MovieChat Forums > More American Graffiti (1979) Discussion > Accident? [SPOILER]

Accident? [SPOILER]

posted 15 years ago by WhisperingBells1959
16 replies | jump to latest

[spoiler] When John Milner was driving down that hill near the end, opposite of the car that killed him, it appears that the other car is not even in John's lane. I assumed that the other car was partially out of its lane and the drivers' sides of both of the cars rammed head on. My dad, with whom I watched the movie, believes that the cars did not hit at all because the other car looked to be totally in its lane. He thinks that John died later on that night (or morning). But if this had been the case, Milner's death would have been given as "January 1965." What do you guys think happened?

"Remember men, we're fighting for this woman's honor, which is probably more than she ever did."
-Duck Soup

[–] jrs-8 15 years ago

He died New Year's Eve and he was singing Auld Lang Syne as midnight was arriving so you can only assume that the approaching car was the one that would hit and kill him. Just because he wasn't Milner's lane or leaning at the moment doesn't mean he didn't cross at the last second so Milner had no chance to get out of the way. To me that last shot is a haunting one because I always believed you knew what was about to happen.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] GinoFelino 15 years ago

Co-sign.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] jrs-8 15 years ago

If you are going to look at the board for a 30 year old sequel to a famous original film that is 36 years old without having seen either film then you take your own risks. It is generally figured people on this board have seen one or both films.

Besides, the OP listed SPOILER so wouldn't you figure any responses would include SPOILER talk?

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] GinoFelino 14 years ago

Okay, so what is the rule for spoiler alerts, then? If the movie is more than twenty years old, you don't have to worry about spoiling the movie? It's the principle of the matter. While I don't agree with calling the OP a creep, I do agree that he/she should have put a spoiler warning on his/her original post.

Also, the OP listed SPOILER as an edit after being called on it.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] GinoFelino 14 years ago

Who was it who wanted plot or rating information? Your post is confusing, could you clear it up? The part that gets me is when you mention that plot information is able to be found elsewhere. I don't understand the point of bringing that up. The first reply was made because someone openly discussed plot, without putting spoiler alerts, that's all. There was no mention of where or when plot can be discussed, only that it should be discussed with a spoiler alert. And again, the OP put a spoiler alert only after being called on it.

[–] mrenaut-1 14 years ago

Going back to the original point of the post...
my recollection is that the oncoming car swerves into John's lane just after John's tailights have disappeared over the hill.

Brings a lot of irony to the junkyard scene in the original movie where John mentions not being in any accidents.

[–] ck1-5 13 years ago

...and, being that Milner's coupe had motorcycle style fenders and no real bumpers, it really wouldn't take much of a hit to destroy it.

[–] daryl-b-t 13 years ago

"Thanks for not informing beforehand your post had SPOILERS, creep."

Like, doh, you know how he dies from the first movie...

[–] Drewboy-2 11 years ago

I don't recall seeing a truck in the final scene, just Milner's taillights going down into a small valley.

In the BOOK, however, the accident is with the '56 T-Bird involving the mysterious blonde of Curt's fantasies (driving) with Budda (the Mel's carhop) as a passenger.

The cars hit but Milner goes over a cliff. The women are panicked but drive off after realizing there was nothing they could do.

[–] dlade-1 13 years ago

SPOILER IN THIS POST (per the previous posters. Although I don't think its needed here. But anyway. SPOILER ALERT).

If you watch the last few minutes carefully, when the truck first appears far away, you can see it swerve around in its lane for a couple seconds, at one point crossing the center line. As the scene closes, you don't see the truck any more. Then Milner goes over the hill and the movie is over. My impression was that the truck driver was drunk, but sober enough to keep driving. The crash happens at the bottom of that hill, which the viewer can't see, minutes after the film ends.

It actually was the only thing I liked about this otherwise abyssmal film. Oh, that and the soundtrack.

[–] vasq6876 12 years ago

I agree with dlade-1 on this. The truck doesn't swerve into Milner's lane, but does kind of swerve around his lane a bit indicating that the driver was drunk, then the last you see of either the truck or Milner is as they're headed into the bottom of the two hills so presumably that's where the accident happened.

I'm so ugly...that's ok 'cause so are you.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (156688) 11 years ago

Just saw the ending. Yep, dlade-1 and vasq6876 are correct. Sad to know that Milner is just about to die there! :(