Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		0.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Almost Famous 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 9, 2021

Paramount has released Director Cameron's Crowe's signature film 'Almost Famous' to the UHD format. This two-disc set includes both the Theatrical Cut (2:03:13) and the Bootleg Cut (2:41:29). New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video. No new audio track is included; Paramount simply recycles the existing DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. A few extras are scattered across both discs. At time of writing, the 4K presentation is only available in collectible SteelBook packaging.

William Miller was once a decidedly uncool genius who skipped a few grades and was the object of his derision by his more "mature" classmates who might outnumber and outgrow the diminutive boy, but they certainly don't outsmart him. William's home life is in a bit of turmoil, too. His sister Anita (Zooey Deschanel) is leaving home to find herself as she flies the friendly skies the world over, and she leaves her contraband record collection to young William. Their mother (Frances McDormand) disapproves of the pervasion that is then-modern-day Rock music, but that doesn't stop William from embracing the collection and becoming a walking encyclopedia of all things Rock. Now aged 15, William (Patrick Fugit) has landed a job as a writer for Creem magazine after impressing the jaded music critic Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman) with his passion, writing style, and dedication to what Bangs calls a dying genre. On his first assignment for Creem (a 1,000 word article on Black Sabbath), William stumbles upon a group of "Band Aids" -- call them roadies, call them groupies, call them wandering souls -- led by the mysterious Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) while also immediately impressing a midlevel Rock band called Stillwater with his passionate and intelligent compliments. Though there's hints of conflict between the band's lead singer Jeff Bebe (Jason Lee) and lead guitarist Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup), the group as a whole takes a liking to William "The Enemy" Rock Journalist; he's invited to join the group on tour and also lands himself a juicy gig with none other than Rolling Stone magazine -- believing William to be an adult -- with the task of writing a lengthy article on Stillwater. As William tours the country, gets to know the band, find himself attracted to Penny Lane (who has her eye on Russell), worries his mother sick, struggles with deadlines, misses graduation, lies about his age, and experiences the ins and outs of life firsthand, he comes to realize that this multitude of experience -- for better or for worse -- will shape his life and define who he'll be as he leaps headfirst into adulthood.

For a full film review, please click here.

Almost Famous 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Paramount brings Almost Famous to the UHD format with a top-end 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD presentation. The picture shines on the format, holding fast and true to its filmic roots and retaining a steady, natural, and pleasing grain structure that accentuates the picture for the duration. The film is naturally sharp -- there's no apparent processing to add sharpness -- and the result is a finely detailed and handsomely textured output that allows audiences to feel the period textures, explore the characters with intimate clarity, and experience the ebbs and flows of the Rock 'N' Roll road life. Every album cover crease, fabric detail, facial hair, and environmental texture reach their fullest potential for essential accuracy and intricacy. The picture is certainly a high step above the decade-old Blu-ray, offering here a large boost to grain accuracy and stability, detail clarity, and color superiority. Indeed, the Dolby Vision grading brings a sense of tonal accuracy and health to the picture that is well beyond the old disc, offering here a palette that stays absolutely true to the film's period look which accentuates the neutral browns and ambers that seem so prevalent while at the same time offering superior contrast and expressiveness to bolder splashes of red, blue, green, and other bright colors in support. Black levels are excellent, always the epitome of deep, true, and accurate. Whites are crisp and bright, particularly as seen on the opening titles. Skin tones appear spot-on accurate. The picture shows no signs of obvious print wear or encode anomalies. This is a first-rate UHD presentation from Paramount.

Note that there appears to be no differences in video quality output between the Theatrical and Bootleg versions; the latter blends the new material seamlessly into the experience for a full package UHD experience. Each cut is given its own disc.

Almost Famous 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Almost Famous' UHD discs include the legacy DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. For a full review, please click here.

Almost Famous 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Almost Famous' Theatrical cut disc includes a wealth of content, both new for this release ("New Releases") and legacy ("Greatest Hits") alike. The Bootleg cut disc includes only one extra: the legacy audio commentary track. For full coverage of the legacy supplemental content, please click here. See below for a brief description of the SteelBook packaging.

Theatrical Feature Film Disc:

• New Releases:
  
  
  • Filmmaker Focus: Cameron Crowe on Almost Famous (1080p, Dolby Vision, 8:06): Crowe reflects on the film's roots in his own life, the project's personal tone, shooting the film chronologically, characters, themes, shooting on the bus, favorite scenes, the film's setting, and more.
  • Casting & Costumes (1080p, Dolby Vision, 12:52): As the title suggests, this piece explores casting in retrospect and the costumes that brought the characters to life. The piece features Crowe discussing the film and cast and crew voiceovers atop audition footage and film clips.
  • Rock School (1080p, Dolby Vision, 10:48): Training the cast in the art of Rock 'N' Roll. The piece also covers writing the band's music.
  • Extended Scenes (1080p, Dolby Vision, 9:00): Several lengthier scenes.
  • Odds & Sods (1080p, Dolby Vision, 8:53): Additional takes and scenes.
• Greatest Hits
  
  
  • Intro by Cameron Crowe
  • The Making of Almost Famous
  • Interview with Lester Bangs
  • Cameron Crowe's Top Albums of 1973
  • "Fever Dog" Music Video
  • "Love Comes and Goes"
  • Rolling Stone Articles
  • B-Sides
  • Cleveland Concert
  • "Small Time Blues"
  • Stairway
  • Script
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Hidden Talent: Included are Eerie Outtake, Stolen Kisses, and Cameron Crowe's Perfectionism.

Bootleg Cut Disc:

• Audio Commentary

The matte SteelBook depicts Penny Lane on the front, leaning against a table with assorted items strewn about it. A rock poster appears top right and is reflected in the mirror behind her. The film's title is scrawled in white, bottom center. The picture is practically a sepia tone. The rear panel is similarly colored and features an artistic photograph depicting Penny's legs and boots; it's clear she is lying on her back and with her legs extended upward at a 90 degree angle. Paramount, DreamWorks, and Columbia logos are joined by legalese bottom left. The spine is a reddish-brown color with the film's title in white, center. A Paramount logo has been placed at the top. "2-Disc Set," an UltraHD logo, and a Blu-ray logo appear at the bottom.

Inside, the digital copy code is tucked underneath the left-hand-side tabs. The two UHD discs are situated on the right in staggered-stacked formation. The inner print is a two-panel spread that features a full main cast photograph.

Almost Famous 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Paramount has gone the extra mile for the new definitive home video release of Almost Famous: two discs, two cuts, superb picture quality, and several new extras, along with the returning legacy content, make this a must-own. It's a shame the audio was not re-encoded into Dolby Atmos but the 5.1 track serves the film well enough. The SteelBook is very attractive, too. Very highly recommended.

Note that Paramount has also the film to Blu-ray as part of the "Paramount Presents" line.