“I’m a golden god,” Russell Hammond shouts from a roof top as he is about to jump off into a pool from a bad acid trip. The iconic rock-n-roll scene of inflated egos and strung out rock stars. However, this is a rare occurrence in Almost Famous. It is a story of a boy, William Miller (Patrick Fugit), becoming a man while learning about the rock-n-roll culture with his only true friend, his tape recorder. William, age fifteen, is traveling with the band Stillwater to interview them for a Rolling Stone article, along the way he has many interesting experiences. Some of these including letting all the groupies stay in his room, almost crashing on an airplane with the band, and falling in love with the illustrious Penny Lane.
However, plot is carried by a variety of other characters also. Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup) is the lead guitarist and the most famous person in the band. He is constantly putting on the appearance that he is better than everyone else in the band and as the lead singer states he was supposed to be, “the guitarist with mystique.” Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) is the leader of the Band Aides. The best description of her was given by Roger Ebert, “She is not a groupie, she explains indignantly, but a Band Aide. She is, of course, a groupie but has so much theory about her role, it's almost as if sex for her is a philosophical exercise.” Penny has a love affair with Russell, who is married, while they are on tour. Penny is essentially William’s guide to the world of rock-n-roll. Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is the editor from cream magazine. William has sent him in a couple of articles and Bangs is surprise about their quality. He becomes a mentor for William on how to write a good article. To get a proper ...
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Works Cited
Almost Famous. Dir. Cameron Crowe. Dreamworks, 2000. DVD.
Ebert, Roger. Rev. of Almost Famous, dir. Cameron Crowe. Rogerebert.com. Chicago Sun-Times, 15 Sept. 2000. Web. 29 March 2011.
Rainer, Peter. “Rock-a-Bye Baby.” Rev. of Almost Famous, dir. Cameron Crowe. New York Magazine. New York Magazine, 18 Sept. 2000. Web. 29 March 2011.
Scott, A.O. “With Sympathy For the Devil, A Rock Writer Finds His Way.” Rev. of Almost Famous, dir. Cameron Crowe. The New York Times. The New York Times, 13 Sept. 2000. Web. 29 March 2011.
Travers, Peter. Rev. of Almost Famous, dir. Cameron Crowe. Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone, 13 Sept. 2000. Web. 29 March 2011.
Zacharek, Stephanie. “A movie about a boy and a rock band. But it’s really all about the girls.” Rev. of Almost Famous, dir. Cameron Crowe. Salon.com. Salon Media Group, 15 Sept. 2000. Web. 29 March 2011.
Eckstein, Arthur. “The Hollywood Ten in History & Memory.” Film History. 2004. Web. 16 Jan.
The shrewd publicity stunt generates a wake of teenage hysteria which sweeps the entire nation. The arrangement is that Birdie will administer a final “good-bye” kiss on Kim MacAfee (Ann-Margret), a randomly chosen Conrad Birdie Fan Club member. This kiss, which will also be a symbolic fair-well to all his crazed fans across the nation, will be accompanied by Birdie singing Albert’s latest song, “One Last Kiss.” However, Birdie's arrival in Kim's hometown of Sweet Apple, Ohio, for the TV broadcast on the “Ed Sullivan Show,” creates havoc for all, including Kim's father (Paul Lynde) and her boyfriend Hugo (Bobby Rydell). Inevitably, a heated feud is created between the genders, but all ends up fair in this musical tale of love and war.
Turan, Kenneth “MOVIE REVIEW Good Night, and Good Luck” Los Angles Times. October 7th 2005.
The music industry during the 1940s was filled with many talented artists who impacted the music industry and the history of rock n’ roll forever. But one of the very well known and talented artists was Buddy Holly. Buddy Holly was the first to pioneer new music genres and progressive music. Charles Hardin Holley (1936-1959) was an American musician and artist whose creative career began in 1956. The family name is correctly spelled “Holley” but his first recording contract from Decca Records in 1956 spelled his last name “Holly” and he kept it that way for the rest of his career (Griggs 1). Holly took a very influential position in the music industry and built an audience for his Rock and Roll music very quickly due to his unique voice and advanced knowledge of music. Buddy Holly is a prime example of a musical pioneer who blended resources from various music genres including a variety of popular genres such as rhythm and blues (RNB), oriental, and African (Schinder and Schwartz 85).
Music can be traced back into human history to prehistoric eras. To this day archeologists uncover fragments of ancient instruments as well as tablets with carved lyrics buried alongside prominent leaders and highly influential people. This serves as a testament to the importance and power of music, as well as its influence in society. Over its many years of existence, music’s powerful invocation of feelings has allowed it to evolve and serve many purposes, one being inspiring change. American journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson once said, “Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of fuel. Sentimental people call it inspiration, but what they really mean is fuel.” This fuel is the very things that powers the influence of Rock ‘n’ Roll on American society, that author Glenn C. Altschuler writes about in his book, “All Shook Up – How Rock ‘n’ Roll Changed America.” Between 1945 and 1965 Rock ‘n’ Roll transformed American society and culture by helping to ease racial integration and launch a sexual revolution while most importantly developing an intergenerational identity.
Rock ‘n’ roll and 20th Century Culture According to Philip Ennis, rock ‘n’ roll emerged from the convergence of social transformations which resulted from World War II (Ryan 927). Despite its pop culture origins, rock music is arguably one of the strongest cultural factors to develop in this century. Artists such as Lennon, McCartney and Dylan defined the emotions of a generation and, in the last decade, it as even been acknowledged by members of the establishment which it hoped to change as a major influence in the country. In order to understand how rock went from a sign of rebellion to a cultural icon, it is necessary to understand where it came from.
Travers, Peter. "The Lucky One | Movie Reviews | Rolling Stone." Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2012. Web. 05 May 2014.
Voytilla, Stuart. Myth and the Movies: Discovering the Myth Structure of 50 Unforgettable Films. Ventura Boulevard: Michael Wiese Productions, 1999.
Ebert, Roger. "District 9." Rev. of Movie. Sun Times [Seattle] 13 Aug. 2009. Web. 10
Brian (Anthony Michael Hall) is an unhappy honors student who wishes he could be accepted as a person and not valued just as a brain. Upset over a poor grade in shop, Brian has contemplated suicide rather than live with the ire of his disappointed parents.
Ever since Christopher Columbus vacated the director's seat, the film adaptations have been getting progressively sharper and more fascinating. The latest even features Jarvis Cocker and members of Radiohead vamping it up as the Weird Sisters at a school ball.
Most things have their beginnings in something small: a word, a breath, or idea; but not music. Music begins with a single vibration. It explodes and carries on, morphing worlds of unrelated personas. It lives rampantly in the mouths of millions of unruly and free-spirited teenagers, like a fever. The rock 'n roll trend that defiantly rose against the conformist ideology of the mid-twentieth century left remnants that commenced the start of a progressing society: a culture that redefined the rules of society and pushed social and moral limits while addressing social concerns.
The changes in rock and roll music reflected the mood of the population in the United States during the Vietnam War. Rock and roll, written as rock ‘n’ roll, music was fully born in the 1950’s and formed from electric blues and gospel music. Rock and roll is characterized by electric guitars, a strong rhythm and youth-orientated music. This music became popular because of the children of the decade. Parents called this type of music “noise.” While parents were listening to calm music, their children were listening to rock n roll.
The development of rock and roll in the 1950 's coincides with the advent of the teenager and youth culture in post-war America. Initially, white teens began to rebel against the music of their parents and the conservative norms of the times by listening to rhythm and blues over the AM radio (Covach 79). Teens were rebelling against the prudish, inhibited, old-fashioned culture that was dominant in post-war America; rhythm and blues, and eventually rock and roll, was the perfect platform for that rebellion. Consider the style of Patti Page 's “How Much Is That Doggie in the Window” in comparison to Big Joe Turner 's “Shake Rattle and Roll.” While Turner 's song isn 't blatantly explicit in nature, it is sexually suggestive and is a far cry
Barsam, Richard. Looking at Movies An Introduction to Film, Second Edition (Set with DVD). New York: W. W. Norton, 2006. Print.