Almost Famous

Almost Famous

2000

Writer: Cameron Crowe

Director: Cameron Crowe

122 Minutes

Cameron Crowe was of the youngest contributor for Rolling Stone Magazine, only sixteen years old, when he got the assignment to tour with the Altman Brothers.

This film’s main character was a young, fifteen year old boy named William Miller who gets a paid assignment with Rolling Stone Magazine to write about the band Stillwater.

The parallels are complete and twenty-seven years later, Crowe made a movie about his experience called Almost Famous. Yet, the movie stands the test of time reliving Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer,” and the side effects during an acid trip.

The film won a well-deserved Academy Award for best writing.

In the scene above, William has accepted his writing assignment, blessed by his controlling mother, and jumped in the car with the ultimate band-aid Penny Lane (Kate Hudson). When they take off on their journey, the cover of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon is reflected in the windshield.

This is Crowe’s metaphor that William is crossing into the unknown world. It’s a world of adventure, drugs, and sex. It’s a world that will change him forever. It’s Rock and Roll.

The reflection goes quick, but it’s meaning lives on. William will be tested, trained, heartbroken, disillusioned, and inspired on his journey to write about his idols, Stillwater. He learns what happens to bands on the road from massive egos to failing airplanes to childhood crushes to utter disappointment.

But, it all starts here. It all starts by crossing into the Dark Side of the Moon.

"The only true currency in this bankrupt world are the moments you share with someone when you're uncool." - Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman)

Cameron Crowe, you are William Miller. And we are better people for hearing your uncool, yet wonderful story.