Remember the past....Fame

There are just certain movies that will never leave you. They make permanent imprints somewhere in your subconscious. Years, perhaps decades, go by and you think you forget about them but deep down the feelings it evoked, the emotions it would change, and the freedom it allowed you to have for a few short hours resonate somewhere off in the distance. And then one thing can happen like a hearing a tune, or a specific line or even something as little as one word, and the memories come flooding back. WOOSH! Then you start recalling specifics, smiles emerge. More scenes pop in and you rush to your laptop, like I am doing right now, to go to YouTube and look up those scenes to see if you remember them correctly.

Minutes pass quickly as you play scene after scene. Now maybe 30-45 minutes pass but you don't notice because you have been transported back to when you were 12 years-old and all the dreams you had then have fill current space and time. It's hard not to smile, even giggle, because you might remember what you used to wear because the film inspired you. Perhaps the film lent you a catch phrase you'd say when you wanted to make someone pay attention. Maybe the memory comes back of you sitting in front of the mirror alone in your room, singing along with the soundtrack trying to picture yourself as one of the characters because you thought they were more interesting than you.

Thousands of memories, too many to describe, but I know each and every one of you have dozens of films floating around in your brain right now, and maybe not at this instant, but soon, a spark will occur and you will be transported back to the past.

Tonight, I am sitting on the chaise lounge, in the dark, with headphones on and I am listening to a few songs from a movie that just popped in head. I was actually trying to sleep, something that is never easy for me to do because my mind wonders, usually about films. Then it happened. The phrase, "on my own" tripped across the random thoughts and stopped there. Three words just stood there, almost floating above my head, eyes shut, tossing and turning. Then it began...the memories. I hear a single piano starting to play. I tossed the sheets back, grabbed my laptop, clicked on the YouTube icon and I found it:

Yeah, yeah this was one of the "mirror songs" for me; and I have a feeling for a few of you out there as well. Go ahead, admit it. I won't tell anyone.

Okay, now that we're all in a sullen mood let's bring on the smiles and perhaps a little toe-tapping.

Anyway, after I finished "Out Here On My Own" from the original Fame, I went searching for other songs and scenes from this film. And I came upon this one....

 

"Shady Sadie, southern lady...." Who's groovin' now? I am personally sitting here slightly shifting my shoulders, trying hard to type but still keep up with the beat of the song. It ain't easy.... ha-ha...Love the lunch ladies....Okay, sorry I have to let the song finish before I continue....whew. That was fun.

Fame was one of my childhood go-to soundtracks and VHS tapes. I felt more mature when I watched the film. Heck, I wasn't even in high school when it came out. I was only 10 years old but saw it a few years later once it was released on video.

There was just something about the aura of a school of the arts, the struggle of artists, who were just kids, trying to learn their craft. Some realizing they didn't have enough talent, while others had the talent but trusted the wrong people. Fame took on many controversial topics for 1980. Homosexuality, suicide, pornography, abortion, poverty, etc…Also, it showed just how hard it was to find a career in the arts. Hollywood loves a happy ending, especially when it comes to films about certain talents like singing and dancing, but Fame showed a grittier side, probably a more realistic side than most films. (Okay, maybe not everyone dances on top of cars when a song starts playing out of taxi but, hey, it was still just a movie. There's got to some level of fantasy, right?)

 

I didn't attend a school of the arts, although my school had a fantastic drama department. (That's another story - one I'll tell you about someday when I actually acted in a few plays.) And I didn't have a talent like dancing, singing or acting even though I just mentioned I attempted to perform on stage. Fame taught me about conviction the students had, the level of self-esteem and belief in their abilities - that they could do something with their lives. Sure, they all struggled from self-doubt but they kept on trying and that inspired me, and still does today.

I hope you enjoyed this little trip down memory lane. Now I am off to go find a photos of me in legwarmers…


P.S. Yes, I watched the television show.

Rock of Ages

Question: What was the first album you ever purchased (with your own money)? This goes out to the demographic that actually walked into a record store, picked up the album, turned it over to read the list of songs, etc… and handed cash to the teenager behind the counter. At home, you’d peel off the plastic; slowly and gingerly slide out the vinyl and gently place the record on the turntable. Next you lifted the needle and carefully lowered it, plugged in the headphones that were bigger than your head and slowly allowed the music to take you away from the drudgery of being a teenager. Ahhhhhh…..music….

So, what was your first album? You might be shocked at mine: Motley Crue’s Shout At the Devil and Madonna’s first album . I will never forget the day going to a record store in downtown Cincinnati and picking those out. It was like obtaining a little bit of freedom. I listened to them for hours. Of course, I had other albums but these were mine bought with my hard-earned babysitting money.

During this time, I went through a little heavy metal stage, even though I did to listen to classic rock and other current pop music as well. However, Def Leppard was my favorite of the genre with On Through the Night , High & Dry and Pyromania albums but they lost me when Hysteria was released in 1987. By then I had moved onto REM, U2 and The Smiths and left my heavy metal stage behind me. But for a brief few years I listened to song after guitar-ladened song of overly melodramatic rock ballads and anthems that spoke to all the emotions I was going through at the time. This all brings me to my review of Rock of Ages .

First and foremost, if you see this movie, please leave your cynic’s cap at home. This film was designed to make you laugh, tap your toes (or put up the universal hand signal for rock n roll) and remember what it was like when music helped you escape. Plus, this was a remake of a Broadway musical. So, if you don’t care for cheesy musical numbers and totally non-realistic scenes, then skip Rock of Ages . But, first finish reading this review before you truly make up your mind.

Usually musicals are not high up on my list to review, but with what I mentioned above, you may see why I had a secret desire to see it. Plus, I kept hearing Tom Cruise was awesome as Stacee Jaxx. A character type he has never played before. I mean, nothing like any other performance to date, so my interest was piqued. Except in Tropic Thunder , Tom Cruise is usually the overly energetic hero that takes up too much of the screen time running, fighting and flying through the air when something explodes behind him. In Rock of Ages, however, he plays an aging heavy metal guy, who is quiet and reserved, and acts as if he is high as a kite, but not in the way you might think. He’s not in the movie a lot but when he is the movie rocked. (And it didn’t hurt he sang my favorite Bon Jovi song). His character made this movie enjoyable…or should I say tolerable?

Most of Rock of Ages shows Diego Boneta, Drew, a wanna-be rock star and Julianne Hough, Sherrie, as a small town girl, living in a lonely…(oh wait, sorry, started breaking into to song there). She had dreams of moving to LA and becoming a singer, so she broke out in song all the time but never for anyone on stage like an audition. And that is exactly what Rock of Ages is like, people constantly breaking into songs and, for me, that is always a bit disconcerting. Plus, Julianne’s helium induced vocals almost gave me a headache. However, I knew every song that was haphazardly placed in between the dialogue and I didn’t mind so much…okay, sometimes I did.

Normally I was laughing at myself because I was singing along with the songs. I also laughed at the characters as the motions, choreography or bizarre song breakouts played out up on the big screen. Some could see that as a good thing or a bad thing and somewhat expected of a musical. But nothing prepared me for the Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand duet. Nothing! My cheeks still hurt from smiling so broadly. That scene is priceless, and I think most will enjoy that part. It was hysterical!

There really isn’t much to say about the plot because there hardly is one, so I won’t summarize it for you all. And the over-the-top acting and boisterous musical renditions could really have made this a bad time. Nonetheless, I rather enjoyed myself while watching Rock of Ages . I am a child of the 80’s and remember those days of loving music that my parents hated and blocking out all the bad thoughts that filled my young mind.

What might also surprise you about this film, everyone really sang. Meaning, no one had a singing double. I will say several of them were not too bad: Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin, Malin Akerman and Paul Giamatti. However, Mary J. Blige was spectacular, of course. Catherine Zeta-Jones was also good, but I already knew she could sing from Chicago . The leads were decent but I already mentioned Julianne Hough’s voice rubbed me the wrong way. But it was Tom Cruise who was actually pretty good. I was shocked.

Rock of Ages is not a film that I will watch again unlike Shankman’s Hairspray , but it was nice to stroll down memory lane because…I love rock ‘n’ roll, so put another dime in the jukebox, baby!

Directed by Adam Shankman, New Line Cinema, 2012

Starring: Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Tom Cruise, et al.

My favorite part: Got to say it, Tom Cruise and his performance.

My least favorite part: I wish it had more of a consistent plot and didn't try so hard to stick a song in every 30 seconds.

Rating: PG-13
Length: 123 minutes

Review: 4 out of 10


Click on film poster to watch instantly or download soundtrack: