Watch this video with your family.
The holiday season is a time for gathering with family. Rather than engaging in some spirited and likely nonsensical discussions about controversial topics, it’s better to enjoy something entertaining. Most movies these days are blah, so going back to the classics is a solid move. Tempting your family members to watch the great American Graffiti might prove difficult, so get them watching the short video below of scenes from the movie set to Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry. Anyone with a soul will be tapping their foot and wanting to see more of the classic cars.
For those who don’t know, and there’s no shame in that, American Graffiti is a classic love letter to American car culture in the early 1960s. For many it’s a walk down memory lane. For the rest of us it’s an amazing glimpse into something we wouldn’t experience otherwise.
The movie follows some high school kids during their last day of summer vacation back in 1962. They cruise the streets of their small Southern California town in flashy, modified Fords, Chevrolets, Mopars, and more that include quite a few hot rods, and that makes for so much eye candy you’ll be reaching for the pause button often.
So many people these days don’t realize American Graffiti was directed by George Lucas or that Harrison Ford is in it. Those facts alone should pique the interest of Star Wars-obsessed youth and maybe adults as well. Also in the film is Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, and Cindy Williams. Wolfman Jac plays an enigmatic disc jockey who plays all kinds of classic rock music throughout the night.
Of course, Chuck Berry is just as American as muscle cars and hot rods. He was a true pioneer of the rock ‘n roll genre, a titan of creativity and ingenuity in this country. That his free-wheeling guitar riffs would come to represent the freedom of kids cruising around in big cars with lots of chrome is really no coincidence.
So enjoy the video and try educating your family about the history of American car culture, but in a fun sort of way. And don’t forget Ford v Ferrari is still in theaters, so you could see that as well.
