I wonder what it's like for somebody to watch George Lucas's American Graffiti (1973) for the first time, after thirty years of imitations. It may seem tame, even quaint, in comparison to the over-the-top antics of its progenitors, but it still remains vastly superior to all that have followed. The basic template of a group of young guys trying to pick up girls and engaging in wacky antics has been copied by everything from Porky's to American Pie, but American Graffiti itself is far more than that, and too warm, intelligent, subtle, and witty for such a crude summary.
There were, of course, other teenage movies before Graffiti, but Graffiti didn't have the cautionary tone of Blackboard Jungle, the sturm und drang of Rebel without a Cause, or the sheer silliness of the Beach Blanket films. It was the first hugely successful movie about teenagers to achieve a perfect balance between humour and drama. Its nostalgic tone was preceded by Summer of '42 two years earlier, but Graffiti has a larger canvas, is more provocative of the time period it depicts, and isn't as blatantly reflective.
The Production
The movie was filmed in one month - mostly at night - and for less than a million dollars. Unlike some people, I don't believe films can be charming because of their cheapness (it's a somewhat condescending attitude, actually), but the inexpensive nature of Graffiti did contribute to its texture. Most movies today, even the relatively inexpensive ones, are really polished, but that results in many of them looking and feeling the same. Graffiti, on the other hand, has a very natural tone to it, which was probably helped by its rushed shooting schedule.
The Actors
Much has been made of how so many of Graffiti's actors went on to have successful careers (Ron Howard, Cindy Williams, Harrison Ford, Suzanne Somers). But back in 1973, most of the cast was unknown, so it's impressive that Lucas got the cast that he did. Charles Martin Smith tended to get most of the laughs when we were younger, and Paul Le Mat's performance/character was probably the most popular. But my favourite is Richard Dreyfuss. It's sometimes easy to forget how good he used to be. And in Graffiti, he's just beginning his string of great performances (Jaws, Close Encounters, Goodbye Girl), before his unfortunate crash and burn in the late '70s.
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Article comments
1 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Paul, this was a brilliant article, i really enjoyed it. I'm working on a post regarding the teen cinema myself, although im kinda stuck. This was truly exceptional, and to the list of one-night movies, might i suggest richard linklater's Dazed And Confused, which actually has a lot in common with A.G, even if it plays more for laughs.
Great stuff.
2 - Eric Olsen
Exceptional Paul! I have written about the movie and the integration of the soundtrack myself and you miss nothing important to me and find other things I missed. The only thing I would add is the pivotal role of Wolfman Jack as the sort of ghost in the machine, orchestrating the action from a remove. As a DJ this was noteworthy to me.
3 - Kip
Wow, I have written a lot about this film. And also, read a lot too. One thing that often is left out of the description is the mood it sets. I actually re-lived the ending when I was reading this review and I got goose bumps. No kidding.
I also enjoyed the fact that you said in so many words; "Graffiti" isn't a typical comedy but more of a character mood piece. The atmosphere is a mosaic and somewhat dream-like and yet very tangible. Its also a shame that many will pass by this flick because they think its part of the re-fried 50s nostalgia that followed (ie, Crappy Daze," etc.) which was miserable and corny. Its not. Lucas created his best film and captured a wonderful perspective on an era that still reverberates in the memory of Americans.
Good job!
P.S. I run a non-profit website: Kip Pullmans'American Graffiti Page Take a look-see, and let me know what ya think.
-Kip
4 - JBarske
I was 10 years old in 1962 and watched my older brother and sisters be "50's kids" like these characters. The music, the importance of high school, the relative simplicity of "going steady" then, the entry into both their own real world and entry into a rapidly changing global world all resonate with me even today in 2006. In microcosm, it was at the end of an American era so well put forth in this classic. I am going through the movie again and paying particular attention to the cars this run through!.