American Graffiti at 50

stuart in mn said:

Seen in the daylight that Mercury pictured in the first post was no prize...the chop job was awful, the whole thing had been slapped together in two weeks for the movie.  In the dark it did look the part.  (For that matter, Milner's 1932 coupe was sort of a hack job too but it has become iconic.  And, by now most people know Falfa's 1955 Chevy was the same car used in Two Lane Blacktop.)

In my mind that adds to the authenticity since teenagers don't really build cars for Pebble Beach.

I always liked the '58 Impala in this movie. And I just found out the other day that apparently Ray Evernham did to. Enough to track it down and restore it. Making a point to leave the dent from it being backed into another car in the movie.

volvoclearinghouse said:

The placement of a select few foreign cars (the convertible Beetle, Kurt's Citroen) is an interesting juxtaposition among the American iron and was likely intentional. Like, look at these weird cars, well, they're weird now, but in 10 years they'll be ubiquitous. 

Probably done for the same reason as the anachronistic placement of Beach Boys songs in 1962. It's to show how things are changing. For Milner, that's bad. For others, the future is looking up.

Musically, the movie is the history of rock & roll to that point. It literally starts w/Rock Around the Clock and ends with the Beach Boys.

Will said:

Probably done for the same reason as the anachronistic placement of Beach Boys songs in 1962. It's to show how things are changing. For Milner, that's bad. For others, the future is looking up.

Musically, the movie is the history of rock & roll to that point. It literally starts w/Rock Around the Clock and ends with the Beach Boys.

Pretty much this as far as the theme of the film, although I'd quibble with "anachronistic" as it relates to the Beach Boys in 1962.

February 1964 is still a year away...  

One of the chillier moments I'd forgotten in the film, Kurt riding in the back of the Beetle, and his (ex?) girl friend remarking his ambition was to shake President Kennedy's hand. 

We all know what happened the next November. 

"Rock n Roll's been going downhill ever since Buddy Holly died".

Daylan C. said:

I always liked the '58 Impala in this movie. And I just found out the other day that apparently Ray Evernham did to. Enough to track it down and restore it. Making a point to leave the dent from it being backed into another car in the movie. 

Go to YouTube and watch the latest episode of Barn Find Hunters.  Tom Cotter goes to Ray Evernham's garage, and among other cars they spend some time inspecting the '58 Impala.

In reply to ddavidv :

"Awkward Ashleigh" was pretty entertaining, especially right after we watched the movie ourselves. And now I think Mrs. VCH is hooked on her; I came in from the garage to find her watching another episode of hers. 

I like the ones where she cries, like "Steel Magnolias". 

In reply to bludroptop :

"All Summer Long" (used in the end credits, I think) didn't come out until 64, but yeah, could have used the British Invasion to accomplish the same sort of thing.

bludroptop said:

Will said:

Probably done for the same reason as the anachronistic placement of Beach Boys songs in 1962. It's to show how things are changing. For Milner, that's bad. For others, the future is looking up.

Musically, the movie is the history of rock & roll to that point. It literally starts w/Rock Around the Clock and ends with the Beach Boys.

Pretty much this as far as the theme of the film, although I'd quibble with "anachronistic" as it relates to the Beach Boys in 1962.

February 1964 is still a year away...  

what brand and model is George playing?

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

A Gretsch.  Not 100% sure on the actual model, but might be a Streamliner or a 5622. 

Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to volvoclearinghouse :

There's no real market for a remake, so I wouldn't be too concerned about that. It was made for Baby Boomers and that market is shrinking. There is an appeal to Gen X and older Millennials, but to a lesser degree.  Those groups already have coming of age movies made during those times to rewatch and get nostalgic over.  

It's amusing for me to think about some of the movies my parents took me to when I was 6.  We didn't go to many (we had no money back then), so the memories are fairly vivid. 

American Pie for me. I was 13-14 when that came out, had a great soundtrack, it's hilarious, it's coming of age, and any time I rewatch it, it sparks memories of that time in my life. 

Jim Pettengill said:

I never realized that Milner's license plate was THX 1138.

There are THX 1138 references in a bunch of Lucas's movies.

Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

A Gretsch.  Not 100% sure on the actual model, but might be a Streamliner or a 5622. 

Didn't George play a 'Country Gent' around that time?  Like Chet Atkins.

In reply to Duke :

Yep, that looks like what he's playing in the picture above. 

Ohhhh, now you're speaking my language. 

I grew up in a little bitty logging town way out in the sticks. We had, if we paid for cable, about 13 TV channels. American Graffiti was one of a handful of movies that would pop up every once in a while on TBS or WGN. The impact that movie had on me is tough to overstate.

AG is still my go-to when I'm home sick or just need to feel like the world still makes sense. Strange, maybe, considering the movie was released a few months before I was born, and it doesn't really reflect my parents' era, either, as they were still in grade school in '62. Nevertheless, it somehow aligns with something I can't quite explain, some misplaced belonging. Or maybe just longing for something that was really gone before I even got here.

The Wolfman is everywhere.