Dir. by Richard Linklater
Note: This review was written in the summer of 1999 — the peak of the dot.com boom, as you'll recall — and was part of my first online venture, a miserable arts and entertainment 'zine designed for the express purpose of attracting the attention of studios and publishers. I wanted free DVDs and books but got neither. Note the technical jargon at the bottom (I still don't know what a "compression artifact" is) and the Rex Reed-ish quips. I was such a whore. I still love the movie, though. Come now, and join me as we step into the way-back machine.
See Also: Waking Life
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The first time I saw Dazed and Confused was at a midnight showing in one of those bargain cinema and draft houses. My date and I knew we were in for a unique movie-going experience when, midway through the trailers (the trailers!), one of Florida State's finest — a Pi Kappa Alpha, I believe — got up from his front row seat and sprinted toward the exit. He didn't make it, though, choosing instead to stumble and vomit half way to the door. The irony was almost too perfect.
Since its release in 1993, Richard Linklater's coming-of-age film has set longevity records around the country, establishing a Rocky Horror-like presence with continuous weekend engagements. It doesn't surprise me. Dazed and Confused has a lot going for it, and I'm not just talking about the recreational drug use and beer consumption.
It's the last day of school, 1976, in a small Texas town. The Juniors are stepping into their new roles as kings and queens of the school; the 8th graders are getting their first taste of independence (hmm, tastes a lot like Budweiser). In the tradition of American Graffiti, Linklater follows a cross-section of the school population for only one night, listening in on their conversations, some more serious than others, and joining them for an end of the year Beer Bust up at the Moon Tower. Not much happens. There's a fist fight, a game of mailbox baseball, and an unnecessary side plot involving a loyalty oath. A few couples form; others dissolve. Ultimately, the film isn't the least bit concerned with plot, at least not as the term is typically used. Instead, it paints an instantly recognizable portrait of that freedom and those friendships that are only possible when you're seventeen. And it's really fun to watch.
In a portrait like this, the beauty is in the details. Linklater nails them all. There's the obvious period references — the bell-bottoms and iron-on T-shirts, the gooey lip gloss and feathered hair, the muscle cars and Alice Cooper 8-tracks. But that's not why I watch Dazed and Confused so frequently. It's the smaller touches R 12; the "good game" line at the end of Mitch's (Wiley Wiggins) little league game, the tight polyester shorts and worn-out cliches of the football coaches, the convenience store worker who tries a bit too hard to be hip.
And most importantly, it's the large cast of characters, every one of whom, I swear, went to high school with me. For me, everything about Dazed and Confused's depiction of high school culture rings true. There's Randall "Pink" Floyd (Jason London), the high school quarterback who, unlike the jocks depicted in most teen flicks, is also a bright guy and friends with members of the school paper. There's O'Bannion (Oscar boy Ben Affleck), the obnoxious hanger-on who is tolerated by a few but not really liked by anyone. There's Tony (Anthony Rapp), Mike (Adam Goldberg), and Cynthia (Marissa Rabisi), the three friends who spend most of their time bitching about the vacuousness of teen social ritual while wanting desperately to take a greater part in it. Watching them walk into the Beer Bust always unleashes a flood of nostalgia for me, but perhaps I'm revealing a bit too much about myself.
And then there's Slater and Wooderson. I occasionally pop Dazed and Confused into the player just so I can enjoy a few favorite moments with these two. Rory Cochrane plays Slater, that guy in every school who smoked a little too much pot. I knew a guy just like Slater, man . . . what was I saying? . . . I'm convinced that Wooderson is the only reason Matthew McConaughey has a career. Wooderson's the guy who graduated a few years before you, but never quite made it out of the high school social circles. One of my favorite scenes in any film:
Don: What have you been up to?
Wooderson: Some old shit, man. Working for the city.
Don: Working man, huh.
Wooderson: Been thinking about getting back in school though, man.
Don: Back in JC or something like that?
Wooderson: Yeah, man. That's where all the girls are, right?
Don: Yes they are.
Wooderson: But on the other hand, man, I just as soon be working. Keep a little change in my pocket. Rather than spend my time listening to some dipshit who doesn't know what the hell he's talking about anyway.
Don: I know what you're talking about.
Wooderson: Say, you're a freshman right?
Mitch: Yeah.
Wooderson: So tell me, man. How's this year's crop of freshman chicks looking?
Don: Woods, you're really going to end up in jail sometime really soon. I know that for a fact.
Wooderson: No, man, no. Let me tell you. That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age.
• • •
Audio/Video
Universal presents Dazed and Confused in its original aspect ratio, 1.85:1. Unfortunately, it has not been enhanced for 16:9 display. It's really a very good transfer, though, without any noticeable compression artifacts. Very nicely presented.
It seems oddly appropriate that Dazed and Confused is mixed only in 2.0 Dolby Digital. Listening to "Low Rider" in full 5.1 might qualify as sacrilege. This is one of those films that does not suffer for having only 2.0 sound. The dialog is sharp and clear from the center, and occasional, ambient sounds are pleasant surprises (though not often). And, I mean, the opening of Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion" sounds bad-ass regardless of the format. Am I right? Also presented in 2.0 Spanish.
• • •
Extras
Very disappointing. Not even a trailer? Come on. They should at least have taken advantage of Linklater's and Denise Montgomery's Yearbook. Funny stuff.
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The Final Word
Dazed and Confused is already being called the Outsiders of the 90s for its large cast of talented unknowns who have since gone on to greater fame. My recommendation is that you see this film before its faces become too familiar. When I first saw it, I recognized only Jason London, Parker Posey, and Milla Jovovich, making it easier for me to identify with them as people rather than as movie stars. They're so convincing that when I do unexpectedly run into a Dazed and Confused alum on shows like Friends or The X-Files it takes me a while to recognize them. I honestly think, "Did I go to school with that guy?"
Grade: B
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