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111 reviews for:
Alright, Alright, Alright: The Oral History of Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused
Melissa Maerz
4.46 AVERAGE
111 reviews for:
Alright, Alright, Alright: The Oral History of Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused
Melissa Maerz
4.46 AVERAGE
4.5 Have you read this yet? You’d be a lot cooler if you did… I loved this oral history! More than enough material for the book. It’s well organized, honest, everyone involved has interesting things to say and if you’re at all interested, read it. It’s a lot better than alright, alright, alright.
What a great and funny read! Melissa Maerz interviewed nearly the entire damn cast of Dazed along with a ton of the crew, producers, editors, and even some of the folks Richard Linklater went to high school with and purportedly based some of his most iconic characters on. (There really is a Slater, a real "Pink" Floyd, an actual Wooderson, and all three ended up half-assedly suing Linklater for "defamation" in 2004 in a class-action that got laughed out of court)
Some of the more surprising chapters discuss the fact that the then-unknown Matthew McConaughey was originally cast to have like one line until they saw him bring his character to life. And the still-to-this-day bitterness between some of the lead actresses (especially between Parker "Darla" Posey, Joey Lauren "Simone" Adams and Michelle Burke "Jodi" Thomas). There was just some mean shit going on there.
The last third of the book breaks down how the movie almost never saw the light of day due to the mismanagement of it by Universal Studios, who really didn't know how to market this now classic gem.
Some of the more surprising chapters discuss the fact that the then-unknown Matthew McConaughey was originally cast to have like one line until they saw him bring his character to life. And the still-to-this-day bitterness between some of the lead actresses (especially between Parker "Darla" Posey, Joey Lauren "Simone" Adams and Michelle Burke "Jodi" Thomas). There was just some mean shit going on there.
The last third of the book breaks down how the movie almost never saw the light of day due to the mismanagement of it by Universal Studios, who really didn't know how to market this now classic gem.
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Really 4.5. It would’ve been five stars, but it’s a little hard to follow whose interviews you’re listening to in the audiobook. It went a lot smoother once I stopped trying to follow that, settled into the format and focused on what was being said instead of who was saying it. A must read for any fan of Dazed and Confused.
One of the absolute best oral histories I have ever read. The way that the filmmakers, actors, studio heads, etc. all go into the memory banks to recreate and talk about what it was like to make this movie feels viscerally poignant. The writing is sublime, the picture choices are wonderful- the whole book is an absolute gem. I could not put this book down, and I enjoyed reading it so very much.
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
funny
medium-paced
1993’s DAZED AND CONFUSED is supposed to be an anti-nostalgia movie, though the audience didn’t really get the “anti” part down.
Through interviews, diary entries, articles and photographs, Melissa Maerz expertly transports us almost 30 years in the past. Richard Linklater and his friends and colleagues tell us how the story was thought into existence. The cast joins the crew in telling us how the making of really went down. Then they all chime in to talk about how hard it was to get this movie out to people, its reception and what followed. While it a blockbuster hit, DAZED AND CONFUSED had a cult following similar to that of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW.
DAZED AND CONFUSED is a Top 3 movie for me and has been for years. The cast is simply perfect. Following these teens in 1976 Austin, Texas as they contemplate life, what the next school year will be like and where the next party is.... It’s a wonderful experience. Getting to read this book, written in such away that really makes you feel like you’re talking to everyone being interviewed, was a great way to start off my year of reading.
If you’re a fan of movies and the movie making process, this is a book for you. If you’re a fan of interviews, this is a book for you. And of course, if you’re a fan of this great movie, it’s pretty obvious that this is the book for you. I cannot recommend it enough.
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
You probably already know if this is a book that is for you or not - if you like/love the movie, it’s a fun and informative read. I can’t imagine reading it otherwise!
Yeah, five stars. What a delight and answered so many questions that I had gone into this skeptical about. Longer review to come... just, a great oral history that made me laugh and provided so much insight. Ready for that Dazed rewatch now... (and probably giving this as a gift this holiday season to some friends...)