Art & Inspiration It was 50 years ago today...

Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post:

It was 50 years ago today...

Continue reading the Original Blog Post

 

Thank you Jive,
I didn't get to see AG until 1980. Not because of my age but proximity to any theaters. I was with my buddies and girlfriends and watched on TV. We went nuts identifying the cars and impressing the girls. Those days were the best and AG was part of it.

 

It's hard to believe it was 50 years ago. I saw it when it came out. I was 10 at the time. I saw it at the California Theater in San Bernardino with my stepdad. After I saw it I couldn't wait to get old enough to drive and start cruising Market Street in Riverside and E street in San Bernardino. It's one of the reasons I finally got my Merc. I thought Milner was cool, but I thought Joe of the Pharaohs was cooler.

 

"You know Gil Gonzalez?"

 

I was 20 yrs old when my then new wife and I seen it in a theater in 1973.
Wasn’t overly impressed with the general theme since I just went through that testosterone adventure. Loved the cars. I was using my testosterone for other endeavors.

 

This topic never gets old

 

AG and the World's Fastest Indian are the two best car/mc movies in spite of their issues

 

I had already been building some form of hot rod since 1962 and when AG came out I was knee deep in a deuce highboy roadster. I was at the movie theater on opening night and went back a couple times the same week and over the years I have watched it at least once a year since then. That movie plus the Nov 73 issue of Rod And Custom shaped my life for the next 50 years and when the time was right propelled me into the hot rod business in the early 80's which I am still doing today at 78. Thanks George Lucas.

 

"Cars" is pretty good too, as kid movies go.

 

It's a close tie between Hollywood Knights and AG for me. HK probably whisker ahead of AG, cuz... more laughs, young Fran Drescher and the Ironbox Twins. Sue me, I was young & impressionable.

 

Ag is playing again at select theaters. Do a search or https://www.fandango.com/search?q=American+graffiti&mode=all . I would get tickets in advance.

 

50 years.
Damn.
I was 16.

 

I bought up a row in the local theater so all of our group of car guys could go together.
Looking forward to seeing it on the big screen.

 

"This is a superfine machine! This might even be better than Daryl Starbird's Superfleck Moonbird. It *is* better than Daryl Starbird's Superfleck Moonbird."

 

I love this movie. I bought my first old car after seeing the 55 Chevy in this film. Wasn't 50 years ago, but it was about 25. Caught the bug from this film.

 

Yessir. There you go Jay, some real HAMB love.

Where were you in ‘62? I was in 4th grade.

 

I was a little baby, I missed out on all the fun.

We lived down in Ensenada when AG came out, but I did see a preview for it when we saw some lame move in San Diego. But I never made it to see the film till many years later, somehow. I like it now.

While we were in Ensenada, Paper Moon was showing at a Mexican theater, and we saw that. My first look at what a Model A was all about...even though it wasn't a hot rod.

 

I saw the movie with three of my non car buddies, we all thought it was great, there was something for everybody…

 

Yeah, our goal with Cars was to create a real 'car guy film' with automotive authenticity- We worked pretty darn hard to get the cars right, the engine sounds, the details, etc.
It may be animated, but I don't think Cars is just for kids!

 

Being that I am originally from the Winton/Atwater/Merced
area, and the fact I graduated from high school in 1971, American Graffiti reminds me of what it was to grow up in the San Joaquin Valley.
It always makes me smile when I hear Wolfman Jack give the weather report and he says
" It's going to be 200 degrees in Merced"

 

Just reserved my two tickets. A bit more than they were in 73 but it'll be fun! Aug 27th, 4:00, Sunday afternoon.

 

Geeeeez.. 50 yrs. ? I remember watching the movie when it was new.. We have been married 50 yrs.

 

My buddy Jason and I somehow convinced his older brother to take us to see it on a Saturday night in a small town theatre. I think it was the second weekend it was out.

My mind was blown. Had trouble sleeping that night, because Falfa's '55 was stuck in my impressionable 12 year old mind.

Hard to believe it's been 50 years. Good times.

 

Drove my '55 to see the movie when it first came out, but that yellow '32 flat blew me away. I was twenty at the time and already hooked on early hot rods. Still am. Still have my '55 too.

 

This should be mandatory watching for the Generation Z'ers.

 

And ........

 

Where were you in ‘62?
The funniest way to end our high school career and escapades in May-June 1962 edition of our school newspaper. As described above, the Impala had some weird stuff on it. But, as mentioned before, the reporter was a young kid with a camera and that was it. He was not a car guy, had no idea what anything was... 61 Pontiac mufflers for more performance? What? His facts sheet was not filled with my facts, he just added what he though an Impala should have. Even I had to show him how to photograph the Impala to get the best shots.

Hello,

My wife and I saw the movie on the big screen locally in So Cal in 1973. It was good music, that took us back a few years. But the images were all Hollywood with facts thrown in to make it a really close to what it was like. Yes, there were Madras shirts and tan color cotton pants for guys, as well as Levis and sandals.

It was a time of reflection for all of us, but the next 5-8 years opened up our eyes as to how the real world functioned after our times in high school. Our lives did its own path through all of the society items that affected almost everyone we knew.

Jnaki

The high school years were actually fun, while cars played a big part of the whole scene. The adventures set the stage for more explorations prior to getting married, the military or going to college. It is/was a good film, but our lives did not hinge on what was implicated. We did live a similar lifestyle, but that was just us growing up in Bixby Knolls in Long Beach, a center of activity for our high school bunch.

It was what we learned after high school that led us to our ideals and values. College was an indication of the connection for our long lasting relationship that adapted to what our society was harping on us since high school.
YRMV

 

I repainted my avatar yellow in 1968, maybe the first time I was ever ahead of the curve?