In this scene, George Lucas uses very little light to suggest that Curt feels very lost and alone. As he drives into darkness, all we can see is the shadow of his car and his shadowed face. As he continues to walk around the building, all we can see are dark silhouettes. When another silhouette of a man appears, we see Curt has two reflections in the studio's window, suggesting his double identity. Once he is told by this mysterious figure to go into the back, we are finally presented with lighting from above which brings life to the scene. As Curt has traveled into the unknown to make a dedication to his so claimed lover, the wolfman advises him to go explore and take advantage of the opportunity to leave. Relating back to the reflection scene in the window, it suggests that the wolfman is the one who has caused Curt to face his double identity and to leave his old reflection behind and enter the unknown. Entering the dark studio allowed Curt to get his message out right away which suggests that his future will hopefully turn out the same way as he continues to enter the unknown. -Emily Carey
The meaning that Lucas creates in the final scene is Curt's turning point in the film. Curt looking for the Wolfman, and the Wolfman telling Curt that he is "everywhere" shows Curt looking for himself, in a way. Then, when Curt sees that the man in the box is actually the Wolfman, it is as if he has found a part of himself. The conversation with the Wolfman helps Curt decide if he is going to stay or go back to college. Lucas' use of dark lighting and a small room ties into the line, "...and the places he talks about that he's been, the things he's seen, theres a great big beautiful world out there. And here I sit sucking on popsicles." This is a wakeup call for Curt and represents that he needs to get out there and discover himself in the world by experiencing new things. The Wolfman helps Curt realize that he needs to go back to college, which ultimately helps him make his final decision to leave. Overall, this is Curt's major turning point in the film. By talking to the Wolfman (whom he does not know is the real Wolfman until the end of the scene) Curt realizes his fate and what he needs to do in order to be successful.
When Curt pulls up to the radio station and gets out of the car, the first thing he sees is the radio tower. For this shot, George Lucas scales all the way up from the radio station to the top of the tower. This foreshadows the turning point for Curt as the shot starts by showing us the station, a foundation within Curt's hometown, and climbs to the sky where Curt will eventually be as he flies to college. Then, as he enters and meets Wolfman for the first time, Wolfman is in the shadows and cannot be seen at all. Curt, on the other hand, is reflected twice in the window symbolizing his fighting between himself in making a decision. As Curt continues walking into the room, he is finally in the light suggesting his enlightenment and eventual decision to leave his hometown.
First of all, Curt is finally driving his own car in this scene. This suggests that he is taking control of his life, and making his own decisions based on what he wants. Curt also finally decides that he is leaving town the next day, and has one chance to try and get what he wants. When Curt walks into the radio station, he is reflected in the large glass window. This represents double identity, and how Curt is unsure of what he wants out of life. Should he stay home and remain comfortable with his life, or take a risk and go to college across the country. The scene is then film from the outside of the window, with Curt and Wolfman on the inside, suggesting that Curt has finally made a choice; his turning point.
When Curt arrives at the radio station seeking the advice of Wolfman Jack, he sees a shadowy figure through a pane of glass. Lucas purposely shoots Wolfman in the shadows to show how uncertain Curt's future is. All his life Curt has lived in safety and shelter of this small town, and entering Wolfman Jack's studio without knowing what to expect is his first step toward breaking free. Lucas reaffirms this idea by shooting Curt through the glass, which acts like a mirror and causes a reflection of Curt. Literally showing two Curts is Lucas' way of revealing the duality of his identity and the conflict within him. On the one hand, part of Curt wants to remain in the town he has spent his entire life, but another part of Curt, the part that ultimately causes him to enter the Wolfman's studio, wants to go off into the world. Finally, the first thing Wolfman says to Curt is "Have a popsicle, the ice box just broke down and they're melting all over the place." Lucas uses the popsicle as a symbol of Curt's youth. His entire life he's been hoping he could hold on to it forever, to literally freeze it. But now he has come to a point in his life where maintaining his youth is no longer an option. The freezer is broken; the popsicles are melting; and now he must choose.
Throughout the film, Wolfman Jack exclusively captures the imaginations of many listeners, as a figure of mystery, opportunity, and power. Many of the teenagers driving around listening to the radio come up with various rumors of Wolfman Jack’s race or location, or experience. Out of all the characters, Lucas highlights that Curt is the only one who had the agency to seek him out in his own car, in pursuit of the t-bird lady. The darkness, lighting, and shadows of the scene further emphasizes the mystery of Wolfman’s omniscient persona, because when Curt first sees him, his figure is completely black and impossible to recognize. Furthermore, in this scene the glass displays two reflections of Curt, representing the duality of his decision, and ambivalence about whether or not he wants to stay in his town, or leave and experience the world. When Curt asks where the Wolfman is, the man in the radio room says that, “the Wolfman is everywhere,” thereby contributing to the myth of the voice on the radio as a sensationalized figure, that functions as a symbol of possibility and youth. When the true identity of the Wolfman is revealed, it becomes clear that the man in the radio room can relive youthful possibilities through the Wolfman alter-ego. Curt decides accepts his advice to learn and experience the world, and pursue the ideas for which the Wolfman represents.
George Lucas emphasizes the use of shadows in this scene to represent the mystery of Wolfman's presence. It is very dark as Curt is driving up and when Curt first sees the Wolfman his figure is completely black and unrecognizable. Also, as Curt looks to where the Wolfman is behind the glass, there is a double reflection of him. This is a style of shot composition that represents the duality in Curt's character regarding his decision to leave for college or stay in town. When Curt actually enters the room that Wolfman is in the lighting completely changes and it is very brightly lit. This represents the positive impact that the messages from Wolfman have and the symbol of possibility with regards to Curt and the choices he has to make.
Two motifs are nearly omnipresent throughout Lucas' film: Wolfman Jack's radio program, and cars. During this scene Lucas uses both motifs, as well as various other tactics, to communicate that for Curt, this encounter is the threshold moment of his journey into adulthood. Throughout the film, Curt has been portrayed as a a child like character, unsure of who is, who to spend his time with, and what to do with his future. During this scene, Curt symbolically grows out of his childhood as he drives his own car, rather than being driven around by his friends or various other characters. His character has begun to develop into that of an adult, and with this growth comes the privilege of driving, as well its implications of independence, control and productivity. Further underscoring his symbolic transition from childhood to adulthood is the careful lighting chosen by Lucas, the scene is darkly lit, with the first source of light shown emanating from Curt's car, and implies that Curt is finally capable of journeying into the unknown, "dark" future. A clever shot shows Curt's reflection, which allows the audience to see Curt during the beginning of his conversation with the shadowy Wolfman Jack, and more importantly marks the self reflection Curt has begun to and will continue to undergo and the splitting of the adult Curt from the child Curt. During the rest of their conversation, Wolfman Jack repeatedly offers Curt popsicles, an emblem of childhood. The popsicles are melting, signifying the end of childhood, and Curt turns down the offers, symbolizing his readiness to venture into adulthood.
Lucas uses the confrontation scene between Curt and the Wolfman to convey that Curt is at a pivotal moment in his final decision to move out of Modesto. Lucas uses popsicles in this scene as a symbol of spontaneity and acceptance, two traits Curt must adapt in order to move forward. The Wolfman is eating a popsicle because his freezer broke. Instead of throwing them out, or trying to fix the freezer, the Wolfman accepts the setback and decides to enjoy the popsicles in this moment. The Wolfman’s reaction to such a problem is easygoing and optimistic. Conversely, Curt has been reluctant to make a final decision about going to college, and has spent the night floating between friends and hooligans, avoiding the choice. Curt refuses a popsicle, because he is refusing to fully consider his real problem, and instead focus on finding the girl who drives the white Thunderbird. The Wolfman offers to help Curt, but ultimately his impact is advising Curt about the experiences he could have saying, “and the places he talks about that he's been, the things he's seen, theres a great big beautiful world out there.” Curt must internalize this sense of adventure and decisiveness if he wants to succeed. Thus, at the end of the scene when Curt shakes the Wolfman’s hand and comments on how sticky his hand becomes, we see through his conversation, the Wolfman has transferred some of his own optimism and decisiveness to Curt. The popsicle serves as a visual motif within the scene, to convey the transformation in Curt that will ultimately lead him to decide to leave Modesto.
Lucas uses many elements in this scene in order to convey that Curt has finally made a decision regarding his future. In the beginning of the clip, Curt is seen driving a car himself. Similarly to The Graduate, Curt had been a passenger in many of the car scenes, yet in this scene he finally take control of his own life which can be seen because of his control in the car. Furthermore, Lucas uses a mirror-like shot when Curt is walking through the studio. Curt sees Wolfman's silhouette through the window and cannot see him clearly because the light is shining on him. The lighting creates a reflection and Curt sees two versions of himself. This is very significant because it also represents Curt's indecision and uncertainty with his future. He has the option to go off to college or stay in his home town and these choices are manifested in the reflection of himself.
Lucas is demonstrating the final transformation of Curt and his decision to go to college and not stay. He truly realizes in this moment that he needs to get out of the town and move on to bigger and better things. A motif that is used in this scene is the shadows and the unknown. The Wolfman is a very mysterious character and he is a very unknown character, Curt is afraid of the unknown, when he goes to confront his fear, it is the unknown telling him it is a good decision to go out there and expierence what he is missing. This ultimately pushes Curt to doing so. The symbol of the unknown pushes Curt along the whole night, first with the woman and then with him deciding on whether or not he will go away. He does not know who Wolfman is, but he listens to him because he has this authoritative voice giving people direction. Curt is looking for direction in life and his final decision to pursue his college career is motivated by Wolfman's advice on going out and living, and overall overcoming the fear of the unknown.
In this scene, Curt's uncertainty about moving off to college are very cleraly demonstrated. The dark shadows in the radio studio that he ends up walking in to, all in search of a girl, foreshadow his ability to venture into the unknown of college and his future life (the darkness) in hopes of achieving and satisfying his true ambitions, and satisfying his hunger to become an adult and live on his own away from home. That's exactly what he did by walking into the dark radio station by following his dreams to meet his dream girl. The shadow cast upon the Wolfman's face is representing all of the people he will meet in his upcoming life journey, and how most of them will be fairly similar to each other, sharing the same beliefs, advice, and desires. This is seem particularly when Wolfman says "aren't we all" when Curt tells him he's looking for a girl.
In the beginning of this scene, Curt is shown driving his own car to the radio tower, this shows that he is finally starting to gain a sense of independence. He is starting to make decisions for his own life. His search for the mystery girl also demonstrates Curt’s perseverance and self motivation. when Curt arrives inside the radio studio, he sees wolfman through the glass. There is a reflection of himself in the glass as well. In some ways, the director is trying to show that there is part of the spirit of wolfman within Curt. This furthers the idea of Curts identity crisis and causes the audience to see how he is struggling with the idea of leaving his home town and starting a future that he is extremely uncertain of.
As Curt pulls in to the radio station, the lines from the song playing in the background are “I searched, and I searchd”. Curt is searching for many things throughout the film, like the T-Bird Lady, and a decision on whether or not he should go to college or stay home. As Curt walks into the darkness and shadows in this scene, it symbolizes how he is about to walk into the unknown of college. Just as the song is suggesting, Curt is searching for answers. Furthermore, Curt is also driving himself, suggesting that he is slowly progressing into adulthood. This notion is furthered as he rejects the popsicles that the Wolfman offers him, as he is becoming too grown up for such a childish thing. Curt goes to the wolfman for answers because he is searching for direction, yet he also finds himself in the Wolfman’s office, which can be seen when Curt sees his reflection in the glass. Curt goes to the Wolfman in an effort to find the T-Bird Lady, yet this scene symbolizes Curt’s transition into adulthood, which ultimately leads him to leave Modesto and go to college.
The themes of American Graffti start from the very beginning of this scene. Kurt's old, but self run, Volkwagen Beatle illuminates a dark dirt road. He has left the cozy civilization and has entered the dark wild of the unknown. He arrives at the radio station and the camera pans up to the radio tower, also illuminated, and right before the cut, the audience is left with an image of the radio tower against a dark night sky. This wide shot symbolizes the blank slate open to Kurt if he leaves his home town. When Kurt enters the radio station Lucas takes a page out of Mike Nichols' book by using more light to keep Kurt in the dark until he steps into the center studio with the Wolfman. There he is given the final piece of advice he needed to make his decision and he exists back into the dark but with confidence rather than fear. As he turns around to leave, he looks back, again with light on his face, and sees the Wolfman reveal his true identity and further confirm the advice he gave to Kurt. Lucas' mastery of light pushed across these final touches on a quintessential coming of age film.
George Lucas uses several techniques in this scene to illuminate that as a part of growing up, Curt must leave the comfort of his hometown and ignore his desire to remain with the familiar. The scene starts with a car driving down a dark road, a shot in which the car’s headlights are the main light source. These beams, as well as a pan up the nearby radio tower, introduce the theme of direction as our protagonist questions his own direction in life. Next, as Curt enters the radio station, we see him struggle with a door containing a small, circular window, then look in at disc jockey Wolfman Jack through another window. These windows are relevant not only to the theme of entrapment—Curt feels trapped by his hometown and the pressures to stay, but also by his conflicting desire to leave—but they also render the radio booth a microcosm for Curt’s life in his hometown. It is small and cramped, and we, as viewers looking in from the outside, know there is a greater world out there, one that Curt cannot yet fully see. Before Curt enters the radio booth, we see his reflection doubled in the glass, which implies he has somewhat of a double identity due to his conflicting emotions. When Curt and the Wolfman are inside the booth, Lucas uses auditory components of film to convey some important points. Curt discovers the Wolfman is on tape and feels deceived and betrayed. This, however, reveals his naiveté, one reason it is necessary for him to get out into the greater world, a world in which he will be deceived but will have to deal with it. The Wolfman also tells Curt to “get [his] ass in gear” because there is “a great big beautiful world out there.” He himself claims he cannot do so because is no longer a young man. Thus, the viewer sees the Wolfman as a representation of missed opportunity. The concept of radio itself fits in nicely with these themes. Radio is simply someone reaching out to the “big beautiful world” from a safe box, from a zone of comfort. The Wolfman urges Curt not to become like he has. Then, at the end of the scene, Curt sees the man to whom he has been talking speak into the microphone and discovers he truly is the Wolfman. The Wolfman’s face is shot between a door and a dark wall, and Curt is in the shadows as he makes his discovery. The viewer cannot see Curt’s face, but can see the Wolfman’s. Curt should listen to this man’s advice—although his new journey may be mysterious, effectively putting him in shadowed places, it is necessary to leave the known for the unknown, the familiar for the unfamiliar. That, Lucas implies, is truly coming-of-age. As the scene fades we hear music overlapping miscellaneous noises and the radio, representing the many new components of the life Curt will make for himself once he leaves his hometown.
ReplyDelete-Betsy Waisel
In this scene, George Lucas uses very little light to suggest that Curt feels very lost and alone. As he drives into darkness, all we can see is the shadow of his car and his shadowed face. As he continues to walk around the building, all we can see are dark silhouettes. When another silhouette of a man appears, we see Curt has two reflections in the studio's window, suggesting his double identity. Once he is told by this mysterious figure to go into the back, we are finally presented with lighting from above which brings life to the scene. As Curt has traveled into the unknown to make a dedication to his so claimed lover, the wolfman advises him to go explore and take advantage of the opportunity to leave. Relating back to the reflection scene in the window, it suggests that the wolfman is the one who has caused Curt to face his double identity and to leave his old reflection behind and enter the unknown. Entering the dark studio allowed Curt to get his message out right away which suggests that his future will hopefully turn out the same way as he continues to enter the unknown.
ReplyDelete-Emily Carey
The meaning that Lucas creates in the final scene is Curt's turning point in the film. Curt looking for the Wolfman, and the Wolfman telling Curt that he is "everywhere" shows Curt looking for himself, in a way. Then, when Curt sees that the man in the box is actually the Wolfman, it is as if he has found a part of himself. The conversation with the Wolfman helps Curt decide if he is going to stay or go back to college.
ReplyDeleteLucas' use of dark lighting and a small room ties into the line, "...and the places he talks about that he's been, the things he's seen, theres a great big beautiful world out there. And here I sit sucking on popsicles." This is a wakeup call for Curt and represents that he needs to get out there and discover himself in the world by experiencing new things. The Wolfman helps Curt realize that he needs to go back to college, which ultimately helps him make his final decision to leave. Overall, this is Curt's major turning point in the film. By talking to the Wolfman (whom he does not know is the real Wolfman until the end of the scene) Curt realizes his fate and what he needs to do in order to be successful.
When Curt pulls up to the radio station and gets out of the car, the first thing he sees is the radio tower. For this shot, George Lucas scales all the way up from the radio station to the top of the tower. This foreshadows the turning point for Curt as the shot starts by showing us the station, a foundation within Curt's hometown, and climbs to the sky where Curt will eventually be as he flies to college. Then, as he enters and meets Wolfman for the first time, Wolfman is in the shadows and cannot be seen at all. Curt, on the other hand, is reflected twice in the window symbolizing his fighting between himself in making a decision. As Curt continues walking into the room, he is finally in the light suggesting his enlightenment and eventual decision to leave his hometown.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, Curt is finally driving his own car in this scene. This suggests that he is taking control of his life, and making his own decisions based on what he wants. Curt also finally decides that he is leaving town the next day, and has one chance to try and get what he wants. When Curt walks into the radio station, he is reflected in the large glass window. This represents double identity, and how Curt is unsure of what he wants out of life. Should he stay home and remain comfortable with his life, or take a risk and go to college across the country. The scene is then film from the outside of the window, with Curt and Wolfman on the inside, suggesting that Curt has finally made a choice; his turning point.
ReplyDeleteWhen Curt arrives at the radio station seeking the advice of Wolfman Jack, he sees a shadowy figure through a pane of glass. Lucas purposely shoots Wolfman in the shadows to show how uncertain Curt's future is. All his life Curt has lived in safety and shelter of this small town, and entering Wolfman Jack's studio without knowing what to expect is his first step toward breaking free. Lucas reaffirms this idea by shooting Curt through the glass, which acts like a mirror and causes a reflection of Curt. Literally showing two Curts is Lucas' way of revealing the duality of his identity and the conflict within him. On the one hand, part of Curt wants to remain in the town he has spent his entire life, but another part of Curt, the part that ultimately causes him to enter the Wolfman's studio, wants to go off into the world. Finally, the first thing Wolfman says to Curt is "Have a popsicle, the ice box just broke down and they're melting all over the place." Lucas uses the popsicle as a symbol of Curt's youth. His entire life he's been hoping he could hold on to it forever, to literally freeze it. But now he has come to a point in his life where maintaining his youth is no longer an option. The freezer is broken; the popsicles are melting; and now he must choose.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the film, Wolfman Jack exclusively captures the imaginations of many listeners, as a figure of mystery, opportunity, and power. Many of the teenagers driving around listening to the radio come up with various rumors of Wolfman Jack’s race or location, or experience. Out of all the characters, Lucas highlights that Curt is the only one who had the agency to seek him out in his own car, in pursuit of the t-bird lady. The darkness, lighting, and shadows of the scene further emphasizes the mystery of Wolfman’s omniscient persona, because when Curt first sees him, his figure is completely black and impossible to recognize. Furthermore, in this scene the glass displays two reflections of Curt, representing the duality of his decision, and ambivalence about whether or not he wants to stay in his town, or leave and experience the world. When Curt asks where the Wolfman is, the man in the radio room says that, “the Wolfman is everywhere,” thereby contributing to the myth of the voice on the radio as a sensationalized figure, that functions as a symbol of possibility and youth. When the true identity of the Wolfman is revealed, it becomes clear that the man in the radio room can relive youthful possibilities through the Wolfman alter-ego. Curt decides accepts his advice to learn and experience the world, and pursue the ideas for which the Wolfman represents.
ReplyDeleteGeorge Lucas emphasizes the use of shadows in this scene to represent the mystery of Wolfman's presence. It is very dark as Curt is driving up and when Curt first sees the Wolfman his figure is completely black and unrecognizable. Also, as Curt looks to where the Wolfman is behind the glass, there is a double reflection of him. This is a style of shot composition that represents the duality in Curt's character regarding his decision to leave for college or stay in town. When Curt actually enters the room that Wolfman is in the lighting completely changes and it is very brightly lit. This represents the positive impact that the messages from Wolfman have and the symbol of possibility with regards to Curt and the choices he has to make.
ReplyDeleteTwo motifs are nearly omnipresent throughout Lucas' film: Wolfman Jack's radio program, and cars. During this scene Lucas uses both motifs, as well as various other tactics, to communicate that for Curt, this encounter is the threshold moment of his journey into adulthood. Throughout the film, Curt has been portrayed as a a child like character, unsure of who is, who to spend his time with, and what to do with his future. During this scene, Curt symbolically grows out of his childhood as he drives his own car, rather than being driven around by his friends or various other characters. His character has begun to develop into that of an adult, and with this growth comes the privilege of driving, as well its implications of independence, control and productivity. Further underscoring his symbolic transition from childhood to adulthood is the careful lighting chosen by Lucas, the scene is darkly lit, with the first source of light shown emanating from Curt's car, and implies that Curt is finally capable of journeying into the unknown, "dark" future. A clever shot shows Curt's reflection, which allows the audience to see Curt during the beginning of his conversation with the shadowy Wolfman Jack, and more importantly marks the self reflection Curt has begun to and will continue to undergo and the splitting of the adult Curt from the child Curt. During the rest of their conversation, Wolfman Jack repeatedly offers Curt popsicles, an emblem of childhood. The popsicles are melting, signifying the end of childhood, and Curt turns down the offers, symbolizing his readiness to venture into adulthood.
ReplyDeleteLucas uses the confrontation scene between Curt and the Wolfman to convey that Curt is at a pivotal moment in his final decision to move out of Modesto. Lucas uses popsicles in this scene as a symbol of spontaneity and acceptance, two traits Curt must adapt in order to move forward. The Wolfman is eating a popsicle because his freezer broke. Instead of throwing them out, or trying to fix the freezer, the Wolfman accepts the setback and decides to enjoy the popsicles in this moment. The Wolfman’s reaction to such a problem is easygoing and optimistic. Conversely, Curt has been reluctant to make a final decision about going to college, and has spent the night floating between friends and hooligans, avoiding the choice. Curt refuses a popsicle, because he is refusing to fully consider his real problem, and instead focus on finding the girl who drives the white Thunderbird. The Wolfman offers to help Curt, but ultimately his impact is advising Curt about the experiences he could have saying, “and the places he talks about that he's been, the things he's seen, theres a great big beautiful world out there.” Curt must internalize this sense of adventure and decisiveness if he wants to succeed. Thus, at the end of the scene when Curt shakes the Wolfman’s hand and comments on how sticky his hand becomes, we see through his conversation, the Wolfman has transferred some of his own optimism and decisiveness to Curt. The popsicle serves as a visual motif within the scene, to convey the transformation in Curt that will ultimately lead him to decide to leave Modesto.
ReplyDeleteLucas uses many elements in this scene in order to convey that Curt has finally made a decision regarding his future. In the beginning of the clip, Curt is seen driving a car himself. Similarly to The Graduate, Curt had been a passenger in many of the car scenes, yet in this scene he finally take control of his own life which can be seen because of his control in the car. Furthermore, Lucas uses a mirror-like shot when Curt is walking through the studio. Curt sees Wolfman's silhouette through the window and cannot see him clearly because the light is shining on him. The lighting creates a reflection and Curt sees two versions of himself. This is very significant because it also represents Curt's indecision and uncertainty with his future. He has the option to go off to college or stay in his home town and these choices are manifested in the reflection of himself.
ReplyDeleteLucas is demonstrating the final transformation of Curt and his decision to go to college and not stay. He truly realizes in this moment that he needs to get out of the town and move on to bigger and better things. A motif that is used in this scene is the shadows and the unknown. The Wolfman is a very mysterious character and he is a very unknown character, Curt is afraid of the unknown, when he goes to confront his fear, it is the unknown telling him it is a good decision to go out there and expierence what he is missing. This ultimately pushes Curt to doing so. The symbol of the unknown pushes Curt along the whole night, first with the woman and then with him deciding on whether or not he will go away. He does not know who Wolfman is, but he listens to him because he has this authoritative voice giving people direction. Curt is looking for direction in life and his final decision to pursue his college career is motivated by Wolfman's advice on going out and living, and overall overcoming the fear of the unknown.
ReplyDeleteIn this scene, Curt's uncertainty about moving off to college are very cleraly demonstrated. The dark shadows in the radio studio that he ends up walking in to, all in search of a girl, foreshadow his ability to venture into the unknown of college and his future life (the darkness) in hopes of achieving and satisfying his true ambitions, and satisfying his hunger to become an adult and live on his own away from home. That's exactly what he did by walking into the dark radio station by following his dreams to meet his dream girl. The shadow cast upon the Wolfman's face is representing all of the people he will meet in his upcoming life journey, and how most of them will be fairly similar to each other, sharing the same beliefs, advice, and desires. This is seem particularly when Wolfman says "aren't we all" when Curt tells him he's looking for a girl.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of this scene, Curt is shown driving his own car to the radio tower, this shows that he is finally starting to gain a sense of independence. He is starting to make decisions for his own life. His search for the mystery girl also demonstrates Curt’s perseverance and self motivation. when Curt arrives inside the radio studio, he sees wolfman through the glass. There is a reflection of himself in the glass as well. In some ways, the director is trying to show that there is part of the spirit of wolfman within Curt. This furthers the idea of Curts identity crisis and causes the audience to see how he is struggling with the idea of leaving his home town and starting a future that he is extremely uncertain of.
ReplyDeleteAs Curt pulls in to the radio station, the lines from the song playing in the background are “I searched, and I searchd”. Curt is searching for many things throughout the film, like the T-Bird Lady, and a decision on whether or not he should go to college or stay home. As Curt walks into the darkness and shadows in this scene, it symbolizes how he is about to walk into the unknown of college. Just as the song is suggesting, Curt is searching for answers. Furthermore, Curt is also driving himself, suggesting that he is slowly progressing into adulthood. This notion is furthered as he rejects the popsicles that the Wolfman offers him, as he is becoming too grown up for such a childish thing. Curt goes to the wolfman for answers because he is searching for direction, yet he also finds himself in the Wolfman’s office, which can be seen when Curt sees his reflection in the glass. Curt goes to the Wolfman in an effort to find the T-Bird Lady, yet this scene symbolizes Curt’s transition into adulthood, which ultimately leads him to leave Modesto and go to college.
ReplyDeleteThe themes of American Graffti start from the very beginning of this scene. Kurt's old, but self run, Volkwagen Beatle illuminates a dark dirt road. He has left the cozy civilization and has entered the dark wild of the unknown. He arrives at the radio station and the camera pans up to the radio tower, also illuminated, and right before the cut, the audience is left with an image of the radio tower against a dark night sky. This wide shot symbolizes the blank slate open to Kurt if he leaves his home town. When Kurt enters the radio station Lucas takes a page out of Mike Nichols' book by using more light to keep Kurt in the dark until he steps into the center studio with the Wolfman. There he is given the final piece of advice he needed to make his decision and he exists back into the dark but with confidence rather than fear. As he turns around to leave, he looks back, again with light on his face, and sees the Wolfman reveal his true identity and further confirm the advice he gave to Kurt. Lucas' mastery of light pushed across these final touches on a quintessential coming of age film.
ReplyDelete