American Grafitti- whats so great about this movie?

To me all they do is just cruise around in their cars and to find out where a party is.

Pretty much like Dazed and Confused

 

Except that Dazed and Confused was made about twenty years later.


American Graffiti is the movie on which such films were built, and hugely influential on the movies we see today. Not just in its genre, either?for example, it was one of the first movies to pack itself with pop/rock songs, a trend we obviously get at today's movies all the time.

It conveys the endless-night feel of its characters' evening with gritty, documentarylike camerawork eschewing the classical style Hollywood was still half stuck in, and documents the ending of one age and the beginning of another?through the eyes of a demographic coming to prominence.

Yes, on the surface it's about people driving around looking for a party. But don't ever make the mistake of reducing a movie to its plot.


Rick McCallum loves you!

 

I have to agree. But I don't have time right now to list the numerous ways in which this film is both great and important.

Maybe later!

 

Why do I think it's great? It's a fun film that captures the essence of youth in a manner that still makes it relatable to viewers who have long since left those days behind. It's about serious hopes and worries over the future, goofy, stupid and yet fun nonsense, the frustration of being stuck in a rut while your peers move on to "better" things, the small moments of perfect hopeful happiness that can't help but end, sometimes tragically, sometimes in a mundanely normal manner.

Or it's just about some kids looking for something to do. Either way, I think it's some of the best work to come from Lucas.

 

American Grafitti= great movie

 

Well, what is so great about Star Wars? It's just a bunch of people flying spaceships around.

A movie is more than just a plot. It's about the story, the characters, the screenplay, the cinematography, the music and the overall presentation.

 

Not to mention "Happy Day's" was a Grafitti spin-off.

 

If you haven't already, give it a second viewing. I didn't think much of it first time I saw it. Second time around, I really appreciated it for what it was. I suppose we can comment on it being the first film of its kind, celebrating a more innocent time, its use of a contemporary soundtrack etc. but truth be told as to why I love it and think its great? Its characters. Curt is by one of my favourite characters in any film. That relatively so little happens in it while so much is stated about ourselves as human beings is its real strength i think. I'm not American and nor was I of any generation that embraced "cruising" or sixties culture. But thats not important. Its a story about kids on the verge of adulthood - their insecurities, their trials of courage and mental strength, coming of age etc. That stuff is universal and timeless.

The shot when Curt is on the plane at the end, looking down at the blonde in the T-Bird he has been chasing all night is just iconic for me. It's a beautiful cinematic moment and really encapsulates the film.