American Graffiti

Movie: American Graffiti, 1973; 108 min

Director: George Lucas

Actors: Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips, Harrison Ford, Suzanne Somers

Summary:

The story follows a group of teenagers living during the fifties. After their graduation, the each member of the group enjoys a unique night on the town.

Question 1: What purpose does the music play in the setting of the time period?

            Classic fifties music constantly plays throughout the movie. Whenever the characters are in their cars, which is a large portion of the movie, Wolfman radio is playing. The Wolfman, a fifties radio announcer, connects all the characters together because everyone plays this popular station. Sometime the music is playing softly in the background, and other times the music is the main focus of the scene along with places, such as the diner or the main street, that set the time period. Because this film is a time period piece, the music is essential to the setting. The music brings the audience back to the fifties and gives them the feeling that they are actually there.

Question 2: How is wardrobe used to give first impressions of each character’s personality?

            Wardrobe plays a large part in characterization of the main characters in the film because it gives the audience a first impression of each character without directly telling them who each person is. For example, John wears a tight white t-shirt with a box of cigarettes tucked in the sleeve, showing that he is the tough guy. Also, Steve has his hair combed neatly and wears his collared shirt tucked into his khaki pants, showing the audience that he is somewhat of a preppy character. Each character’s initial outfit, along with their hair and makeup, gives the audience an indirect characterization of their personality and what type of person they are portraying from the fifties.