The first time I saw this film, I was utterly taken with it. My folks ran a restaurant which became a hangout for the kids of the mid to late fifties and early sixties. It wasn't a drive in, but it became a place for much of what went on in this movie. We were in a small town, so there are urban elements that didn't apply. But there was cruising. There were fights. There were tough guys. I remember John Steinke who spent his Saturday evenings shooting up people's mailboxes with his .22. Most of the kids were normal kids. Some portrayals of the fifties make it seem like everyone had a leather jacket and a duck tail haircut. These were just a small percentage. Most postured and pranced around like the kids we have today. Different times; same basic behavior. I loved the mythos. The girl in the white car. The average Joe (Richard Dreyfuss). The nerd. The girl friend who you thought would be your love forever. The scary future. It's all here. Then there is that midnight journey, that quest. Wolfman Jack, whose career was really made big by this film. The police, who are understandably obsessed with these hoods and what they do. It's a lot of fun. I don't know why, however, this film didn't wash quite as well the last time I saw it. Was it too many Happy Days episodes? Is it less relevant now? Have we no innocence? I just didn't feel the magic. Or is it that I was so much closer to the ages of the characters when I saw it the first time. It's still a landmark film. The cinematography is striking. See it if you haven't.