The Film
All right, all right, all right!
The American High School experience has been the subject of numerous films, but most of them; from American Graffiti to Can’t Hardly Wait, have shared a common theme: an obsession with nostalgia. The notion that we all long for our teenage years, however, doesn’t really ring true for most people; because the pressure to conform and act like an idiot was not always such a wonderful experience. George Lucas focused on the cars and music of his youth, while John Hughes hung his hat on the inner geek inside all of us. Director Richard Linklater (Slackers) fought a difficult battle with the studio who didn’t want to front the tab for his fantastic soundtrack, but he ultimately won and Dazed and Confused became a pop sensation when it was released in 1993.
The film has some very funny moments, but the screenplay doesn’t always keep things tight. Dazed and Confused is certainly more notable for the future stars that it introduced (Ben Affleck, Matthew McConaughey, Parker Posey, Milla Jovovich) and for its soundtrack that captured the 70s rock era perfectly. The last day of school in 1976 pits the incoming freshmen against the future seniors and we are clubbed over the head with a plethora of characters; many of whom you really don’t care about. Eventually, McConaughey shows up in peach pants and drops his famous line – “All right, all right, all right. Gotta joint? It’d be a lot cooler if you did.”
Dazed and Confused is a lot better under the influence, but that doesn’t excuse its abuse of the ‘nostalgia angle.
The Picture
The Sound
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is bold and a major improvement over the original Blu-ray release which was underwhelming in my opinion. Dialogue is very clear and easy to discern; even if some of it isn't that interesting. The soundtrack is an electrifying mix of 70s rock; including some great tracks from Foghat, Aerosmith, and Alice Cooper, and the 5.1 mix certainly does it justice. The bass isn't overwhelming, but what exists is taut and driving. The surround channels get a decent workout, but this is not an effects laden film so don't expect anything that is going to knock you out of your seat. The music sounds more enveloping and that's all that one should expect.
The Extras
Stealing a page from Lord Lucas' playbook, Richard Linklater and Criterion have created a fantastic locker filled with bonus content that will take hours to digest; which is probably appropriate as one might have a case of the munchies already if watching the film under the influence.
Linklater's commentary cuts to the chase and makes the film, which loses its momentum on a few occasions far more interesting.
The audition and interview footage is interesting as we get our first glimpse at some of the biggest stars of today when they were just starting out. McConaughey (love him or hate him) really stands out from the rest and it's quite striking how quickly he can transform himself into character.
Criterion always provides a comprehensive booklet with its Blu-ray remasters, but the one supplied with Dazed and Confused is the best one so far; superbly written and a great addition to the bonus content on the disc.
Final Thoughts
Dazed and Confused looks and feels quite dated almost eighteen years later, but it also served as the launch pad for the likes of McConaughey, Affleck, Jovovich, Posey, and Adam Goldberg; a not insignificant collection of modern stars. Throw in a perfect collection of 70s rock, peach pants, American muscle cars, and you have American Graffiti for the true Star Wars generation. Criterion's editors have done a masterful job on the audio and video restoration making this one of their best releases in 2011.
Product Details:
Where to Buy:
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Video | |
| Audio | |
| Movie | |
| Extras |
