The inspiration for the iconic movie, 'American Graffiti' was Modesto, CA, home of screen-writer George Lucas. American Graffiti looks back at Lucas' youth, growing up in Modesto during the 'Happy Days'of the Fifties/early 1960s-1962 to be exact. Yet, in truth, most of the movie was actually filmed in the town of Petaluma, 100 miles northwest of Modesto. Petaluma, with its smaller town feel - and iconic clock tower and 'Mystic Theater square - is, has perhaps even more of a 'Fifties Feel;' than Modesto, thus the choice for the movie set; other movies including Back to the Future were also filmed in the town, which happens to also be the hometown of actress Wynona Ryder. While Modesto has been putting on big Graffiti celebrations for decades now, with the like of Wolfman Jack, Petaluma decided to get into the act 10 years ago and here are some sights from their latest Graffiti Day, last month .
STAY TUNED FOR THE BIG ONE, THE ORIGINAL AMERICAN GRAFFITI DAYS THIS WEEKEND IN MODESTO - HIGHLIGHTS TO COME TO THESE PAGES
HERE ARE A FEW BLASTS FROM PAST
HERE ARE A FEW BLASTS FROM PAST
Iconic Mystic Theater, town square
Yellow 40s Ford coupe, reminiscent of the one John Milner drove in the movie
See other American Graffiti, Petaluma, Modesto, CA, Graffiti Day, 1960s, fifties, Nostalgia.movie, film, Milner, Candy Clarki, Richard Dreyfus,Cindy williams George Lucas
The Other American Graffiti - Petaluma, CA - Iconic Drive In Movie, Concord, CA
Twice a year the East Bay's last Drive-in Movie Theater holds it's FREE Movie night. Latest was April 16, day after tax day, and folks poured into the outdoor movie palace in droves this warm evening. Movie was the recent and perhaps last film with Robin Williams, 'Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb'. If it's been a long time since you've been to a drive in movie - or in the case of kids, maybe never - it's worth it, even at regular price. No worries about someone sitting next to you making noise (other than your own family members in the car)... Plenty of privacy and, yes, perhaps a little romance if you brink your old ''57 Chevy with bucket seats....
Entrance to the movie (above) Screen one and 'UFO'snack bar (below)
For those interested in learning more about the average-rated yete campy movie with lots of big name stars, here's the plot.
It was great to see Williams, Van Dyke and even Mickey Rooney with a cameo appearance in the movie, or was that another one?
Movie Plot(wikipaedia )
In 1938, in Egypt a team of archaeologists is searching for a tomb and its treasure. A young boy falls into it, calling to his father and the team; they discover the artifact -- the tablet of Ahkmenrah. The locals tell them that if they remove the tablet, "the end will come".
In present-day New York City, night guard Larry Daley is overseeing an evening event at the American Museum of Natural History. Larry has gathered his favorite exhibits, which come to life every night, to help with the entertainment; they include Teddy Roosevelt played by ROBIN WILLIAMS, Attila the Hun, Sacagawea, Dexter the Monkey, diorama miniature cowboy Jed and miniature roman centurion Octavius, and "Rexy" the T-Rex skeleton. Larry meets a new wax figure Neanderthal who calls himself Laaa. Pharaoh Ahkmenrah had earlier warned Larry that the tablet is corroding, which had been causing the exhibits to act abnormally. At the event, the exhibits get out of control and the attendees flee. When Larry gets home, he finds his son Nicky throwing a party. Nicky explains he doesn't intend to apply to college, wanting to take a year off to figure out what he wants to do with his life.
Larry researches the tablet and learns Cecil Fredericks, the former security guard who tried to steal the tablet in thefirst movie, was the boy from 1938 who helped discover it. Larry goes to Cecil’s retirement home and explains to Cecil what is happening at the museum. Cecil recalls the locals' warning that "the end will come”, realizing it was not an "end of the world" prophecy but a warning that the tablet's magic would end. He suggests that Larry consult Ahkmenrah's parents, who are in the British Museum.
Larry and Nicky travel to London to the museum, meeting the security guard, Tilly, who lets them in. When Larry enters, he sees that his favorite exhibits all stowed away to join in the adventure. The tablet brings the British exhibits to life and the gang encounters a Triceratops skeleton, which chases them. The exhibit Sir Lancelot saves them but Jed and Octavius fall into a ventilation shaft. Larry sends Dexter to find Jed and Octavius, who have fallen even more, landing in a Pompeii exhibit just before the model Mount Vesuvius erupts. The others fight off a nine-headed Xiangliustatue and Dexter stops the volcano’s flow to save Jed and Octavius.
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The gang finds Ahkmenrah’s parents and his father, Merenkahre, reveals the purpose and power of the tablet: it was made to keep his family together forever. The tablet is endowed with the power of Khonsu, god of the moon, and needs frequent exposure to moonlight to retain its magic. Lancelot steals the tablet, mistaking it for the Holy Grail, then leaves to find his Lady Guinevere. The tablet continues to corrode, which damages the New York exhibits and threatens their “lives”. The gang splits up to find Lancelot, but Tilly apprehends Larry and locks him and Laaa in the employee break room. Larry reflects upon his relationship with Nicky and then Laaa breaks them out. The gang leaves the museum to continue the search, but the Trafalgar Square lion statues corner them. Larry distracts the statues with his flashlight and the search continues.
Lancelot has arrived at a local theater showing a production of Camelot starring Hugh Jackman as King Arthur and Alice Eve as Guinevere. He runs onstage, trying to convince "Guinevere" to join him. The gang arrives soon after and convinces Lancelot he's mistaken, chasing him to the roof. Larry persuades Lancelot to give him back the tablet to save the other exhibits, which have returned to their lifeless state. Larry adjusts the tablet and the moonlight restores it, reanimating the exhibits.
Larry returns the tablet to Merenkahre after the New York exhibits decide that the tablet and the pharaohs should stay together. As everyone parts ways, Larry tells Tilly that tomorrow night she will have the greatest job in the world. After returning to New York, the exhibits accept that they will permanently return to their inanimate state and they say goodbye to Larry.
Three years later, a traveling British Museum exhibition comes to the museum. Tilly gives the tablet to McPhee, whose job Larry had saved by taking the blame for the chaos at the evening event at the beginning of the film. She shows all the exhibits have come to life because of the tablet's power and are partying in the museum. Larry pauses on the sidewalk and sees the flashing lights of the party inside the museum, smiling.
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