American Graffiti - Semester 2

Justin Noddle Period 6

Summary: American Graffiti is a George Lucas film from 1973. It is 108 minutes long and it is a study of the cruising and rock and roll cultures popular among the post–World War II baby boom generation. This film tells the stories of a group of teenagers throughout the night.

Question #1: Why was the orchestra that Universal hired such a great fit for this movie? Give examples.

Each choice of background music is essential to each scene in American Graffiti. Most of the music gives off a fun vibe and tries to really show the viewer the time period in which the story takes place. It shows that the kids are just teenagers who just want to have a good time. During romantic scenes, the music still sounds like it is rather old but it is now slowed down to make the scene slower and more romantic. The music makes the viewer feel as if they are a part of the film and the time period in which the director is trying to portray.

Question #2: How does wardrobe and choice of where to film the movie reflect the time period of the film?

One of the characters, Terry, is dressed up in a geeky fashion. He wears big glasses from the 60’s and is wearing typical nerdy button down shirts. His hair is extremely neat and this already tells the viewer what type of character he is before we eve hear him speak. All of the cars look very old and contribute too the time period in which the film was supposed to take place. The city in which they drive around is filled with very bright lights and is exactly what people picture the 1960s to look it. George Lucas did a great job at setting the scene perfectly and everything fits the time period perfectly as well. The hats and suits that they were give off a fun and out of the ordinary vibe. The slicked back hair that many characters have was also popular in the 1960s.