Buy Tickets for Concerts, Sports, Theatre and More Online at Tickets. Nostalgic Facts About . American Graffiti, released on August 1, 1. American teenager circa 1. American Graffiti was a massive hit, earning $5. Let's get nostalgic for nostalgia and look in- depth at the making of American Graffiti. GEORGE LUCAS MADE THE MOVIE PARTIALLY OUT OF SPITE. The young director's previous film and first feature, the futuristic sci- fi drama THX- 1. Lucas' wife, Marcia—as well as friend Francis Ford Coppola—urged him to make something more relatable. Everyone thinks you're a cold fish, but you can be a warm and funny guy, make a warm and funny movie. He always said, 'Emotionally involving the audience is easy. Anybody can do it blindfolded, get a little kitten and have some guy wring its neck ..' So finally, George said to me, 'I'm gonna show you how easy it is. I'll make a film that emotionally involves the audience.'. IT WAS SAVED FROM BECOMING A TV MOVIE BY THE GODFATHER. Universal Pictures gave Lucas a budget of $6. Ralph Tiller 45,484 views. Archer is an American adult animated spy sitcom created by Adam Reed for the FX network. The series focuses on the life and exploits of Sterling Archer, the self.When Coppola came onboard as a producer shortly after the release of The Godfather, Universal gave Lucas another $1. Later, when the film was finished and had test- screened positively, Universal inexplicably wanted to drastically re- edit it and release it as a TV movie. Lucas objected but had no clout. Coppola, on the other hand—by this time an Oscar- winner—could make studio executives listen. He convinced them to do only a little bit of trimming (the deleted scenes were reincorporated for home video release) and to release the film theatrically. CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, THERE IS NO ACTUAL CONNECTION BETWEEN AMERICAN GRAFFITI AND HAPPY DAYS. Happy Days premiered five months after American Graffiti was released. It was set in the '5. Ron Howard playing a teen very similar to his American Graffiti character, used . You'd think that Happy Days was somehow a spin- off of the movie, but you'd be wrong. It actually began as an unsold pilot in 1. Love, American Style. It ran for 1. 0 years and was one of the most popular sitcoms in TV history.
THE STUDIO WANTED TO CHANGE THE TITLE. Universal executives didn't know what American Graffiti meant as a title (they weren't alone), and begged Lucas to change it. They furnished a list of 6. Rock Around the Block (Coppola's suggestion) and Another Slow Night in Modesto (which was close to Lucas' original working title, Another Quiet Night in Modesto). Lucas wouldn't budge. LUCAS' CO- WRITERS DIDN'T LIKE THE ENDING. The film ends with title cards revealing what happened to the main characters (the male ones, anyway) afterward, much of which isn't happy. The co- writers Lucas hired early on to help him develop the script, Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz, found it depressing and strange and tried to talk Lucas out of it but never succeeded. WOLFMAN JACK WAS A HOLDOVER FROM A PREVIOUS MOVIE IDEA LUCAS HAD. The radio DJ with the distinctive voice was part of Lucas' teenage years in Modesto, California, and Lucas even considered making a documentary about him when he was a student at USC's film school. When American Graffiti made him a millionaire, Lucas paid the Wolfman a little extra for serving as the film's . IN THE ORIGINAL CONCEPTION, THE BLONDE WASN'T REAL. Lucas originally intended to shoot a scene where the blonde and the car were briefly transparent, revealing to the audience that she was a figment of Curt's imagination. This was one of the things that had to go when Universal insisted on a strict, tight budget. THE PRODUCER HAD TO BECOME MACKENZIE PHILLIPS' LEGAL GUARDIAN FOR THE SHOOT. Mackenzie Phillips was just 1. John Phillips, was in The Mamas & the Papas), neither she nor her parents realized that California law required her to have a guardian present. THE PRODUCTION WAS KICKED OUT OF TOWN AFTER ONE DAY OF SHOOTING. Lucas and company planned to shoot the film in San Rafael, California, as the real setting—Modesto—had changed too much since 1. But after just one day in San Rafael, the city council gave them the boot. Not only had a member of the crew been arrested for growing marijuana, but the first night of filming and its accompanying street closures had drawn complaints from local businesses. The production moved 2. Petaluma, where things ran a bit more smoothly (at least in terms of interactions with the locals). THE SOUNDTRACK ALBUM SOLD 3 MILLION COPIES. The concept of filling an entire soundtrack with nothing but preexisting popular songs (rather than an instrumental score) was still new, with Easy Rider (1. The American Graffiti double album included 4. THERE'S A REASON ELVIS PRESLEY IS CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT FROM THE SOUNDTRACK. The reason, of course, is money. To mitigate the cost of licensing so many songs, Universal offered a flat rate to all of the labels involved. Everyone went along with it except for RCA, which meant no Elvis. The kids in American Graffiti are therefore probably the only teenagers in America who could listen to the radio all night in 1. Elvis song. HARRISON FORD WOULD ONLY AGREE TO BE IN THE MOVIE IF HE DIDN'T HAVE TO CUT HIS HAIR. His character, Bob Falfa, was supposed to have a flattop, but since Ford didn't care much whether he made the film or not, he issued an ultimatum: He wouldn't do it if it required cutting his hair. A compromise was reached, and Bob Falfa wears a Stetson hat throughout the film. THERE WERE A WHOLE LOT OF SHENANIGANS ON THE SET. Lucas worked hard and fast, shooting anywhere from six to 1. Harrison Ford (who turned 3. Paul Le Mat, and Bo Hopkins drank a lot of beer between takes and were said to have been kicked out of the Holiday Inn for things like urinating in the ice machines and climbing on the hotel's rooftop sign. Someone set fire to Lucas' hotel room. Le Mat threw Dreyfuss into the swimming pool one night, gashing his forehead. Adding to the carnival atmosphere were the hundreds of local gearheads who were paid $2. Additional sources: Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex- Drugs- and- Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood, by Peter Biskind. Skywalking: The Life and Films of George Lucas, by Dale Pollock.
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