Rating: 
Summary: A Fun and Entertaining Sequel!
Review: "More American Graffiti" is the underrated and delightfully entertaining comedy sequel to George Lucas'1974 classic film, "American Graffiti".In Lucas'original film he followed various cliques of teenagers (over a 12 hour period), who were on the cusp of adulthood,asking that age old adolescent question, "what will I do with the rest of my life?" In this humorous sequel, we follow most of the original film's main characters into young adulthood and find out what they have been up to as their lives play out against the turbulent backdrop of the 1960's. Essentially the movie is broken down into four main stories, each taking place on a different News Years'Eve during the 60's decade.We meet up again with tough guy, John Milner (Paul Le Mat)who has left his street rod days behind and is now trying to break into the dangerous world of 1960's professional drag racing. He's doing this while he tries to romance a beautiful foreign exchange student, who speaks not a word of english. The second story takes place in Vietnam, where Terry "the Toad" Fields (Charles Martin Smith) is a soldier serving in a U.S.Army Medivac helicopter unit. All around him he see's the absurdity and hopelessness of the war and will try anything to keep from becoming a casualty. The third story takes place in the Haight-Ashbury's 'Summer of Love', where Debbie Dunham (Candy Clark)has become a hippie, who gets mixed up with a crazy rock n' roll band, while trying to procure a gig for her musician, boyfriend. The final story involves Steve and Laurie Bolander (Ron Howard & Cindy Williams)who are raising a family in suburbia. The couple experiences marital discord, which inadvertantly leads them into the world of the college campus anti-war demonstrations and riots.Director and writer, Bill L. Norton has very innovatively told us a number of stories against a vast tapestry of recent history. These baby boomer characters all experience both joy and heartache in their lives.But hey isn't that what life is all about? The entire cast recreates their characters with great finess and energy. Le Mat and Smith are especially good in their roles.Also, look for cameos from Harrison Ford, Mackenzie Phillips and Bo Hopkins, who play their original characters from the first film.The movie makes interesting use of both editing and cinematography, that changes from story to story.I really like the creative use of split-screen during the 'Haight- Asbury' sequences, which highlights those colorful and frenetic times.The DVD picture and sound transfer are exceptually well done.The DVD also makes the most out of it's wide screen formatting (especially in the drag racing sequences). My only complaint is that this DVD has absolutely nothing in extras (not even a film trailer). This movie is both a fun and entertaining sequel. While it might not have the classic status of the original film, it is still highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Under-rated
Review: Although widely panned for lacking the same mood and style as the original American Graffiti, its hit predecessor, More American Graffiti is an entertaining movie that gives a sense of the transition from the security of the early 1960s to the unrest and uncertainty of the Flower Power era. Most significantly, the movie manages to create tension around the fates of John Milner and Terry the Toad, whose early demises were reported at the end of the first movie -- however, you expect it to happen, it won't.Although the original movie took place in a mythologized Modesto, California (despite being filmed in Petaluma and San Rafael), the city is not a character in More American Graffiti after the first appearance of Steve and Laurie's subdivision house. Action moves largely to the Bay Area, though the Bolander's conventional, middle-American relationship stands the test of 1960s strife fairly well.
Rating: 
Summary: Un"American"
Review: How bad is this sequel? "Howard the Duck" is Shakespeare compared to this. At the conclusion to "American Graffiti" the viewer finds out what fate is delivered to each main character. So why have a sequel? One word - money. The characters from "American Graffiti" are back in this uninspired, lame sequel, aptly titled, "More American Graffiti". The film chronicles the lives of the four friends from the first "Graffiti" on New Years Eve in four different years (mass confusion ensues). For John Milner life hasn't changed. He still chases fast cars and fast women (currently a foreign exchange student whos hot to look at, but, can't speak a lick of english). Terry the Toad can't stnd being in Vietnam (who the hell does?!?) and tries every effort to get out while he still can. Laurie and Steve have gotten married, have 2 kids, and argue constantly about how Steve doesn't do his share around the house and does nothing to encourage Laurie to go out and get a job (both wind up joining the womens movement. Stupid & unfunny). The film is a mish-mash that tries to be a comedy but becomes an outdated and embarassing social commentary of the 60's told through the eyes of the greedy 70's. George Lucas is executive producer of this celluloid turd and if I were him would distance himself farther from this than "Howard the Duck" (I personally would have bought the rights to the negative from Universal and had it burned). The principal cast looks like there commiting celluloid suicide (you can almost hear the toilet flushing down there career). I bought this on VHS a few years back and I wound up taping an episode of "The Greatest American Hero" over it.
Rating:
Summary: Un"American"
Review: How bad is this sequel? "Howard the Duck" is Shakespeare compared to this. At the conclusion to "American Graffiti" the viewer finds out what fate is delivered to each main character. So why have a sequel? One word - money. The characters from "American Graffiti" are back in this uninspired, lame sequel, aptly titled, "More American Graffiti". The film chronicles the lives of the four friends from the first "Graffiti" on New Years Eve in four different years (mass confusion ensues). For John Milner life hasn't changed. He still chases fast cars and fast women (currently a foreign exchange student whos hot to look at, but, can't speak a lick of english). Terry the Toad can't stnd being in Vietnam (who the hell does?!?) and tries every effort to get out while he still can. Laurie and Steve have gotten married, have 2 kids, and argue constantly about how Steve doesn't do his share around the house and does nothing to encourage Laurie to go out and get a job (both wind up joining the womens movement. Stupid & unfunny). The film is a mish-mash that tries to be a comedy but becomes an outdated and embarassing social commentary of the 60's told through the eyes of the greedy 70's. George Lucas is executive producer of this celluloid turd and if I were him would distance himself farther from this than "Howard the Duck" (I personally would have bought the rights to the negative from Universal and had it burned). The principal cast looks like there commiting celluloid suicide (you can almost hear the toilet flushing down there career). I bought this on VHS a few years back and I wound up taping an episode of "The Greatest American Hero" over it.
Rating: 
Summary: Sequel = Disappointment
Review: I enjoyed American Graffiti so I wanted to see the sequel,too. Movies about the Vietnam Era and the student demonstrations generally don't appeal to me. I was of draft age during Vietnam and I was in college during the Kent State riots. Those are still painful memories. I saw More American Graffiti because I was interested in the stories of the characters from American Graffiti. Unfortunately,the story was not easy to follow because it jumped from year to year. Perhaps the story would have been better told year by year in chronological order. Candy Clark was the best actress in the sequel. I sympathized with Debbie because she lost Terry and her current boyfriend Lance took advantage of her. Debbie deserved better than that! Maybe she found happiness with the band. I never liked the fact that Steve gave up college for Laurie. High school romances usually don't last. I wonder if Steve and Laurie did? American Graffiti had its share of future stars like Suzanne Somers,Cindy Williams, Harrison Ford and others. How many of you know that Naomi Judd of The Judds was one of the female student demonstrators in More American Graffiti? You'll probably find other future stars in the movie,too.I expected better when I watched More American Graffiti,but the overall story,disjointed as it was is still worth watching.
Rating:
Summary: LAST AMERICAN GRAFFITI
Review: I first saw this movie at the local twin cinema in January of 1980. The only reason I saw it was because they wouldn't accept my ID so I couldn't get into to see " Apocalyse Now " which was playing in the other cinema.{ I was only 17 at the time }. And it's worth pointing out, because in 1980 home video was almost non existant in Australia , I hadn't seen the first " American Graffiti " yet. So I got to see the sequel before the original. AND I LOVED IT !.I've always been very interested in that period of time {60's} so it captured my imagination straight away. The story was cleverly done, it was sad to see John Milner's fate but he is spared the indignity of us witnessing the accident that killed him. Same with Terry the Toad, he was last seen singing "Auld Lang Syme" as he deserted his unit in Vietnam. I hope he's still out there somewhere.
It was 9 years before I saw it sgain, and this time I picked up on some of the other characters, like Officer Bob Falfa, and Terry's buddy in 'Nam, the ex Pharoh. But of course now I could compare the sequel to the original, and how can you top a movie like " American Graffiti "? The answer is simple, you can't. So I have to take off one star. But it's still worth a look, and if it's OK with the rest of you, I'm going to order my copy from AMAZON very soon.
One last thing, why doen't George Lucas make another, he could call it "LAST AMERICAN GRAFFITI". In it he could show maybe Milner's ghost ( I'm being serious ) Terry's return from endless R&R, and Kurt visiting from Canada, and Steve and Laurie with the grandchildren. It could be set in about 1995 so the characters age naturally. You can have these ideas for free if your reading this, George. I just want to see the movie made.
Rating:
Summary: LAST AMERICAN GRAFFITI
Review: I first saw this movie at the local twin cinema in January of 1980. The only reason I saw it was because they wouldn't accept my ID so I couldn't get into to see " Apocalyse Now " which was playing in the other cinema.{ I was only 17 at the time }. And it's worth pointing out, because in 1980 home video was almost non existant in Australia , I hadn't seen the first " American Graffiti " yet. So I got to see the sequel before the original. AND I LOVED IT !.I've always been very interested in that period of time {60's} so it captured my imagination straight away. The story was cleverly done, it was sad to see John Milner's fate but he is spared the indignity of us witnessing the accident that killed him. Same with Terry the Toad, he was last seen singing "Auld Lang Syme" as he deserted his unit in Vietnam. I hope he's still out there somewhere.
It was 9 years before I saw it sgain, and this time I picked up on some of the other characters, like Officer Bob Falfa, and Terry's buddy in 'Nam, the ex Pharoh. But of course now I could compare the sequel to the original, and how can you top a movie like " American Graffiti "? The answer is simple, you can't. So I have to take off one star. But it's still worth a look, and if it's OK with the rest of you, I'm going to order my copy from AMAZON very soon.
One last thing, why doen't George Lucas make another, he could call it "LAST AMERICAN GRAFFITI". In it he could show maybe Milner's ghost ( I'm being serious ) Terry's return from endless R&R, and Kurt visiting from Canada, and Steve and Laurie with the grandchildren. It could be set in about 1995 so the characters age naturally. You can have these ideas for free if your reading this, George. I just want to see the movie made.
Rating:
Summary: LAST AMERICAN GRAFFITI
Review: I first saw this movie at the local twin cinema in January of 1980. The only reason I saw it was because they wouldn't accept my ID so I couldn't get into to see " Apocalyse Now " which was playing in the other cinema.{ I was only 17 at the time }. And it's worth pointing out, because in 1980 home video was almost non existant in Australia , I hadn't seen the first " American Graffiti " yet. So I got to see the sequel before the original. AND I LOVED IT !.I've always been very interested in that period of time {60's} so it captured my imagination straight away. The story was cleverly done, it was sad to see John Milner's fate but he is spared the indignity of us witnessing the accident that killed him. Same with Terry the Toad, he was last seen singing "Auld Lang Syme" as he deserted his unit in Vietnam. I hope he's still out there somewhere.
It was 9 years before I saw it sgain, and this time I picked up on some of the other characters, like Officer Bob Falfa, and Terry's buddy in 'Nam, the ex Pharoh. But of course now I could compare the sequel to the original, and how can you top a movie like " American Graffiti "? The answer is simple, you can't. So I have to take off one star. But it's still worth a look, and if it's OK with the rest of you, I'm going to order my copy from AMAZON very soon.
One last thing, why doen't George Lucas make another, he could call it "LAST AMERICAN GRAFFITI". In it he could show maybe Milner's ghost ( I'm being serious ) Terry's return from endless R&R, and Kurt visiting from Canada, and Steve and Laurie with the grandchildren. It could be set in about 1995 so the characters age naturally. You can have these ideas for free if your reading this, George. I just want to see the movie made.
Rating:
Summary: WELL MADE SEQUEL
Review: I gave this movie four stars out of five for one reason - Richard Dreyfus is not in it. Apparently after he received his oscar in 1977, he felt he should get more money for doing the sequel. This movie is different from the first. It does not take place in one night but on New Years Eve in four years (1964, 1965, 1966 & 1967). Director B.W.L. Norton wrote the screenplay, expanding it from the George Lucas's epilogue at the end of the first film. The film is dramatic, funny and depressing. That was indeed the 60's! The music selected for the film includes Diana Ross and the Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, Aretha Franklin and the Doors. It is DIFFERENT from the first one but SEQUELS should be DIFFERENT. I'm hoping that Universal will release the movie on DVD soon and in the WIDESCREEN format too! The film was shot in Cinemascope (2.35:1) and flat four (1.85:1) aspect ratios as well as 16mm for the Vietnam war scenes.
Rating:
Summary: WELL MADE SEQUEL
Review: I gave this movie four stars out of five for one reason - Richard Dreyfus is not in it. Apparently after he received his oscar in 1977, he felt he should get more money for doing the sequel. This movie is different from the first. It does not take place in one night but on New Years Eve in four years (1964, 1965, 1966 & 1967). Director B.W.L. Norton wrote the screenplay, expanding it from the George Lucas's epilogue at the end of the first film. The film is dramatic, funny and depressing. That was indeed the 60's! The music selected for the film includes Diana Ross and the Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, Aretha Franklin and the Doors. It is DIFFERENT from the first one but SEQUELS should be DIFFERENT. I'm hoping that Universal will release the movie on DVD soon and in the WIDESCREEN format too! The film was shot in Cinemascope (2.35:1) and flat four (1.85:1) aspect ratios as well as 16mm for the Vietnam war scenes.
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