Where were you in '62?

American Graffiti (1973) - A Review

Director ~ George Lucas

Producers ~ Francis Ford Coppola, Gary Kurtz

Writers ~ George Lucas, Gloria Katz, Willard Huycuk

Starring ~ Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Philips, Cindy Williams, Wolfman Jack

One of my favourite songs of all time is ‘Johnny B Goode’ by Chuck Berry. It is a classic, one those songs that everyone knows and every time I hear it all I want to do is dance. That song is one of the reasons why I love this film so much. There is this scene where that song plays, and John Milner (Paul Le Mat) and Carol Morrison (Mackenzie Philips) pull up at the traffic lights to harass some girls and cover their car in foam. Something about this scene, this song, and the youthfulness of it all, made me feel alive. That is the core of this film and why it is such a great one. It captures the innocence and spirit of these transitioning teenagers who are moving from a simple life of driving around in cars listening to rock n’ roll music to an adult world of responsibility. It takes you back to that exact moment in time and recaptures a, very brief, golden age of American culture before the Vietnam War. Set right before the counterculture movement of the 60s, it is stunning in its simplicity, and is a nostalgic movie for even those who never experienced those times.

The plot is basic, depicting a coming of age story where a group of teenagers have graduated high school and are now facing the decision of whether to move on to college or remain in the small town that they know and love. They spend their final night chasing girls, racing each other and wondering if life really gets any better than this.  John as a character is an interesting one, as he represents the person that has chosen not to move on and accept the future but to remain in the past, driving around with the high school kids. His death after the movie finishes in 1964, demonstrates how the only way to survive the new era is by moving on, not fighting against it.

The entire film creates this sense of foreboding about the future, but also evokes the soul of rock and roll with the neon lit streets of small town American suburbia. There is an infectious, bittersweet quality in George Lucas’s film, which makes it a classic teen movie for both the young and adult.

Favourite Quotes ~

Steve Bolander: You wanna end up like John? You just can't stay seventeen forever.

John Milner: I don't like that surfin' shit. Rock and roll's been going down hill ever since Buddy Holly died.

Carol: Just do as I say! 
John Milner: Alright, boss.