Before Star Wars became a phenomenon, 1973's American Graffiti put a young George Lucas on the map, all while changing Hollywood forever. Inspired by Lucas' own life, the coming-of-age classic seamlessly blends comedy and drama elements. Although it wasn't Lucas' first foray into feature-film directing, American Graffiti certainly reshaped his trajectory, thanks in large part to the film's producer and long-time champion Francis Ford Coppola. In fact, of all the movies George Lucas directed, this one is still at the top.

https://screenrant.com/american-graffiti-movie-george-lucas-changed-hollywood/