Almost Famous

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Almost Famous is a 2000 film about a fifteen-year-old boy who is given the chance to write a story for Rolling Stone Magazine about an up-and-coming rock band as he accompanies it on their concert tour during the 1970s.

Directed and written by Cameron Crowe
Experience it. Enjoy it. Just don't fall for it.

Contents

[edit] Lester Bangs

  • You cannot make friends with the rock stars. That's what's important. If you're a rock journalist: first, you will never get paid much. But you will get free records from the record company. And they'll buy you drinks, you'll meet girls, they'll try to fly you places for free, offer you drugs... I know. It sounds great. But they are not your friends. These are people who want you to write sanctimonious stories about the genius of the rock stars, and they will ruin rock and roll and strangle everything we love about it.
  • Great art is about guilt and longing and, you know, love disguised as sex, and sex disguised as love.

[edit] Jeff Bebe

  • Show me any guy who ever said he didn't want to be popular, and I'll show you a scared guy. I've studied the entire history of music. Most of the time, the best stuff is the popular stuff. It's much safer to say popularity sucks, because that allows you to forgive yourself if you suck. And I don't forgive myself. Do you?

[edit] Penny Lane

  • We are not Groupies. Groupies sleep with rockstars because they want to be near someone famous. We are here because of the music, we inspire the music. We are Band Aids.

[edit] Elaine Miller

  • Look at this: an entire generation of Cinderellas and there's no slipper coming.

[edit] Dialogue

Lester Bangs: What, are you like the star of your school?
William: They hate me.
Lester Bangs: You'll meet them all again on their long journey to the middle.
William: [on the phone with his mother, Elaine] I'm fine! I'm fine! I'm flying back on Monday morning. I'll only miss one test. I'll make it up.
Russell: Tell her you're a slave to the groove. You can't help it!
William: [to Russell] No. [Russell reaches for the phone] No, Russell... Russell, no! [Russell grabs the phone.]
Russell: Hi, Mom, it's Russell Hammond! I play guitar in Stillwater. It's my fault. How does it feel to be the mother of the future of rock journalism?... Hello? [Elaine says nothing] You've got a great kid. Nothing to worry about. We're taking care of him. And you should come to a show some time — join the circus!
Elaine: Listen to me: your charm doesn't work on me. I'm onto you. Of course you like him.
Russell: Well, yeah.
Elaine: He worships you people! And that's fine with you, as long as he helps make you rich.
Russell: Rich? I don't think so—
Elaine: Listen to me. He's a smart, goodhearted, 15-year-old kid with infinite potential. This is not some apron-wearing mother you're talking to. I know about your Valhalla of decadence, and I shouldn't have let him go. He is not ready for your world of compromised values and diminished brain cells that you throw away like confetti. Am I speaking clearly to you?
Russell: Yes, ma'am.
Elaine: If you break his spirit, harm him in any way, keep him from his chosen profession — which is law, something you may not value, but I do — you will meet the voice on the other end of this telephone, and it will not be pretty. Do we understand each other?
Russell: Uh, yes, ma'am.
Elaine: I didn't ask for this role, but I'll play it. Now go do your best. "Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid." Goethe said that. It's not too late for you to be a person of substance, Russell. Get my son home safely. You know, I'm glad we spoke. [hangs up on Russell, who is speechless]
William: I'm glad you were home.
Lester Bangs: I'm always home. I'm uncool.
William: Me, too.
Lester Bangs: The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what we share with someone else when you're uncool.
Russell: [calling out to William from a rooftop, overlooking a crowd surrounding a pool] And you can tell Rolling Stone magazine that my last words were... I'm on drugs!
[The crowd cheers.]
William : Russell! I think we should work on those last words!
Russell: I got it, I got it. This is better. Last words: I dig music. [A few people clap.] I'm on drugs! [The crowd cheers.]
Elaine: [on the phone] May I speak with William, please?
Sapphire: He's not here. He's still in the bar with the band. They just got back from the radio station. Is this Maryann with the pot?... Hello?
Elaine: No, this isn't Maryann with the pot. This is Elaine... his mother. Could you please give him a message? Could you tell him to call home immediately? And could you also tell him: I know what's going on.
Sapphire: All right. But I'm just going to say this, and I'm going to stand by it. You should be really proud of him. 'Cause I know men, and I'll bet you do, too. And he respects women, and he likes women, and let's just pause and appreciate a man like that. You created him out of thin air, and you raised him right, and we're all looking out for him. He's doing a great job, and don't worry: he's still a virgin. And that's more than I've ever said to my own parents. So there you go... This is the maid speaking, by the way.

[edit] Cast

[edit] External links

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