New Comm Ave

In many different ways the Golden Globe wining film Almost Famous works to explain and refute the stereotypical personas of the American rock and roll generation of the 1960s and '70s. The film chronicles the band Stillwater's journey through this tumultuous time period. Director Cameron Crowe's semiautobiographical piece presents the audience with an interesting and real social critique. It shows how the typical ideas of the "groupie" and the "rocker" are not necessarily justified and that a reversal of the accepted power structures exists. The film explains that stereotypes are flawed as they do not recognize human individuality and freedom of choice. Through embedded filmic references and recurrent juxtaposition, Almost Famous suggests that the groupies are actually the ones in control of the fan-rocker relationship.

The audience gets a sense that Almost Famous is a film of contrasts and contradictions during the first scene in which the camera pans to a man dressed in a Santa Claus hat and jacket who is also wearing a bathing suit. Summertime Santa, along with the fact that the film is set in California where it is usually warm for Christmas, is important to note because it contradicts the traditional notion of the holiday.

A cursory examination of the film yields many instances in which archetypal representations are disavowed or even reversed. The plane ride near the end of the movie in which one band member comes out of the closet sends the message that not all rockers have intense heterosexual libidos. Being gay does not prohibit one from electrifying a crowd. Almost Famous also focuses on the relationships involving the groupies and rockers to point out that they are not solely based upon sex. A close examination of the bond between Penny Lane and lead guitarist Russell Hammond shows that power struggles and manipulation are too inherent motivations for such partnerships.

A close filmic analysis of the relationship between Penny and Russell shows that the groupie actually has a great deal of influence over the rocker. This idea is cultivated from the first moment the audience is introduced to Penny Lane. She rightly portrays herself as an independent woman who is interested in more than the just carnal pleasures associated with being a groupie. "Groupies," Penny says, "sleep with rock stars because they want to be near someone famous." She and her group of "band aids," on the other hand, tour with the band because they truly love the music.

This fact is completely lost on the band members, who are accustomed to objectifying the women they encounter. The "band aids" know that Stillwater "refers to all the women as chicks" but they do not turn away because, while the rockers think that they are in control of the relationship, they are actually being used by their groupies. The groupies embrace the hedonistic environment in which they exist and use it to their advantage. By staying with the band, the women get their music fix while also being able to live the lives of pseudo-famous people.

The significance of the double meaning of the film's title can not be discounted. The first more obvious interpretation suggests that the band itself is Almost Famous. Until the very end of the movie when Stillwater achieves fame on the cover of Rolling Stone, the film chronicles the band's quest for stardom. It is an expose about a band on the rise.

In a second, more implicit, sense the title Almost Famous refers to the groupies. Yes, it is true that they will never be featured on the cover of a rock and roll magazine or be known by millions of people around the world. It can be interpreted, however, that because they are so close to the rock stars that do have this "famous person" aura surrounding them, the groupies themselves are "Almost Famous."
The title's double meaning can thus be understood as an ode to female empowerment and the independence of the groupie from the rocker.

The idea of the independent woman is made more evident through the comparison between Penny Lane and William's older sister Anita. At the beginning of the film Anita leaves home with her boyfriend to become a stewardess. She is tired of her mother's criticism of rock and roll as "the poetry of drugs and promiscuous sex," and moves out in rebellion. The comparison to Penny is made at a party with Stillwater on the road. Upon entering the room Penny performs a comedic stewardess act, reminding all guests to keep their seatbelts fastened.

By comparing Penny with Anita, who left her home to be free of the restraints of her overbearing mother, Almost Famous suggests that Penny too is self-sufficient. She can make decisions without input from the band. The band plays the same role as Mrs. Miller in that they both fail to recognize the autonomy of their supposed subordinates. Because Stillwater treats her like an object of which they are in control, they underestimate her capability for independent thought. This places Penny in a position of power.

It is obvious throughout the film that no one recognizes the band aid's power. This is strikingly evident during a phone conversation between William and Creem Magazine writer Lester Bangs. While speaking of record executives and tour managers, Bangs decries "they will strangle rock and roll and ruin everything we love about it." During his sentence the scene changes to a shot of Penny Lane dancing by herself on a floor covered with rose petals.

This juxtaposition elicits the message that the groupies, not the record executives, will bring an end to the rock and roll era. If the band aids have the power to make or break an entire genre of music, they certainly have control over the individual members of Stillwater. Neither Lester Bangs, an established music critic, nor Russell Hammond, the lead guitarist of a famous band, recognize
the influence of the groupies.

The film contrasts the relationship between Penny Lane and Russell with that of Russell and William. From Russell Hammond's point-of-view, both relationships are one and the same. As previously noted, Russell views Penny as "one of the chicks." He sees their sexual interactions as simply one of the pleasurable benefits of being a rock star.

Likewise, Russell refers to William as "the enemy" because of his status as a rock journalist. The guitarist only wants William to record events and quotes that will make the band look good and is thus not concerned with the truth. While on the outside it may seem as if Russell is an honest man truly interested in friendship, in both cases he is looking for control. This interpretation makes his relationships seem like extremely shallow attempts to satisfy his needs. Russell tries to use Penny and William for his own benefit.

Over the course of the film William becomes concerned about Penny's relationship with Russell. Upon Penny stating that "famous people are just more interesting," William responds that "I would be worried they were using me." While superficially it may seem that William has very deep insight for a fifteen year old, he in fact has an erroneous understanding. He does not recognize that Penny is truly in control of her and Russell's relationship. She is independent, and knows exactly how to maneuver her way through the facets of the rock star-groupie relationship. It is ironic for William to warn her of being manipulated, as he is the one being taken advantage of. This is apparent in the first draft of his article for Rolling Stone which entirely glorifies Stillwater without discussing the band's flaws.

Throughout the film neither Russell nor Penny shows their real identity. Russell's life is one big concert; he puts on an act both on and off the stage. This results in a plethora of shallow relationships. It is therefore ironic when Russell proclaims "from here on out I am only interested in what is real." He believes that through the use of hardcore drugs like acid he will find creative enlightenment and finally be free from the act. His classic "golden god" speech shows, however, that he has not changed and is as false as ever. The drugs were just another attempt to escape what is actually real. Instead of addressing the problems plaguing the band, Russell looks for the easy way out.

Similarly, Penny Lane conceals her true persona in that she does not reveal her actual name to anyone but William. She puts on a visual guise by wearing sleazy bohemian clothing. The film does not argue that she is not a true groupie, but rather showcases her power and independence. Penny is still interested in sex and drugs, as evidenced by her encounter with Quaaludes, but as a band aid she values her love for music above all. She is real in that she is true to the music and does not let her stereotypical role as a groupie get in the way.

The 1960s and '70s rock and roll era was a chaotic time period in which many stereotypes were developed. In this sense the groupie is usually thought of as a "chick" that follows around a band to be close to fame. She is used by the band for sexual pleasure, and can be discarded whenever the rockers get bored. Almost Famous implicitly refutes this stereotype by portraying the groupies as the ones in control. Penny Lane and her band aids are real, independent women who make conscious decisions about their relationships.

• 2006 Spring
• Film Analysis