Rating: 
Summary: American Graffiti - Collector's Edition
Review: Great movie and good DVD, some nice extras on this, and you get to see some of the actors so young. The songs thoughout this are excellent and tie in very well with what is going on with this movie
Rating: 
Summary: Celebrating The American Car
Review: "American Graffiti" is a landmark film that marks George Lucas' debut as a major film director. "American Graffiti" marks Ron Howard's debut as an adult film star, and his association with George Lucas inspired Ron Howard in his own director's career. "American Graffiti" features an array of young, up-and-coming performers. But most important, "American Graffiti" document's America's love affair with cars."American Graffiti" describes the teen lifestyle that most males want and never achieve. Set in 1962, the film revolves around two young men out on the town on a weekend night, cruising the strip and chasing fast cars. The night is filled with hot rods, drive-ins, car hops, girlfriends and rock n' roll music. The young men are 'good kids', but their lives are about to change permanently and their heads are whirling with the challenge. "American Graffiti" revolves around cars. Characters' cars reflect their personalities and their status -- cars are passports to freedom. The airwaves are full of rock n' roll artists singing about cars. Cruising the strip takes a full tank of gasoline, and the man with the fastest car is the local celebrity. The characters in "American Graffiti" practically *live* in their cars. In Summer 1971 I was working two jobs, but gasoline sold for less than twenty-eight cents per gallon -- purchasing gasoline for my car was no problem. I love the memories that "American Graffiti" recalls. But with today's higher petroleum costs, gasoline is a significant budget item and my love affair with cars has cooled.
Rating:
Summary: Mark this one a CLASSIC
Review: Let's start out by putting Mr. Dreyfuss on Ron Howard et al's level. Why do folks make such a big deal out of Herr Dreyfuss? This movie intertwines the American Heritage of contemporary 20th century music and automobiles. The DVD contains a fab documentary with great interviews. Definitely woth the time.
Rating:
Summary: Rock and Roll!!!
Review: Before Happy Days and Star Wars and Jaws, there was this great fun movie with Harrison Ford, Ron Howard, and Richard Dreyfuss, and cast of hundreds, not to mention "Wolfman Jack." This is a slice of the 50's when boys would be boys and girls would be the gender the boys went after, not to mention all the nonsense the teenagers were up to, like drinking, and trying to make a score, and chasing after girls in fast cars. Harrison Ford has an interesting role as an arrogant, cowboy-style of race car fanatic, and his smirk is so reminiscent of "Han Solo," no wonder that George Lucas tagged him for the role. If you like the oldies, this is it. If you like to laugh and giggle, this is it. If you like to take a trip down memory lane, this is definitely it. Get the popcorn and the drinks, and snuggle up for a nice time of entertainment!!!
Rating:
Summary: THIS MOVIES ROCKS
Review: this is one of the best movies i have ever seen. it is so cool to see nice cars in a movie for a change. not that the new movies cars arent cool but ever one wishes they would have one of these cars from this movie. you better buy this movie because if you don't you will be sorry because it is one of the best movies of all time.
Rating:
Summary: First-Rate Film & First-Rate Documentary!
Review: I think you'll find that the cash you'll fork over for this Collector's Edition of 1973's American Graffiti will be money very wisely spent. Because the outstanding, in-depth, 75-minute-plus documentary feature, "The Making Of American Graffiti", is worth the cost all by itself! Every one of the major principle actors who were in the film take part in the documentary program. Many interesting tidbits of information are revealed, including Harrison Ford's recollection of his "cowboy hat". Seems that Harrison was opposed to getting one of those awful '60s-style haircuts (as were others in the cast). So Ford talked Director George Lucas into letting him wear a cowboy hat instead. Lucas, in the documentary, takes the viewer through the many aspects of creating "Graffiti", from the difficulty in getting a studio interested in the project, right through the making of the film on the streets of two small California towns. Other bonus features on the disc include the Original Trailer, which I found very good. Plus, a goodly number of cast & crew bio pages to scroll through. As well as informative Production Notes. All text pages I found most rewarding as well. Then, of course, the DVD offers us an anamorphic 2.35:1 version of "Graffiti". Some fans will no doubt be disappointed that a Dolby 5.1 re-mix was not included here (just a 2.0 Surround Sound track). But I think the Surround track does quite nicely. But a full-fledged 5.1 would also have been nice, to highlight the amazing number of rock-and-roll oldies in the film. American Graffiti, IMO, is in a class by itself. It has the perfect 1960s "feel" to it, that Director Lucas strives so hard for (and succeeeds in portraying). It will still be regarded as a "Classic" many generations down the road.
Rating:
Summary: A CLASSIC!!!
Review: Before George Lucas took us all to a galaxy far, far away, he made this comedy classic, which is still by far his greatest film. Good story, great script, fine performances from the entire cast and of course one of the greatest soundtracks in film history. Lucas should have made more films like this instead of confining himself to sci-fi (not that I dislike Star Wars though). A true classic in every sense and a MUST SEE!!!
Rating:
Summary: A classic film gets a good DVD.
Review: George Lucas's "American Graffiti", more than any other film, captures what its like to be teetering on the brink of adulthood after school is over. Steve (Ron Howard) only wants to be with the love of his life, Laurie (Cindy Williams), but almost blows it with her completely. Her brother Curt (Richard Dreyfuss) isn't sure if he wants to leave for college. He becomes attracted to a blonde (Susanne Summers in a cameo) he briefly sees in a car, but doesn't know who she is. He winds up spending half the night with a street gang (led by Bo Hopkins). John (Paul LeMatt) loves to race cars, but ends up driving around with an underage girl (Mackenzie Phillips). Terry the Toad (Charles Martin Smith) is a nerd trying to impress a girl (Candy Clark, who earned an Oscar nomination) that he's just met. Of course, it ends in disaster. All of this is observed in a funny, heart-felt way. Memorable moments include Curt's meeting Wolfman Jack, John's ongoing fued with another racer (Harrison Ford in a small part), John and the young girl demoiishing a car with with shaving cream, and Toad's fight with the guys who stole his friend's car. George Lucas captured it all nicely with a top notch soundtrack of early rock and roll classics in the background, which enhances the period detail. Nearly the entire cast prticipates in an excellent "making of" documentary that it is included with the DVD. Lucas and producer Francis Coppola are interviewed as well. The documentary runs about 80 minutes, and everyone involved has an interesting story to tell. It also includes screen tests that were done for some of the cast. It more than makes up for tha lack of any commentary track on this DVD. This DVD is a worthy purchase for any fan of "American Graffiti".
Rating:
Summary: "American Graffiti. Where were you in '62?"
Review: "American Graffiti" is great inspirational classic that can really grab your attention. Not only are the great cool-looking cars great, and the top soundtrack is, too, but the storyline is great. Set on a late summer night in 1962, four high school friends, two of them are graduates, spend their last night together before the two leave for college. At first at the beginning with that timeless "Rock Around the Clock" playing over Steve's (Ronny Howard) car radio in his marvelous '58 Chevy which I adore, the four friends meet at the local drive-in called Mel's. There is Curt (Richard Dreyfuss, Steve, John (Paul Le Mat), and Terry the Toad (Charles Martin Smith). They are all uncertain of their futures. Curt and Steve are the ones leaving for college, but Curt doesn't know for sure if he's going. Steve
is raring to go at first. As the night progresses, they split from Mel's. Curt goes wth his sister Laurie (Cindy Williams) and Steve to the hop. John goes looking for s good time, and on the lookout for a could-be-next-drag-racing champ in a black '55 Chevy. The Toad is just out cruising around like everybody else on the main strip. Later, he meets Debby (Candy Clark), a sort of mixed-up girl who puts Toad in the wrong direction almost. John gets an unexpected surprise from a Studebaker when a 15-year old girl named Carol (Makenzie Phillips) cruises around with him. John's not thrilled at first, but Carol eventually grows on him, when they both flatten the tires and spray shaving cream all over a white '59 Dodge, and when John finally meets his maker in the '55 Chevy called Bob Falfa (Harrison Ford), or when John goes to the a junkyard filled with old cars as he shows Carol who was the best of the best in drag-racing. Curt gets mixed up with a non-threating but cool gang called the Pharaohs led by Joe (Bo Hopkins). These are crazy and funny, and I love that maroon '51 Mercury. Steve and Laurie try to figure out what to do with their lives once Steve leaves, which causes them to break up. Curt meets Wolfman Jack who plays the great songs over the radio as they both try to find out who the mysterious and beautiful blonde is in the white '56 T-Bird. This and more all leads up to the race between John and Bob Falfa. This moment is stunning and a keep-you-on-the-of-your-seat moment. Could Falfa be the new champ? Both race fast down the road, when Falfa's Chevy spins off the road and topples over into falmes. Falfa and Laurie, who gets picked up earlier that night make it out okay as Steve and John try to tear them apart.
Steve and Laurie happily runite, and John wins the race but losing his crown as champ. Curt meanwhile gets in touch with the blonde, but her identity is still mysterious. The end is at the airport, where they all meet again. Curt decides to go, bidding his friends and family good-bye. As he is on the plane, he looks out the window and sees the white T-Bird going down the road. After this shot we see the pictures of the four guys and the following:
John Milner was killed by a drunk driver in December 1964.
Terry Fields was reported missing in action near An Loc in December 1965.
Steve Bolander is an insurance agent in Modesto, California.
Curt Henderson is a writer living in Canada. A true must-see coming of age story that everyone should see.
Rating: 
Summary: Warning label should be added to this DVD.
Review: American Graffiti is one of my favorite films, and I was glad to get a copy of it on DVD. I found the picture quality on this DVD edition to be stunning, but as I watched it I noticed immediately that the sound track was playing a half step sharp, putting all the songs in the film in a higher key. Most people probably will not notice this but it was a major disappointment for me, as it will be for any other viewer who is sensitive to pitch. Only at the end of the DVD is there any indication that the picture has been "compressed," as many films seem to be that have been reissued on VHS and DVD. Only in the accompanying documentary, where fragments of some of the songs are used, are the songs played at their normal speed. I cannot understand why there is no information on the box cover that warns the buyer about this misrepresentation of the soundtrack, which in fact it is. I reasonably assumed that the DVD version, labeled "Collector's Edition" would be a faithful reproduction of the film as it appeared in theaters, but this is not the case with regard to the sound track. I cannot understand why this "compressing," if indeed that is the cause, is applied to movies, unless it is to shorten their running time. If you are not sensitive to pitch, then you probably won't notice the fact that the songs are heard a half step sharp. But if you are, this DVD version could be intolerable to you and a big disappointment, as it was to me.
|
