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Happy Birthday, Baby: Cars, Teens and American Graffiti
Steyn On-Line ^ | July 8, 2023 | Rick McGinnis

Posted on 07/09/2023 5:42:13 AM PDT by Twotone

On June 13th, 1945, a month after the defeat of Nazi Germany, the New York Times published an article titled "Teen-Agers are an American Invention." With peace in sight, the generation that was too young to fight in the war was being defined by the newspaper of record as being "not ready for the serious matters of adulthood." Still, this newly-minted demographic (whose emergence had been nearly a century in the making) was being invited to express itself with its own culture – "and the leisure and the unprecedented affluence of teenagers predispose them to accept the invitation."

Birthdays – and today is mine – often put us in a nostalgic mood. I'd be lying to you, though, if I gave the impression that this is a recent indulgence. Truth is that I've been obsessed with nostalgia since I was a boy, though I've only recently been able to pinpoint precisely why. If I could offer up one artifact to illustrate the why and when, it would be a record album – a double LP set – that was handed down to me by my brother-in-law when I was around ten years old.

My older sister's husband was over fifteen years my senior, and the years when they lived in the basement apartment of my mother's house just after they were married were a big influence on me, for a host of reasons, prime among which was Lou's record collection. My brother-in-law had the kind of expensive stereo gear that most young men spent wages on back then, and an impressive record collection that he frequently culled, passing his discards on to me to play on my considerably lower-fi record player (itself a hand-me-down from my sister).

(Excerpt) Read more at steynonline.com ...


TOPICS: History; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: nostalgia; ricksflicks; teenagers
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1 posted on 07/09/2023 5:42:13 AM PDT by Twotone
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To: Twotone

I was 9YO when i accidentally walked into the theater playing American Graffiti- we were supposed to see some move called Treasure Island. I was immediately taken by everything that was happening in that flick and it still ranks as one of my favorite movies of all time.

Of course they then had to ruin it with part two, More American Graffiti, which was atrocious,


2 posted on 07/09/2023 5:46:44 AM PDT by God luvs America (63.5 million pay no income tax and vote for DemoKrats...)
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To: God luvs America

I was 13 in 1962 when the movie supposedly took place. I was part of that scene. We cruised for burgers every evening once I was 16 and had my license. No not California. Long Island NY


3 posted on 07/09/2023 5:51:43 AM PDT by Vaquero (Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you. )
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To: Twotone

Always remember “God Digs DooWops’. Guss Gossert.


4 posted on 07/09/2023 5:57:50 AM PDT by duckman ( Not tired of winning!)
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To: Twotone

I recently, within the last month, watched American Graffiti again.

It is without doubt a truly classic movie. It touches all the bases and depicts all the era cliches. It is therefore in a sense real.

I find it hard to comprehend how Steyn could grasp the movie so completely and not really be of or from the era.


5 posted on 07/09/2023 6:12:37 AM PDT by bert ( (KWE. NP. N.C. +12) Joe Biden is a kleptocrat)
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To: bert

Wife and I saw it in the theater in August 2022 when it got a limited re-release. Best film we saw in 2022, edging out ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. Lucas wanted to capture the car culture of the early 60s that he grew up with, and he hit a home run.


6 posted on 07/09/2023 6:16:47 AM PDT by Roadrunner383
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To: Twotone

My sister and I split the cost for the LP album back in the day. Wish I still had it, though the entire album is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emUd3zP651M&list=PLCubXHRlW2x4pu3OL7dMX-6T22X0l1qyz

Well, my day is shot, LOL! :)

Great movie with lots of future ‘movie stars.’

My BFF’s husband is LEGEND for his knowledge of the music from this era. He’s also famous for using his tie as a microphone to serenade us. :)

P.S. Why DO fools fall in love...? ;)


7 posted on 07/09/2023 6:17:48 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Roadrunner383

‘Top Gun: Maverick’.

I think I may be the only person on the planet that thought that movie was dumb and totally predictable.

I was really disappointed after we watched it. Not sure WHAT I was hoping for, but it didn’t instill me with pride and make me want to wrap myself in The American Flag or anything.

*SHRUG* I’m no big fan of Tom Cruise, though. ;)


8 posted on 07/09/2023 6:21:40 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Twotone

9 posted on 07/09/2023 6:35:43 AM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized of man.)
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To: Vaquero

Did you ever see and what did you think of ‘The Wanderers’ and “The Lords of Flatbush’?


10 posted on 07/09/2023 6:43:44 AM PDT by desertsolitaire ( )
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To: desertsolitaire

Saw both. Lords takes it. The wanderers was in my original neighborhood of the Bronx, just before we moved to Long Island They used to say watch out for the fordham baldies. I was not crazy about the Wanderers movie.


11 posted on 07/09/2023 6:48:04 AM PDT by Vaquero (Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you. )
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To: Twotone

“…with a 283 Chevy small block engine, …”

Wasn’t he 283 a ford engine?

I worked in a movie theatre when the film came out I had the Where Were You In ‘62? poster on the door in my room. No idea what ever became of it.


12 posted on 07/09/2023 6:57:29 AM PDT by TalBlack (We have a Christian duty and a patriotic duty. God help us.)
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To: Vaquero

Thanks for reply. I almost forgot ‘Hollywood Knights’ from 1980 with Robert Wuhl (’Cobb’).
Set in ‘64 or ‘65?


13 posted on 07/09/2023 6:58:54 AM PDT by desertsolitaire ( )
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

“I think I may be the only person on the planet that thought that movie was dumb and totally predictable“

No. No you’re not. But I sense that that was much of the appeal of it. It pushed all the buttons like a American Graffiti did.


14 posted on 07/09/2023 7:01:14 AM PDT by TalBlack (We have a Christian duty and a patriotic duty. God help us.)
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To: TalBlack

Ford was 289.


15 posted on 07/09/2023 7:06:36 AM PDT by Yardstick
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To: TalBlack

“ Wasn’t the 283 a ford engine?”

289 was the small Ford V8.


16 posted on 07/09/2023 7:08:51 AM PDT by T-Bird45 (It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't. )
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To: TalBlack
“I think I may be the only person on the planet that thought that movie was dumb and totally predictable“

Nope, you're not the only one. I thought it was a horrible movie.

17 posted on 07/09/2023 7:09:05 AM PDT by occamrzr06
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To: T-Bird45

There were no 289s yet in 62. There were small block Fords. I think 260 might have been available.

If you look closer at the vehicle you can tell it’s a small block Chevy engine.

I initially thought it might be a Y-Block because they, too had the distributor at the back of the engine. But the location of the exhaust ports is Chevy/GM architecture.


18 posted on 07/09/2023 7:15:36 AM PDT by John Milner (Marching for Peace is like breathing for food.)
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To: John Milner

This movie actually had a profound effect on my life. Along with feeling like I had no direction in life (working in a grocery store). It opened my eyes to the fact that simple none-important decisions based on insignificant day-to-day issues can change your whole future. Not even really sure why I went since I didn’t do movies much back then.

(It wasn’t until much later that I learned the characters and after-film bios were fake. By then the die had been cast.)

That and a couple from church who encouraged me to go to college. Which definitely was a decision that changed my life for the better.


19 posted on 07/09/2023 7:24:18 AM PDT by John Milner (Marching for Peace is like breathing for food.)
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To: John Milner

Not to mention my screen name.


20 posted on 07/09/2023 7:25:07 AM PDT by John Milner (Marching for Peace is like breathing for food.)
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