“American Graffiti” is a 1973 coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by George Lucas and produced by Francis Ford Coppola. The film takes place in 1962 in Modesto, California, and follows a group of teenagers on their last night together before heading off to college or into the workforce.

Lucas wrote the script based on his own experiences growing up in Modesto, and the film’s title is derived from the act of cruising, which was a popular pastime among American teenagers in the 1950s and early 1960s. Adding in semi-autobiographical connotations, many of the shenanigans and stories were based on his actual high school experiences (yes, there was a real police car incident!).

“American Graffiti” was initially released with low expectations by Universal Pictures, but it quickly became a surprise box office hit, grossing over $115 million worldwide on a budget of just $750,000. The film also received critical acclaim and was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. The success of “American Graffiti” helped launch the careers of many of its young stars, as well as Lucas himself, who would go on to create the “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” franchises. The film is also credited with sparking a renewed interest in 1950s and 1960s nostalgia, which would inspire a wave of similarly themed films and television shows in the years to come.

The founders of the famous car club, Faros, were Lucas’ next door neighbors. The Faros, teenagers who created a club to work on cars and do community service, were founded in Modesto and in the 50’s actually performed free community service projects. The Faros are still active today and are board members of the Graffiti USA Classic Car Museum in Modesto.

You can check out this classic now streaming on Netflix!