LOS ANGELES--It’s a new class, but the remake of “Fame” is keeping some of its music old-school.The revamped version of the 1980 movie about kids struggling for perfection at a performing arts high school in New York features a different cast of characters but brings back that signature title song--the one that proclaims, “I’m gonna live forever!”
“I think the song is iconic because it touches the heart of so many people’s dreams and aspirations,” said soundtrack producer Brian McNelis.
“The lyrics of the song are the stories of the characters in the film, the aspiration to make it as a performing artist.”
The film opens Sept. 25, but the soundtrack arrived in stores Tuesday.
The original “Fame” theme became a hit single with its disco-infused soul and also claimed an Academy Award for best original song. The new version gravitates toward glossy hip-hop but retains the soul.
It’s performed by Naturi Naughton, who stars in the new film as Denise, an aspiring singer and classical pianist.
“When we went in to re-imagine the song, we found out there were certain elements of the original, particularly that very-disco synthesized bass line, that were difficult to translate into a contemporary format,” Mr. McNelis said.
“The strength of the song was in the vocal delivery, the melody line and the lyrics.
“So, when you’re dealing with somebody as talented as Naturi is, we let her sit with the song and find her own place with it.”
In the original film, directed by Alan Parker, the song is blasted from speakers affixed to the top of a taxicab driven by the father of the songwriter.
The father tries to boost his son’s confidence by pulling up in front of the school and coaxing scores of dancers into the street merely by turning up the volume.
That scene won’t be in the new movie, because director Kevin Tancharoen said it was too memorable to even try to redo.
But it was re-created for the separate music video, which will be shown in its entirety during the MTV Video Music Awards next month.
“Our movie is kind of a hybrid,” Mr. Tancharoen said. “You could call it a musical because there are song and dance numbers in it.”
But that’s only when the students are actually singing and dancing.
“The characters never bust out singing out of nowhere,” Mr. Tancharoen said, “and they don’t turn to the camera and sing to the audience.”
The music video is more in line with a traditional fantasy sequence with Miss Naughton, in a frilly purple skirt, rainbow sequined jacket and one-glittering eyelid, emerging from a taxicab to lead her own dance on a New York street, complete with erupting fire hydrants.
“If the original song had a wink and a nod to Donna Summer,” Mr. McNelis said, “our song has a wink and a nod to Lady Gaga, maybe Katy Perry or Keri Hilson.
“But what really makes it special is Naturi’s delivery. You hear those vocals, and you really believe.”
Seen this year as Lil’ Kim in the Biggie Smalls biography film, “Notorious,” Miss Naughton, 25, is putting both her acting and her musical training to use in “Fame.”
On the soundtrack, she sings two new songs (“Can’t Hide from Love” and “Get on the Floor”) as duets with co-star Collins Pennie, and a third song called “Hold Your Dream” with co-stars Asher Book and Kay Panabaker.
She also sings the melancholy piano ballad “Out Here on My Own,” another song from the original film performed previously by Irene Cara.
Standing on a faux New York street in the sunny glare of the Southern California sun on the Paramount Studios lot, Miss Naughton prepares to shoot the music video dance scene.
She said the lyrics to the theme song, “Fame! I’m gonna live forever/ Baby, remember my name,” may be almost 30 years-old, but they still speak for her and many others.
“Living forever is something we all really crave,” she said. “You want to feel like you’re contributing something during your time on Earth. That you’re worth it.”
“Hopefully, this will be that moment for me, when people finally remember mine,” she said, adding with a laugh as she pumped her fist in the air: ‘Remember Naturi!’ ”
