Fame (1980 film)

Fame
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Alan Parker
Written by	Christopher Gore
Produced by	David De Silva Alan Marshall
Starring	Eddie Barth Irene Cara Lee Curreri Laura Dean Antonia Franceschi Boyd Gaines Albert Hague Tresa Hughes Steve Inwood Paul McCrane Anne Meara Joanna Merlin Barry Miller Jim Moody Gene Anthony Ray Maureen Teefy
Cinematography	Michael Seresin
Edited by	Gerry Hambling
Music by	Michael Gore
Production company	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Distributed by	United Artists (United States)[1] Cinema International Corporation (International)
Release dates	May 12, 1980 (1980-05-12) (Ziegfeld Theatre) June 20, 1980 (1980-06-20) (United States)
Running time	133 minutes[2]
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$8.5 million[3]
Box office	$42 million

Fame is a 1980 American teen musical drama film directed by Alan Parker and written by Christopher Gore. Set in New York City, it chronicles the lives and hardships of students attending The High School of Performing Arts, from their auditions to their freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years.

Producer David De Silva conceived the premise in 1976, partially inspired by the musical A Chorus Line. He commissioned playwright Gore to write the script, originally titled Hot Lunch, before selling it to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). After he was hired to direct the film, Parker rewrote the script with Gore, aiming for a darker and more dramatic tone. The script's subject matter received criticism by the New York Board of Education, which prevented the production from filming in the actual High School of Performing Arts. The film was shot on location in New York City, with principal photography beginning in July 1979 and concluding after 91 days. Parker encountered a difficult filming process, which included conflicts with U.S. labor unions over various aspects of the film's production.

Fame received a limited release beginning at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City on May 12, 1980, and had a wide release in the United States on June 20, by United Artists. The film grossed over $42 million worldwide against a production budget of $8.5 million. It initially received a mixed response from reviewers who praised the music, but criticized the dramatic tone, pacing and direction although the film has been reappraised over the years. The film received several awards and nominations, including two Academy Awards for Best Original Song ("Fame") and Best Original Score, and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song ("Fame"). Its success spawned a media franchise encompassing several television series, a stage musical, and a remake released in 2009.

In 2023, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".^[4]