American Graffiti

Plot synopsis:
It's the last night of summer in 1962, and a number of friends are meeting at Burger City for one last hurrah. They include:-Steve Bolander (Ron Howard), The recently-graduated Class President.-Curt Henderson (Richard Dreyfuss), another recent graduate and Steve's best friend, who was awarded the local Moose Lodge's first scholarship.-Laurie Henderson (Cindy Williams), who is heading into her Senior Year in high school, and was the head cheerleader, as well as Steve Bolander's girlfriend. She is also Curt's younger sister.-Terry "The Toad" Fields (Charles Martin Smith), a rather nerdish and socially awkward kid with glasses and a mutual friend of Steve and Curt.-John Milner (Paul Le Mat), a young man and high school graduate in his early 20s who spends most of his days fixing cars for a living and racing a yellow deuce coupe, said by some to be the fastest car in the Valley.At Burger City, Curt confides to Steve that he is considering not heading East for college the next day. Steve is upset by this, but Curt feels that maybe he needs to get his feelings in order. After their discussion, Steve tells Terry that he is going to give him his 1958 Chevrolet Impala until he comes back from college. As Terry only has a little Vespa scooter, the opportunity to have a hot set of wheels makes him ecstatic.After the formalities, Steve gets into Laurie's car, and tells her that he thinks they should see other people while he is away. Laurie tries to hide the fact that this upsets her, but becomes very quiet considering the ramifications.Meanwhile, Curt and John talk about how it seems every girl that comes by is ugly or has a boyfriend. "Where is the dazzling beauty I've been waiting for all my life?" bemoans Curt. John's conversation turns to how the strip that they cruise on keeps shrinking, remembering when a tank full of gas was needed to complete a full circuit.It is then that the group decides to split up. John heads off cruising in his yellow deuce coupe, while Terry heads out in Steve's car. Curt decides to accompany Steve and Laurie to the "Freshman Hop," a sock-hop in the school gymnasium.As Milner heads off to cruise around, he encounters a couple of his buddies also cruising down the streets, who tell him of a "very wicked '55 Chevy looking for him," as well as alerting him to cops watching for speeders.Steve, Laurie and Curt have pulled up to a stop light, with a white '56 T-Bird next to them. As Curt looks, a blonde driving the vehicle smiles at him, and seems to mouth the words "I love you," before taking off. Curt is taken by the vision of this 'goddess,' and pleads with his friend and sister to follow the Thunderbird. However, his words fall on deaf ears.Milner soon after encounters a Studebaker, full of girls. When he asks if any of them wants to ride with him, one of the girl's sisters volunteers. However, it is only after she gets into his car does he realize what he's gotten himself into. The girl, named Carol (Mackenzie Phillips), is easily a very young girl, and John is determined to not have her along with him for the rest of the night.Meanwhile, Steve, Laurie and Curt have made it to the sock-hop. Laurie's friend Peg (Kathleen Quinlan) confides that Laurie will be fine without Steve, but Laurie is still upset and confused about Steve's wish to see other people. Steve meanwhile, has explained his plans to some of his own friends, who laugh that he will use the opportunity to "screw around." Curt meanwhile, roams the halls of the school and comes across his old locker. He tries the combination, only to find that it has been changed.After Steve and Laurie meet up after talking to their friends, Steve wishes to dance, but Laurie refuses, her anger over his decision boiling to the surface. Curt meanwhile, meets one of his teachers who is chaperoning the dance. Mr. Wolfe (Terence McGovern) and Curt then discuss the teacher's past, how he went to a college in Middlebury, Vermont, and only stayed one semester. Wolfe contends that he wasn't the adventuresome type, and Curt explains how he might not be as well. The teacher encourages Curt to not stay, but to go out and explore life.Back in the yellow deuce coupe, John and Carol continue to be at odds with each other. Carol explains how she and her friends used shaving cream to coverup someone's windshield as a gag, and shows John that she still has a can with her at that moment. They then fight over the music on the radio, with John being irritated by the Beach Boys song "Surfin' Safari" on the radio. John's night is further complicated when Officer Holstein (Jim Bohan) pulls him over. Holstein gives Milner a ticket, claiming one of his taillights is out, and claims that he received reports of John speeding, but is going to let him go this time, promising that one day soon, he's going to catch him in the act. After Holstein leaves, John gives Carol the ticket to put in a pouch on the driver's side door, which already contains plenty of tickets from "the law."Terry meanwhile, has pulled up to a light, next to a black '55 Chevy. The driver is Bob Falfa (Harrison Ford), who shouts over to Terry that he's looking for John Milner, and to let John know that he's looking to race him. After the encounter with Falfa, Terry notices a blonde walking the streets. After saying that she resembles Connie Stevens, the girl stops to talk to Terry. Terry claims he's known as "Terry the Tiger," and offers to let her feel the tuck-and-roll upholstery of the Impala. The girl, named Debbie (Candy Clark), gets in, and the two drive off.Back at the sock-hop, Steve and Laurie are chosen to lead a spotlight snowball dance, and put on smiling faces for the rest of the students. As they dance together, Laurie continues to argue quietly, before beginning to cry, and telling Steve to "go to hell," as the song "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" fills the gymnasium.Curt meanwhile, has run into his ex-girlfriend, Wendy (Deby Celiz). With nothing else to do at the school, he asks if he can tag along with her and her friend Bobbie (Lynne Marie Stewart). Wendy agrees, much to the ire of her friend.Back in the gymnasium, as the music picks back up, Steve and Laurie are now dancing intimately, when a teacher named Mr Kroot (Mark Anger) tells them to "break it up." Steve gets smart and tells Kroot to 'kiss a duck,' as well as calls him a 'marble-head.' Kroot tells Steve that he is suspended, but Steve smilingly tells Kroot that he graduated last semester, and by all accounts, Kroot can't do anything to him. As Kroot storms off, Steve and Laurie laugh at the moment. After the incident, they decide to go to The Canal to be alone, their relationship appearing to have been patched up.Terry meanwhile, has taken Debbie to Burger City to get food. As they wait, a former 'flame' of Debbie's leans into the car to talk to her. Debbie ignores all his advances, before flicking a lit match at him after making an obscene gesture at her. Debbie confides that the guy is just 'horny,' and that she likes Terry because he's different. As Terry's face develops a smile, Debbie tells Terry that she figures he's smart enough to get them some liquor. Seeing a new way to impress Debbie, Terry heads off to a liquor store, leaving behind the order they placed.Curt has now come to occupy the back seat of Bobbie's VW Bug, and Wendy in the passenger seat. Seeing the white T-Bird, Curt demands they follow it, much to Bobbie's irritation. When Wendy asks Curt who this girl in the T-Bird is, Curt says he has no idea. Bobbie meanwhile, claims that she's the wife of a guy who owns a jewelry store. Curt doesn't believe it, since the girl in the T-Bird is young and beautiful.Wendy confides to Bobbie about Curt's dream to be a Presidential Aide, and to one day shake hands with President Kennedy. Curt and Wendy then playfully bicker about telling of his future ambitions, and Curt invites her into the backseat to cuddle. Wendy then confides that she thinks Curt's decision to stay in town is a good idea, saying that maybe they can attend the local college together. Just then, Kip Pullman (Ed Greenberg) pulls up next to their car. Bobbie tells Curt to 'say anything' to Kip, whom she has a crush on and would like to meet. Curt then takes her request a bit too far, and yells over to Kips that Bobbie is madly in love with him, and trembles at the sight of his rippling biceps. This causes Bobbie to pull over immediately, demanding Curt to leave her car. Curt does so, and then sees the T-Bird off a ways. He chases after it, but it soon disappears, and he is unsure where to go or what to do next.John meanwhile, has given in to Carol's request for a drink, and takes her to Burger City for a Coke. While there, John meets one of his hot rod buddies, and explains that he's babysitting Carol. Carol gets upset and throws her drink at him, before storming out of the car. John lets her go for a bit, but then feels a sense of responsibility and catches up to Carol, who gets back into his coupe.Terry meanwhile, has gotten to the liquor store, but is unsure how to get a bottle of Old Harper for Debbie. As he ponders outside the store, a wino comes up, and Terry asks him to help. The wino takes Terry's money, but instead buys wine and exits out the back door of the store. Terry goes in, and runs off a list of things for the storekeeper to give him along with the bottle of Old Harper. However, the storekeeper still asks Terry for his ID. Terry returns to the car, now without the money, and asks Debbie for more. She is at first upset, but agrees. As Terry approaches the store again, he sees another man approaching. Terry explains his situation, and the man claims he will help Terry. However, seconds later, the man rushes out, and tosses Terry the bottle of Old Harper. The man appears to have robbed the store, and the store owner soon after emerges, firing on the man with a gun! Terry hightails it back to the Impala, and quickly gets out of there with Debbie.Meanwhile, John has taken Carol to an old junkyard, and gives her a run down of the various vehicles that he's known about, usually belonging to guys he's known who have long since died in crashes or accidents. Carol claims that John told her he's never been in an accident, but he confides that he's come close a couple of times, and that so far, none has been able to beat him.Curt meanwhile, has taken to sitting on the hood of a car, watching an episode of "Ozzie and Harriet" through the window of an appliance store. As he notices, several guys who are part of a gang called "The Pharoahs" accost him, claiming he's sitting on a car that belongs to a friend of theirs. When Curt gets off, one of the members tells Curt that he appears to have left a scratch in the hood. The guys then take Curt along with them in their car, deciding on a 'fitting punishment'. As Curt feels he is going to die, the white T-Bird passes by. Shortly thereafter. Falfa's '55 Chevy passes, and the leader of the Pharoahs claims that this guy aims to beat Milner, claiming John's days are numbered.Meanwhile, John and Carol encounter a white Cadillac, full of girls. The girls claim that John's car deserves their special prize. When John is eager to accept it, the girls hurl a water balloon at him, which misses and hits Carol. John bursts into laughter, but Carol wants revenge, and John seems eager to have a little mischief. As both cars come to the next red light, John proceeds to flatten the other car's tires, and Carol sprays shaving cream all over the other car's windows, before the two jump back into John's car and drive off.Terry and Debbie have made it to the Canal, where Terry mixes up the Old Harper with some soda. Terry and Debbie attempt to get intimate, but there appear to be too many people walking around. Terry leaves the car door open and the music on, and he and Debbie go looking for a quiet place to be alone.Curt and the Pharoahs pull into a miniature golf establishment, where the Pharoahs attempt to pry open the pinball machines in the main building for gas money. They are soon caught by Mr. Gordon (Scott Beach), who is a member of the Moose Lodge in town. Curt claims that the guys he is with are his friends, and Gordon takes Curt into the back to meet with another Moose Lodge member named Hank (Al Nalbandian). They both congratulate Curt on winning the Lodge's first scholarship, before he takes leave along with the Pharoahs, who have finished cleaning out the change in the pinball machines. The leader of the Pharoahs is impressed with how Curt handled the situation, and decides that he and his friends will consider making Curt one of them.Back at the Canal, Terry stops necking with Debbie, when he realizes the music from the car has stopped. He and Debbie then return to where the car was, only to find that it has been stolen!Meanwhile, in another part of the Canal, Steve and Laurie are getting intimate in her car. The conversation shifts a little towards Steve's decision of wanting to go, and how Curt does not. The talk again upsets Laurie, and she stops giving in to Steve's advances. When he claims he wants something to remember her by, she goes limp, infuriating him more that she is just going to let him do whatever but she isn't going to take any pleasure out of it. When Steve makes an off hand comment about Laurie watching her brother 'doing something,' Laurie yells at Steve "You're disgusting!" and kicks him out of the car, before driving off.Terry and Debbie are walking near the canal, with Debbie explaining about reports of a person in the area dubbed "The Goat Killer," who kills and dismembers his victims. Terry is getting more and more freaked out by her talking, when a noise distracts them. At first thinking it might be the goat killer, Terry is relieved when it turns out to be Steve. When Debbie explains that their car was stolen, Terry attempts to divert the subject (not wanting Steve to know that "his" car was stolen).Back with John and Carol, John attempts to trick Carol into telling where she lives, to try and take her home, but Carol is stubborn, claiming she isn't going home until she "gets some action." It is then that Bob Falfa's car pulls alongside John, and the two trade barbs, with Bob insisting on racing John. They do a small race through several lights before John stops at a red light and Bob continues on through. Carol notes that Bob is fast, but John says that while he is fast, he also seems stupid.Meanwhile, Steve separates from Terry and Debbie, and goes back to Burger City, while Terry and Debbie go off to report the car stolen.Curt and the Pharoahs have meanwhile located a police car watching for speeders. The leader of the Pharoahs charges Curt with hooking a tow cable to the rear axle of the car. Curt is unsure about this, but is told that he has to do this, or the Pharoahs will still plan to make him suffer for the vehicle he scratched. Curt has some close calls, but eventually gets the cable hooked. As he rushes back to the Pharoahs, they then speed by the officers, with Curt yelling at the top of his lungs, "Stand by for justice!" The cops then take off, but the cable catches, tearing the rear axle off their car. Prepared for shock and awe, the two cops turn around, speechlessly looking at the torn off rear axle of their car. Nearby, Terry and Debbie are witnesses to the incident as well.Carol soon finds herself confused when John takes her along a dark stretch of road, and John seems intent on having his way with her. Carol's spitfire demeanor wavers and she insists that much of her toughness was pretend. John explains that if he knew where she lived, he could take her home, and Carol immediately tells him her address. Of course, John was hoping that his 'trick' would work, and they head off for Carol's place.At Burger City, Steve meets up with a waitress named Budda (Jana Bellan). Budda takes a moment to talk with Steve, who explains about how he and Laurie broke up. Budda takes this opportunity to tell Steve how she secretly likes him, and offers to have him come over to her place after her shift is over. As they talk, both are unaware that Laurie has returned to Burger City as well and is outside, having stopped at seeing Budda and Steve talking in a booth. Laurie assumes the worst, and quickly leaves before they see her. Back inside the restaurant, Steve declines Budda's offer, and watches her get back to work.Outside, The Pharaohs pull up with Curt, and eagerly applaud what he has done. The Pharaohs are eager to induct Curt the next evening into their group, but Curt does not tell them that he'll be gone. Curt then gets into his car, and sees the white T-Bird pass by. He tries to start up his car, but it won't turn over, and he watches once again as the mysterious blonde slips from his grasp once more.Laurie is cruising around the strip when she encounters Bob Falfa. She parks her car and gets in with him, and they begin to cruise. Falfa attempts to talk with her, but Laurie explains she does not want to talk.John finally gets Carol to her place, and they have an awkward goodbye, until John gives her the cover to his gearshift as a memento. Carol happily takes it and goes to her house, as John drives off, a strange look on his face.Back at Burger City, Curt has run into Steve, and is shocked when Steve explains that he is now considering not going to college out East. Curt attempts to calm Steve, but also ends up fixing his car, and takes off, leaving Steve unsure of what to do now.Meanwhile, Terry has had an adverse reaction to the alcohol, and has thrown up most of it. After Terry recovers, he and Debbie walk a ways off, and find Steve's Impala parked in a lot! Terry finds the car unlocked and the keys gone. He attempts to hot-wire the car when the guys who stole it confront him, and attempt to beat him up. Debbie attempts to stop them, but they are both saved when John rolls by, comes over and scares away the two men.Back at Burger City, another classmate of Steve's tells him that Laurie was seen riding around with Bob Falfa. Just as Terry and Debbie pull up outside Burger City with his car, Steve rushes out and shoos Terry and Debbie out of his car, and drives off. Debbie is shocked that Steve just took Terry's car, and Terry tells her the truth about how the car wasn't really his, and how he just has a Vespa Scooter for transportation. Even so, Debbie smiles and tells Terry that she had a good time, and as she takes leave, tells him that she'll probably see him around.Curt meanwhile, has made his way to a radio station on the outskirts of town. Rumor is that Wolfman Jack, whose voice has played across the airwaves all evening, is located here. As Curt enters the station, he encounters a bearded man sitting in the control booth. Curt hands the man a piece of paper featuring a dedication and a request to the girl in the white T-Bird. The man explains that he can have the dedication sent into the Wolfman's main station and broadcast the next day. But Curt explains that he needs the request put out tonight, as he is unsure if he is going to be leaving town or not.The man in the control booth then explains to Curt that he really should not sell himself short, and to go out and experience life. Curt takes the words to heart, and is excited when the man tells him if he can, he'll try to get the message relayed right away. As Curt is about to exit the studio, he hears a familiar voice. He turns, and sees the man in the control booth speaking into his microphone, in the voice of Wolfman Jack. Curt smiles at having met one of his heroes, and exits the building.John is still at Burger City when Falfa comes up in his Chevy. John tells Falfa to meet him out at Paradise Road for their race. Terry pleads to go along, and John concedes.The word spreads throughout the strip, and soon reaches Steve's ears, who heads out there when word comes that Laurie is riding with Falfa.Meanwhile, Curt has returned to Burger City, and over to a nearby phone booth. On his car radio, he hears Wolfman Jack relay his dedication to the blonde in the T-Bird, and smiles as Wolfman calls Curt a good friend. Wolfman dedicates the next song to the blonde, and gives her the number of the phone booth at Burger City, encouraging the girl to call Curt.Meanwhile, John, Falfa, and a number of other kids have rolled out to Paradise Road. Once out there, John finally realizes that Laurie is riding with Falfa, and asks what she is doing in there. Laurie gives a nonchalant "Mind your own business, John" and stays in Falfa's car, but Terry gets out to shine his flashlight for the race. As the vehicles take off, the race stays tight, until Falfa loses control of his car, skids off the road, rolls, and crashes, whilst John continues straight down the road.Steve arrives just in time to see the aftermath, and rushes to the wreck, to see Falfa emerge and Laurie beating and hitting him. Steve pulls her off Falfa just as John pulls Falfa away from the car, just as it bursts into flames.In a moment of desperation, Laurie cries and pleads for Steve not to leave, to which Steve embraces and tells Laurie that he is not going to leave her.Terry explains to John how impressed he was with how John beat Falfa, but John confides to Terry that just before Falfa's car swerved off the road, he was beating him. Terry explains that John was just nervous, and that he'll never be beaten. John just backs up Terry's hero worship, and to calm him down, says that they'll take on all comers, as Terry yawns, muttering, "Jesus, what a night."Meanwhile, back at Burger City, the phone rings, and Curt answers it, ecstatic to be talking to the girl of his dreams. He inquires about her name, but she does not give it. When Curt asks to meet her, she explains that she'll be cruising the strip again that night, but Curt wants to meet her now. She then says goodbye as Curt struggles to speak more, and the line goes dead.Several hours later, Curt goes to the airport to get on the plane to head East, with his friends and family saying goodbye. Steve does not accompany him, and Curt boards the plane, taking off to a new adventure. As he glances out the window of the plane, he sees a white Thunderbird traveling along a stretch of road.As the plane banks off, the audience is treated to images of John, Terry, Steve, and Curt, along with where they ended up in life:-John Milner was killed by a drunk driver in December 1964.-Terry Fields was reported missing in action near An Loc in December 1965.-Steve Bolander is an insurance agent in Modesto, California.-Curt Henderson is a writer living in Canada.

Tags: cult, romantic, prank

Review:
I don't know if George Lucas really knew what he had in this picture--surely the screenplay seemed funny enough, and the thought of the cars and the period music was enticing--but did he really know these "unknown" actors would bring these characters to life?
After cruising with Milner all night, teenage Carol hates to say goodbye but does, waving from her porch with the light on; Toad survives one bad accident after another, but his real moment is in hearing praise from his date (fantastic, husky-voiced Candy Clark, dolled up like a speeding Sandra Dee) just before she says good night; after chasing his dream date all night, Kurt (Richard Dreyfuss, green and anxious, and appealingly bemused) finally gets to talk to the stunning blonde wonder on the telephone, where she whispers a wrenching goodbye.
Like a page out of the high school year book, this movie jumps back into the early 60's, before the war, before the lines were drawn, the age of innocence in America would soon be coming to an end.
It is unusual to see filmmaking of this caliber coming from Hollywood (not least when considering Lucas' latest offering - blech!), but like movies like "The Year My Voice Broke" and "My Life as a Dog", "American Graffiti" tells us something about where we came from, without being dull or preachy.
A great direction by George Lucas and a fine cast with RonHoward, Richard Dreyfuss, Cindy Williams, Paul LeMat, Charles Martin Smith,Candy Clark (Oscar-nominated), MacKenzie Phillips, Harrison Ford.
The ensemble cast, including so many that went on to become hugely successful in Hollywood--Ron Howard, Cindy Williams (well, with Laverne & Shirley at least), Richard Dreyfuss, and of course Harrison Ford (not to mention Lucas himself)--is handled with great skill from such a young director and reinforces the mystery why Lucas has so horribly mishandled Star Wars Eps. I and II.
The energy and vitality that Lucas gives his multiple stories makes for a great ride, and American Graffiti is a lot of fun throughout.The film is most notable for the way that it captures the American youth of the sixties.
The eventful night when freshly graduated high school friends contemplated their futures while immersed in small town America's car-hops, drive-in movies & doo-wop music (the soundtrack is one of the best featured in ANY film!), is shown in "real time".Richard Dreyfuss is perfect as the smart kid, ready to drive off to college the next morning, but wondering if he's doing the right thing.
Ron Howard and Cindy Williams get some practice for their soon to follow "Happy Days", while Charles Martin Smith and Candy Clark are wonderful as the goofus who wants to show a pretty girl a good time.Wolfman Jack plays himself (and cupid) when he plays a very special request going out from Richard Dreyfuss to his dream girl Suzanne Sommers.
It wasn't long, however, before the general mood of nostalgia became more widespread with an increasing number of people becoming interested in other pop culture commodities of the era such as movies,TV shows, cars and clothes.Pretty soon the whole thing exploded and the "Good Old Days" suddenly became big business.
I remember watching this movie on May 31, 2002, the night before my high school graduation and when I watch this film, it reminded me of the things that happened with me throughout my senior year: from a guy I knew, who cheated on his girlfriend with a cheerleader, to the terrorist attack that tore America apart; causing Americans to go against one another, from the crushes, the heartbreaks, prom night, to Spider-Man being the movie of the year, graduation rehearsal, and technology becoming the new aspect in my life and when I watched American Graffiti, it reminded me of when the good times meant something with those around me.The film takes place in 1962 California, a pre JFK assassination which showed the innocence of youth crusin' the streets and talking to buddies outside of their windows as they drive; now, in today's world it's a bloodbath.
All night, Curt cruises the streets with his sister Laurie (Cindy Williams) and Steve, where he sees a blonde woman driving a white T-Bird who mouths "I love you." Now Curt is on the hunt to find this blonde woman as he encounters a gang called The Pharaohs who want to pound him after he scratches the gang's car.The next character is Steve whose Curt's best friend and happens to be dating Laurie and wants to rush things as quickly as possible.
Yet, John is up for a little competition, as a new drag racer by the name of Bob Falfa, (Harrison Ford) wants to race him.The other character of the gang is Terry "The Toad," Fields (Charles Martin Smith) the nerd who drives a mophead, gets to take Steve's car for a ride in the town.
Terry who thinks he is a reject is now proved that he is a man as he cruises the streets with the girl on his arms, and just trying to prove that even nerds have their moments as well.American Graffiti in my opinion is a retrospect of the good times that people had when everything was innocent, in an era where crusin' was important, especially rock n' roll.
American Graffiti was a compilation of pop culture pique, a harbinger of political changes, and the birth of an era that explodes the "Leave it to Beaver America" simply by saying farewell to it!!!...Set in a small town in Southern California, with a bunch of people who's existence in 1962 means the 13th and final year of the fifties, it correlates a cosmic awareness with an innocent societal disagreement....
The constant bond throughout the film is Wolfman Jack, the "supercool" disc jockey who creates a thousand different images of himself just by virtue of what he says on the radio...He is illuminating as well as socially influential to a bunch of naive teenagers....The music in this movie is extremely entertaining, as it signifies the end of an Eisenhower style Utopia..
American Graffiti is the second film from George Lucas, made after his quirky sci-fi effort THX 1138 but before he gave up crafting real characters in favour of larger-than-life comic book fantasy entertainment.
American Graffiti isn't exactly a world-changing film but I found it likable enough, and the cast (including Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Charles Martin Smith, and Harrison Ford in early roles) are very good.One of the things I liked most about American Graffiti is the soundtrack.
Story-wise this is nothing new--all the stereotypes are in place--the loving/bickering couple (Ron Howard and Cindy Williams); the rebel (Paul Le Mal) stuck with a 13 year old (Mackenzie Phuillips); the nerd (Charles Martin Smith) having a disastrous date with a blonde (Candy Clark); the hood (Bo Hopkins) showing the good boy (Richard Dreyfuss) a night out and Harrison Ford and Suzanne Somers in small parts.
First of all, it was one of the first movies that had multiple character studies happening, inter cutting from one to the next, was the movie that got Lucas noticed, and most of all, seemed to star every young actor that later went on big, Ron Howard, Cindy Williams, Mackenzie Phillips, Wolfman Jack, Richard Dreyfus, Susanne Somers, Wolfman Jack, Susanne Somers, and Paul LeMat .
They don't make movies like this anymore,truly a classic.This is so much better than StarWars which in my opinion is a bunch of overrated fluff for young kids.American Graffitti is true movie making at its finest.George Lucas should have also been complimented on being such an amazing talent scout with actors, since all of them went on to become the biggest names in Hollywood.Starting with Harrison Ford,Cindy Williams,Richard Dreyfuss,Ron Howard,Suzanne Sommers,Mckenzie Phillips,Charles Martin Smith,Kathleen Quinlan,I mean what an unbelievable cast.This movie really brings something back for people ,a true look at a loss of innocence,filmed in such a bold documentary style,its the equivalent of indie films today,back when the studios didn't put out just crap with computerized special affects that you see so much of today.American Graffitti is to smart for audiences today, unfortunately they want fluff with explosives and quick paced special affects.American Graffitti does not rely on any of that thank god,this movie is all about the superb performances ,most notably Cindy Williams who obviously went on to tremendous fame with her TV show but she really was great in a lot of her old movies ie,The Conversation,American Graffitti,Travels with my aunt etc everyone is great in this though,they do a wonderful job of creating characters, kids you know that you grew up with.A lot of kids today in movies just play themselves they don't have the training or talent that a lot of the actors had in the sixties and seventies.
Paul Le Mat as John Milner (probably the most coolest guy you will ever know then any other character in another movie) is out on the town and picked up a fourteen year old girl named Carol(Mackenzie Phillips).
What makes American Graffiti so special is the way that the music is combined with the dialogues,almost non-stop.Classics like Rock around the clock,That 'll be the day,I only have eyes for you and Green onions(!) are heard sometimes loud and sometimes in the back ground while the actors talk or the engines of the cars roar.
Another special thing about this film is the legendary cast and crew,although not yet at that moment.The movie is directed by George Lucas before(Star Wars was yet to be made),it is produced by Francis Ford Coppola(one year after he made the Godfather).And then the actors:Ron Howard(Richie Cunningham from Happy Days and academy award winning director for A Beautiful Mind),Richard Dreyfuss(Matt Hooper from Jaws),Charles Martin Smith(the accountant from The Untouchables) and the one and only Wolfman Jack playing Wolfman Jack.Other important parts are for Paul LeMat as the greatest dragracer in the universe,Bo Hopkins as a gang leader(he dies in the first scene of The Wild Bunch) and Cindy Williams as Howards girl(she also played in some episodes of Happy Days).Candy Clark got an oscar nomination for her role as the beautiful Debbie.
With all this the story is not bad either and the ending is pretty surprising too.Don't go away before the movie is truly ended,because then you see what happens with the characters in the future.(why,Toad, why!?)PS:buy the 2-disc soundtrack,it is absolutely great,the final song is a great cut:All summer long from the Beach Boys.it is not heard in the movie,what a shame.I'm gonna listen Green Onions once again!
It may seem a bit dated by today's standards (afterall, it is a movie about the 1950's/1960's made in the 1970's), but "American Graffiti" remains one of the best teenage/cruising of all time.
George Lucas is mostly known for presenting to the world Star Wars, but surely American Graffiti is another successful and memorable film made by him.
There's a college-bound young guy with doubts if he wants to leave, there's a nerd who gets a date with a blonde fox, there's a drag racer who gets lumbered with a thirteen-year-old girl and all the while a DJ called Wolfman Jack plays music throughout the night on the local radio.
When it was released in 1973 it told of a time a decade in the past but it truly seemed like an aeon away on account of the transition of the counter-cultural 60's when everything changed so dramatically and radically, meaning that the early 60's pre-Vietnam small town America seemed like an alien landscape but one with more innocence and clearly one that held much appeal in the cynical landscape of 70's America.Produced by Francis Ford Coppola, this was a breakthrough film for his friend George Lucas who directed it.
It pulls you in and convinces you you've just spent an entire evening with a bunch of teens whose destinies will be shaped by the events that transpire on the screen.George Lucas, who loved cars and racing himself, filmed this time capsule of his own high school era (the early sixties) in less than a month.
This is only to heighten the tension of the scene.The opening song, "Rock Around the Clock" tells you we're going to be up all night as Terry "The Toad" loses control of his Vespa pulling up to Mel's Drive In (Actor, Charles Martin Smith admits he really did lose control of the Vespa and Lucas insisted the scene be used exactly as it happened).Lucas used speakers blaring out from behind buildings rather than dubbing the sound to give the effect you are listening to the radio from the cars as the teens "drag the gut" throughout the night.The radio continues to croon out its commentary as it blares out the Big Bopper's "Heeeeellooo Baaaaby" (from Chantilly Lace) as Terry is confronted by a thug who has stolen the car he is driving for the night (while trying to steal it back) to when Curt (Richard Dreyfuss) enters the radio station (with radio tower doubling as a church spire) seeking wisdom and advice from above (Wolfman Jack) while the radio plays "Crying in the Chapel." The best moment of the movie, I believe, is the exchange between Curt and Wolfman, where Curt realizes the D.J. he has been convinced is just a local station employee relaying The Wolfman's voice - is, in fact, the actual Wolfman.
Then again, there are so many wonderful moments...The moment Curt is successful in sabotaging Officer Herford's car (and earns the chance to be a Pharoah), the jabs and jives of each other's cars between John Milner (Paul Le Mat) and Bob Falfa (Harrison Ford) as they prepare to race, the parting of Milner and Carol (Mackenzie Phillips) as John drops her off from their "date," everything that transpires as Terry endeavors to score himself and his date "some brew"...If you can walk away from this movie without being affected in some way by the music and the characters, it's with great wonder and stupefaction..
It's nice, and I'm sure George Lucas appreciates it, to put all the Star Wars hype aside for a moment and realize that way back in 1973 George Lucas made a film called "American Graffiti" that had nothing at all to do with Star Wars, and is a very good movie."American Graffiti" follows a number of high school students and recent graduates in a small town on a late summer night in the early 1960s.
"American Graffiti" now considered by many a classic, yet to me is nothing more than a fun teen flick about a group of high school students that tells a coming of age story.
Good job by George Lucas to capture a unique take on high school teens during a summer night, really this was just a stepping stone before his big later blockbuster "Star Wars".
Fans of 1960s music and hot rods will also get a kick out of the soundtrack and the souped up cars these kids cruise around in, whiling away the hours before life -- and particularly the Vietnam War -- takes them in separate directions.Many lament the fact that George Lucas went on to make the "Star Wars" series when he could have instead made more films like this.
By 1973 it was easy to look back at the early 1960s as being a much more innocent time, one we very well might wish we could return to.American Graffiti takes its cast of mostly unknowns (most of whom would not remain unknown for long) and gives each character his or her own story to tell.
The cars and the terrific period music are just as much the stars of the movie as any of the actors.Over the period of one night all these characters will be faced with decisions which will in ways, some great and some small, shape their lives.
Of course people will enjoy this film if they want to pick out all the stars who either made it big (like Harrison Ford) or those who ended up in 70's TV sitcoms.I did enjoy the movie but not immensely..Rating 6 out of 10..
Parade of awesome cars from 50's and 60's, cute girls and non-stop rock'n'roll guarantee pleasure, but no matter how much I like it I really do not see what makes this movie so great to be as high as top 100 of all time.
Curt (Richard Dreyfuss) and Steve (Ron Howard) have graduated from high school in southern California and are headed out east to go to college (the whole film takes place on the last night that they're in town).
Released in 1973 and directed/written by George Lucas, "American Graffiti" is a teen drama taking place in a Bay area town in California one night at the end of the summer of '62.
Other cast members include Ron Howard, Cindy Williams, Paul Le Mat, Harrison Ford, Charlie Martin Smith, Mackenzie Phillips and Suzanne Somers.It's not the story that drives this film, it's the wealth and depth of characters - people who we really care about - they are all someone we know - someone we have loved - or they just remind us of ourselves.
Graffiti generally centers around familiar teenage scenes with high school aged buddies cruising around town picking up girls on a Friday or Saturday night.Although Richard Dreyfuss probably gave the most credible job, it still doesn't compare to Jaws, which I think is the best performance given by anyone I've seen.
They're each on the crossroads of High School into real life, either still deciding (Richard Dreyfuss' character Curt), or more just in the moment of their lives on a specific night following graduation (Ron Howard's Steve, Charles Martin Smith's 'Toad', Paul Le Mat's Milner).
Filled with great music, beautiful cars, believable characters, an excellent cast, strong script and directing (perhaps the first movie made to feature multiple story-lines) American Graffiti is truly one of the best movies ever made.