劇中虛擬的搖滾樂團Stillwater據說是以真實的樂團Allman Brothers為雛形,而這也是導演Cameron Crown半自傳的故事。Cameron Crown在1973年擔任雜誌Rolling Stone的樂評人時(當時他也才16歲,和劇中主角William一樣跳級了兩次)和Allman Brothers一起巡迴演唱旅行的真實事件作為電影故事的主線 (和劇中Stillwater一樣Allman Brothers也上了Rolling Stone的封面)。
劇中所謂的Rock'n Roll,所有重要的理想都已被性、毒品、金錢的迷霧遮蔽在自我心底那深鬱的樹林之中。核心最重要的那個簡單音樂本質像是燃燒殆盡的火種已經逐漸消失,取代的只有外在附著的無用的商業包裝、和為了形象而營造的神祕感。劇中的搖滾樂團Stillwater主唱Jeff Bebe在劇中的採訪說到" Rock 'n' roll is a lifestyle and a way of thinking... and it's not about money and popularity. Although, some money would be nice." 他也說了 "Rock'n Roll can save the world." 在我看來這些不過是虛假(phony)的話語,他們也只是想看起來酷一點,而利用劇中主人翁那涉世未深的小記者。在小記者絲毫不差的披露樂團在巡迴演唱的事情後,Jeff Bebe他也說了"Is it that hard to make us look cool? "
人性真的這麼虛假?凡事皆不可信?最後只好步入所謂的虛無?
我覺得當然也不能像William的媽媽,在九月過聖誕節(原因是聖誕節是商人想出來發財的節日)、不准吃奶油、糖、不准聽Rock'n roll。(William媽和William姊對話如下)
Anita Miller: First it was butter then it was sugar and white flour, bacon, eggs, balogna, rock 'n roll, motorcycles. Then! It was celebrating Christmas on a day in September when you knew it wouldn't be commercialized! What else are you gonna ban?
Elaine Miller: Honey, you want to rebel against knowledge, I'm trying to give you the cliff notes on how to live life in this world.
Anita Miller: We're like nobody else I know!
這樣只會讓自己和這世界脫節,凡事過猶不及。
那麼該怎麼做?
劇中William總是要好好採訪能力出眾的吉他手Russell,但總是被打斷或被拒絕採訪。這顯現Russell始終閃避採訪,不願意面對。而經歷過一連串事件後,Russell開始認清自己要的是什麼,打了電話給Penny。Penny這位眾人的謬思女神,騙了Russell給了他William家的地址。Russell還真的去了William的家。William最後又驚又喜下,最後正式的給Russell做了採訪。問到"So Russell... what do you love about music?" 我以為此時的Russell已經找到人生的指南針,找到了最初的理想,有辦法通過了那層迷霧,於是帶著有點睿智的口吻回答"To begin with, everything"。
了解自己,發掘人生真正的目標。
儘管層層迷霧阻礙著前進的道路,可能會使我們在前往目標的道路上充滿險境,但了解自己的人,猶如手上握有指南針,它始終能指引著我們前進到達目的地,而不被迷惑;而不了解自己的人,在人生的道路,總是渾渾噩噩,毫無方向感,最終只能在迷霧中度過一生,終其不知自己的目的地。
我很喜歡下面Elton John的這首歌。這是難得顯現出這趟旅程真心的一面。在Russell和團員大吵一架後,Russell拉著William私自跑到外頭的Party玩。然後Russell徹夜狂歡嗑玩藥後,團員們開著Doris的巴士,到party的地方找他們。在吵架過後,那不和諧的氣氛下,車上音響傳來Elton John的這首Tiny Dancer,團員藉著音樂,藉著那個使他們聚在一起的音樂,化解了前晚的尷尬與不合。
Elton John-Tiny Dancer
"I have to go home"
"You are home"
The quotes which I like in the movie "Almost famous" are listed below:
This part is my favorite!
Lester Bangs: Aw, man. You made friends with them. See, friendship is the booze they feed you. They want you to get drunk on feeling like you belong.
William Miller: Well, it was fun.
Lester Bangs: They make you feel cool. And hey. I met you. You are not cool.
William Miller: I know. Even when I thought I was, I knew I wasn't.
Lester Bangs: That's because we're uncool. And while women will always be a problem for us, most of the great art in the world is about that very same problem. Good-looking people don't have any spine. Their art never lasts. They get the girls, but we're smarter.
William Miller: I can really see that now.
Lester Bangs: Yeah, great art is about conflict and pain and guilt and longing and love disguised as sex, and sex disguised as love... and let's face it, you got a big head start.
William Miller: I'm glad you were home.
Lester Bangs: I'm always home. I'm uncool.
William Miller: Me too!
Lester Bangs: The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what we share with someone else when we're uncool.
William Miller: I feel better.
Lester Bangs: My advice to you. I know you think those guys are your friends. You wanna be a true friend to them? Be honest, and unmerciful.
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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.
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William Miller: "That groupie"? She was a Band-Aid! All she did was love your band. And you used her, all of you! You used her and threw her away! She almost died last night while you were with Bob Dylan. You guys, you're always talking about the fans, the fans, the fans; she was your biggest fan, and you threw her away! And if you can't see that, that's your biggest problem. And I love her! I love her!
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Russell Hammond: [Russell grabs phone away from William] Hey, mom! It's Russell Hammond. I play guitar in Stillwater. Hey, how does it feel to be the mother of the greatest rock journalist we've met? Hello? Hello...? Look, you've got a really great kid here. There's nothing to worry about. We're taking good care of him, and you should come to the show sometime - join the circus...
Elaine Miller: Hey, hey, listen to me, mister. You're charm doen't work on me - I'm on to you. Of course you like him...
Russell Hammond: Well, yeah...
Elaine Miller: He worships you people. And that's fine by you as long as he helps make you rich.
Russell Hammond: Rich? I don't think so...
Elaine Miller: Listen to me. He's a smart, good-hearted fifteen year old kid with infinite potential.
Russell Hammond: [Russell is stunned]
Elaine Miller: This is not some apron-wearing mother you're speaking with - I know all about your valhalla of decadence and I shouldn't have let him go. He's not ready for your world of compromised values and diminished brain cells that you throw away like confetti. Am I speaking to you clearly?
Russell Hammond: Yes - yes, ma'am...
Elaine Miller: 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 Hammond: Uh, yes, ma'am...
Elaine Miller: 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 become a person of substance, Russell. Please get my son home safely. You know, I'm glad we spoke.
[Elaine hangs up]
Russell Hammond: [Russell stands holding phone in stunned silence]
Reference:
1.IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181875/
2.ptt movie版
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