
October 21, 2024
AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973) – AFI Movie Club
Groundbreaking for its use of popular music in lieu of a traditional score, AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973) was co-written and directed by AFI Life Achievement Award honoree George Lucas – based largely on his own experiences in Modesto, CA – and also features a breakout early role for AFI Life Achievement Award honoree Harrison Ford. Legendary...

August 16, 2024
THX 1138 (1971) – AFI Movie Club
Imagining a dystopian underground future where humans have designations instead of names, THX 1138 stars Robert Duvall and marked the feature directorial debut of AFI Life Achievement Award honoree George Lucas – who also co-wrote and edited the film. Visit the AFI Catalog to learn more about THX 1138. Have Get The Picture delivered to...

May 19, 2024
STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE (1999) – AFI Movie Club
Released 25 years ago today, STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE (1999) brought audiences back to “a galaxy far, far away” and reinvented the vaunted space saga for a new generation – demonstrating the same innovative spirit and creative spark that had first animated the beloved original film two decades prior. The story’s long-gestating and hotly...

December 29, 2023
HOOK (1991) – AFI Movie Club
Ambitious and magical on a scale worthy of the source material that served as its inspiration, HOOK (1991) features the artistic contributions of three AFI Life Achievement Award honorees – director Steven Spielberg, composer John Williams and, as the villainous pirate from whom the film derives its title, Dustin Hoffman. Produced by AFI Board of...

August 1, 2023
AMERICAN GRAFFITI – AFI Catalog Spotlight
In honor of back to school this month, AFI shines a spotlight on AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973), which follows a group of teenagers on their last night of summer vacation and celebrates its 50th release anniversary this August. Included on AFI’s 100 YEARS…100 MOVIES list of the greatest American films of all time, and AFI’s 100...

May 4, 2022
STAR WARS (1977) – AFI Movie Club
STAR WARS (1977) has been a consistent fixture on AFI’s various lists of America’s greatest movies – originally named one of the 50 Greatest American Films as part of the American Film Institute’s 10th anniversary celebration in 1977, while the film was still playing in theaters during its original run. The iconic adventure set “a...

January 25, 2022
AFI Movie Club: AMERICAN GRAFFITI
Groundbreaking for its use of popular music in lieu of a traditional score, AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973) was co-written and directed by AFI Life Achievement Award honoree George Lucas – based largely on his own experiences in Modesto, CA – and also features a breakout early role for AFI Life Achievement Award honoree Harrison Ford. Legendary...

May 4, 2021
AFI MOVIE CLUB: STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
For his iconic appearance as an inscrutable avatar of evil in this first sequel expanding that “galaxy far, far away,” Darth Vader appeared at #3 on AFI’s ranking of the greatest villains of all-time. STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK features no fewer than three AFI Life Achievement Award honorees – executive producer (and STAR WARS creator) George Lucas, star Harrison Ford and composer John...

May 4, 2020
AFI Movie Club: STAR WARS
STAR WARS has been a consistent fixture on AFI’s various lists of America’s greatest movies – first appearing at #15 on the original AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies list. The original film also boasts contributions by no fewer than three AFI Life Achievement Award recipients – writer/director George Lucas, star Harrison Ford and composer John Williams!…

August 10, 2016
Watch: Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Kobe Bryant & More Salute John Williams
Back in June, movie maestro John Williams took to the Dolby Theatre stage in Hollywood to accept the AFI Life Achievement Award before an audience of his closest friends and collaborators — including award presenter Steven Spielberg, who has collaborated with the composer on more than 25 projects. The night’s starry guests and speakers also included actors Drew…

December 14, 2015
From the Archives: George Lucas Tells the STAR WARS Origin Story
With STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS hitting theaters this week, we dug up a vintage American Film™ magazine interview with George Lucas published just before the release of the first STAR WARS film in 1977. Long before the space opera franchise would land in the hands of director J.J. Abrams, Lucas started developing STAR WARS in the early 1970s, even…

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