American Graffiti (1973) (Special Edition)

[ACobra289]

Will this be a different version than what is currently available for pre-order on Amazon?

[martadawes]

While I haven't seen the Bluray yet, I'm taking some exceptions with the review of the film itself. My husband (then my boyfriend) and I saw this film three or four times on it's initial release in 1973, when we were 16, and it became one of the seminal films of my life.

The entire point of the film is that it's like a look into the night of a bunch of kids graduating high school, without pretense, without thought, and without censorship. I have always enjoyed the performances of all the actors, no matter their skill level, because they act like kids do; unsure, upset, embarrassing and juvenile.

George Lucas has many issues as a director and in this film he is more like one of the camera crew than a director, which helps the film seem more lifelike. This style hasn't helped his latest films but it was a blessing for "American Graffiti." I had a few nights just like this when I was a senior in a Midwest high school and it's one of the most true-to-life films I've seen. I can find little wrong with anything in the film, and I speak as someone in their mid-50's who lived through those aimless summer nights when it seems like your life is on the edge of a knife, set to go one way but just as possibly going another.

[Strevlac]

Originally Posted by martadawes

The entire point of the film is that it's like a look into the night of a bunch of kids graduating high school, without pretense, without thought, and without censorship. I have always enjoyed the performances of all the actors, no matter their skill level, because they act like kids do; unsure, upset, embarrassing and juvenile.

George Lucas has many issues as a director and in this film he is more like one of the camera crew than a director, which helps the film seem more lifelike. This style hasn't helped his latest films but it was a blessing for "American Graffiti." I had a few nights just like this when I was a senior in a Midwest high school and it's one of the most true-to-life films I've seen. I can find little wrong with anything in the film, and I speak as someone in their mid-50's who lived through those aimless summer nights when it seems like your life is on the edge of a knife, set to go one way but just as possibly going another.

My thoughts exactly and I couldn't have said it better. This is a great film, and I don't use that word for for many movies.

[wilky61]

I'm 23 now, and when I was several years younger I watched this once and didn't get it. Perhaps this film is to 1973 as 'Fash Times at Ridgemont High' is to 1982 and 'Dazed & Confused' is to 1993.

[AeroK]

Originally Posted by wilky61

I'm 23 now, and when I was several years younger I watched this once and didn't get it. Perhaps this film is to 1973 as 'Fash Times at Ridgemont High' is to 1982 and 'Dazed & Confused' is to 1993.

I'm 27 and saw it for the first time when I was a freshman in college but I immediately had a connection with it even though it takes place a couple decades before my time.
Maybe it's a small town thing. There are so many parallels between this movie and the only strip in my town where every high school kid with a social life gathers at the Sonic on Friday and Saturday nights. Kids come out and show off their rides, you have the ones on a quest for liquor and/or promiscuity, and you have the John Milner types out of high school that have really nice rides because they are pipelining or working offshore but still want to hang out with the high school kids...which is kinda creepy.
At that age for me, there was just something about cruising around a 3 mile radius on a summer night with friends. I would take that over a 45 minute trip to the city for the parties, movies, or mall.

[wilky61]

Originally Posted by AeroK

I'm 27 and saw it for the first time when I was a freshman in college but I immediately had a connection with it even though it takes place a couple decades before my time.
Maybe it's a small town thing. There are so many parallels between this movie and the only strip in my town where every high school kid with a social life gathers at the Sonic on Friday and Saturday nights. Kids come out and show off their rides, you have the ones on a quest for liquor and/or promiscuity, and you have the John Milner types out of high school that have really nice rides because they are pipelining or working offshore but still want to hang out with the high school kids...which is kinda creepy.
At that age for me, there was just something about cruising around a 3 mile radius on a summer night with friends. I would take that over a 45 minute trip to the city for the parties, movies, or mall.

Yeah I didn't have any scene like that in my town growing up in an Atlanta suburb in the 90s, and come to think of it I didn't get 'The Last Picture Show' or 'Nashville' either.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by AeroK

Maybe it's a small town thing.

I don't think so. Not entirely, anyway. I grew up in the middle of Chicago and I immediately connected with the feeling that you were finally able to do whatever you wanted but didn't have any real idea of what that might be. It a weird way it a lot like the end of The Candidate - Robert Redford wins the senate race and then gets this befuddled look and says 'Now what'.

It was a very visceral connection too...you could practically smell the summer nights.

[aiman04]

Originally Posted by martadawes

While I haven't seen the Bluray yet, I'm taking some exceptions with the review of the film itself. My husband (then my boyfriend) and I saw this film three or four times on it's initial release in 1973, when we were 16, and it became one of the seminal films of my life.

The entire point of the film is that it's like a look into the night of a bunch of kids graduating high school, without pretense, without thought, and without censorship. I have always enjoyed the performances of all the actors, no matter their skill level, because they act like kids do; unsure, upset, embarrassing and juvenile.

George Lucas has many issues as a director and in this film he is more like one of the camera crew than a director, which helps the film seem more lifelike. This style hasn't helped his latest films but it was a blessing for "American Graffiti." I had a few nights just like this when I was a senior in a Midwest high school and it's one of the most true-to-life films I've seen. I can find little wrong with anything in the film, and I speak as someone in their mid-50's who lived through those aimless summer nights when it seems like your life is on the edge of a knife, set to go one way but just as possibly going another.

Well said. And Lucas did use the same style even in the prequels, shooting is just a process the editing room is where he make the movie. Like making a documentary.

[Miadaskate]

Can't believe the hottie in the T-Bird is Suzanne Somers!

[OneWayFilms]

Originally Posted by Miadaskate

Can't believe the hottie in the T-Bird is Suzanne Somers!

REALLY? All this time I thought it was Terri Garr, which I thought was funny since they were married in Close Encounters.

[Crimson King]

Originally Posted by OneWayFilms

REALLY? All this time I thought it was Terri Garr, which I thought was funny since they were married in Close Encounters.

I heard that she (Suzanne Somers) only got $1,360.72 for being in Graffiti!

[Cowboy]

Whats really funny is the guy that owned the T-Bird would not let it out of his sight. Kept telling her how to drive it and what not to do in his car.

[DarknessBDJM]

Originally Posted by BillyJack

I heard that she (Suzanne Somers) only got $1,360.72 for being in Graffiti!

Considering she was on screen with actual face time for all of 10 seconds and had about another 10 on the phone, and they only showed very short shots of the car about two other times (the end and when he was with the Pharaohs), she got the equivalent of about $7,000 considering inflation.

[Bluyoda]

Boy the review at highdefdigest isn't very kind to AG regarding the PQ at all.

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/3911...ngraffiti.html

I really hope it's not nearly as bad as he makes it out to be.

So far, opinions seem to vary dramatically concerning the PQ of this edition.

But then again: 1 star for the supplements which contain one of the best making of documentaries ever made, amongst many bonus features, including a brand new PIP commentary track with GL....??

Maybe this guy is a bit weird!?

[whitesheik]

Originally Posted by DarknessBDJM

Considering she was on screen with actual face time for all of 10 seconds and had about another 10 on the phone, and they only showed very short shots of the car about two other times (the end and when he was with the Pharaohs), she got the equivalent of about $7,000 considering inflation.

She got nowhere near that amount of money. She got scale, just like everyone else.

[Miadaskate]

Originally Posted by Cowboy

Whats really funny is the guy that owned the T-Bird would not let it out of his site. Kept telling her how to drive it and what not to do in his car.

I don't blame him. With a car like that, I'd do the same, and then also brag that a total hottie drove it in a George Lucas movie.

[DarknessBDJM]

Did some captures on four scenes to compare, will do a few more tomorrow. Viewing several scenes (more than what I captured) back to back it wasn't so much the grain and noise that was the difference than it was an overall darker picture on the HDNet Movies version, there's also different color correction in places.

I'm just doing links to the uploaded pics as they are pretty big in both file size and resolution. I captured them with Arcsoft Total Media Theater 5. Hopefully uploading to Image Shack won't butcher the pics.

Capture 1
HDNet Movies version
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...6c9d409cf.jpg/

Blu-Ray
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...0eb98009d.jpg/

Capture 2
HDNet Movies version.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...dda528625.jpg/

Blu-Ray.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...aca2d39ad.jpg/

Capture 3
HDNet Movies version.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...7693aa07d.jpg/

Blu-Ray.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...c89e1b0c8.jpg/

Capture 4 (apologies that this one isn't too different in setting from 3).
HDNet Movies version.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...10b87b9d0.jpg/

Blu-Ray.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...628b4677e.jpg/

[teamneedle]

Originally Posted by DarknessBDJM

Did some captures on four scenes to compare, will do a few more tomorrow. Viewing several scenes (more than what I captured) back to back it wasn't so much the grain and noise that was the difference than it was an overall darker picture on the HDNet Movies version, there's also different color correction in places.

I'm just doing links to the uploaded pics as they are pretty big in both file size and resolution. I captured them with Arcsoft Total Media Theater 5. Hopefully uploading to Image Shack won't butcher the pics.

Thanks for the screens, i'm sure that took some work-

Looks like a Drastic improvement to me-

I think the bottom line is that the reviewer didn't like the movie before hand and probably watched 5 minutes and gave it a score-

Across the net reviews have called out the first few minutes for video problems but they aren't seeing problems beyond that.

I don't put to much faith in a human being that would give the blues brothers a much higher movie rating than American Graffiti-

[darkpoet25]

So is this worth upgrading from the DVD? I'm currently watching it as I type, haven't seen it a long time. Forgot how much I enjoy watching it. Lol Harrison Ford's character was kind of cheesy.

[wilky61]

Originally Posted by darkpoet25

So is this worth upgrading from the DVD? I'm currently watching it as I type, haven't seen it a long time. Forgot how much I enjoy watching it. Lol Harrison Ford's character was kind of cheesy.

I dunno if this will help you make a decision, but I downloaded a 1080p copy of this film a couple weeks back to see if I liked it enough to buy the $20 blu-ray, and I thought the film looked really, really good in 1080p.

In general, though, I'd say that if you like the film in question (regardless of which film), the blu-ray is always worth the upgrade from the DVD. I think this holds for at least 99% of blu-ray releases and is especially true if you have a 42+ inch TV.