"Time Fades Away" by Neil Young
Cameron Crowe, writer-director, recollections on interviewing rock legends for ‘Rolling Stone,’ screening the movie for Led Zeppelin, and why the film still resonates after two decades.
There is a scene from Cameron Crowe's film "Almost Famous", which re-creates the Time Fades Away album. (See Photo Insert from Time Fades Away album by Neil Young).
From Cameron Crowe on the 20th Anniversary of ‘Almost Famous’: ‘It’s Never Been as Popular as It Is Now’ by Angie Martoccio on Neil Young's deleted scene:
Neil Young originally had a role, right?
Cameron Crowe: "Neil was going to come backstage in Cleveland with a young wife. He is Harry Hammond, the estranged father of Russell Hammond. They’re complimenting the show, but the young bride is looking at Crudup, and he’s looking at her; and he realizes that the father is being played and is piggybacking on his [son’s] success. It’s a heartbreaking moment about what success does to an estranged parent. Here’s the scene. It’s right after the T-shirt scene.
[Reads] Russell walks swiftly past a happy silver-haired man who holds court with beer in hand. He dresses too young for his age. Late fifties. He is Dad.
“Dad.”
“Son!”
Russell, dutifully: “Hello, Harry.”
Dad introduces a woman much younger, who eyes Russell hungrily.
“He got all the good genes, huh?” says Neil Young. “Meet Diedre. We’re getting married in July.”There you have it.
It was a cool little scene. Betsy [Heimann] had outfitted Neil Young, and he had his clothes and everything, and canceled the morning of. But he was first in line to give us the acoustic “Cortez the Killer,” and he went through his archives to find the perfect take and mixed it and gave it to us.
So he giveth and he taketh."
A nice little video of a ‘Almost Famous’ cast reunion 20 years later.
enjoy!
As #AlmostFamous turns 20, writer-director Cameron Crowe goes deep on interviewing rock legends for 'Rolling Stone,' screening the movie for Led Zeppelin, and why the film's messages still resonate https://t.co/T2zBovxzb5 pic.twitter.com/rQMytVWQfl
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) August 20, 2020
"So he giveth and he taketh."
ReplyDeleteCameron Crowe on Neil Young
That -- our friends -- pretty much sums it all up.
I literally just watched Almost Famous - again - with my 19 year old daughter last week...great film that still holds up...
ReplyDeletewish that acoustic Cortez version had made it onto the soundtrack
The opening scene in "Almost Famous" includes William Miller flipping through his sister's LPs. Some of them were released in 1970-71.
ReplyDeleteThe LPs include:
Joni Mitchell-Blue: 1971
Rolling Stones-Get Your Ya Ya's OUt: 1970
James Taylor-Sweet Baby James: 1970
You'd think that Cameron Crowe would get his music right. Music nerds like me easily spotted the post-1969 LPs.
The movie took place after 1969.
ReplyDeleteau contraire, mon ami. Mais ce n'est pas un problème.
ReplyDeleteFrom IMDB Almost Famous script. https://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Almost-Famous.html
TITLE: 1969 4
EXT. MINI-TRACT CONDO COMPLEX -- DAY
This is the new professional-class. It's a mini-condo community. Rows of Spanish-styled three-bedroom houses with common walls. Move in on one of these homes, the one without Christmas lights. At the door is a furtive 15 year-old Girl. She checks her cheek, straightens her hair. She hides something under her coat, and gathers the proper nonchalance to enter. Music fades.
From Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almost_Famous
"In 1969, child prodigy William Miller struggles to fit in. His life is further complicated after learning that his widowed college-professor mother Elaine has falsely led him to believe he is twelve years old. William is actually eleven, having started the first grade at five years old, and skipping fifth grade"
@ Jonathan - cool on sharing Almost Famous with your daughter.
ReplyDeleteWe really enjoyed the cast reunion video embedded above.
We never realized there was a 4.5 hour directors cut version floating around. After reading these comments last night, we surfed about w/ thrashette and caught some of the deleted scenes like the Led Zep Stairway To Heaven scene. wow, wtf?!
There was more cut from the release than is in the actual film. At one point Camesron asks the cats which version the prefer: the released or unreleased version?
It seems that if you really love the music and connect, them find these deleted scenes.
They started popping up in recommended vids on YT for us.
good question on acoustic Cortez not making it onto the soundtrack. a shame. probably same reason Led Zep Stairway To Heaven scene got cut. It''s all about the rights and revenue.
@ NYBD11-12 - thanks for being a music nerd!
You have a point on the timing but presumably artistic license. Did you catch the Neil bootleg?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete@ wsanjose01 - TW does tend to specialize in deep analysis and getting precise facts correct. IOW, this is how we all arrive at common ground truths.
ReplyDeleteNeil truth that is.
but good question. Where is Scotsman? He's certainly missed by us and many.
Last we heard he seemed to have some sort of personal issues going on.
So we hope and pray for all the best Mr Scotsman.
we hope you can re-join us again someday with your words of wisdom once the storm has passed.
Every line, every song resonates with mee in this film and I can really feel these characters and love how they develope and come together. I especially loved the Phillip Hoffman, Patrick uncool scene. For mee it just brought everything together and to hear Cameron explain how he envisioned it and how he allowed PH to kind of take the reins and run with with it really opened my eyes to what colaberation really meant to Cameron and how much I admire him for that. I've worn this movie out watching it and have read the script probably more than anyone, even CC. Thank you for this reunion and clip of all of you.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Patrick Norman
Paul N. @PN_Drummer · May 11
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/PN_Drummer/status/1524327556475985920
The guy giving the peace sign on the cover is my friend. He’s been on an interesting journey in life so far. He’s a bit older than me. We have been in two bands together.
His name is Dave. He owed Earwaves record store in Milwaukee. He was a bouncer, a cook, a show runner, joined the army during Nam, he started Boy Dirt Car, we were in Fuckface and Go Go Slow together. He’s met so many musicians and he’s got so many stories.