My mom loves to tell the story of the first film I ever saw in a movie theater: I was three and my parents plopped me down in an aisle seat, handed me my own Coke and popcorn and anxiously waited for all hell to break loose once the lights went down. Instead, I sat there still as a board for the next two hours, quietly eating my snacks and staring wide-eyed at the mesmerizing, larger-than-life images before me. That film was American Graffiti.
Needless to say George Lucas' 1973 valentine to the smalltown culture of his Modesto, California youth remains a very personal film to me. But its appeal goes beyond just being my inaugural movie-going experience. Graffiti perfectly captures a time and place that most anyone can relate to: that crossroads between youth and adulthood where you can either step out from the comforts of home and begin a new journey of self-discovery or retreat back into the familiar embrace of loved ones, fond memories and routine.
It's September 1962 and four friends are facing a rite of passage. Steve Bolander (Ron Howard) and Curt Henderson (Richard Dreyfuss) are spending their last night in town before heading back east for college. Steve is a popular jock raring to get out and feels the need to shed all teenage attachments, including his cool car and high-school sweetheart Laurie (Cindy Williams); Curt is a scholarship kid who suddenly isn't sure he's ready to leave home; he's more interested in revisiting the past and tracking down a mysterious blonde (Suzanne Somers) who's been blowing kisses at him from a white Thunderbird. Terry "Toad" Fields (Charles Martin Smith) is the pimply-faced dork of the group who suddenly gets a shot of courage when he inherits Steve's car and picks up a fresh-faced girl (Candy Clark) walking home; and tough guy drag racer John Milner (Paul Le Mat), worshipped by all three, is quickly realizing his stint as a local legend is coming to an end.
All the principles give endearing, career-sparking performances and Mackenzie Phillips, Bo Hopkins, Wolfman Jack and Harrison Ford provide memorable supporting roles.
Graffiti arrived at the tail-end of the counterculture in America. Disenchanted by the Vietnam War and Watergate scandal, people were ready to revisit the simpler times of their youth (the sock hops, the muscle cars and neon-lit diners) and flocked to the film in droves. One component that made it so appealing was the film's use of classic radio hits of the era instead of a traditional symphonic score.
Recently released on Blu-ray by Universal Home Entertainment, American Grafitti truly benefits from the high-definition format. Newly remastered and presented in its native 2.35:1 aspect ratio, the film sparkles anew in glorious 1080p: the neon, the gloss on the cars, everything just pops against the nighttime setting. Film grain is preserved, no DNR on display here, and it maintains the film's period look perfectly. It's definitely an upgrade over the 1998 DVD.
The Blu-ray features a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track and both the dialog and music are crisp at minimal levels.
Extras include two of Universal's proprietary U-Control features that you can access via small icons as the film is played: a picture-in-picture video commentary by George Lucas and The Music of American Graffiti which instantly identifies what classic song is being played. Additional material includes a 78-minute making-of documentary, screen tests and a theatrical trailer, all carry-overs from the 1998 DVD.
With its sweet reminders of yesteryear and universal themes on growing up, American Graffiti envelops you in a soothing blanket of nostalgia and Americana you just can't help but want to snuggle up against, regardless of what decade you grew up in. It's truly comfort food for the eyes as well as the soul.
American Graffiti (1973)
Remastered Special Edition Blu-ray; Universal Home Entertainment
Running Time: 113 minutes
BD-50; VC-1 Encoded @ Average 30 MBPS
Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0; French DTS Surround 2.0 Mono
SRP: $26.98
Picture: A
Sound: A
Extras: A -
Worth Upgrading Over DVD: Yes
