Untitled (Almost Famous - The Bootleg Cut)
“That’s what you remember, man. It’s the little things. The silly things. The mistakes.
It makes the song. It’s what you leave out. Now that’s Rock and Roll.”
I’ve already sung the praises of
Almost Famous . So how is there enough of a difference between that version and this Untitled Bootleg Cut, that it deserves its own separate ranking?
I’ll start by saying it’s not about the individual extra 40 minutes of footage. It’s how the scenes enhance the overall film. One of my problems with Almost Famous has always been that at just over two hours, its not long enough. Cameron Crowe’s theatrical edit is so merciless, it’s truncated.
Crowe has stated that the longer cut of this deeply personal story felt self-indulgent, with a lot of little throwaway moments he personally liked that took away from the main narrative. (As if we didn't want to spend more time with Stillwater, Lester Bangs, Penny Lane and the rest of the wonderful ensemble.) I find those extra little bits flesh everything out with captivating detail. It creates an even better feel of time and place, bringing an epic scope that befits its 160 minute running time without causing any drag on the overall pace.
Even more than before, you are there, in William Miller’s shoes, feeling the transcendent power of great Rock and Roll as it courses through his veins. It’s more of everything you love about the original version, without letting any of the air out of the film. That’s because along with the little moments, there are a few dialogue scenes I definitely recognize as new, and they’re every bit as good as the theatrical footage.
For example, I remember a shot where William sees Penny Lane hang her coat over the window of the Ice & Vending room. Untitled goes into the room, giving some great insight into her relationship with Stillwater guitarist, Russell Hammond.
I wish I could say
all the new stuff is to the movie’s benefit or at the very least unnoticeable. There’s a scene at the 40 minute mark where the sisters boyfriend climbs through Russell’s bedroom window for a visit, and it’s the definition of unnecessary footage.