Almost Famous
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- Almost Famous is also the name of an album by R&B singer Lumidee.
The film stars:
- Patrick Fugit as Crowe's alter ego, William Miller
- Billy Crudup, Jason Lee, and Noah Taylor as lead guitarist, lead singer, and band manager respectively, of the fictional band Stillwater, an amalgamation of The Allman Brothers Band and several other bands that Crowe wrote about
- Frances McDormand and Zooey Deschanel as William's mother and sister, respectively
- Kate Hudson, Fairuza Balk, Anna Paquin, and Bijou Phillips as groupies known as "Band Aids" (Hudson's character Penny Lane was based on several women Crowe knew, but primarily on "rock star muse" Bebe Buell)
- Jimmy Fallon as the band's new manager Dennis Hope
- Philip Seymour Hoffman as real-life journalist Lester Bangs.
Despite very good reviews the film was not a box office success. The film received four Oscar nominations, one of which led to an award to Crowe for his screenplay. It was also awarded the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.
The tagline for Almost Famous is "Experience It. Enjoy It. Just Don't Fall For It."
Musical background
The movie remains a masterful piece for those were raised in the 1970s and provides a valuable insight into the mind of Cameron Crowe and through his adept storytelling, presents a rare look inside rock and roll.Fugit, who was born 10 years after the events depicted in the movie take place, was given a collection of records to listen to and learn from in order to help him understand the period.
When William and Penny are in the car together, there is a reflection on the car windscreen of the front cover of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon
It is mentioned in the film that Stillwater is from Troy, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, Michigan. Many Metro Detroiters know that there is irony in this. Troy, Michigan is known as one of the more wealthy communities of the area and is home to a large concentration of Yuppies.
The Bootleg Cut
Along with the standard DVD version, Crowe compiled an alternate version called "Untitled," which was a compilation of both released footage, and his favorite deleted scenes. Running for over a half hour longer than the theatrical release, "Untitled" was subtitled 'The Bootleg Cut', with its packaging resembling a cheap Seventies bootleg. The set is apparently out-of-print at the current time. (Incidentally, a variant of the Bootleg Cut is the basis of the network television version of "Almost Famous.")Changes to the film include -
- The hand in the opening titles writes "Untitled" instead of "Almost Famous"
- Elaine berates a man for painting "Merry Xmas" on a storefront, complaining that "Xmas" is not a real word
- Young William is mocked in the school shower for his lack of pubic hair
- Additional albums are glimpsed in the scene in which young William finds the record bag under his bed
- William arrives at school to see that his classmates have changed the marquee on the school's sign to read "William Miller is too young to drive or fuck"
- While Bangs is at the radio station, Bangs is talking about The Guess Who in more detail, including mentioning a live version of American Woman from the band's Live at the Paramount album.
- Before cutting to the restaurant scene with Lester Bangs, William and Lester stand on a street corner in silence, as Lester waits for a bus.
- Before the first concert, Russell tells William how the littlest details in songs are the ones that people remember the most, citing a vocal sound in Marvin Gaye's "What's Happening, Brother?" as an example
- Anita's boyfriend climbs through the window of her bedroom and reminisces to William about the sex that they had there
- Before he leaves for the Hyatt House, William is given a wad of 'gas money' by his mother
- Penny and William's arrival at the Hyatt House is heavily extended, featuring a longer section with Peter Frampton, as well as William being told to "blow me!" by a comedian he recognizes
- Before having sex in the ice room, Penny and Russell have a conversation about their failing relationship
- Stillwater attends a radio interview, hosted by a stoned DJ (portrayed by Kyle Gass) who falls asleep mid-conversation
- An extra scene before Russell's electrocution shows William attempting to interview Stillwater's dimwitted bassist in the pouring rain
- The backstage fight over the blurry t-shirt includes an added exchange in which Russell asks Jeff if he's on cocaine
- A couple lines were added to the scene in Aaron's bedroom, in which Russell gives his belt to a young admirer
- The scene after Russell jumps into the swimming pool is extended to imply that there was some concern whether or not he would resurface before everyone else jumps in
- The band holds a birthday party for Penny Lane, where she first learns that she is not welcome on the airplane
- After Penny Lane's recovery from her Quaalude overdose, she and William walk through the lake in Central Park. She proceeds to tell him her real name, and in the extended cut, says: "Keith Richards looked at me, pulled me on stage, he took me backstage, and gave me a Coke with ice and a lemon. And I never went home."
Trivia
- During production, all casting notices and memos were under the name "Untitled Cameron Crowe Project". "Untitled" was later reused as the name for the "Directors Cut" of the movie, with the actors portraying "Stillwater" providing the actual musical backup.
- During breaks in filming, Peter Frampton would frequently entertain the actors and extras by giving live performances.
- Peter Frampton taught Billy Crudup how to play the guitar in preparation for the concert scenes.
- In addition to acting, Peter Frampton also performed duties as technical consultant, musician, song writer, and music instructor.
DVD release date
External links
- [Almost Famous on Cameron Crowe's Official Website]
- Soundtrack information at [the SoundtrackINFO project]
- [December 1973 Rolling Stone cover story]
- [Original movie script] containing scenes never shown in cinema but available on the director's cut
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