Motion Pictures American Graffiti reviews

In January of last year, @corncobcoupe started a thread about where we street raced when we were kids. A lot of people replied and the common factor in the stories is, it didn't matter where you lived, someone was going to try to prove that his car was faster and he was a better driver. There was inevitably going to be a run-in with the law.

I lived one story that started out as a typical Saturday night in '63 at Al & Dubs Drive In on SW 44th in Oklahoma City. The guys with the coolest cars in OKC were usually there or at the Hideaway, also owned by Al & Cub, on SE 44th. There was a rumor going around that there was supposed to be a race out south of Yukon, about 15 miles west, on Cemetery Road. Some guys were coming in from other towns to try on the OKC locals. About 10 o'clock, a caravan of cars headed out to see the show.

Now, the 9 miles of Cemetery Road, now re-named Garth Brooks Blvd in honor of Yukon's famous local son, that stretched from US 66 and OK 152 had just been paved for the first time ever and was string straight. It had wide shoulders and shallow ditches so parking for spectators wasn't a problem. I don't remember more than 4 farms along the road back then so disturbing anyone shouldn't have been a problem. I was parked about two cars back from the starting line and had watched three different pairs of cars take off. Then, this guy we called "Chief" from the east side of OKC pulled up to the line with his 406 powered Galaxy to take on a new 'Vette.

One of the farmers must have heard all the noise and called the cops. A sheriff's car came straight up the middle of the road toward Chief's car and the 'Vette and stopped then a whole herd of cops came in behind us. Chief dropped the hammer on the Ford and headed straight toward the sheriff who drove off into the ditch which opened the gate for most of the rest of us. Being up in front, I was able to get out of there before any of the cops got my tag number. A lot of the people behind me weren't so lucky.

So yeah, a lot of AG was a collection of memories about another time, but it was my time and even though I was in the middle of Oklahoma, that time wasn't all that different from California or anywhere else that had fast cars and some Milner types. I like it.

 

The reviews were most likely written by a bunch of "guys" with man buns, & purses. They don't drive cars anyway, maybe they rent a prius on weekends to take a camping trip.

 

I ain't nobody, dork.

 

On topic:
I love AG, but I'm a car guy and I love the era (although I've never experienced it). If you're not into the cars, music and the nostalgia I can understand why the movie feels like a weird montage without a narrative arc - which it honestly IS. It relies on the audience emotionally connecting to the vibe of the movie, rather than telling them a epic story.

That being said, there are a bunch of films I think are better in pretty much every aspect, but I still love AG for what it is.

Off topic:
Interesting that people get upset over other people's taste in movies, and even manage to read politics into it. Does this carry over to other aspects of taste? I hate fish, does that make me a nazi?

 

American Graffiti was nominated for the 1974 Academy Award for Best Picture, (losing to The Sting.) Also nominated for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing and Best Supporting Actress. Produced for a budget of $777,000, it is one of the most profitable films of all time, earning over $200 million in box office and video sales. The American Film Institute ranked it #77 on the 100 Best American Films list. The innovative use of the era's popular songs on the soundtrack is credited with revolutionizing the film industry's use of music in film.

So, yeah, kind of a hack job.

 

That depends. Are you talking southern fried catfish or lutefisk?

 

I'll take Southern Fried Catfish for 1000 Alex!

Seriously,
It has always been my favorite movie. I wouldn't expect everyone to like it though. I'm actually pretty happy to say that too. If everyone likes you then you must be doing something wrong!

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That has nothing to do with personal preferences, I bet there's a bunch of movies with a gazillion awards that you hate. The point of a reivew/opinion is that it's subjective.

Yuck.. don't get me started on lutefisk/lutfisk!! My dad loves it and always eats it at christmas.

 

Off topic,,,where is shitsville ?

Tommy

 

That's the thing with movies that are considered "Cult Classics", a specific group of people love them, but are not well received by the masses. For example, I HATE the Rocky Horror Picture Show, but it has a strong following in that niche of people, like AG is awesome to car guys, but your average person won't get it.

 

To each their own. I just watched AG again Saturday night. I didn't live that era, but the cruising we did in the 90s was more or less the same thing.
TLB is a bore outside of the car scenes, but I still enjoy watching it.
Anyone see Deuce of Spades? It's an indie film made several years ago. Pretty decent for what it is., and a must see for hot rod guys. I donated to the project and got a signed DVD. Whoopee!!
https://www.deuceofspadesmovie.com/

 

I’m 14 years old. American graffiti is my favorite movie. It’s like my bible. I’ve watched that movie probably 50 times. I wasn’t around in that time obviously. But that movie makes me wish I was. How could someone not like it


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"Graffiti, form of visual communication, usually illegal, involving the unauthorized marking of public space by an individual or group. Although the common image of graffiti is a stylistic symbol or phrase spray-painted on a wall by a member of a street gang, some graffiti is not gang-related. Graffiti can be understood as antisocial behavior performed in order to gain attention or as a form of thrill seeking, but it also can be understood as an expressive art form."
.........Just pick out the meat of how the definition applies to the movie and throw away the bones.

The movie title is descriptive of itself as a cluster of images, not really directly connected as a whole but more loosely strung together as similar in kind. And on another important level, the title also describes the characters acting and reacting in various situations and experiences of those times, in essence, creating the vignette images. They are creating their personal memory "images" and at the same time, they are triggering image memories in us, the audience, from our own collective pasts. That, it accomplishes very well, which is why the movie is both a success and is iconic.

 

Excellent movie and the story of how it was made makes it even better

 

if you are a car guy a little of your life is woven into some part of the movie

 

So I went on IMDB and gave it 10 stars. It is without a doubt, one of my favorites.

 

Or gas station sushi?

 

Who the F eats that stuff? It does exist. I've seen it before!

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Mine too! Obviously I have a problem!

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It is a good movie AG is and is only missing the Ripple wine and smokin' good house parties, it covers the cruising accurately. JW

 

The movie does what it’s supposed to. It takes us there, but we have to want to go. The first response from Williebill pretty much sums up what I think.

 

Ripple, Thunderbird, Mad Dog 20-20, Silver Satin and Cherry Koolaid, Paisano Red Mountain, Salty Dogs with Everclear and grapefruit juice. Nothing but water for the next two days and you'd still get high. I probably shouldn't have survived all that

 

In 72 I was 9 years old & I'm pretty sure I seen that movie 4 times in the theatre that year, couldn't get enough.
Up til then I had to get my fix from AMT, Monogram & AFX, it's not the same without the sound of a free revving V8.
In the early 80's the video rental stores popped up & I probably seen it a dozen more times until DVD's came out & I bought the movie.
I would hazard a guess that I have seen the movie or parts of it over 50-60 times, maybe more.
It's the cars & not the actors that keeps me coming back.
Same with Two Lane Blacktop, Vanishing Point, Hollywood Knights, Aloha Bobby & Rose etc.....

 

Right on kid!...or as we once said in strong agreement " FUCKIN A"

 

Thanks brother! Always good to know I’m not alone out there, even if it’s cyber space

You’re gonna be hangin’ on for mercy when I get this sucker rollin’....

 

I was occasionally in trouble with what we used to call the "fuzz" in those days.
On one occasion, after he had poured out our beer, I asked him why he even suspected us? His answer was, that no good happens after 11. If they saw us heading for Chinese food, they knew the worst part of the evening was over. I gave it a little thought, and had to agree with him.
Our drink of choice, was beer. At 6%, it didn't take a lot. There were was a wine sold by the gallon called, Kelowna Red Medium Sweet. It wasn't great or even good, but it didn't leave the hangover like the end run wines loaded with fusel oils.
While stationed down in the US for three years in the early 70s, because the name Thunderbird had an almost cult status, I bought a bottle. Couldn't drink the stuff.
It was amazing what we would drink when we were under age.
Bob

 

Well, they sometimes get tired and move on over to travel sites. Read Trip Advisor and you wonder why those folks decided to travel.