Dazed and Confused: The Ultimate Hangout Film

Welcome to my blog! This is a place for me to spill out my thoughts on the films I have watched that have had a profound impact on me and have changed my perception of what cinema can do and the impact it can have. I am hoping for this to be a weekly/fortnightly/whenever I have time, work permitting thing. So, with that being said, I hope you enjoy my first article!

Dazed and Confused is one of my favourite movies. When I first watched it, I was blown away by how unique it is. To put it simply, not a lot happens in the film, A group of school kids hang out on the last day of school before summer… and that is it. There are no twists, no gripping conflicts or grand spectacles that often define classic films such as No Country for Old Men, Fight Club or the original Star Wars films. This is a film that is so grounded in reality, and that is what makes it so engrossing. It builds a world so successfully; it pulls you in from the first minute. The purpose of the film is not to tell a story of one protagonist, or even a group. This film is telling the story of the time it is set: the 70s. After watching Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest effort, Licorice Pizza, I couldn’t help but draw similarities between the two, obviously due to the era and the lack of strict story. This got me thinking back to Dazed and Confused and how perfect that film is to me. The beauty of the film can’t really be explained. You can’t really explain the plot to a friend to recommend it; “it’s about these kids in a small town in Texas and their evening.” That doesn’t exactly sell the film compared to a killer shark in a small bay in the summer. But it’s the lack of focus that makes this film special and defines the genre of the ‘hangout film.’

Your typical film focuses on one protagonist for the audience to latch on to, you experience the world through their eyes, their experiences and how the events of the film impact them. A great example of almost the polar opposite of Dazed and Confused is Taxi Driver. Taxi Driver is a character study of one man’s descent into madness. Even the typical teen high school ‘coming of age’ film focuses on one character. Ferris Beuller, Ladybird, Rushmore, even Spiderman. Teens put themselves in the shoes of the main character and relate to the plights and experiences of the main character. However, these stories are often dressed up and dramatized beyond a realistic childhood experience for entertainment value. This is a tried and tested formula for success. Although the singular plot driven focus is gone from Dazed and Confused, the relatability remains and is the driving force behind what makes this film so successful. The characters feel like real people and that is the backbone of this film. The issues they’re facing are situations the majority of people have experienced or can relate to. Floyd not wanting to play football anymore, trying to throw a party when your parents are going away, finding something to entertain yourself in a small town as a teenager. That last point is what really sells the film to me. Having been a teenager on a Friday night in a rural town, I could really put myself in the shoes of the characters. I found it so engrossing that, despite having no idea of what life was like in 1970s rural America, I related to the experiences of the characters.

By choosing to not have one set main character and instead telling multiple stories of characters with a range of differing ages and experiences, the film benefits. It makes it more realistic, more engaging and easier to relate to; like a soap opera with better acting, a more interesting setting and miles better cinematography. The differing characters and their crossing paths really sells the teenage experience of a young person figuring out who they are and what they want in life whilst living in a small home town. The pressures of the external factors of the adults, parents and minor dramas that seems like a matter of life and death is touched upon just enough to add much needed depth and realism to this film. There is someone/some experience in this film for everyone.

The time period is really what sells the film. It’s a time capsule for the 70s. Despite being made in the 90s, the nostalgic tone and hindsight really helps sell the film. It adds a fascinating spin to the generic teenager story. By perfectly encapsulating the time period, it makes the film something you experience rather than just something you watch. It feels like you have been dropped into any random town on any random day and yet it is still so fascinating to watch. Of all the films I have watched, I truly cannot compare Dazed and Confused to any of them, it’s such a unique experience.

On top of this, the look of the film is incredible. With the 70s hair, costumes, car and music through the lens of 90s cinematography is such a unique experience to watch 20 years later. Unlike American Graffiti which reflects the time frame it was made in, the nostalgic lens of Dazed and Confused creates an atmosphere unlike most other films. It’s a charm replicated in Licorice Pizza that truly is something special in film making. There is such care put into the reflection of the time that I am a complete sucker for it. Once McConaughey enters and utters that famous “alright, alright, alright” my heart is completely captured by Linklater’s Magnum Opus.