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| American Graffiti (Collector's Edition) | 
 enlarge | Director: George Lucas
Actors: Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams
Studio: Universal Studios
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $6.94
You Save: $13.04 (65%)
Buy New/Used/Collectible from $6.94
Avg. Customer Rating:  (155 reviews)
Sales Rank: 514
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 112 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
DVD Layers: 2
DVD Sides: 1
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: D20272D
ISBN: 078322737X
UPC: 025192027222
EAN: 9780783227375
ASIN: 078322737X
Release Date: September 16, 1998
Theatrical Release Date: August 11, 1973
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com essential video
Here's how critic Roger Ebert described the unique and lasting value of George Lucas's 1973 box-office hit, American Graffiti: "[It's] not only a great movie but a brilliant work of historical fiction; no sociological treatise could duplicate the movie's success in remembering exactly how it was to be alive at that cultural instant." The time to which Ebert and the film refers is the summer of 1962, and American Graffiti captures the look, feel, and sound of that era by chronicling one memorable night in the lives of several young Californians on the cusp of adulthood. (In essence, Lucas was making a semiautobiographical tribute to his own days as a hot-rod cruiser, and the film's phenomenal success paved the way for Star Wars.) The action is propelled by the music of Wolfman Jack's rock & roll radio show--a soundtrack of pop hits that would become as popular as the film itself. As Lucas develops several character subplots, American Graffiti becomes a flawless time capsule of meticulously re-created memory, as authentic as a documentary and vividly realized through innovative use of cinematography and sound. The once-in-a-lifetime ensemble cast members inhabit their roles so fully that they don't seem like actors at all, comprising a who's who of performers--some of whom went on to stellar careers--including Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Harrison Ford, Cindy Williams, Mackenzie Phillips, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, and Paul Le Mat. A true American classic, the film ranks No. 77 on the American Film Institute's list of all-time greatest American movies. --Jeff Shannon
Amazon.com
Here's how critic Roger Ebert described the unique and lasting value of George Lucas's 1973 box-office hit, American Graffiti: "[It's] not only a great movie but a brilliant work of historical fiction; no sociological treatise could duplicate the movie's success in remembering exactly how it was to be alive at that cultural instant." The time to which Ebert and the film refers is the summer of 1962, and American Graffiti captures the look, feel, and sound of that era by chronicling one memorable night in the lives of several young Californians on the cusp of adulthood. (In essence, Lucas was making a semiautobiographical tribute to his own days as a hot-rod cruiser, and the film's phenomenal success paved the way for Star Wars.) The action is propelled by the music of Wolfman Jack's rock & roll radio show--a soundtrack of pop hits that would become as popular as the film itself. As Lucas develops several character subplots, American Graffiti becomes a flawless time capsule of meticulously re-created memory, as authentic as a documentary and vividly realized through innovative use of cinematography and sound. The once-in-a-lifetime ensemble cast members inhabit their roles so fully that they don't seem like actors at all, comprising a who's who of performers--some of whom went on to stellar careers--including Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Harrison Ford, Cindy Williams, Mackenzie Phillips, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, and Paul Le Mat. A true American classic, the film ranks No. 77 on the American Film Institute's list of all-time greatest American movies. Befitting that reputation, the collector's edition DVD includes a full-length commentary by Lucas, a behind-the-scenes featurette about the film's production, a photo gallery, and extensive production notes. --Jeff Shannon
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| Customer Reviews: Read 150 more reviews...
 Love the movie, not the DVD August 9, 2008
The movie is of course a classic and always fun to watch. What I was disapointed with was this recording. For this being remastered, the sound was awful. I was constantly turning it up and straining to hear. It was reallly awful.
 American Graffiti July 28, 2008
Seen the movie several times loved it and now my son wanted to see it so I passed along to him and he loved it too.
 A Classic Movie In Its Day July 17, 2008
When I watched this movie at the theater for the first time many years ago I remembered that I loved it. I love the pop music of the late 50s and early 60s. But watching this movie again was both rewarding and a disappointment. I still love the music but I guess I'm much more critical now - I noticed that the plot and some of the acting is not as great as I once thought it was. But this is still a great movie especially if you appreciate this era of time in the American pop scene. Enjoy!!!
Now the "yonugsters" can see what "real" harmless fun was. July 1, 2008
If there is anyone who was into cars back in the early 60's, this is for you. George Lucas served up some really good memories with this one. This was cruising in "Anytown, USA". Most anyone you talk to, who was alive and kicking in this time frame, will recall some of the events shown in this movie. Simply good fun to watch, and some fairly "harmless" gags too. Just goes to show that you don't have to shoot anyone to have some fun.
Another classic ruined June 16, 2008
American Graffiti is a classic film. Those "reviewers" who bemoan the fact that this existence was idyllic and far removed from their own experience are missing the point. Such "remove" is precisely the point. The film came out in 1973, and depicted American life exactly 10 years in the past. And yet America had changed so vastly in that tiny space of time that this film showed us a culture as alien in 1973 as it is compared to today. On the heels of Viet Nam and Watergate, this film blew us away by showing how life was just 10 years in the past. Imagine seeing a movie today set in 1998. Very little would look or sound different. Yet in American Graffiti, it was a world in which nothing was familiar anymore.
That said, the "Collector Edition" is another bungled-up "sound remastering" job. Somebody needs to de-Spielburg these folks: take away their darn volume knob! They've amped up the music to the point of being absurd. If you can hear the conversations, then the next song is going to blast your eardrums out. If you adjust the music so it is palatable, you can't hear the dialogue. Plus they've simply amped up the mid-range, so you lose the highs and lows of these classic songs. Somebody PLEASE inform these clowns that simply amplifying the mid-range and blasting up the volume is not "re-mastering." George Lucas should sue them for ruining his classic film.
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