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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
Super fun, fast paced, and informative. The interviews were surprisingly honest and reflective. Hard to have a better oral history.
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
Every year, on the last day of school, I watch the seminal 1970s-era movie, Dazed and Confused. This little unofficial tradition always leaves me satisfied from the opening scene where an orange muscle car slowly cruises around a school parking lot to the tune of Aerosmith's Sweet Emotion to the final, melancholy scenes in a car, with some of the characters hunting for tickets to an Aerosmith concert while Lynyrd Skynyrd's Tuesday's Gone softly plays in the background. I absolutely love this movie.
Unfortunately, I still haven't watched it yet since the last day of school this year, I had two graduations to attend. But I did get the opportunity to read the amazing oral history of this movie, Alright, Alright, Alright by Melissa Maerz. If you're a fan of the movie, I cannot recommend this book enough.
This book chronicles the movie from start to finish with interviews with most of the cast members and production team. You learn of the conception of the movie and how director Richard Linklater's own high school years influenced the music, the characters, the plotlines, and the whole tone of the movie. Although he made it to show how the 1970s sucked, it really paints a nostalgic picture of a sometimes more innocent time.
Since most of the actors cite this as their first real foray into the world of movies, it's a priceless look at a rookie going through the whole process. It's amazing that an actor as esteemed as Matthew McConaughey wasn't even slated to be in the movie or as a central character. But he coined the phrase that is the title after listening to a Doors' live album (which is a favorite of mine), and, rumor has it, if you see him, he's happy to oblige and quote his character Wooderson's tagline.
I loved hearing about the movie-making process from start to finish. I really think that I would have loved working behind the scenes in a movie, and this one went through so many stages. As one of the first studio movies Linklater ever made, you'll get a taste of how this rookie filmmaker countered all the challenges and fought back many times to get the movie made the way he wanted it. You'll either think he's a fool or a badass. He really could have permanently damaged his career, but I go with the latter characterization.
Plus, if you watched his first movie, Slacker, you'll learn about its inception and how it worked. The moviemaking style does not differ that much, but it was a more collaborative effort. You'll see if you read those chapters.
I enjoyed the reflections of the cast because they have such fresh perspectives. It changed the lives of all the actors and not just now famous ones like McConaughey, Ben Affleck, or Renee Zellweger. And the behind the scenes antics of the cast read like many of the characters' experiences during the movie. You'll hear about the fights, the romances, the diva-like behavior, and general gossip about the entire affair.
And I truly loved this book as much as the movie. I like how the author interspersed information about the movie with the interviews with the cast and production team. You really get an idea of how it was to make this movie and how, sadly, movies may never be made this way again.
Unfortunately, I still haven't watched it yet since the last day of school this year, I had two graduations to attend. But I did get the opportunity to read the amazing oral history of this movie, Alright, Alright, Alright by Melissa Maerz. If you're a fan of the movie, I cannot recommend this book enough.
This book chronicles the movie from start to finish with interviews with most of the cast members and production team. You learn of the conception of the movie and how director Richard Linklater's own high school years influenced the music, the characters, the plotlines, and the whole tone of the movie. Although he made it to show how the 1970s sucked, it really paints a nostalgic picture of a sometimes more innocent time.
Since most of the actors cite this as their first real foray into the world of movies, it's a priceless look at a rookie going through the whole process. It's amazing that an actor as esteemed as Matthew McConaughey wasn't even slated to be in the movie or as a central character. But he coined the phrase that is the title after listening to a Doors' live album (which is a favorite of mine), and, rumor has it, if you see him, he's happy to oblige and quote his character Wooderson's tagline.
I loved hearing about the movie-making process from start to finish. I really think that I would have loved working behind the scenes in a movie, and this one went through so many stages. As one of the first studio movies Linklater ever made, you'll get a taste of how this rookie filmmaker countered all the challenges and fought back many times to get the movie made the way he wanted it. You'll either think he's a fool or a badass. He really could have permanently damaged his career, but I go with the latter characterization.
Plus, if you watched his first movie, Slacker, you'll learn about its inception and how it worked. The moviemaking style does not differ that much, but it was a more collaborative effort. You'll see if you read those chapters.
I enjoyed the reflections of the cast because they have such fresh perspectives. It changed the lives of all the actors and not just now famous ones like McConaughey, Ben Affleck, or Renee Zellweger. And the behind the scenes antics of the cast read like many of the characters' experiences during the movie. You'll hear about the fights, the romances, the diva-like behavior, and general gossip about the entire affair.
And I truly loved this book as much as the movie. I like how the author interspersed information about the movie with the interviews with the cast and production team. You really get an idea of how it was to make this movie and how, sadly, movies may never be made this way again.
There is a lot of fun in this book, but there is also a lot of filler. Or at least it felt like filler, because it was more technical filming info than anything more. I enjoyed the stories and found it funny how much McConathy stays to the story (similar stories in his biography).
This book is great for Dazed fans. Obviously you need to have seen the movie and been a fan of it.
Great insights on the making of the film, the relationships/friendships/rivalries between cast/crew/etc. Awesome anecdotes about people like Linklater, McConaughey, great thoughts from people like Affleck, Parker Posey, etc. Had a lot of fun reading this.
Gave me a greater appreciation too for the movie and for Linklater's filmmaking.
Great insights on the making of the film, the relationships/friendships/rivalries between cast/crew/etc. Awesome anecdotes about people like Linklater, McConaughey, great thoughts from people like Affleck, Parker Posey, etc. Had a lot of fun reading this.
Gave me a greater appreciation too for the movie and for Linklater's filmmaking.
If you love Dazed you must read this book. Maerz got everyone in this oral history to speak so candidly about their experience working on the film and it paints such a full and varied picture. Everybody is so vulnerable and it’s such a revealing look into all these young actors lives before they either became famous or this was their one big film and left to do other things. I’m a lover of oral histories of television and film and this is truly one of the best.
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
FUCKING AMAZING!!!
If you are a Dazed and Confused fan, or even just a fan of film history, you will love this book. I am both a historian and film/Dazed lover and I was skeptical this book would do both subjects justice… it absolutely delivers. The authentic interviews with everyone who took part in making the film truly bring to life the original sincerity of the film felt by the audience every fucking time we view the movie. We get insight into the mind of Linklater, one of my favorite directors, and into the beautiful complexities that create art so meaningful and memorable as ‘Dazed and Confused.’
If you are a Dazed and Confused fan, or even just a fan of film history, you will love this book. I am both a historian and film/Dazed lover and I was skeptical this book would do both subjects justice… it absolutely delivers. The authentic interviews with everyone who took part in making the film truly bring to life the original sincerity of the film felt by the audience every fucking time we view the movie. We get insight into the mind of Linklater, one of my favorite directors, and into the beautiful complexities that create art so meaningful and memorable as ‘Dazed and Confused.’