The Polaroid SX-70 in this movie is used quite often as a plot-tool for interaction between characters and in the end, the pictures, taken with it during the movie, become a tool of memory. For us as the audience and for the main character. In all the scenes with the camera, the original Polaroid Flash Bar is attached. The SX-70 is always used with this flippable bulb-flash. Mostly the shots are taken inside of a bus, where the instant film demands a flash. So that’s quite accurate. In addition, the visual flash, lighting up the whole screen for a split second, functions well as an animating gimmick. As it seems, the camera belongs to Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) a main character who is one of the “Band-Aids”. They are a group of fan-girls, traveling along with the Rock bands on their tours through the US and the World. (Read The Wide-Eyed Fan Love of ‘Almost Famous’ from Valerie Ettenhofer on FSR for more about that topic). In the last act of the movie, the Polaroid pictures, taken on the trip, become an efficient help for William Miller (Patrick Fugit) to reminisce and then write his cover story about the band Stillwater for the Rolling Stone Magazine.

Another note, connecting this movie to photography, is the honoring mentioning of the photographer and music-world-protagonist Joel Bernstein in the credits. It says: “Joel Bernstein, your photographs inspired this movie”.