"Almost Famous," "That Thing You Do" and "This Is Spinal Tap" -- three of my favorite films about the music biz. Thank you, Alexa, for this splendid review.
Even with all of the sex, drugs and Rock 'n Roll this is an incredibly wholesome movie. I smile and root for everyone in the show every time I watch it or see someone react to it. Alexa, great job and bravo ♥
A bit of backstory: The film's writer and director, Cameron Crowe, based it on his own experiences writing for Rolling Stone as a teenager. The band Stillwater is fictional. They're an amalgam of the bands Crowe covered as a teenager in the early to mid 1970s, specifically The Eagles, The Allman Brothers Band, and Led Zeppelin. He won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for this autobiographical film. He later returned to high school as a twenty-two-year-old veteran journalist, posing as a student to document the then-current culture of high school student life. The book that resulted from his experiences was adapted into the highly successful 1982 comedy film FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH, for which Crowe himself wrote the screenplay adaptation, starting his career in Hollywood. He's lived an interesting life!
The "Stairway to Heaven" scene wasn't included because they couldn't procure the rights to the music. Zeppelin is famously stingy with their licensing, and the fact that so many zeppelin songs WERE in the movie attests to the cordial relationship they have with Cameron Crowe4 (and maybe how much they liked the movie when it was screened for them). I think the other scenes were cut for time, which is a shame because I feel if many of the character development scenes made the final cut, Kate Hudson might have actually WON the Oscar that year.
Remember the part when that one guy that if you think Mick Jagger is still going to be a rock star at age 50, you are mistaken? The joke is that Mick Jagger was still being a rock star in his 50s.
I love music from the 60's and 70's especially Rock. Some of my favorites include: Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, Kenny Loggins, Nearly any Motown, but I also love classical and besides Looney Tunes being my introduction to many classical pieces I of more recently have to thank Iowa Public Radio Classical for exposing me to so many greats. I also love Jazz, big band, swing, Sinatra, the standards, and filmed soundtracks.
Thank you, finally someone reaction to this movie. This movie is Iconic about the rock industry in the late 60s and early 70s. I try to get more reactors to react to this movie because it is excellent
There was nothing like going to a Rock concert in the early ages of Rock. I'm 68 years old and I seen a lot of famous bands including Zeppelin at Madison square in 1973. I live in Connecticut and all the big rock bands will perform at either in New York or Boston so it was convenient. My only regret is that I backed out of going to Woodstock because nobody thought it was going to be anything great, history proves us wrong
This may be an unpopular view, but I actually think it's best to watch the original cut for a first viewing. The quicker pace has its benefits. Once you've enjoyed the movie on that level, go back and watch the extended version. It will fill in some holes that may have been confusing the first time around, and add to the general atmosphere. In the end, I do like it better, but I don't recommend it for someone going into the movie cold for the first time.
When he told young William that he missed rock and roll is over he was kind of right. The height of rock and roll ended in the mid-seventies with some pretty good bands in the 80s but the Heyday of rock and roll was from the Beatles until about 1975
In these days where the music is stuck in a mp3 or in the mobile phone, is just great to dream with a time where the music could be touched, caressed, smelled, through the vinyls...great moments I just can dream with, but I can dream with that and that's enough. So I am jealous as hell about the amazing life and epoch of Cameron Crowe...
1:32 the "everything in between" is a pretty wide assortment of musical notes, i suggest another listen. 😎 but what do i know? i like the song "everything is awesome" from the lego movie.
Eeew, you have some weird commenters on this one, Alexa, eeech, Wow. Some movies bring 'em out, I guess I shouldn't be surprised about this one. Yeah, it definitely helps if you know the music of the period (which is, still, the biggest selling era of all time so lots of people still get a lot of the references, and definitely when the movie came out.) For instance, when Frances McDormand holds up the album cover of Simon & Garfunkel and points at their faces and says "they're on pot!", the joke is that Simon & Garfunkel were quiet, melodic, inoffensive "folk-rock" that even older people liked. (Although they WERE on pot, it turns out!). Penny Lane is named after a Beatles song. etc. Rock, Rock & Roll, it's the same thing. And unlike every other genre of music, it really isn't ONE style of music, it's ten thousand under a big umbrella. (and that includes "metal" which you mentioned). It's all rock and roll. 80s New Wave....it's rock and roll. All the music in American Graffiti: it's rock and roll. Anyways....I won't write a book, happy you enjoyed the movie better than I thought you would have! I thought the sex and drugs would be the turn-off for you....not the music! (Correction: you didn't complain about the music, you just said it wasn't your taste). Anyways....what a great month of reactions you have given us, Alexa!!!!!!! Going back to "Black Narcissus" (which, although I shared your opinion of the movie, LOVED the reaction).
I think 'Sting' should write a movie based on 'Synchronicity'. This is a true phenomena. Let's apply synchronicity to the movie-'Almost Famous'. Random coincidences or synchronicity ('meaningful coincidences'): My earliest childhood friend was a 'roadie' for Peter Frampton, who (coincidentally?) plays a 'roadie' in this movie. My late older brother, who was a guitarist/singer/songwriter, was in The Buddy Miles Band during the early 70s. One of their albums got a bad review in Rolling Stones magazine, so Buddy showed up at their offices and put a beatdown on Jann Wenner. This was one of the reasons why they never quite got beyond 'almost famous' status. My old girlfriend, who was somewhat of a 'groupie', did meet Humble Pie (early 70s, in Boston), and later on, Peter Frampton, whose girlfriend at the time was named Penny. Just coincidences of synchronicity?
Thank you for the response, Alexa. Do you remember where you were the first time you heard Tom Petty's 'Listen To Her Heart'? I was living in a house in Rockland County, N.Y., in a house located about a mile down the road from Studio 914, where Bruce Springsteen recorded the song-'Born To Run'. I was still living there with members of my family when Herbie Worthington came to stay with us. He was the photographer for Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac. He not only did the 'Belladonna' album cover, he was no doubt at the recording session: Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks' "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around". My brother originally met Herbie through Buddy Miles and Jimi Hendrix. He was hanging out with Buddy (and my brother, who was his guitarist) during the time that Buddy stormed the offices of Rolling Stone magazine. Coincidence or synchronicity?
This is a film that I saw before heading off to the big city decades ago. It’s in my Top 5, but every other time person I know can’t stand it. It makes me wonder how many actually are as adoring of it as me.
Could have titled this critic/journalist watches almost famous for the first time. Really awesome reaction by the way. Once loved this movie (as a kid) and considered working in the music industry because of it. Planning on reacting to any Tarantino movies in the future?
I wonder if you are familiar with Morgan Richter, a writer out of Seattle with some clever analysis of movies. She also has a series of videos on "Miami Vice" episodes and has written extensively about Duran Duran. I had a fun time seeing this in 2000, largely being unaware of it other than being a Cameron Crowe film about a kid reporting on bands. At the time, I was really interested in a lot of what is represented in this movie like the music and the teenage angle. I admire it as a film and the writing, but after having known a lot of eccentrics and musicians, I don't think characters like some of those are "cool" anymore.
13:22 Skipped high school? Lucky. You missed nothing. "The high school experience" is for extroverts. If you're an introvert, you have to just grind your teeth, and ride it out.
I started every school year worried about where I would sit at lunch. I got locked into that silly mindset of thinking people cared what I wore. I hated having to go to pep rallies on Fridays.
LAMO @ you changing your mind about letting him go over Stairway to Heaven; only the most iconic rock song of all time. They probably cut the scene because the rights were too expensive or just impossible to get.
The greatest rock bands of all time happened to be British. The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Queen and so on. American bands were rarely on the same level of innovation, diversity and writing.
You can surely blame that on our American Music Industry. That said, I’m sure I could name just as many bands from the U.S. that were exceptional. Though, I do agree that some of the most artistically inclined music comes from UK and Europe. EDIT: Thinking about it briefly, I realized that our best resurgence of great American music was probably in the 90’s. (Because yes, I know that the 80’s belonged to the UK and such, completely. They owned Pop and New Wave, and we all know it) Starting with our own Jeff Buckley, who influenced a greater part of the British/EU wave (Muse, Radiohead, Keane, Coldplay, Travis, Snow Patrol etc) of the 90’s, 2000’s and beyond. The rest came from our so-called Grunge era.
@@adnap yes the 90’s is were we (Americans) began to take back the music seen. Uk had their own music revolution with Britpop which dominated there but eventually died out by 2000. Hip Hop and Rap is dominated by Americans. Regular pop tends to be shared by US and UK 50/50 nowadays.
That's a sweeping statement I'd disagree with quite strongly. For me, from the same period,a list of acts like the Beach Boys, Dylan, the Byrds, Sly & the Family Stone, Frank Zappa, the Velvet Undetground, and Parliament-Funkadelic is no less amazing than your list of British bands.
@@Big_Bag_of_Pus are you serious with these selections. These are primarily funk and folk artist. Beach Boys are the closest to The Beatles but we both know who was the more important band, don’t we. Pink Floyd was just as experimental as Zappa and went funk like Sly and Parliament-Funkadelic but innovated even more including influencing Parliament. Bob Dylan is really know for his lyrics. Other artist have covered his stuff and made it better. The Byrds- really. If you mentioned Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Doors you’d have a decent shot. What about the Grateful Dead. No, there still not as important to rock as the British bands. The music industry knows this. The worldwide album sales bare this out.
@@alexachipman Good question, do operas count as concert performances? Orchestras certainly do, so I'd say yes. Nevertheless, I encourage you to go see a musical artist at a smaller venue. Certainly there must be clubs, bars, restaurants, schools, parks offering live music near you. I encourage you to attend some.
Ho boy. Ain't It Cool News made this flick sound absolutely miserable. And it was an effusive review! The style of it struck me so wrong, I curled my nose, and said "nope!" and I've avoided it like radioactivity. Maybe seeing the reaction will help. Let's see....
The older lady sitting next to the guy in green in the Stairway to Heaven scene is Cameron Crowe's mother.
Tiny dancer by Elton John it's such an iconic song even today
"Almost Famous," "That Thing You Do" and "This Is Spinal Tap" -- three of my favorite films about the music biz. Thank you, Alexa, for this splendid review.
Even with all of the sex, drugs and Rock 'n Roll this is an incredibly wholesome movie. I smile and root for everyone in the show every time I watch it or see someone react to it. Alexa, great job and bravo ♥
A bit of backstory: The film's writer and director, Cameron Crowe, based it on his own experiences writing for Rolling Stone as a teenager. The band Stillwater is fictional. They're an amalgam of the bands Crowe covered as a teenager in the early to mid 1970s, specifically The Eagles, The Allman Brothers Band, and Led Zeppelin. He won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for this autobiographical film.
He later returned to high school as a twenty-two-year-old veteran journalist, posing as a student to document the then-current culture of high school student life. The book that resulted from his experiences was adapted into the highly successful 1982 comedy film FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH, for which Crowe himself wrote the screenplay adaptation, starting his career in Hollywood. He's lived an interesting life!
What a life, isn't it?
The "Stairway to Heaven" scene wasn't included because they couldn't procure the rights to the music. Zeppelin is famously stingy with their licensing, and the fact that so many zeppelin songs WERE in the movie attests to the cordial relationship they have with Cameron Crowe4 (and maybe how much they liked the movie when it was screened for them). I think the other scenes were cut for time, which is a shame because I feel if many of the character development scenes made the final cut, Kate Hudson might have actually WON the Oscar that year.
Remember the part when that one guy that if you think Mick Jagger is still going to be a rock star at age 50, you are mistaken? The joke is that Mick Jagger was still being a rock star in his 50s.
I am afraid I did not understand who either of the people you referenced are, but then again I am a Classicalhead, so I assume they are musicians?
@@alexachipman Mick Jagger is a musician. He is lead singer for the Rolling Stones.
Mick Jagger is still out there BEING a rock star" in his 80s! Only Taylor Swift is out selling his band.
I love music from the 60's and 70's especially Rock. Some of my favorites include:
Beatles,
Simon and Garfunkel,
Kenny Loggins,
Nearly any Motown, but I also love classical and besides Looney Tunes being my introduction to many classical pieces I of more recently have to thank Iowa Public Radio Classical for exposing me to so many greats.
I also love Jazz, big band, swing, Sinatra, the standards, and filmed soundtracks.
Do you know Nazareth?
@@sleuthentertainment5872 I have never heard of them.
Thank you, finally someone reaction to this movie. This movie is Iconic about the rock industry in the late 60s and early 70s. I try to get more reactors to react to this movie because it is excellent
The song they're all singing along to on the bus is Tiny Dancer by Elton John.
Oh I highly recommend going to live show. Nothing feels or sounds the same.
I just feel like my ears get blasted out, then a migraine triggers, I am afraid!
There was nothing like going to a Rock concert in the early ages of Rock. I'm 68 years old and I seen a lot of famous bands including Zeppelin at Madison square in 1973. I live in Connecticut and all the big rock bands will perform at either in New York or Boston so it was convenient. My only regret is that I backed out of going to Woodstock because nobody thought it was going to be anything great, history proves us wrong
This may be an unpopular view, but I actually think it's best to watch the original cut for a first viewing. The quicker pace has its benefits. Once you've enjoyed the movie on that level, go back and watch the extended version. It will fill in some holes that may have been confusing the first time around, and add to the general atmosphere. In the end, I do like it better, but I don't recommend it for someone going into the movie cold for the first time.
When he told young William that he missed rock and roll is over he was kind of right. The height of rock and roll ended in the mid-seventies with some pretty good bands in the 80s but the Heyday of rock and roll was from the Beatles until about 1975
5:46 impress someone today, if you work for rolling stone.
excuse me, rolling stone magazine.
In these days where the music is stuck in a mp3 or in the mobile phone, is just great to dream with a time where the music could be touched, caressed, smelled, through the vinyls...great moments I just can dream with, but I can dream with that and that's enough.
So I am jealous as hell about the amazing life and epoch of Cameron Crowe...
3:44 impress someone with your vocabulary today. the right word can do magic. 💫
1:32 the "everything in between" is a pretty wide assortment of musical notes, i suggest another listen. 😎
but what do i know? i like the song "everything is awesome" from the lego movie.
Eeew, you have some weird commenters on this one, Alexa, eeech, Wow. Some movies bring 'em out, I guess I shouldn't be surprised about this one. Yeah, it definitely helps if you know the music of the period (which is, still, the biggest selling era of all time so lots of people still get a lot of the references, and definitely when the movie came out.) For instance, when Frances McDormand holds up the album cover of Simon & Garfunkel and points at their faces and says "they're on pot!", the joke is that Simon & Garfunkel were quiet, melodic, inoffensive "folk-rock" that even older people liked. (Although they WERE on pot, it turns out!). Penny Lane is named after a Beatles song. etc. Rock, Rock & Roll, it's the same thing. And unlike every other genre of music, it really isn't ONE style of music, it's ten thousand under a big umbrella. (and that includes "metal" which you mentioned). It's all rock and roll. 80s New Wave....it's rock and roll. All the music in American Graffiti: it's rock and roll. Anyways....I won't write a book, happy you enjoyed the movie better than I thought you would have! I thought the sex and drugs would be the turn-off for you....not the music! (Correction: you didn't complain about the music, you just said it wasn't your taste). Anyways....what a great month of reactions you have given us, Alexa!!!!!!! Going back to "Black Narcissus" (which, although I shared your opinion of the movie, LOVED the reaction).
Thank you! I can recognize great music when I hear it, even if personally I don’t enjoy listening to it.
I think 'Sting' should write a movie based on 'Synchronicity'. This is a true phenomena. Let's apply synchronicity to the movie-'Almost Famous'. Random coincidences or synchronicity ('meaningful coincidences'): My earliest childhood friend was a 'roadie' for Peter Frampton, who (coincidentally?) plays a 'roadie' in this movie. My late older brother, who was a guitarist/singer/songwriter, was in The Buddy Miles Band during the early 70s. One of their albums got a bad review in Rolling Stones magazine, so Buddy showed up at their offices and put a beatdown on Jann Wenner. This was one of the reasons why they never quite got beyond 'almost famous' status. My old girlfriend, who was somewhat of a 'groupie', did meet Humble Pie (early 70s, in Boston), and later on, Peter Frampton, whose girlfriend at the time was named Penny. Just coincidences of synchronicity?
Thank you for the response, Alexa. Do you remember where you were the first time you heard Tom Petty's 'Listen To Her Heart'? I was living in a house in Rockland County, N.Y., in a house located about a mile down the road from Studio 914, where Bruce Springsteen recorded the song-'Born To Run'. I was still living there with members of my family when Herbie Worthington came to stay with us. He was the photographer for Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac. He not only did the 'Belladonna' album cover, he was no doubt at the recording session: Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks' "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around". My brother originally met Herbie through Buddy Miles and Jimi Hendrix. He was hanging out with Buddy (and my brother, who was his guitarist) during the time that Buddy stormed the offices of Rolling Stone magazine. Coincidence or synchronicity?
This is a film that I saw before heading off to the big city decades ago. It’s in my Top 5, but every other time person I know can’t stand it.
It makes me wonder how many actually are as adoring of it as me.
Stairway....can convince anyone of anything ..go Zepplin
always finding myself crushing on Kate Hudson no matter how flawed the characters she plays
I hope you go to one concert in your life.
9:47 for split second i thought "i forgot she was in this!"
21:47 oh no! i'd advise against that. 🚫
full disclosure: i'm not a mom. but i was around one a lot. 🙂
Could have titled this critic/journalist watches almost famous for the first time. Really awesome reaction by the way. Once loved this movie (as a kid) and considered working in the music industry because of it. Planning on reacting to any Tarantino movies in the future?
Thanks - movie picks are all based on votes, so you know as much as I do!
11:01 one of those "everything in between" songs 🙂😎
I wonder if you are familiar with Morgan Richter, a writer out of Seattle with some clever analysis of movies. She also has a series of videos on "Miami Vice" episodes and has written extensively about Duran Duran.
I had a fun time seeing this in 2000, largely being unaware of it other than being a Cameron Crowe film about a kid reporting on bands. At the time, I was really interested in a lot of what is represented in this movie like the music and the teenage angle. I admire it as a film and the writing, but after having known a lot of eccentrics and musicians, I don't think characters like some of those are "cool" anymore.
Hmm...dunno if you'd like it, but have you ever seen "Eating Raoul"? Its got Robert Beltran from Voyager as a bad-boy.
i think that william had a hard time establishing boundaries as a teenager with no friends and that's why it was so hard for him to do his job
7:07 ethical journalism? you decide. ⚖️
better interview? 100%. still, you decide. 😎
3:00 the family whistle is so 70s
By chance did you happen to avoid Excalibur (1981) and could react to that? Seems up your alley (the little i know of all your film tastes).
Sorry, I've seen it many times, but I am planning a King Arthur movie comparison video at some point!
@@alexachipman let's be honest, you wouldn't be you and NOT have seen it. 🙂
@@alexachipman do me a favor then... when you watch Excalibur again, i would love to see a "first time watching for the 7th time" reaction.
13:22 Skipped high school? Lucky. You missed nothing. "The high school experience" is for extroverts. If you're an introvert, you have to just grind your teeth, and ride it out.
I started every school year worried about where I would sit at lunch. I got locked into that silly mindset of thinking people cared what I wore. I hated having to go to pep rallies on Fridays.
LAMO @ you changing your mind about letting him go over Stairway to Heaven; only the most iconic rock song of all time. They probably cut the scene because the rights were too expensive or just impossible to get.
8:05 you sound exactly like Lester Bangs...
6:53 well, you are in the business. 👍🏼
mmm the songs for the movie band are soo good!! love it!! (also i had never seen the radio scene bahahah)
18:29 thank you. when a reactor asks a question i appreciate a popup answering the question so i don't have to google it.
Hmm, if you like "carry on my wayward son" try "dust in the wind".
13:21 skipped high school? that explains some things. but does leave a story to be told...
you and doogie howser 🙂
I went straight to university after taking the proficiency exam when I was a young teen.
@@alexachipman that alone puts you in the 1% of probably several catagories, all good ones 😇
21:06 his mother has a nontypical parenting style
The greatest rock bands of all time happened to be British. The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Queen and so on. American bands were rarely on the same level of innovation, diversity and writing.
You can surely blame that on our American Music Industry.
That said, I’m sure I could name just as many bands from the U.S. that were exceptional.
Though, I do agree that some of the most artistically inclined music comes from UK and Europe.
EDIT: Thinking about it briefly, I realized that our best resurgence of great American music was probably in the 90’s.
(Because yes, I know that the 80’s belonged to the UK and such, completely. They owned Pop and New Wave, and we all know it)
Starting with our own Jeff Buckley, who influenced a greater part of the British/EU wave (Muse, Radiohead, Keane, Coldplay, Travis, Snow Patrol etc) of the 90’s, 2000’s and beyond.
The rest came from our so-called Grunge era.
@@adnap yes the 90’s is were we (Americans) began to take back the music seen. Uk had their own music revolution with Britpop which dominated there but eventually died out by 2000. Hip Hop and Rap is dominated by Americans. Regular pop tends to be shared by US and UK 50/50 nowadays.
That's a sweeping statement I'd disagree with quite strongly. For me, from the same period,a list of acts like the Beach Boys, Dylan, the Byrds, Sly & the Family Stone, Frank Zappa, the Velvet Undetground, and Parliament-Funkadelic is no less amazing than your list of British bands.
@@Big_Bag_of_Pus are you serious with these selections. These are primarily funk and folk artist. Beach Boys are the closest to The Beatles but we both know who was the more important band, don’t we. Pink Floyd was just as experimental as Zappa and went funk like Sly and Parliament-Funkadelic but innovated even more including influencing Parliament. Bob Dylan is really know for his lyrics. Other artist have covered his stuff and made it better. The Byrds- really. If you mentioned Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Doors you’d have a decent shot. What about the Grateful Dead. No, there still not as important to rock as the British bands. The music industry knows this. The worldwide album sales bare this out.
@@Esl1999 Yes, I'm 100% serious, and I'd disagree with about 90% of what you said. The other 10% is irrelevant.
0:10 chance that a reactor will use the word "alas" in the introduction: 0.0012%
chance that alexa will: 2.135%
this is science.
Alas, that is true :)
I actually think the extended edition is not as good as the theatrical cut. It takes away the magic and mystery.
You've "never actually been to a concert"!? Please tell us you've fixed that in the year since you posted this.
No, unless you count attending an opera.
@@alexachipman Good question, do operas count as concert performances? Orchestras certainly do, so I'd say yes. Nevertheless, I encourage you to go see a musical artist at a smaller venue. Certainly there must be clubs, bars, restaurants, schools, parks offering live music near you. I encourage you to attend some.
My favorite part is when penny pees
Ho boy. Ain't It Cool News made this flick sound absolutely miserable. And it was an effusive review! The style of it struck me so wrong, I curled my nose, and said "nope!" and I've avoided it like radioactivity. Maybe seeing the reaction will help. Let's see....
Ehhhh....maybe it needed the soundtrack. Glad it clicked for you. Didn't for me.
12:02 it's always fun to play. adults should play more.
How's it going today?
Hope you are having a fantastic day!