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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1970s
    Movies - 1970s Movies - A 4 Mins Read

    American Graffiti (1973)

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    Four California teenagers get a final, nostalgic glimpse of innocence before facing college and life in general in 1962 in this spot-on portrait of American youth culture shown through the experiences of some high school seniors.

    On the eve of leaving for college or military service, the quartet spend a memorable night of chasing girls, racing cars, taking dares, harassing the cops, and hanging out.

    The film opens at Mel’s Drive-In Burger City, the social centre for the town’s teenagers somewhere in the sun-drenched Central Valley of California.

    americangraffiti_023

    It tells the story of the last night of the summer vacation, the last night the four main characters – Steve, Curt, Terry and John – will be together before Steve and Curt fly east to college the next morning.

    Steve wants to break up with Laurie, his devoted high school sweetheart and pursue new experiences away from home. Curt is hesitant about going away to school and leaving the comfortable, familiar surroundings of family and friends.

    John tries to maintain his “too cool for school” image as a hip guy, but can’t seem to shake a nagging awareness that life is somehow passing him by. Finally, there’s Terry, the nerdy wannabe trying to fit in but who still manages to screw up.

    americangraffiti6

    The film follows their adventures from dusk to dawn: the girls they meet, the local school gym hop, cruisin’ the streets in and out of Mel’s, terrorising the police, making out on the river bank to the sounds of Wolfman Jack‘s XERB radio show (pictured above), duelling on deserted dawn-lit country roads between John’ Chevy-powered Ford deuce coupe and a very mean ’55 Chevy, until – finally – each goes his separate way at the airport the next morning.

    American Graffiti is a perceptive account of this period – the optimistic Kennedy era of post-war permissiveness before the final fall from innocence of the decade that followed.

    scan0072The film greatly enhanced the career of director George Lucas and cast members Ron Howard and Cindy Williams. You also should spot Harrison Ford and Suzanne Somers.

    As if such good times, beautifully filmed, were not enough, Lucas also achieved outstanding life-like performances from his young cast – the boys, Ron Howard (Steve), Richard Dreyfuss (Curt), Charlie Martin-Smith (Terry), Paul Le Mat (John); and the girls, Cindy Williams (Laurie), Candy Clark (Debbie), and McKenzie Phillips (Carol) – who together perfectly engineer the common empathy and changing moods of youthful friendship.

    There’s very little plot, but this landmark film sparkles with nostalgic atmosphere and hilarious dialogue.

    As a constant backdrop, the music plays a great part in setting the mood of the film; ranging from Bill Haley‘s classic opener Rock Around The Clock (almost 20 years after it opened Blackboard Jungle), to The Beach Boys‘ All Summer Long at the close.

    Although technically dazzling, the sequel More American Graffiti (1979) lacked the unity of style and dedication of purpose that made the original movie so memorable.

    Curt Henderson
    Richard Dreyfuss
    Steve Bolander

    Ron Howard
    John Milner

    Paul Le Mat
    Terry ‘The Toad’ Fields

    Charlie Martin Smith
    Laurie Henderson

    Cindy Williams
    Carol

    McKenzie Phillips
    Debbie Dunham

    Candy Clark
    Bob Falfa

    Harrison Ford
    XERB Disc Jockey

    Wolfman Jack
    Blonde in T-Bird

    Suzanne Sommers
    Joe Young

    Bo Hopkins
    Carlos

    Manuel Padilla Jr
    Ants

    Beau Gentry
    Officer Holstein

    Jim Bohan
    Budda

    Jana Bellan
    Wendy

    Deby Celiz
    Bobbie Tucker

    Lynne Marie Stewart
    Bill Wolfe

    Terry McGovern
    Peg

    Kathy Quinlan
    Eddie

    Tim Crowley
    Mr Gordon

    Scott Beach
    Bozo

    Gordon Analla
    Hank Anderson

    Al Nalbandian
    Dale

    Bob Pasaak
    Al

    Chris Pray
    Judy

    Susan Richardson
    Ferber

    Fred Ross
    Kip Pullman

    Ed Greenberg
    Mr Kroot

    Irving Israel
    Vic

    Joe Spano
    Bob Falfa’s Girl

    Debralee Scott

    Director
    George Lucas

    Video

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