American Graffiti

[Brian Coltrane]

Filmed in 1973, starring Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, Wolfman Jack, Cindy Williams, Suzanne Somers. Written and directed by George Lucas. Rated PG.

This movie is a stand-alone masterpiece among any "car flick" movie out there; primarily because it takes you back in time so effectively. The period is 1962; the stages are car hops, street drags, high school dances and late-night crusing. It's worth watching this movie for the cars alone; but the performances of the cast prove why these actors grew such great careers.

Because many people are already familiar with this movie - and I don't wanna ruin it for anybody who hasn't seen it yet - I'm not gonna rehash the premise. I will say, however, that I wish this movie would have ended itself five minutes sooner....rather than going into the "where are they now" epilogue at the end.


Brian

[Eddiemunster]

I haven't seen this movie in a very long time. It's definately a classic, and well worth checking out if you haven't seen it yet.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't this movie that Happy Days was based from?

[Jamanda]

Jam watched the Happy Days reunion show and they did talk about American Graffitti. For some reason she thought it was a dirty movie and never saw it, but I informed her that she was misinformed. It's a great movie and actually pretty clean so I'll have her watch it some time.

[Capt_Redneck]

Awesome movie.....My brother, 21 years older than me, took me to see this back in the theaters in 74, I was 4 at the time and ran out screaming..Who would take a 4 year old to movie anyway??LOL

Just a great piece of nostalgia on the end of the 50's , although set in 1962. The cars and the music alone make this movie worth it...

Darrell

[Eddiemunster]

When many people think of "The 60's", the first thing that comes to mind is the Peace/Love/Dope hippie stuff. What some people don't realize is that the hippie stuff really didn't start untill the latter part of the sixties. From 1960-1965, and probably a good portion of 1966, it was just like the fifties.

For a number of years, I always thought that Leave It To Beaver was set in the fifties. It wasn't untill I got a bit older, and learning about cars from the sixties, that I realized "Hey, what's a bunch of 60's cars doing in a show set in the fifties? Oh, it is the sixties!!!" Alot of similarities with the way people still dressed, had their haircuts, and attitudes were there. I would say it's a drastic change, all this in just one decade. You go from Car Hops and Street Drags, to Woodstock and Acid Flashbacks. :o

[Val Strate]

Oh man, I could probably tell you everything thing about that movie, in great detail. I cut my teeth on that movie! It was the very first VHS tape my family had bought and was the first tape to crison, the family's first VCR. My father could probably go through the entire script of the movie with anyone. I've watched that more times than I can count and the tape is still at home to this very day. If I find it on DVD, I'm sure I'll have to get it for my dad's Christmas present.

You are right Brian, they could have done without the were are they now flash forwards, it would have then allowed the squeal to be better, because the squeal is a huge let down.

[Bush Tucker Man]

Evening :D , 'Newbie' here (http://www.hazzardnet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2565)

What an awesome film, I was watching it again a couple of nights ago.

I think it was the first film Harrison Ford made??

And as for the cars :D :D :D

Milners (Paul LeMat) Deuce is one of the coolest cars on screen

The 55 of Falfas (Ford) was previously used in 'Two-Lane Blacktop'


Do you all know about these 2 sites???

Kathys site (http://kathyschrock.net/graffiti/)

Mels Drive-In (http://www.melsdrive-in.com/aboutus/history.html)