Why The Graduate Is So Timeless 

Greatest comeback of 2019

OH MY GOSH HE POSTED I JUST REWATCHED THE TAXI DRIVER ANALYSIS THE OTHER DAY!

that pan out shot when elaine finds out ben has been having an affair with her mom, is honestly one of the creepiest shots i have ever seen.

My favorite part of the Graduate is when they play "Here's to You Mrs. Robinson" every time Ben steps foot on a highway

I love the scene where he's in this hotel for the first time and he's dressed in this suit and ordering drinks and everyone's calling him "sir" but he can't help but make a complete fool of himself because he doesn't quite know what he's doing yet and he isn't quite comfortable with the role of existing in the world as an adult man trying to be discreet about having an affair with a married woman. Like he's graduated from college and he's supposed to be ready to make his way in the world and handle things himself but he can't because he hasn't figured it out yet. It's so cringey and so relatable, even in 2020.

Hey you better not disappear for another 3 years again!

2016- "I'll be back" 2019- "(Sorry got stuck a bit) Told you so."

Yep. Same experience. Definitely hit me in a different way when I rewatched it after I had graduated from college with honors and found myself jobless and absolutely clueless as to what to do with my life.

Do you know how long I've waited for another analysis?! Can't believe the day has come

Greatest movie ever made. This is the only movie that I've ever seen that I truly believe was not only perfect on release, but has actually improved with age. Exceptional movie. 11/10

So i guess the upload schedule is once every three years

Keep posting! We need you here 💥

Taxi Driver my fifth most favourite movie, The Graduate is second, are you gonna beat 5 out of 5 my top movies?)

I don't watch oldies movies often, but The Graduate is filmed in such a... modern way. The framing, the shots, the closeups, the opening sequence. It's filmed so well.

I just watched Taxi Driver for the first time and was looking on RU-vid for some analysis videos and saw yours first. While I was watching Taxi Driver it got me thinking about how I need to revisit The Graduate. How crazy it is that the other video you've done (6 days ago may I add) is on The Graduate?!

Really great analysis Well, see you in 3 years...

This is, in my opinion, the greatest film ever made. The subtle symbolism, the intricate story line, the plot, the acting, the humor, and the soundtrack are all phenomenal. I too, saw this for the first time when I was 18, and I fell in love with it-- seeing Benjamin finally get away with Elaine. But as I got older and saw it again (probably now for the 12th time), I saw it differently. I realized that the central character is really Mrs. Robinson. She is a tragic yet complex character, and is really the driving force in this film. You can't help but feel sorry for her for what life has thrown at her. Anne Bancroft, Dustin Hoffman, Kathrine Ross, the producer and director and the rest of the cast did a brilliant job of somehow creating the most iconic movie of all time.

Please do 2001 A Space Odyssey next, that movie makes no sense to me

Dude you gotta keep making these man you’re on par with Nerdwriter without trying to be overly deep like he does occasionally. And if you ever see this, please do one about Children of Men. Seriously one of the most underrated gems of my generation of film.

I loved the part when Ben says “it’s time to graduate” and starts graduating all over the place

I check out this dude’s Taxi Driver video 2 days ago and think to myself “man, he hasn’t posted in 3 years? That sucks.” Lo and behold.

Who came here after 'taxi driver' video essay.

i just watched ur taxi driver review after watching the joker just to see u upload after 3 years, wtf

Legend had that More then meets the lens will return

I'm 18 and this movie REALLY spoke to me. The main character had the feels and I felt kinda anxious for him. My favorite coming-of-age film💜

i dont really get it... sounds like a bunch of film school rubbish to me.

This is so weird I just stumbled upon his first video at 4 am today and two days ago he uploads his second video. This is truly remarkable.

pretty good analysis. Remember, everything in a Rorschach is personal.

Alright boys now we gotta wait another 3 years

Cause the movie is filthy and degenerate?

thank you for returning, i was worried you were gonna put out only one amazing video

Alrighty see you in three years!

My family used to watch the annual showing of The Graduate on PRIME TIME during the Million Dollar Movie back in the 1970s. We would laugh and gasp and cheer -- a family of 7, - Mom, Dad, 2 girls and 3 boys from ages 4 to 16, a proud hip Black family in da hood of Philly. We'd talk during the commercials about sex, white people having so much wealth yet still being kinda unhappy & what we'd do with a pool! (LOL), ask sex questions, marvel at seeing Norman Fell from Three's Company STILL playing a grouchy protective landlord and the geeky guy from CLOSE ENCOUNTERS of The THIRD KIND and how that hippie soundtrack definitely kicked ass. Mom, a staunch church goer- would always holler & rant about Ben using the cross as a weapon and lock to help him & Elaine escape. Sometimes she liked it and other times it bothered her. As the baby, I couldn't wait to be old enough to truly GET IT. I own the film. I just watched it today. I am 52yrs old. It STILL makes me laugh, gasp, cringe, giggle and cheer! Plus, I never thought I'd still learn and grow from rewatching it, but although I will always have a soft spot for the goofy, aimless, kinda creepy love-starved Benjamin-- I felt a bit more PITY and EMPATHY for the adults, well mostly Mrs. Robinson. GO COUGARS!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just wish she didn't have to feel so bitter & crushed inside that she wanted to punish her daughter by marrying the dumbass aryan looking frat boy. But then, if Mrs. Robinson had just divorced & left to actually have a life instead of still being a megabitch, there would be NO GREAT ENDING TO THE MOVIE. Also, this was the 1st time for me, EVER, that I watched the movie and FINALLY noticed, that nobody, not even her adult friends or husband, servants, her LOVER----nobody ever refers to Mrs. Robinson by her FIRST NAME. I kept WACTHING & WAITING. Then it hit me that nobody in my family during all the viewings, and even reading different reviews' no mention of this character as AN INDEPENDENT INDIVIDUAL. Nope, just a wife, and that was just a mistake. WoW. THIS is the REAL Darth Mader. With no bullshit pop-psycho-babble explanation or excuse. Some people are born and raised in a society that actually conditions them to make choices that are detrimental to their own existence. Some people manage to fight through the mess with moments of clarity. Mrs. Robinson is NOT one of those people. Ben and Elaine APPEAR to have this moment at the end of the film BUT this was just a moment. IT WON'T LAST. That's Life. Now What? THIS FILM IS MAGNIFICENT & TIMELESS for the OPEN-HEARTED and OPEN-MINDED.

I had the Taxi Driver video in my watch later for the longest, I'm glad I finally watched it and I'm happy to see that I did around the time you've finally returned. More content please.

The film is a deconstruction of the notion of "success" in our Society, and how meaningless it truly is. Mrs. Robinson is miserable, drunk and having a fling with a younger man just to prove to herself she can feel anything at all. Mr. Robinson finds out, but "puts it in a hiding place where no one else can see" because success is all about appearances. why blow-up the Good Life because your wife's screwing the neighbor boy. Benjamin's Mom and Dad harp at him to get married and get ahead in life. And while they are nice enough people, they don't spend ten seconds trying to find out what's really going on with him, which we know is a LOT. And of course, the most important piece of advice anyone uttered in the entire decade of the sixties is encapsulated in one classic word: PLASTICS! But through all the drama, the confusion and the hijinks at Elaine's wedding, where you might for a moment think that youthful love and exuberance have won-out-over-all, we wind up at the Back of the Bus (get it - we're all in the back of the bus, just like kids) and the camera stays on Benjamin and Elaine beaming faces just a moment too long. The movie could have ended on a big UPPER... but it didn't. In the few moments in that Bus, we see the Moment when Youth ends and Middle Age begins. The exuberance drains from Benjamin and Elaine's faces and a look of sadness / boredom / fear / resignation (you call it) settles in. It's the look that every middle aged person knows, because for us... there are no more weddings and honeymoon's and sexy new spouses and unlimited tomorrows where anything good can happen. Instead, we're all just sleepwalking through cocktail parties and bills from the pool cleaner and too much booze and not enough laughter and sometimes even meaningless affairs intended to make us feel young and vibrant but in fact only make us feel cheap and dishonest. For the record, Mike Nichols worked hard with Buck Henry (the screenwrite) to craft the ambiguous nature of Benjamin's character. Do we like him? Root for him? Identify with him? Or is he creepy, self centered and maybe even a bit of a deviant. (Normal Fell, playing the Landlord, even says it!) Dustin Hoffman was NOBODY'S choice for this role. Redford wanted it, but Nichols knew he was too good looking and could not convey the darker side of Benjamin's complex personality. More accurately, he could probably convey it, but audiences would never buy it. The Graduate is Lightning in a Bottle. Like most good films / plays / songs and books - it means different things to different people. The fact that I'm writing these words (as many of you have) all these years later, is testament to its staying power.

0:11 exact words when the notification for ur channel popped up

Nice little analysis here, although I would not describe this movie as timeless. It’s a bit too late ‘60s and I think that hurts the film a lot.

Did an adult review this video prior to release? This is awful! Best of luck, but this really is terrible! When you get out of high school you might ponder a different profession!

Make an analysis of Persona (1966) by Bergman.

At the age of 20 I recognized he was an insufferable creep

I think these 3 videos are some of the great videos on RU-vid amazing RU-vid channel and great videos on my favourite movie taxi driver and my favourite tv series the sopranos

Rewatched taxi driver and wanted some opinions on it and i found your video. Then i checked the comments and was very sad since i saw a lot of people wondering where you had gone. Then todah i rewatched the video and clicked on your channel and saw a new upload. Im so happy that you have finally come back. Hopefully you decide to stay since i enjoy your content and i truly believe that you can go further and expand to other sorts of analysis witch i will enjoy watching.

After three long years, he's back!

homie just came back, two weeks ago. damn.

Finally you uploaded Would love to see your take on joker

Make a video about some Woody Allen film.

Holy hell you’re back

Good analysis. I would add that the ending is so clear in its intention to be the opposite of the classic romantic ending. "The guy gets the girl / the girl gets the guy and they both ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after." Not here. The guy gets the girl / the girl gets the guy and they ride off into the sunset accompanied by the depressing lyrics "Hello darkness, my old friend..." with panicked "Now what?!" expressions on their faces. And what kind of future happiness can we envision for Elaine, considering Ben has been having an affair with her mom...? Brilliant satire.

very nice, I love Ann Bancroft she is an amazing actress, this movie is of interest just to see her act. Dustin Hoffman is excellent, even he looks good in the movies

About Scarborough Fair, not only is it used imo opinion to show his increasingly uninhibited actions, but the lyrics are literally about a set of challenges that a person has to go through in order to win their love - rather a good metaphor for what he is going through.

This is a well made video essay.

I don’t know why he doesn’t make more videos? He has a potential gold mind of a channel

I always felt the Graduate was another classic example of a great premise, great start, great momentum, and then they couldn't decide how to end it. It felt like 2 movies mashed together.

This movie has aged very badly

Looking forward to next year’s video 👍

U should make more videos about these movies I like how u really understand these characters

Keep in mind we are all ready for when you do upload again

It's a very poetic film. Especially during the s and g soundtrack.

This is my favorite movie. I love The Graduate.

Very nice! The first time I saw The Graduate, I was Elaine's age. Next time I saw it I was Mrs. Robinson's age. What a difference in how I understood the film!

Im in this phase right now and is very confused. Life does seem meaningless. I don't know what to do.

This guys a damn legend took 3 years off, still has and gained followers over the 3 years, drops a new video that has got 8.5k views. A move like this would end most youtubers careers.

WHERE DID YOU GO MAN!!?? WE MISS YOU!!! WE WANT MORE!! Love from Canada

I'd love to see you do "Midnight Cowboy" it's a brilliant and in-depth film. I just can't help but compare that film to the Taxi Driver with the whole New York setting.

Showed it to my class on the first day and two students immediately dropped. Thought it was misogynistic. Welcome to 2024.

"pandering to the 60's culture" ?...the film was made in 67, the book published in 63.

It never fails. Whenever I subscribe to a channel that hasn't posted a video in a few years, they post a video a few days after I subscribe. 😂 Any other channels anybody want resurrected, just let me know.

Simon and Garfield

Video was not available in my country an hour ago due to copyrights or something, glad that it is now. Welcome back! Also please have an email or twitter link in your channel description, so that people can reach you.

Masterpiece of a film

I remember when my mom brought home The Graduate in the mid 80's and I was blown away by how much it affected me emotionally even though I was just a kid. (I still maintain that the last third doesn't live up to the first 2/3; the movie loses momentum when he starts dating Elaine.)

Anne Bancroft nailed her role so well. I was so surprised to read that in real life there was only six years between her and Dustin Hoffman. In reality, nothing too out of the ordinary about their age difference but they acted their parts so well.

Hello David here from Sebring Florida USA 🇺🇸 I have been a movie buff for over fifty years and I just watched this movie again and it is a 1960’s classic!, Your review was fantastic! Very well said!, It’s the kind of movie you will really get, or you don’t get. I was surprised how many people did not get the movie on the RU-vid comments. But that’s what makes the world go round. See you at the movies 🍿

I cannot express my feelings towards this movie. I watched it lately (I'm 18) and I found myself feeling every bit of Benjamin's insecuruty, discontent and incertainty. Every time he was asked what he will do in the future and he answered that he didn't know, or when he was floating in the swimming pool for hours - that's how I fell right now, slowly going into adulthood, leaving everything safe behind, trying to do right things. I don't know if my perception will change in the future, but as for now I love this movie and the way it portrays what everyone has to face at a certain age. Great analysis, I liked how you pointed out Graduate's editing and camera tricks - that's what makes this movie a real masterpiece. Thank you for your work on this video.

See you again in three years folks!

The Graduate was filmed thru Apr 24, 1967 to Aug 25, 1967, Dustin Hoffman was 29 going on 30, Anne Bancroft was 35, Katharine Ross was 27, Murray Hamilton was 44, William Daniels was 40, Elizabeth Wilson was 46, Brian Avery was 26 going on 27 all during the filming of The Graduate

I wouldn’t even dare to critique this film, I just know I enjoyed watching it, it left me feeling very sad actually, and the soundtrack by S and G was stunning and suited the film perfectly. Decades later this film is still watched and enjoyed by millions I think that it speaks for itself.

Also Ebert tended to fail to understand many things.

This and the Taxi Driver video are top notch, I would love to see you making a video analyzing my favorite film, American Beauty.

The older generation in the film always remind me of characters from Mad Magazine ( if anyone remembers that ).

This is a piece of art

Trivia: Jack nance was a strong contender for hoffman's role and Jack was considered all the way up until filming started. Charles Grodin, burt ward, Robert Redford, Warren Beatty, keir dullea, Brandon dewilde, Steve mcqueen, George hamilton, robert Duvall, George peppard, jack Nicholson, Anthony Perkins, were all also considered for the role.a Alot of names.

One dislike and one thousand likes as of October 24th...that's probably the best like/dislike ratio I've ever seen...well deserved too

If you guys want to help out the RU-vid algorithms, make sure to like this video.

I´ve never seen such a low dislike to like ratio.

Your 2nd upload 3 years later with no formal announcement via SM... How the fuck does that happen? Anyway, Excellent analysis nonetheless!

I just watched it again in 2024, just as funny and fought provoking as ever, does everyone know about the San Francisco connection? 😊

perfection

Your taxi driver analysis is still one of the best video essays on youtube. Glad you're back!

Ebert is incorrect. This film and its power are timeless, as is our admiration of this fine work. Ben and Elaine's eventual escape is freedom.

Alright for all that. I was Ben. I wanted to be Ben. I ached and yearned to seduce one of my mother's hot best friends. Never were like Anne Bancroft. Over that now. Jorge, Our time is up for today. OK? Same time next week, Doctor?

See you in 3 years I guess.

Great video i still feel this film holds up really well its one of my all time favourites

So much wanted to be Benjamin Braddock. So much wanted a Mrs.Robinson in my life. So it was. So it went. All is good.

This movie is not about the relationship. This movie is about schizophrenia. Ben was watched. He was watched they knew everything about his life. And he just knew it that something was wrong.

fucking gold, so much truth in what you say extremely insightful great video man.

It's a classic for me

A bit late but... the Graduate also highlights how the adults did the same thing Ben and Elaine are doing in their youth. Mrs Robinson dropped out of college and hastily married Mr Robinson just as Ben spontaneously wants to marry Elaine who is in college at the time. Mrs Robinson's fear of Elaine turning out like her becomes real; except that Elaine goes with Ben willingly and not because of some ulterior motive like getting pregnant.

Interesting opinion "Great films don't take sides", I mean I got that it was not a point about something, nor and argument. However, you expressed like it was a fact, didn't you?

I blame Mrs. Robinson for the predicament she put herself in. But it's a testament to Nichols' great directing, showing the traditionalist woman from that period and how it dehumanized them.