Sometimes, we get endeared to film characters and we want to see what happens to them. And yes, sometimes their lives, after the stories we love, are far more mundane. Not every moment, or even a compilation of the most intriguing moments, would necessarily translate to a ninety minute feature film.
I've seen fragments of More American Graffiti, and edited television versions through the years but last night was the first time I watched the entire film through. The idea of cutting between four subsequent New Year's Eves was original and intriguing. Yes, since they only needed to focus on each story for less than thirty minutes, they might have found more interesting minutes to dramatize. As a drama, with a touch of comedy, it's plausible and interesting, even if it falls short of being compelling and brilliant. As a period piece and slice of life follow up to the characters, it works.
Everyone wanted to find out what happened to Oliver Barrett, after Love Story. The little known, obscure film Oliver's Story gives you a slice of Oliver's life, two years later. It's not necessarily fascinating but it is a respectable follow up for the curious. Ditto, Class of 44. Tens of millions of people were absorbed in the story of Hermie, Oscy and Benji in the classic film, Summer of 42. Here's where the characters are, two years later. Nothing is happening to them that would be worthy of another box office smash hit but we get to reacquaint and see where they are.
More American Graffiti gives us a fateful, if barely eventful night in the life of John Milner. Essentially, we see the lead up to the epilogue offered at the end of the first rather brilliant and unique feature film. Toad goes where he's said to go, also in the first film's epilogue. Would he have been able to pull off what he did is the only question I ask. These things did happen. Why would they necessarily have to be complicated? Without giving anything away, why couldn't a radical would be wimp like Toad have pulled this off, in the way he did it? It doesn't sound likely but it's plausible.
Dreyfuss chose to skip this sequel, as he chose to skip the follow up to Jaws. Was that because of his ego, his demands for high salaries or because he wanted to maintain the quality and integrity of the original masterpieces? I've never heard an interview about it so I guess I would need to ask him. In any case, Curt's younger brother Andy stood in his place, which made perfect sense. My guess is, if Dreyfuss had done the film, the role would have been larger and more significant but Andy's part worked.
Steven and Laurie as conservative Republicans also makes perfect sense. Regardless of their brief rebellious moments, I'd imagine that, if their characters are still alive in 2023, they are right now mourning Tucker's departure from Fox. I'm writing this review two days after this happened and a few months after the death of Cindy Williams. Seeing her so young and vibrant, if conservative, here makes me think of how fleeting it all is.
Candy Clark's story works as a realistic, credible, even if not so compelling slice of life, as well. I really would have liked to have seen more of Mackenzie Phillips, though. I always thought that Mackenzie's part was probably risqué and cut for television standards but she sadly doesn't do much here.
Again, as an intriguing masterpiece, it can't be compared to the original, in any way. As a uniquely presented slice of life follow up to the characters, it works.
In 2023, fifty odd years after the first film and roughly sixty years after the action of the original takes place, most of the actors are still alive and working. Maybe it's time for yet another follow up. They must have done something interesting since the sixties.
I've seen fragments of More American Graffiti, and edited television versions through the years but last night was the first time I watched the entire film through. The idea of cutting between four subsequent New Year's Eves was original and intriguing. Yes, since they only needed to focus on each story for less than thirty minutes, they might have found more interesting minutes to dramatize. As a drama, with a touch of comedy, it's plausible and interesting, even if it falls short of being compelling and brilliant. As a period piece and slice of life follow up to the characters, it works.
Everyone wanted to find out what happened to Oliver Barrett, after Love Story. The little known, obscure film Oliver's Story gives you a slice of Oliver's life, two years later. It's not necessarily fascinating but it is a respectable follow up for the curious. Ditto, Class of 44. Tens of millions of people were absorbed in the story of Hermie, Oscy and Benji in the classic film, Summer of 42. Here's where the characters are, two years later. Nothing is happening to them that would be worthy of another box office smash hit but we get to reacquaint and see where they are.
More American Graffiti gives us a fateful, if barely eventful night in the life of John Milner. Essentially, we see the lead up to the epilogue offered at the end of the first rather brilliant and unique feature film. Toad goes where he's said to go, also in the first film's epilogue. Would he have been able to pull off what he did is the only question I ask. These things did happen. Why would they necessarily have to be complicated? Without giving anything away, why couldn't a radical would be wimp like Toad have pulled this off, in the way he did it? It doesn't sound likely but it's plausible.
Dreyfuss chose to skip this sequel, as he chose to skip the follow up to Jaws. Was that because of his ego, his demands for high salaries or because he wanted to maintain the quality and integrity of the original masterpieces? I've never heard an interview about it so I guess I would need to ask him. In any case, Curt's younger brother Andy stood in his place, which made perfect sense. My guess is, if Dreyfuss had done the film, the role would have been larger and more significant but Andy's part worked.
Steven and Laurie as conservative Republicans also makes perfect sense. Regardless of their brief rebellious moments, I'd imagine that, if their characters are still alive in 2023, they are right now mourning Tucker's departure from Fox. I'm writing this review two days after this happened and a few months after the death of Cindy Williams. Seeing her so young and vibrant, if conservative, here makes me think of how fleeting it all is.
Candy Clark's story works as a realistic, credible, even if not so compelling slice of life, as well. I really would have liked to have seen more of Mackenzie Phillips, though. I always thought that Mackenzie's part was probably risqué and cut for television standards but she sadly doesn't do much here.
Again, as an intriguing masterpiece, it can't be compared to the original, in any way. As a uniquely presented slice of life follow up to the characters, it works.
In 2023, fifty odd years after the first film and roughly sixty years after the action of the original takes place, most of the actors are still alive and working. Maybe it's time for yet another follow up. They must have done something interesting since the sixties.