By Remedios V. Lucio
Almost Famous is a film tackling the world of rock 'n roll and entertainment Journalism. Written and directed by Cameron Crowe, it is one of the best films released in 2000.
It brings us back to the world of rock 'n roll in the 1970s with the lead character, William Miller (played by Patrick Fugit), a budding music journalist at 15. He meets up with the infamous rock critic Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who assigns him to cover a Black Sabbath concert for $35, although Bangs warns him about going into the profession of entertainment journalism. At first, he was not let into the building until he told the the members of Stillwater his opinions on their songs. There he also met Penny Lane, a so-called Band-aid, while waiting for his opportunity to finally get into the building with the band.
He was given a once in a lifetime assignment for Rolling Stone magazine to go on tour with Stillwater, and write about them. His mentor, Creem rock critic Lester Bangs (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), gave him a key advice--"You cannot make friends with the rock stars." But this he does with Stillwater's guitarist, Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup). Not only that but he also falls in love with the group's Band-aid, Penny Lane, who has a thing for Hammond.
It is not really a film about the life in the '70s or the music scene. But it is a movie about Miller's coming of age, finding out on his own beyond the life presented by his overprotective mother. Beginning in the movie as an immature kid who obviously lives under his mother's rules, Miller learns on his own throughout his trip with the band. In the process, he rejects drugs, forms friendships with the others, lost his virginity, and saves a life.
Crowe has made a film that is entertaining and relatable to both insiders and outsiders of the entertainment industry. The film's actor's good acting was accompanied with great music from the 70's, bringing back the audience to that era of rock 'n roll--and perhaps to their own coming of age memory lanes.
It brings us back to the world of rock 'n roll in the 1970s with the lead character, William Miller (played by Patrick Fugit), a budding music journalist at 15. He meets up with the infamous rock critic Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who assigns him to cover a Black Sabbath concert for $35, although Bangs warns him about going into the profession of entertainment journalism. At first, he was not let into the building until he told the the members of Stillwater his opinions on their songs. There he also met Penny Lane, a so-called Band-aid, while waiting for his opportunity to finally get into the building with the band.
He was given a once in a lifetime assignment for Rolling Stone magazine to go on tour with Stillwater, and write about them. His mentor, Creem rock critic Lester Bangs (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), gave him a key advice--"You cannot make friends with the rock stars." But this he does with Stillwater's guitarist, Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup). Not only that but he also falls in love with the group's Band-aid, Penny Lane, who has a thing for Hammond.
It is not really a film about the life in the '70s or the music scene. But it is a movie about Miller's coming of age, finding out on his own beyond the life presented by his overprotective mother. Beginning in the movie as an immature kid who obviously lives under his mother's rules, Miller learns on his own throughout his trip with the band. In the process, he rejects drugs, forms friendships with the others, lost his virginity, and saves a life.
Crowe has made a film that is entertaining and relatable to both insiders and outsiders of the entertainment industry. The film's actor's good acting was accompanied with great music from the 70's, bringing back the audience to that era of rock 'n roll--and perhaps to their own coming of age memory lanes.
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