American Graffiti (1973)
Dir. George Lucas
Starr. Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Cindy Williams, Harrison Ford
American Graffiti is the quintessential 60s young rebellious/angsty teen film. With John Milner’s character, he’s portrayed as the town’s bad boy who’s always running in with the law. There’s a scene where the police stop him for his car light and threatens him by saying that he can’t wait to catch John in the act so that he can arrest himself on the spot. However, past that tough exterior there’s a caring guy who’s not as bad as the people think. He takes care of Carla, a young girl, when he didn’t have to and certainly did not want to.
The film also presents a popular 60s sentiment among the young generation which encompasses the idea of taking control of their own life. Before, teens were expected to graduate high school, go to college, and get a job. Curt strays away from this expectation as he doesn’t want to go straight to college like Steve. It causes a lot of internal conflict throughout the film and probably resonated with a lot of young viewers at the time.
Another interesting aspect about the film was the music. The rock tunes played throughout the film demonstrate the setting in which it takes place: a 60s summer in a small town. The film opens with “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock” by Billy Haley and His Comets which was the first rock song to be featured in film. At that time, rock n’ roll was taking a rise, and it was a symbol of rebellion and individuality. This especially scared parents that their kids were going to break away from the mold that they’ve always followed.
American Graffiti (1973) is an enjoyable, summertime film with deeper meaning beyond the lines. I definitely recommend giving this one a watch!
Thanks for looking at the film and comparing it to themes of the time playing out on the streets of America. You find a couple of specific examples and discuss them, but what's missing is just some context. Who made the film and why? It's a period film during the time it came out, it looks back to a more simpler, less violent and more innocent time than the one taking place when Lucas made the film. I also think it's important to provide the reader an in point and just write a bit more on the 'why' you're writing and just more examples.
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