American Graffiti . . . the writing was on the wall.
June 23rd 2007 15:19
"Rock 'n roll's been going downhill ever since Buddy Holly died."
Hardly the definitive piece of historic movie dialogue but . . . salient in it’s context none-the-less.
. . . Happy Days, Grease, Sha-na-na, Laverne and Shirley, Back to The Future Part 1 . . . there’s little doubt that for the latter part of the 70’s, we were collectively captivated with the romance of the 1950’s.
Strangely enough though – it was a movie set in the 60’s which is uniformly acknowledged as the catalyst for the fervour which swept up most of English speaking world.
American Graffiti – starring a young Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Cindy Williams, Mackenzie Phillips, Suzanne Sommers Harrison Ford, Joe Spano and Charles Martin Smith – to name just a few – recreated the feel, landscape, and sounds of early 60s, in small-town America - an historical time period (of JFK's Presidency and the New Frontier before the jarring assassination of late 1963).
Advertising posters and theatrical trailers for the film asked: "Where were you in '62? . . . yet strangely enough the film (by Star Wars director – George Lucas – is credited with birthing the 50’s TV and film phenonomen.
Admittedly there were over 300 pre-1962 cars used in the 1973 film and the soundtrack featured an absolute fistful of songs harking back to the likes of Bill Haley and Comets with Rock Around the Clock, Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry and the Buddy Holly classic – That’ll be The Day.
But perhaps a less tangible (but very real) reason behind the film’s success (which was produced in just 28 days) is the measurable feel for a seemingly more innocent time – when cool music, hot cars, tough guys and cute chicks were the order of the day.
Of course this wasn’t lost on film and television producers either – and with the 60’s a little too reviled (and recent) in people’s minds – then the 50’s backdrop proved the perfect formula.
And so the era was re-birthed – Hollywood style.
It goes without saying that many of the film’s stars went on to receiving regular pay cheques, appearing in hit TV sitcoms such as Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, One Day at a Time, Three's Company and Hill Street Blues.
And although the film was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing, it came away empty-handed.
In the words of Fats Domino – Ain’t That A Shame.
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I'm a huge fan of American Graffiti and also Diner.
Harrison Ford is brilliant as the cowboy hot rodder.
Comment by tlcorbin-raginravensview
Raven