Hollywood2020 Looks At "The Graduate" & the Class of 2007

Last year in June, 2006, I wrote a blog for Amazon.com looking at how relevant the film THE GRADUATE is/was for the class of that year. I'm repeating my blog post here and would love to get input from my readers on what are the keywords for 2007. I'll gather those up and develop a new post in May, by Joyce Schwarz, blogging at www.hollywood2020.blogs.com, email me at [email protected]. Thanks.

THE GRADUATE -- why it's relevant in 2007 -- and what the keywords would be today!

It's been almost 40 years ago(1967) since the film THE GRADUATE swept the nation by storm. The film was so 'right-on' it not only reflected the culture of the times, but many Baby Boomers will say that it influenced culture!

Here's the exact wording of that famous exchange between Mr. McGuire and Benjamin (courtesy of RottenTomatoes.com):

I just want to say one word to you...just one word."--Mr. McGuire (Walter Brooke) to Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman)
"Yes, sir."--Ben
"Are you listening?"--Mr.McGuire
"Yes, sir. I am."--Ben
"Plastics"."--Mr. McGuire

WHAT "PLASTICS" MEANT BACK THEN?

A little research on the web turns up this analysis of the scene by NY TIMES writer Stephen Holden (written back in 1997 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the film):

"The Graduate" didn't invent the use of the word plastic to signify everything phony and superficial in American life. It merely sealed it in, well, celluloid. To sneer at all things plastic was to offer an instant definition of oneself as among the young, hip, truth-seeking cognoscenti locked in a moral power struggle with an older generation of square, corrupt, greedy, warmongering materialists. More than any other touch, its ridicule of plastic defined "The Graduate" as a film about the 60's generation gap."

AND IT REALLY WAS PLASTICS!

Ironically, a post on the film database IMDB.com reports that: Within a year of the movie's release, plastic manufacturing companies became enormously successful. Many people attribute this to Walter Brooke (who portrays Mr. McGuire) quote about "plastics". Brooke himself once told his nephew that he would have invested in plastics, if he had known that the remark would lead to such success.

Another bit of trivia seals the line in history forever as: The movie's line "Plastics." was voted as the #42 movie quote by the American Film Institute (out of 100).

SO WHAT WOULD IT BE TODAY?

In writing my first post on the Amazon.com "PLOG" I wanted comments that would cross all three of my books listed on Amazon -- "Multimedia: Gateway to the Next Millennium" (which is still used in more than 20 colleges and universities), "Successful Recareering" which is still available for purchase on Amazon.com and still gets great kudos from career counselors and economic development centers across the nation and "Tech TV's Cutting the Cord: The Wireless Consumer's Guide".

So that's why I started thinking about what the line would be today if "THE GRADUATE" was replayed for this generation of Gen Y's graduating from college this month. AND although many of my colleagues know that this was my choice for last year also -- I have to vote for "BROADBAND". I know other pundits are voting for "Nano" as in 'nano-technology"  -- meaning small, but I believe "nano-stuff" fever is still a few years-- and perhaps, even a decade ahead.

But "Broadband" is everywhere....more than anything this generation of college kids is probably going to be remembered by marketers as the cross-between "Myspace.com and Youtube.com" affecionados. TIVO just did a deal with Brightcove so that broadband and video on demand shorter features are available on TV. MTV's OVERDRIVE is hot, ESPN is capturing fans with real-time streaming media. The ultimate graduation gift for 2006 grads is probably a mash-up (edited and mixed-up) video of online and offline out-takes. Something gross/something outrageous/something not PC.

Second in the running for the 'word' of the day is no doubt SKYPE -- yep, free phone calls around the world. So that you can keep in touch with your MYSPACE.com list of thousands of pals! Free phone calls to talk to fellow gamers from your Worlds of Warcraft MMORPG.

Free phone calls so your parents don't have to pay for that dreaded mobile bill anymore! (originally published on Amazon.com in 2006).