Motion Pictures American Graffiti - The Perfect Car Movie?

AG and More AG are the two movies I most relate to. They are coming of age movies that reflect my own growing up years. More AG gets into the creeping professionalizing of drag racing, Vietnam, and anti-Vietnam experience, all of which I lived through and experienced. I often wonder why More AG is so overlooked.

 

To me the draw to AG was we all had everything in movie happen to us, maybe not all on one night. ( except maybe jerking the cops rear end out) The cruising was spot on!





Bones

 

Yes, YES, and YES! Best Car movie ever. Why are we still talking about this? This topic was put to bed in 1973.

 

First movie I remember, my folks took me in my PJ's thinking I would sleep! About the same time dad sat me in a running Offy powered midget. I never stood a chance.

 

OK,most would likely enjoy more of same done well!!. Some of the fun of talking is always,adding too,an hearing about stuff that was missed.

 

I'm a big fan. The reason I have a 55 Chev today is because of that movie.
But the culture that movie represents is dead and gone around my neck of the woods. All that's left is the same group of guys sitting in lawn chairs in parking lots, listening to the same songs over a PA every week, talking about how things used to be. Sun goes down, everybody goes home. I'm not knocking it, I'm just telling it like it is.
I never got to live hot rod culture as portrayed by AG. I'll take my car out and hit the Sonic on a Saturday night and have the oldest car there by 60 years. Often the only car modified in any fashion. I often wonder what I look like to the other people there with my loud, old, dangerous, bad for the environment car. Those who get it are getting fewer and further between. I feel like "we" are a novelty to the general public today.
Current generations were raised on movies like The Fast and The Furious. That's their car culture. That was their first exposure and biggest influence, and that's what car culture morphed into. AG is a picture in time. It's only the perfect car movie for those who lived it. Most of the guys carrying the torch today have probably never even heard of AG. Some of them see me in my 55 and they dig it. Most couldn't care less. That's progress, I suppose. I'll keep doing what I enjoy until I can't, and the world will keep turning.

 

I think the big thing with it is that it home with a lot of us who actively cruised every weekend in the early 60's.
or us older guys who saw the movie when it first came out a lot of the characters could be compared to local guys and gals. The guy in the fast car who ended up being the target for out of town headhunters. The hot but unobtainable chick who may or may not have some rumors floating around.
The guys leaving for College, the guys leaving for the service, The car loads of guys or gals trying to flirt with the guys or gals in other cars. The dorky buddies of guys with nice cars. Even the favorite DJ on the station that most everyone running up and down the Ave was listening to.

The movie may or may not have been good but it was fun to watch just for fun and it still is fun to watch just for fun 49 years later.

Since next year seems to be the 50th anniversary maybe it is time to come up with a Grafitti coupe Nationals for all the lame ass piss yellow coupes with ill fitting grills to get together on one field and compare gear shift knobs.

 

So this commentary is the greatest car movie or the actual film the video is about? The greatest car film or the video tribute to the greatest car film? Is any of this even real or in another dimension? Did I watch the wrong video?
Reminds me of the song about the greatest song in the world


im confused

 

Not perfect by no means. From two years earlier. Unscripted, none permitted on the street and highways of So California. Original Gone in 60 Seconds. That's some real stuff to walk away from.

 

The perfect Car-toon


Next to the Disney’s “Susie the little blue coupe”

 

I totally know, there are times,;;;; I L.O.L. at stuff
,from different perspective ,then a younger guy has ,as views from before when it was new, are not at all like views after looking back with out having known something first hand. Most, when hearing a song they liked from there highschool years,now hearing that songs, sound is filled in with a lot of extra feel n thoughts,others don't feel or hear. They may still like the song,but not for anything close too the same why! Movie's are the same way !

 

I the AG turned into a car movie over the years, I could be wrong but the cars were the fluff, but not the story line.
Christine was about the car.
Kinda (in my mind) Bay Watch used the hot bikini life savers to draw folks in-80’s-90’s marketing, and it became known a Babe Watch.
AG was supposed to be about a kids last weekend/night in town before heading off to college. The cars were the fluff to add to the visual appeal of the movie.
Now we all like the movie because of the cars in it, but that wasn’t the focus/plot of the movie.

Or am I off base?

 

^^^^^ What other cars could have been used to depict 1962?

 

Deuce of Spades

 

That’s not my point.

 

No off base.
AG has a real relatable story, great production and props (the cars and the surrounding scenery)
The back drop, music, cars, stupid teen antics strike a cord. The cars are important but not the main focus.

 

This video was a lot better than the one the bossman posted

 

And with that the very first sleeper was born in 1952. A taxi cab with a warmed up flatty!

 

To me, AG got the whole cruising scene back on the road again.
Oh yeah there were street rods and such, but AG was the
catalyst that got guys building hot rods and customs again!
Would there be the H.A.M.B. if this movie were never made?
Who knows!
KK

 

I think we said the same thing?

 

The cars are only a small part of the story. The main story is all the shit the characters and we as the youth of America did to our selves, had happen to us. How many movies can you draw a direct parallel line with the (mis?) adventures of our youths. A movie that was written about each one of our lives for us and on the big screen. There are no movies that can compare. This is the genius of the movie and George Lucas. We all had American Graffiti happen to us in our youth. Now where’s my bottle of “Old Harpers” and my pens and comb.

 

I am I the only person who doesn't cry during Old Yeller, but cries every time I see Falfa roll his 55?

 

I do not need a story line. Like AG but like “ghost rider” on YouTube with 499 hp turbo bike. Lots of motorcycle go karts also on YouTube. YouTube has car/bike movies no bad acting to wonder about

 

Everybody I knew wanted to be Milner, I wanted to be Bo Hopkins, I still want to be a Pharoah

 

I met Bo years ago and had a half hour conversation with him. Yea , he is a really cool guy in person.

 

My mother in law seems to know a lot about the people that made this film...and some of the real life background that went into the writing. She did tell me that Darby Langdon was a real girl at her high school. I think she may have a had a relationship with the best friend of one of the writers...who went on to be a big director. I believe this was her circle of friends but she won't share anything beyond this.

The funny thing is I'm not sure she has ever seen the film - she only knows of the scenes anecdotally.

My grandfather in law (now deceased) was Principal of Beverly Hills High. He didn't know anything about celebrity really but when I asked him about his memories there he did say that Richard Dreyfus was probably the worst behaved student at the school while he was there - said he was a sonofab*tch.

Funny what you can piece together when you talk to people of that era and from that area.

Milner's grille shell is the one detail that spoils things for me.

American Graffiti was the first time I saw a Mercury (I'm a 70s kid) and I was absolutely obsessed with the shape. Still am.

I bought a 55 in the 90s solely because I wanted Falfa's car. Paid $3k. I miss it.

 

We lived AG every weekend. Bitchin movie.

 

Ok now I have to go rewatch 2 Lane Black Top.