etc, it played off the different styles you would get at a Performance Arts school
This one does not