AMERICAN GRAFFITI VS. COOLEY HIGH
pickwick33
8,946 Posts
The two quintessential look-backs at high school USA, ca. the early sixties.
GRAFFITI - Los Angeles, 1963, with the white kids hanging out at Mel's Drive-In. Boss soundtrack of oldies, with the Beach Boys'"All Summer Long" as the bittersweet farewell song. Wolfman Jack. "Rock & roll's been going downhill since Buddy Holly died." Was the template for the ABC-TV series Happy Days. Richard Dreyfuss takes a scary joyride in a (presumably) hot car, only to be let off the hook by the gangsters who forced him to come along. Later inspired a sequel with the horrible, unoriginal title More American Graffiti.
COOLEY - Chicago, 1964, with the black kids hanging out at some greasy spoon restaurant (forget the name) where the brothers shot craps in the back and it was owned by some obese, scary-looking lady wearing a hairnet who (presumably) carried a gun. The I-know-he-didn't facial expression on the girl is priceless when Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs decides to slow dance with another young lady at the house party. Boss soundtrack of oldies, with G.C. Cameron's then-newie "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" as the bittersweet farewell song. Was the template for the ABC-TV series What's Happening!!! Glynn Turman and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs take a joyride with a couple of gangsters/classmates and unfortunately don't get off as easily as Dreyfuss did in his flick. No sequel.
So which do you think is best?
I like them both about equally, although Cooley didn't pay as much attention to historical detail as much as it could have. There's a scene featuring the main characters shooting b-ball with a few extras (including a then-unknown Robert Townsend); unfortunately, wardrobe didn't set 'em up, so the extras are wearing 1970's clothing in a movie about the 1960's. And granted, Motown was the dominant sound of the times, but this was Chicago; shouldn't there have been some Major Lance or Gene Chandler records on that soundtrack? The only Chicago artist heard is bluesman Luther Allison, and his song was from 1974! Carping aside, the movie is still good in spite of itself...
GRAFFITI - Los Angeles, 1963, with the white kids hanging out at Mel's Drive-In. Boss soundtrack of oldies, with the Beach Boys'"All Summer Long" as the bittersweet farewell song. Wolfman Jack. "Rock & roll's been going downhill since Buddy Holly died." Was the template for the ABC-TV series Happy Days. Richard Dreyfuss takes a scary joyride in a (presumably) hot car, only to be let off the hook by the gangsters who forced him to come along. Later inspired a sequel with the horrible, unoriginal title More American Graffiti.
COOLEY - Chicago, 1964, with the black kids hanging out at some greasy spoon restaurant (forget the name) where the brothers shot craps in the back and it was owned by some obese, scary-looking lady wearing a hairnet who (presumably) carried a gun. The I-know-he-didn't facial expression on the girl is priceless when Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs decides to slow dance with another young lady at the house party. Boss soundtrack of oldies, with G.C. Cameron's then-newie "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" as the bittersweet farewell song. Was the template for the ABC-TV series What's Happening!!! Glynn Turman and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs take a joyride with a couple of gangsters/classmates and unfortunately don't get off as easily as Dreyfuss did in his flick. No sequel.
So which do you think is best?
I like them both about equally, although Cooley didn't pay as much attention to historical detail as much as it could have. There's a scene featuring the main characters shooting b-ball with a few extras (including a then-unknown Robert Townsend); unfortunately, wardrobe didn't set 'em up, so the extras are wearing 1970's clothing in a movie about the 1960's. And granted, Motown was the dominant sound of the times, but this was Chicago; shouldn't there have been some Major Lance or Gene Chandler records on that soundtrack? The only Chicago artist heard is bluesman Luther Allison, and his song was from 1974! Carping aside, the movie is still good in spite of itself...
Comments
Suzanne Somers > Cochese
On the other hand, I saw COOLEY as a kid, loved it and was affected by it immediately. I've viewed it at least 5 more times over the years and it never lost its punch.
COOLEY HIGH all the way.
The Wanderers was a great movie that always gets slept on.
I always liked that American Graffiti took place in one night. It had an urgency about it that I always liked. Dazed & Confused had the same feel.
Cooley High was also great because it was so real. I love the party seen where the china hutch get fusked up.
I unfortunately have not seen American Graffiti (shame on me). But one thing that always bugged me about Cooley High was that the character who was getting the basketball scholarship was never playing any damn basketball! He only takes one casual shot the whole damn movie! Don't know, that just bugged me for some reason.
I've been in contact with Eric Monte, the film's creator for the last year or so. He's had issues with drugs and other dealings in his life that has left him in a delicate state. I was involved in early talks to make a documentary on him but because of his state of being the project couldn't get off the ground. Still he is an amazing man and his work (Cooley High, Good Times, What's Happening) has influenced me greatly.
As for American Graffiti, never seen it
but my better personal story relates to American Graffiti.
I was a young euroboy with his own Tv in the room, wich made me stay up long and watch movies on the 5 different channels we had. A few weeks before i watched "American Graffiti" on channel two, wich i really enjoyed, so I was pretty hyped reading about another Movie that was announced for that night. The Movie was called "Graffiti" and was shown later that night, so i prepared a few snacks, and made sure my parents let me watch TV (Or just didn??t realise I was still up and watching. When the Movie started, the were no cadillacs nor leather jackets, no R&B or Be Bop. No, the first scene was a dark hoodlum in jeans, climbing down a spraypainted wall. I didn??t close my eyes ears and mouth for 90 minutes. I was watching "Wild Style" for the first time, wich was co-produced by German Television and the first screening had the Program Title "Graffiti". That night changed my life. I suddenly had the key to understand what I saw for months already, but couldn??t count it together. If it wasn??t for this moment, I wouldn??t be on this forum.
So, I kinda ride for American Graffiti.
Exactly.
Anyone who says otherwise is a RANKER.