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Features: DVD, Dolby Surround Sound, English, Spanish, French
Here is how critic Roger Ebert described the unique and lasting value of George Lucass 1973 box-office hit, American Graffiti: "[It s] not only a great movie but a brilliant work of historical fiction; no sociological treatise could duplicate the movies success in remembering exactly how it was to be alive at that cultural instant." The time to which Ebert and the film refers is the summer of 1962, and American Graffiti captures the look, feel, and sound of that era by chronicling one memorable night in the lives of several young Californians on the cusp of adulthood. (In essence, Lucas was making a semiautobiographical tribute to his own days as a hot-rod cruiser, and the films phenomenal success paved the way for Star Wars.) The action is propelled by the music of Wolfman Jacks rock & roll radio show--a soundtrack of pop hits that would become as popular as the film itself. As Lucas develops several character subplots, American Graffiti becomes a flawless time capsule of meticulously re-created memory, as authentic as a documentary and vividly realized through innovative use of cinematography and sound. The once-in-a-lifetime ensemble cast members inhabit their roles so fully that they do not seem like actors at all, comprising a who is who of performers--some of whom went on to stellar careers--including Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Harrison Ford, Cindy Williams, Mackenzie Phillips, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, and Paul Le Mat. A true American classic, the film ranks No. 77 on the American Film Institutes list of all-time greatest American movies.Format: DVD MOVIE
"The nostalgia boom has finally produced a lasting work of art." The New York Times
"Great performances, a great score and a great feel to it...the first and best of its kind." Find-A-Video
Editor's Note
Set in 1962; Produced and released in 1973. AMERICAN GRAFFITI presents a powerful collage of youth on the brink of maturity just before the assassination of J.F.K.. Based on George Lucas's own teenage hot-rodding days in Modesto, California, this brilliant, bittersweet comedy inspired numerous other productions, including the long-running TV series HAPPY DAYS. Lucas's second feature film (following THX 1138), AMERICAN GRAFFITI contains an early screen appearance by Harrison Ford, who would figure heavily in the director's next movie, the sci-fi epic STAR WARS. The film follows one night in the lives of several recently graduated high school students. The genial Steve (Ron Howard) prepares to leave for college the next day, and Laurie (Cindy Williams), his girlfriend, is upset by his impending departure. Laurie's brother, Curt (Richard Dreyfuss), the class intellectual, is also slated for college, but he has serious doubts about his future. Also included here are the hopeless nerd (Charles Martin Smith) and the eternally cool drag racer, John (Paul LeMat), who feels pressure to live up to his reputation. A nostalgic feeling is evoked in seeing the teenagers cruising in their hot rods, eating at Mel's Diner, and listening to Wolfman Jack spin the latest hits, with the camera jumping from character to character as they each enjoy--or fret over--their last moments of summer freedom.
| Features | Interviews | | Additional Footage | | Theatrical Trailer | | Making-Of Documentary | | Production Photographs | | Screen Tests | | English Dolby Surround | | French Dolby Surround | | Spanish Subtitles | | Scene Access | | Interactive Menus | | Widescreen Version |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Universal |
| Release Date: 5/31/2005 |
| Running Time: 112 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1973 | | Catalog ID: 20272 | | UPC: 00025192027222 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English | | Available Subtitles: French, Spanish | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | 2.35:1 |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Oscar (1974) | | | George Lucas, Nominee, Best Director | | | Verna Fields, Marcia Lucas, Nominee, Best Film Editing | | | Francis Ford Coppola, Gary Kurtz, Nominee, Best Picture | | | Candy Clark, Nominee, Best Supporting Actress | | | Willard Huyck, et al., Nominee, Best Writing, Story And Screenplay Based On Factual Material Or Material Not Previously Published Or Produced | |
Golden Globe (1974) |  | Paul Le Mat, Winner, Most Promising Newcomer--Male | | | George Lucas, Nominee, Best Director--Motion Picture | | | Richard Dreyfuss, Nominee, Best Motion Picture Actor--Musical/Comedy | |
British Academy Awards (1975) | | | Cindy Williams, Nominee, Best Supporting Actress |
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| | Professional Reviews | Sight and Sound
"...Lucas beautifully establishes his characters..." 03/01/1974 p.116USA Today
"...[A] classic of cruising....An all-time word-of-mouth hit..." 09/18/1998 p.9E Total Film
"...This hugely influential docu-drama launched the careers of director George Lucas and its cast..." 03/01/2001 p.98 Premiere
"[I]t felt new and fresh..." 12/01/2003 p.12 Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide 10 of 10
Highly entertaining, insightful mosaic about youngsters "coming of age" after high school graduation in 1962. Often hilarious, always on-target, this film made Dreyfuss a star and boosted many other careers.
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