ALMOST FAMOUS – 20TH ANNIVERSARY

This film has garnered a lot of interest among the film readers here on Frontrowreviews. For the first time on 4K Ultra HD, restored under the supervision of Director Cameron Crowe (who won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for the film) and given a dusted off soundtrack. What was not to love. Infact it seems that you guys were chomping at the bit to see it. Some even asked if our Australian cousins had achieved that often regular thing of making a better go of it, than their UK lot. Well we have seen both. We have tasted the wine and necter and have come back from the tour. First the good stuff. Almost Famous holds up to the adoration and still leaves us puzzled as to why it didnt rock the box office. Yes it is the semi-autobiographical odyssey of 15-year-old William Miller (Patrick Fugit), an obvious take of director Cameron Crowe. He has writing talent and when his passion for rock music earns him an assignment for Rolling Stone, its all going up. Sent on the touring team with Stillwater (Billy Crudrup, Jason Lee), a band that is an amalgamation of famous bands, with a sense of style all there own, he is set. First he is interviewing and then as things evolve he is both enemy and friend. Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) is his friend and as he stays, he see the young groupie delving deeper into the wild world of rock heroes, all-night parties, and music.

Now the bad stuff. Why only one extra. One disc. One note. The film is about the music and it is revived but not wizzing around as you would expect. The 4K looks to be the same across the platforms and countries though. The Aussie one projected crisply and felt warmer slightly. I must add as well that it seems that Crowe spent a while tuning and toning this film, delivering something that was well worth that wait. I did have a gripe about the washed out darker scenes, the concert comes alive in light but suffers a lot with hallogene lights that are whaite light. The only extra here, the commentary, covers the whole of the bootleg cut. It was not on the DVD from an age ago and it is actually still really good. Crowe is wired, self depreicating and dodges a few of the more revealing points. Achieving that rare distinction of giving answers for his work but not for his life. The friends, his mum, producer et al are the dressing somewhat. Yes his mum zings at him but its a little lacklustre.

https://viavision.com.au/shop/almost-famous-the-bootleg-cut-4k/