Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Tokin' in the Boys Room!

Dazed and Confused  (Gramercy Pictures, 1993)


















Before the Camera:


Jason London  (Bad with Numbers)
Joey Lauren Adams  (Chasing Amy)
Ben Affleck (Reindeer Games)
Milla Jovovich  (Resident Evil)
Shawn Andrews  (City of Ghosts)
Rory Cochrane  (Empire Records)
Adam Goldberg  (Saving Private Ryan)
Anthony Rapp  (Road Trip)
Sasha Jenson  (Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers)
Marissa Ribisi  (100 Girls)
Deena Martin  (Swingers)
Michelle Burke  (The Coneheads)
Cole Hauser  (A Good Day to Die Hard)
Christine Harnos  (Hellraiser: Bloodline)
Wiley Wiggins  (The Faculty)
Esteban Powell  (Hitman’s Run)
Christin Hinojosa  (The Love Bug ’97)
Parker Posey  (Superman Returns)
Nicky Katt  (Grindhouse: Death Proof)
and
Matthew McConaughey  (Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation)
as
Wooderson


Also look fast for:

James “Kimo” Wills  (Empire Records)
and
Renee Zellweger  (Empire Records)






Behind the Camera:


Directed by Richard Linklater

Produced by Sean Daniel, James Jacks, Richard Linklater, and Anne Walker-McBay

Written by Richard Linklater






It is May 1976 and the last day of school in a small town in Texas. As the students hear the last bell until the fall, they head out to start a night of drama, cruising, romance, boozing, toking, and listening to great tunes. Although the movie is a true ensemble that moves across a dozen or more characters throughout the running time – the bulk of the audience identification is left to Randall “Pink” Floyd (London) and Mitch (Wiggins). Pink is about to start his senior year and is figuring out where his future lies. Mitch is an incoming freshman wanting to find a place to fit in. With various threads of storyline that mix, mingle, overlap, and play out in snippets – there’s really no other synopsis needed. There are good guys and girls, bad guys and girls, and a few characters who jump back and forth across the fence as the night goes on.

The girls...

The boys...



Director Linklater definitely presents a version of his own high school years here, with some compression and double examination as he has two sides of himself – the shy freshman and the more self-assured upperclassman - in the same movie, even interacting. But despite this conceit – this is a teen movie with the feel of truth about it. It presents the mid 70’s very well – with the fashions and vehicles providing the visual time travel, and a soundtrack full of classic songs from the time providing the audio time travel. Because Linklater works hard to keep the movie from sliding into parody – the movie is pretty low key. There are hijinks and shenanigans to be sure – but it never goes over the top. This makes it a fairly rare coming of age movie, and for that – plus the incredible amount of up-and-coming actors in the cast – all of whom deliver solid performances – this is a highly recommended flick for those so inclined. It is a little astonishing to realize this movie is now 20 years old – and even more to realize the day it shows is now 37 years in the past. Boggle! And check it out!


In case you have trouble spotting her - here's one of the two
non-speaking bits for Renee Zellweger. She walks through
one other shot wearing the same shirt.





Let's Get Out of Here ?

At around 46:19 Esteban Powell wants his bud to put the girl down.










Eye Candy ?

There are scads of 70's cuties in the movie - and on behalf of all of them - we will add two to the list:


Michelle Burke



Christine Harnos

Welcome to the list, ladies!








Buddha Man's Capsule Review

Buddha Man says "Dazed and Confused might really bowl you
over if you watch it over at your joint...:







Thank you Mr. Man - I sense puns at work there - and with that we are done. Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!

12 comments:

  1. I love this movie! One of my favorites.

    - Cody

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, I do enjoy the goofier comedies that came before - but this one is nice and mellow and well done for sure. Thanks for coming by!

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  2. This is the movie that made me wish I had been a teenager in the 70s. Not for the drugs because drugs are bad, but just for the fashion (yeah, I like the clothes!), the music, and the all around fun before technology started taking over our lives.

    The 90s were a fun time to be a teen too, but I always wish I had been there to see the 70s! Call me crazy.

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    Replies
    1. I can understand that - a really good coming of age movie will do that to you. I think the same of American Grafitti too.

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  3. My love for this movie is profound. Thanks for bringing it back to the forefront of pop culture. It has become a tradition among some of my friends to watch it at the outset of every Summer. Tarantino said it best himself: "it's the perfect hangout movie."

    Great work, Craig!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Matty! And nice to see you, pal! It is indeed a perfect hangout movie!

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  4. I love the eye candy choices this time Thumbs up!

    I was a not teenager in the 70's but remember all too well my older cousins and their parties. When I watch this, I'm sitting on my cousin Charlie's El Camino sucking on Pepsi (the frosted pint-sized glass bottle) by the lake. Now I want to go and watch this again.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you ma'am! If they appeal, Eye Candy's a done deal! I like your memory - cousin Charlie has good taste in cars - and parking spots! Cheers!

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  5. This was on tv the other day. Crazy stuff. I'm freaking out watching Ben Affleck and Matthew Mack as high schoolers. They really smoothed out Mack's hair...it's naturally a curly friz. Bizarre! I gotta say the music is awesomely INSANE!

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    Replies
    1. Wild stuff to see those boys so young, eh? It is an iconic soundtrack for sure.

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  6. heard lots of praise for this, but sadly, I still haven't seen it yet...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd be interested to hear what you think of this one!

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