Tools of Characterization
Characterization in Almost Famous
Soundtrack/Score
Sure, Almost Famous is all about music, but the music in the movie also tells us a lot of the characters. We meet young William, for example, to the tune of Alvin and the Chipmunks—a far cry from the rock and roll that will come define his life in the coming years. His transformation from 11-year-old William into 15 year-old William is accompanied by The Who's "Sparks"—and here his love for rock and roll is born.
Meanwhile, William's sister Anita explains her decision to leave home with a song: "America" by Simon and Garfunkel. Paul Simon's lyrics tell a story of angst, restlessness, and the search for meaning—much like Anita's own plight. She too is leaving home to "look for America."
We are introduced to Lester Bangs at a radio interview, where the rock critic makes it abundantly clear which music he likes and which music he dislikes. He is partial to the Guess Who ("they got the courage to be drunken buffoons, which makes them poetic"), and Iggy Pop and The Stooges, whose raucous song "Search and Destroy" he requests. These are artists who embody the essence of rock and roll, which, as he puts it, is "gloriously and righteously dumb." Lester's philosophy on music and life is clear from this moment on.
When William introduces Penny Lane to Russell Hammond, it's clear they already know each other. Intimately. While this truth is evident in Penny and Russell's body language, Crowe's soundtrack choice seals the deal. In this moment, Penny becomes Joni Mitchell singing "River," a profoundly intimate, vulnerable, and bittersweet song. Of course, this song about heartbreak is all the more appropriate considering Russell's treatment of Penny, and it's the end result of their relationship.
Speech and Dialogue
As is the case for most movies, dialogue is an essential element of characterization in Almost Famous. The film is totally quotable, with countless memorable lines. Characters like Elaine Miller and Lester Bangs deliver zinger after zinger, demonstrating their wit and their cynicism toward society. "An entire generation of Cinderellas, and there's no slipper," Elaine remarks of the rock-and-roll fans she sees.
Meanwhile, Lester shares with William his perspective on the current state of rock and roll: "You got here just in time for the last death rattle. The last gasp. The last grope." "At least I'm here for that," responds William, his idealism—and naiveté—shining through, in stark contrast to Lester's world-weary pragmatism.
Later on, we get a sense of Penny's playful tenderness through her conversations with William. She sees the world through rose-colored glasses and can bring out the good in anyone. "I always tell the girls, never take it seriously," she tells William on their way up to Los Angeles. "If you never take it seriously, you never get hurt; if you never get hurt, you always have fun; and if you ever get lonely, just go to the record store and visit your friends." Music gets to the heart of everything.
Clothing
It was the 70's, so everybody's fashion game was pretty on point. Earth tones and embroidery, anyone? In Almost Famous,each character's wardrobe clues us in to his or her personality. The movie's most iconic character, Penny Lane, also rocks the movie's most iconic style. Her look is relaxed, breezy, yet effortlessly cool.
Oh, and how about that fur coat? It's the armor she wears to transform into a Band Aid, hiding her vulnerability underneath By the end of the film, however, we see her about to board an airplane for Morocco in a super classy black dress and sun hat. It's pretty clear that she has moved on from her Band Aid days.
The contrast between the personalities of Russell Hammond and Jeff Bebe comes across clearly in their style. Russell is an understated, no-frills kind of a guy—and so is his fashion sense. When we meet him, he's wearing a beige long-sleeved T-shirt, which doesn't exactly scream out "rock star." But he lets his playing do the talking.
On the other hand, Jeff is all show, wearing bright shirts and studded belts. He's so desperate for attention that he even rocks a T-shirt with his own face on it. Meanwhile, William is all T-shirts and jeans; he's no rock star, and is bland fashion sense tells us he's got no illusions about that fact.
Social Status
There's a constant distinction in the movie between the "real" world and the grandiose world of the rock stars. William finds himself transported from reality to this other universe, rubbing elbows with the musicians he idolizes. Suddenly, he is Dorothy in the Land of Oz; this definitely ain't Kansas.
The lads of Stillwater, as well as the Band Aids that accompany them, belong to this other world. We hear Penny constantly bring up the real world and explain why she chooses to stay in the world of rock stars instead: "Famous people are just more interesting." Maybe they are. We certainly have a fascination with our pop stars today, following their every move on social media. There is a definite allure of this lifestyle.
William finds out fast, however, that this elusive realm of rock stardom is even more chaotic than the real world. Maybe it doesn't pay to live in a bubble, so detached from reality, after all.