While I hold STAR WARS (the original) and THX-1138 in high regard, AMERICAN GRAFFITI strikes me as being Lucas's finest offering. Brilliant both technically and dramatically, with a smart, insightful and very funny script. It also boasts remarkable performances from an amazing cast. More than all of that, however, it feels like it was the most important and personal project he ever tackled. A classic, and a work of absolute genius.
shareIt really is his masterpiece... it's perfect from start to finish and it's for grown ups.
shareIt is (I'm definitely a grown-up), but I first saw it as a kid and even then I enjoyed it far more than STAR WARS... but I'd never call it George's masterpiece on the STAR WARS boards because those people would bombard me with hate-speak.
shareBelieve me, I grew up a Star Wars fan of the first order. It was my whole life in '77 and I was at the Cinerama dome watching Empire in '80. But it's clear that American Graffiti is the most poignant expression of cinematic genius the man ever touched. It aches with the nostalgia of a bygone era and resonates sharply with anyone who has ever believed in Americana, and the dreams associated with it.
shareIt saddens me that Lucas never made another movie about people. AMERICAN GRAFFITI showed such an insight into human emotions and desires, and also contained such knowing (and, at times, very funny) dialogue, that I'm still a bit angry at the man for focusing the remainder of his career on sci-fi/fantasy stories. Oh well, at least we have this movie, so I probably shouldn't complain.
share"I'd never call it George's masterpiece on the STAR WARS boards because those people would bombard me with hate-speak."
So what? It's not like they're gonna come to your house with torches.
Truer words have... rarely been spoken. Although I loved Star Wars growing up and understand that it's a very special film (franchise) to many, Lucas in my eyes never matched the brilliance of his 1973 classic film.
Hey there, Johnny Boy, I hope you fry!
This, along with THX 1138 and the original Star Wars, makes George an absolute enigma. Such talent early in his career. Where the heck did it go???????????
shareSadly, there are far too many filmmakers whose early work was stunning yet their later efforts are mediocre or even unbearable (e.g. John Carpenter, Sidney Lumet, Nicolas Roeg, etc.). Not sure what leads such artists to lose their creative prowess.
shareProbably after several million dollars, they're not hungry any more.
shareEasily, but that's because I'm one of the few people on earth who finds the Star Wars movies rather boring.
Poorly Lived and Poorly Died, Poorly Buried and No One Criedshare
Definitely Lucas' best film.
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