Allan Arkush on AMERICAN GRAFFITI

[@steven_heron]

On of my favorite movies. I watch it every year on the last day of summer.

[@harrellkerkhoff8054]

Great review, although the movie was not set on the last day of school, but rather toward the end of summer as school is about to start again. Curt was going off to college and the local high school was starting a new year of school with the sock hop in the school gym.

[@integral]

How cool that they had Mort Drucker of Mad Magazine fame do the illustrations for the yearbook.

[@BarryHart-xo1oy]

Very true.

[@Goatboysminion]

I still remember that, "Where were you in '62?" Ad line. Simple and brilliant.

[@JLaRoc7]

The first 30 seconds is one of the greatest introductions ever said. Couldn't have stated it better myself.

[@kamuelalee]

The greatest high school movie of all time, bar none. Okay, Rebel Without A Cause and Breakfast Club are great too.

[@jackgrattan1447]

Casting director Fred Roos is one of Jack Nicholson's oldest and closest friends. When he was casting director of the later color seasons of MAYBERRY RFD, you start seeing Jack pop up on it.

[@probono9341]

Also, there is a KZbin interview with Fred where he states that Candy Clark was recommended to him by Jack Nicholson.

[@bobnelson9480]

Maybe it's just me but it feels like time has stood still since this movie came out (1973). I'm not talking about technology, I'm talking about America. It's the same. Sure, little tweaks here and there, but America is basically the same. Great movie. George knew exactly what the hell he was doing.

[@allewis7819]

I don't think it took place on the last day of school. I think it took place at the end of the summer before Richard Dreyfuss went off to college. Otherwise this is a fine summary of why we love the movie even if we were barely born in '62.

[@harrellkerkhoff8054]

You are correct. This classic was set just as the school year was beginning.

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

"I have a Vespa." "That's almost a motorcycle!"

My friend once saw a Trabant and said "Is that the shittiest car ever made or the coolest skateboard?"

[@jackgrattan1447]

All of these deeply etched, three dimensional characters that you really care about. What happened? After this movie, Lucas specialized in one dimensional cartoon characters. Sometimes literally (HOWARD THE DUCK).

[@keithleeuwen877]

Cool !

[@Rap_A_Tundas]

Brilliant film. As a huge, huge, huge star wars fan, I truly believe this is George Lucas' masterpiece. I watch this movie at least once a year, although I grew up in the 80s and I loved it, this movie gives me a feeling of nostalgia of an era I don't know. Few films can achive that.

[@madahad9]

The character illustrations look like the work of the great Mad magazine artist Mort Drucker. If anyone has seen Britian's Spitting Image it looks like they derived the design of their puppets from Drucker's very distinct style.. Love the movie too. Making period movie is not easy. Most come off as fake, which is why American Graffiti did it perfectly and the pointless sequel failed utterly.Plus the cars were awesome back then.