Farewell then singer and actress Irene Cara whose passing was announced today. I was immediately struck by youthful pangs of idolatry, recalling her singing not one but two immensely popular title tracks from musical films, Fame and Flashdance. By the time Flashdance came out, I was old enough to see the film and buy the soundtrack which I wore out on the family turntable. It was groundbreaking to see a woman welder who also danced and flirted confidently with her love interest. The dancing was out of this world.
Fame, however, came out when I was too young to see it and I knew of it only from reputation for years. But as a kid growing up in NYC I was mesmerised by the clips I saw of teenagers dancing and singing in the streets of Manhattan, of taut, thrusting bodies in body-hugging gear and leg warmers. How we all obsessed over leg warmers in those days. It really was a thing. We all wanted to attend the School of Performing Arts, too. The closest I came was when our high school choir performed a medley from Fame.
As an adult I finally saw the film and was struck by how intense it was, how it dealt with serious issues like family abuse, exploitation, and so forth. I don't know why I am so surprised that a musical can also be a serious film, even knowing how Dirty Dancing and Footloose also addressed contemporary issues. I found out only today that Irene Cara was from the Bronx, which gives added resonance as that is my hometown, too.
Decades on from its release, I still get a thrill seeing those kids dance onto the street and walk over those cars. RIP Irene.
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