The Heros Journey in Cameron Crowes Film Almost Famous Essay

The Heros Journey in Cameron Crowes Film or so FamousAlmost Famous (2000) is a dramatization of writer/director Cameron Crowes real-life experiences as a teenage rock reporter for Rolling Stone. Based on thinly-veiled autobiographic material from the precocious beginnings of Crowes early career, the screenplay shapes sentimental memories into movie magic. But how did Crowe give his own coming-of-age tale such universal appeal? A impendent look reveals that Almost Famous, like most films worth their salt, is yet another incarnation of the greatest and only mythological adventure, The Heros Journey. This relationship cigaret be explained using the framework of Joseph Campbells phenomenal book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, along with certain terms and interpretations from The Writers Journey by Christopher Vogler.William Miller, our unlikely belligerent, lives at home with his protective mother Elaine and rebellious older sister, Anita. His ORDINARY WORLD is the sheltered existe nce of a San Diego junior high indoctrinate student. When Anita has a fight with her mother and decides to leave home to become a stewardess, her parting words to William make her the HERALD of his adventures to come. With the car packed and running, Anita takes hold of William on the front lawn, looks him dead in the eye and says One day, youll be cool. Under his bed, the stack of albums she has left for him includes the Whos Tommy, with a note taped to it. Listen to Tommy with a candle burning and you will see your entire future, it reads prophetically. And so it was written. Rock music is about to change William forever.In the next scene, we are introduced to an older William in a flash fifteen and in high schoolobsessively scratching band names into his notebook during class. It is time for the appearance of his SUPERNATURAL AID to supply the amulets and advice that the hero will require. (Campbell 72) William goes to meet the famous rock critic, Lester Bangs, who is being inte rviewed at a local radio station. Over lunch, Lester initiates his role as MENTOR to the aspiring youth journalist, warning him against making friends with the rock stars lest he lose his objectivity to write about them. You have to build your reputation on being honest and unmerciful, he says repeatedly. Seeing that William is serious about his quest, Lester offers him a bona fide writing ass... ...to try to get back together with her, she tricks him into showing up on Williams doorstep instead. The cardinal finally sit down to an interview together and we discover that Russell has called and come clean to the editors of Rolling Stone about the truth of Williams story. The films climax is thus resolved as its closing shot depicts a bundle of bound Rolling Stone magazines landing on the pavement with a thud.Almost Famous tells the story of an uncommon adolescence, too unusual for audiences to relate to on a personal level, yet with a common resonance that speaks to millions. This perfume cant have been achieved on accident. Far from just a haphazard reminiscence, the screenplay succeeds by arranging its elements along the symbolism of our collective consciousness. Therefore, using the delimit of The Heros Journey as the basis for analysis, we see how Almost Famous has also been wrought from the power of this infinite myth.Works CitedCampbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. 2nd ed. Princeton Princeton University Press, 1968.Vogler, Christopher. The Writers Journey Mythic Structure for Writers. 2nd ed. Studio City Michael Weise Productions, 1998.