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Technical Information
Studio:
Dreamworks Home Entertainment
Year of Theatrical Release: 2000
Disc Format: 1
single-sided, Dual Layer
Image Format: Anamorphic
Widescreen
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Region Encoding: 1
Sound Format: Dolby
Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0 (pro logic)
Running Time: 127
minutes
Director: Cameron
Crowe
Stars: Patrick
Fugit, Kate Hudson, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Francis McDormand
MPAA Rating: R
Disc Supplements:
- Making of Almost Famous featurette
- 7 Rolling Stone articles written by Cameron Crowe
- Stillwater music video "Fever Dog"
- Production notes
- Cast and crew filmographies
- Trailers
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Almost Famous is a fictionalized account of
the true life events in the life of writer/director Cameron
Crowe. That is to say, like young William Miller in the film,
Crowe really did embark on adventures as a writer for Rolling
Stone Magazine. He really did tour with rock bands while still
in his mid-teens. He really was on the "inside" of
big-name rock bands. Yet, at the same time, Almost Famous remains
its own story. And a brilliant story it is.
William Miller (newcomer Patrick Fugit) has
been submitting articles to Cream Magazine editor Lester Bangs
with the hope of getting something published. Miller gets his
chance to meet face-to-face when Bangs does a radio interview.
Admitting that he likes the kid's work, Bangs give him an assignment
- to write a story about the Black Sabbath concert coming to
town.
Denied access to the concert, Miller meets
a group of "band-aids" (not to be confused with groupies),
who are led by ultimate band-aid, Penny Lane (Kate Hudson).
He also runs into the group Stillwater and convinces them to
let him backstage.
Miller is contacted by Rolling Stone Magazine.
They like his work and he convinces them to let him write a
story on Stillwater, which involves him going on tour with the
band. This, of course, is against every ounce of good judgment
Miller's overbearing mother (played by Frances McDormand) can
muster. Reluctantly, she lets him go.
While on tour, Miller must wrestle with whether
or not to adhere to the band's wishes to "look cool,"
or to go with his instincts and tell the truth about them, however
unflattering that might be.
Almost Famous is a coming-of-age story in
the classic sense. This is not new territory for writer/director
Cameron Crowe, who has given us other great coming-of-age stories,
like Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Jerry Maguire.
Some writers and directors rely on familiar
material like a crutch. Crowe, however, continually manages
to give unique and insightful perspectives to his films. It
proves the notion that material that is new is not the same
thing as material that is fresh and as long as Crowe can continue
this level of excellence, there is no reason to change his formula.
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Dreamworks Home Entertainment has
quickly developed a history of excellence on DVD. Almost Famous
mostly follows that tradition. The picture quality is outstanding.
I couldn't spot any artifacting and the transfer seems void of any
dust and scratches. Contrasts are really strong, with good detail
in the darker areas. While most of the color palette is somewhat
muted to reflect the look and feel of the 1970's, when vibrant colors
are called for (note the scene with Miller's flight attendant sister
late in the film), they really pop.
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The soundtrack is also very impressive,
which is as it should be for a film that deals so heavily with rock
and roll. The DTS track gives slightly more punch in the lower frequencies
than the Dolby Digital, but the difference are slight.
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The extras are on the slight side,
but what is included is good. There is a reason for the lack of
extras. Reportedly, Crowe made the decision to push for a quick
release in order to get the film out there for fans while he took
time to work on a full-blown special edition. While I can certainly
appreciate this decision, I can see how some fans might feel as
though they are being "made" to buy the film twice once
the new version comes out. It's a damned if you do, damned if you
don't situation, as people would have complained if the release
had just been put off.
There is an HBO First Look featurette that is
more than just the usual meaningless fluff piece. It gives some
keen insight into the film and is just the right length to satisfy
without pushing the boundaries of boredom. The usual fare of cast
biographies, production notes and trailers are also included as
well as a music video by the fictional group Stillwater.
Perhaps the most interesting extra is the inclusion
of Cameron Crowe's original Rolling Stone articles. It's very cool
to be able to read about the real experiences that shaped the events
in the film.
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This was an excellent
film and I wholeheartedly recommend it as an addition to any collection
with only one hesitation: with the special edition coming out, I'd
wait for that if more extras are important to you. If you are just
a fan of the film, however, there's no reason not to pick this one
up now.
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| With the heavy drug use,
sexual content and overall adult themes, this really shouldn't be
watched by any but the older teens and then only with approval/supervision. |
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| -- By Robert Wurth. Copyright
© 2003. |
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