10 Reasons “Dazed and Confused” is the Coolest Movie Ever
Anyone who has ever gone to high school can relate to the goings-on in Richard Linklater’s second film, Dazed and Confused. It is pretty universal that way, but what makes it so much cooler than other high school films, from The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink to Rock & Roll High School and American Graffiti to Mean Girls and 10 Things I Hate About You, is…well, let me just show you. Here are the Top 10 Reasons Dazed and Confused is the Coolest Movie Ever.
The Sweet Emotion opening and the Slow Ride ending
When that orbit orange 1970 Pontiac GTO comes around the corner in slow motion and Aerosmith’s Sweet Emotion is playing on the soundtrack, you are hooked. It is 1976 and it is the last day of school. It doesn’t even matter from what generation you hail (I myself am eight years removed from the upperclassmen in the film) because this scene brings back a nostalgia inherent in all generations. And then you have that ending. Rolling down an otherwise empty road, Foghat’s Slow Ride on the stereo, it is a cinematic moment of youthful freedom. The summer is ahead of them and they are in no hurry at all. Take it easy.
An unknown Ben Affleck as the biggest douche in the world
Before he helped Good Will Hunting make it. Before he was Chasing Amy. Before he helped stop the Armageddon. There was Fred O’Bannion, a senior that loved making Freshman’s lives a living hell so much that he failed his senior year in order to do it two years in a row. O’Bannion is that typical jerk football player that everyone knows in high school. Liked by no one, especially the incoming freshman he has decided to make a living hell life out of, Affleck’s O’Bannion is the pitch perfect douchebag. Whether Ben is acting or just being himself is another debate for another day.
The cars and the cruising – a spiritual love child of American Graffiti
It may be fourteen years removed from George Lucas’ rock and roll milestone, and the cars may be updated to fit the era (though we do see a few Graffiti-era cars cruising by in the background) but the mood of the earlier movie is strong in this one. From Pink’s 1975 Chevy El Camino to Wooderson’s 1970 Chevelle SS 454 to O’Bannion’s 1972 Plymouth Duster to Pickford’s 1970 GTO to Clint’s 1974 Trans Am to Jodi’s 1969 VW Beetle convertible to Julie’s 1972 Ford Maverick to Benny’s 1972 Chevy Pick-Up Truck. In essence, this is a movie about being a teenager, and the cars are a big part of that. Perhaps one could argue that the average teenager would not have the cars they have here, especially in the mint condition they all seem to be in, but it is a movie after all.
Wiley Wiggins and the angst of becoming a freshman
Born in Austin Texas – where Dazed and Confused is set – the first time actor is basically playing himself here. One of the aforementioned freshman that are getting harassed by the upperclassmen (more on that crazy ritual later in the list) Wiley’s Mitch Kramer is befriended by the star quarterback and in the process has the greatest night of his still young life. Drinking, cruising, making out with sophomores (and some revenge on that bastard O’Bannion) – he has it all. He is one of the in-crowd now and perhaps high school won’t be that bad after all. Semi-retired from acting now, Wiley is a video game designer these days – as well as a Facebook friend.
Party at the Moontower and other funny sayings
How can a movie not be cool when it has such lines as “Party at the Moontower”, “Dominant male monkey motherfucker” and the classic “That’s what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age.” Yes they do. Dazed and Confused is a film full of memorable quotes that my friends and I use quite often. We even get debates between characters on how George Washington grew marijuana and the sexiness of Gilligan’s Island and how a fight will always get broken up quickly at a party – the latter one not working out so well for one luckless character. Oh, and by the way, if you’re not doing anything tonight – party at the moontower. By the way, the moontower is an actual place in Austin Tx.
For better or for worse, everyone knew a Slater in High School
You know the guy. That perpetually high kid who roamed the halls in a pot leaf t-shirt, long hair and in a constant state of bewilderment. Played by Rory Cochrane, Slater, never getting shotgun, is the very epitome of that kid we all knew. Talking about how the government is into some “weird shit man” and how Martha Washington would pack a big fat bowl for George whenever he would come home and always, always mellow man.
Pink and his unique ability to clique with every clique
Whether it is the jocks or the stoners or the nerds or even the freshman, Randall “Pink” Floyd, star quarterback and wearer of white bellbottoms and a belt buckle that can turn into a bowl, is the ultimate diplomat. Played by Jason London (not to be confused with his slightly better known twin brother Jeremy, star of Kevin Smith’s Mallrats and the TV shows Party of Five and 7th Heaven) Pink manages to hang out with everyone equally and it is he who brings together the so-called tribes of the high school. Of course this individuality and blatant spitting in the face of convention gets our intrepid hero into some trouble with both his coaches and his jock friends.
No More Mr. Nice Guy & the paddling of freshmen
I cannot believe a whole town (parents and teachers alike) just turns a blind eye to the rampant abuse going on during what is called the freshmen hunt – but then it is 1976 and a different time. Of course the pinnacle of this annual ritual where freshmen are hunted down in the streets of Austin and summarily paddled (aka beaten) with the decorated paddles that were made with loving giddy care by the incoming senior class (and that bastard O’Bannion) in shop class, is the scene where they “get” Mitch Kramer after a baseball game. As Alice Cooper’s No More Mr. Nice Guy blares on the soundtrack (that awesome soundtrack) Mitch “gets his” from O’Bannion and the other jocks. Today this would end in a lot of law suits and a lot of therapy, but in 1976 it was just kids being kids.
Wooderson – alright alright alright
Before Matthew McConoughey became a superstar and began doing what seem to be an endless array of ridiculously stupid rom-coms, he was both the sleaziest and the coolest guy in Dazed and Confused. Long out of school and “workin’ for the city”, the skeavy Wooderson, pink skintight jeans and a Ted Nugent t-shirt, equally as tight, hangs out with high school kids, not only to relive his youth but to, well you know the line (so good it needs to be mentioned at least twice in this list) “That’s what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age.” And remember, “You just gotta keep livin’ man, L-I-V-I-N.”
The Emporium & that Martin Scorsese entrance
The emporium is where all the cool kids hang. Every small town and city has something like it – or at least used to. The Emporium is where Mitch proves he is cool by buying beer for his new upperclassmen friends. The Emporium is where Wooderson holds court and talks about why he loves those high school girls. The Emporium is where O’Bannion gets his eventual comeuppance. The Emporium is where director Richard Linklater makes his most blatant and obvious homage to the master Martin Scorsese. As Wooderson, Pink and Mitch come into The Emporium for the first time and Dylan’s The Hurricane is playing on that awesome soundtrack and the scene is slowed down for effect – sheer cinematic perfection.
![Watch: Creepy Trailer for Slasher Pic ‘Maniac’ [NSFW]](http://www.anomalousmaterial.com/movies/wp-content/themes/yamidoo_pro/scripts/timthumb.php?src=http://www.anomalousmaterial.com/movies/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/elijah-wood-maniac-tb.jpg&w=50&h=50&zc=1)
27 Comments
I can’t argue with any of your reasons. Dazed and Confused is a classic movie. What also stands out for me is the way that Linklater creates also the iconic characters, lines, and moments without it appearing like he’s trying too hard. Young directors and writers often strive to deliver the “cool” factor, but it’s obvious they’re not genuine. Dazed and Confused stands out because Linklater’s characters and setting are believable, making us want to spend time in this world.
Many of the characters here are based on Linklater’s high school classmates – there was even a lawsuit against him by three of his classmates (by the names of Wooderson, Slater and Floyd). These are basically his stories. Top Notch Burgers, the Moontower, the freshman hunt – these are all from Linklater’s youth. The director doesn’t need to act cool – he just is cool. Just like how he let his camera naturally move to the rhythms of Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke in Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, he just lets the cool happen here.
Best “teen” movie ever.
Cool post for a very cool film.
I felt cool just writing it, though remembering back to my own high school days in the early eighties, I am probably more attuned to Anthony Rapp and Adam Goldberg’s characters than any of the cool kids.
It’s hard not to talk about this flick and come off like Chris Farley. Remember that one time, when Slater was like, “Check you later!”? That was awesome.
Seriously, though, Linklater hit a home run here, and it’s especially awesome to think of how this plays out and then compare it to Slacker. I was born in 1976, so I could never say for sure, but you watch this the first time and just KNOW it’s 99% accurate to the era. And oh….those soundtracks.
It should also be noted that this London (whichever one he really is) is the much better actor of the two. A shame he isn’t the only one.
First off, I always sound like a dork when I go rambling on about cinema (which I do quite often).
Seriously though (as well), Linklater has been hit and miss over his career (I still don’t understand the appeal for School of Rock) but this one is surely a hit and a half. The film is in my own personal Top 20 of all-time. The film tends to somehow hit on a nostalgic factor in every generation – at least every post 1950′s generation. And yes, that soundtrack – still not sure how he afforded all those songs (even if Robert Plant nixed his desire for the obvious title song).
Definitely the better London. I like Mallrats but that London’s acting leaves a hell of a lot to be desired in that film.
1 reason it’s not the coolest? Slacker.
Slacker was fun (one of the best directorial debuts of the last twenty-five years) but the thing I love about Dazed and Confused is I get older, it stays the same cool age. Yes it does, yes it does.
Oh dear
I think “Dazed & Confused” is without a doubt, one of the best films ever made. I saw it when I was a teenager and totally loved it. The soundtrack, the cast, everything. I still think it’s a great film. I will definitely need to get the Criterion DVD of that film.
I love showing the film to “virgin viewers” and seeing their reactions. My lovely wife and I run an arthouse cinema in Harrisburg Pa and we are able to put our DVDs and Blu-rays up on the big screen before and after hours. At least twice a year we put Dazed and Confused up. We currently have a young woman working for us who has never even heard of the movie (I know, blasphemy, right?) so we plan on showing it again soon so she will learn the errors of her ways.
Few things:
-The entrance to The Emporium is great because of the Bob Dylan song (Hurricane).
-The ENTIRE soundtrack of which they actually put out two.
-The stuff they write on their spank poles. My favorites are Soul Pole and Fah-Q.
-Pickford’s egg chair. Everybody wanted one of those.
I love this film but wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s better than Breakfast Club. Though I do like it more. I would just say it is to the 70′s what Club was to the 80′s.
Oh I definitely think it is a better film than The Breakfast Club. That film is great too but it doesn’t have the directorial nuances that Dazed does. The music Linklater picked for each scene – especially Dylan’s Hurricane. The way his camera moves (the scene on the 50 yard line is one of the best filmed scenes in the movie). The way everyone seems so familiar with each other as if they really were high school friends. From a purely cinematic viewpoint – putting aside just simple enjoyment – Dazed is far superior to Club (though Club does have the deeper archetypes).
And yes, I want that egg chair too (but my wife and I do own a pair of the glass heads from that scene).
Incidentally, someone (I forget who at the moment) has “17 Years” written on their paddle – supposedly this is to symbolize the 17 year span between the movie’s setting and its theatrical release.
I actually saw the movie last night for the first time. I thought it was great. I agree, it’s better than The Breakfast Club, which was good, but had its flaws. This film had more style and more genuine characterization. There’s not much to analyze in the Breakfast Club since the characters pour their souls out to the audience. I couldn’t say yet without a rewatch but it might be one of the best teen movies I’ve seen. I doubt it will beat Fast Times at Ridgemont High though, which I personally loved.
Fast Times is certainly fun – and closer to my own graduating year of 1985.
It also had so many early career appearances from actors that would go on to bigger careers – Jennifer Jason Leigh, Nic Cage, Eric Stoltz, Forrest Whitaker, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates (these last two were at least big stars for a little while before fading out) and of course Sean Penn. There are four future Oscars in that cast.
Dazed had Affleck and McConoughey (one Oscar there – for Screenplay) and Indie darling Parker Posey, and I guess you could make a case for Adam Goldberg and (at least on a musical theater stage) Anthony Rapp. The rest of the cast has mostly disappeared from the limelight.
Yes – Sweet Emotion beginning the film – totally agree! Great song. In fact the soundtrack is littered with great tunes. A wonderful film from a very talented filmmaker.
According to the trivia section on IMDb, Linklater spent 1/6th of the budget on the music. He wanted to use (of course) Zeppelin’s Dazed and Confused but PLant said no – though Page said yes.
I love Dazed and Confused, although when they say “Play Led Zeppelin 4″ they actually play a song from Physical Graffiti. I think the “coolest” movie ever is Pulp Fiction, however. It may be as overplayed as Stairway to Heaven but when it came out and for years afterwards it was the definition of cool. It was Miles Davis circa 1957 cool. It’s easy to forget just how good a film is when it becomes over-saturated.
Oh Pulp Fiction is definitely cool – and on another day I may say it is the coolest (I’m so fickle) but for the nostalgic charm Dazed and Confused brings back for me (even if I am slightly younger than those freshman in the movie) I can’t help but find it cool – even if I myself was far from being cool in high school.
Fast Times at Ridgemount High is the film for us non-cool people, I’m afraid. I had those awful checkered shoes Sean Penn rocks. I’m all for nostalgia, though. Michael Chabon FTW. But the ultimate maestro of cool has got to be Marcello Mastriani. That guy… I’ll be blogging about him soon, but he was as cool as the other side of the pillow even into his sixties.
Not only did I have those shoes then, I have a pair now.
I unfortunately relate to some of the activities that the main characters participate in. I never played trash can baseball, but many a rural road sign has been defaced at the hands of my teenage cronies and I. The music…..characters….and a loving detail to the period make this one a classic. My dad’s generational film was “American Graffiti” ….”Dazed and Confused” is mine. Love it!
I should probably keep mum on what vandals we were as kids, but yes, the film and music and the hanging out are so reminiscent of my own misbegotten youth.
Hell yeah. This has been a long-time favorite of mine, and I think the soundtrack is a big part of why I fell in love with it. Great music, unforgettable characters, classic lines. Yeah, it has it all.
There are certain songs that when you here them you think of certain movies. Whenever I here the refrain at the end of Layla I alway think of Goodfellas. The song was around years before Scorsese’s film but that is what I think of when I hear it. Ever since first seeing and falling in love with Dazed and Confused, every time I hear Sweet Emotion or Slow Ride or No More Mr. Nice Guy, I invariably think of you know what.
I absolutely love this movie. I just watched it again last night for the umpteenth time and it never gets old. Everything from the music, the cars, the wardrobe, and the characters, is just so perfect for the times that you would almost think it was filmed in 1976. When ‘Tuesdays Gone’ starts playing as the party at the moon tower is winding down, it’s sad in a way because you don’t want the night to end.
Trackbacks