User blog:ARTaylor/45 Years of American Graffiti

Today marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the premiere of American Graffiti. The film was the second by director George Lucas, his only non-science fiction movie, and the last before he focused his time and energy on Star Wars. It follows several teenagers over a single night as they cruise around their home town, listen to rock-and-roll, and deal with the changes in their lives. It was a massive success with critics and fans. It was a box office smash and is still one of the most profitable films ever made. It was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The success of the film renewed interest in the 1950s and 1960s. Lucas's financial success allowed him to create the production studio Lucasfilm, sound developer Skywalker Sound, and visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic allowing him to create Star Wars.