An excerpt from a script...

One of the many magical moments in the movie. If you read this with the songs mentioned in the script, in the background, you can actually see the movie and be mesmerized. And if you look hard enough, you can see your entire future.

INT. WILLIAM'S BEDROOM - DAY

William finishes the last of many candy bars. A mound of wrappers sit just below the mirror. He examines his face hopefully for zits. Nothing coming. We begin to hear Simon and Garfunkel's "America."

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

Anita stands in the living room. The song continues playing on the stereo.

ANITA (Elder sister)

I want to play you a song that explains why I'm leaving, and try to listen.

ELAINE (Mother)

We can't talk? We have to listen to rock music?

EXT. FRONT LAWN - DAY

William watches sadly. Anita's good-looking boyfriend DARRYL, a dead ringer for young Stephen Stills, loads her suitcases into a large turqouise Chevy. The suitcases are adorned with plastic stick-on flowers. All coolness is leaving William's life. Mom watches nearby, worried and helpless. (Their house is more austere, less "fun" than the other front lawns.)

WILLIAM

Take good care of her in San Francisco, man.

Darryl gives the kid a sub-human look. He's invisible, too young to converse with.

ELAINE

How can she leave such a loving family?

Anita turns and heads towards them. She focuses on William, placing her hands on his young shoulders. Her face is very close to him now, as she delivers this sage prediction of the future.

ANITA

One day you'll be cool.

He nods stoically, hopefully. He is utterly lost. She leans forward and whispers in his ear.

ANITA

Look under your bed. It'll set you free.

Anita shakes hands with Mom, and exits. As the car takes off:

ELAINE

She'll be back.

In the distance we hear the whoop of her daughter.

ANITA

YEAHHHHH-HOOOOOOOO.

ELAINE

Maybe not soon...

William watches wistfully. He moves away from his mother. She pulls him closer. Shot moves in on his slightly fearful face.

INT. DARRYL'S CAR - DAY

Anita looks back at the receding American Gothic-image of her mother and brother. Sister waves to brother. She feels for him. Music now shifts to The Who's "Sparks."

INT. BEDROOOM - NIGHT

William locks the door. He reaches under his bed. It's a black leatherette travel bag, with tartan design. He unzips the bag--it's filled with albums. He flips through the amazing, subversive cache of music. Cream's Wheels of Fire... the seminal Bob Dylan bootleg Great White Wonder... the Rolling Stones' Get Yer Ya Ya's Out... The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds... Abraxas by Santana... Jethro Tull's Stand Up... The Mother's of Invention's We're Only In It For The Money... Led Zeppelin... Crosby, Stills and Nash... Miles Davis' Bitches Brew... and The Who's Tommy... with a note taped to it.

ANITA (V.O.)

"Listen to Tommy with a candle burning and you will see your entire future..."

The heady effect of all these albums registers, as we see him lighting a candle.

- Cameron Crowe, Almost Famous (2000)