Fame (1980 film)

Fame
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Alan Parker
Produced by	David De Silva Alan Marshall
Written by	Christopher Gore
Music by	Michael Gore
Cinematography	Michael Seresin
Edited by	Gerry Hambling
Production company	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer United Artists
Release date	May 12, 1980 (1980-05-12) (New York City) May 16, 1980 (1980-05-16) (United States)
Running time	133 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$8.5 million
Box office	$21.2 million

Fame is a 1980 American teen musical drama film directed by Alan Parker, and written by Christopher Gore. The film follows a group of students during their studies at the High School of Performing Arts in New York City, from their auditions to their freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years.

Producer David De Silva conceived the idea in 1976 and commissioned Gore to begin work on a script that would depict the lives of students attending the High School of Performing Arts. The script became the subject of a bidding war among a host of established film studios before it was sold to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). After the release of his previous film Midnight Express (1978), Parker signed on to direct the film and rewrote the script with Gore, aiming for a more dramatic and darker tone. He encountered difficulties with the New York Board of Education, whose members criticized the script's subject matter and forbade the production from filming in the actual school, and U.S. labor union representatives who objected to the British crew members involved with the film. Principal photography commenced in July 1979 and concluded after 91 days, with a budget of $8.5 million. The film was shot on location in New York City.

MGM gave Fame a platform release which involved releasing the film in select cities, before expanding distribution in the following weeks. While it received mixed reviews from mainstream film critics, Fame was a box office success, grossing $21.2 million during its North American theatrical run. The film received several awards and nominations; it was nominated for six Academy Awards, and won two for Best Original Song ("Fame") and Best Original Score (Michael Gore). The success of the film spawned a media franchise encompassing several television series, stage musicals, and a remake that was released in 2009.