Alright, Alright, Alright: An Oral History of Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused

Former Rolling Stone and Spin editor Maerz crafts an oral history of Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused (1993). Readers learn how, between the late 1980s and early 1990s, a slew of independent films flooded the marketplace, telling authentic stories that transcended the glossy, big-budget Hollywood movies typical of the era. The surprise critical and commercial success of 1990’s Slacker gave writer director Linklater an opportunity to make a personal film of teenage angst set in 1970s Austin. Shot on a relatively modest budget of $25 million and featuring an unknown cast of young actors, Dazed and Confused was another hit and, ultimately, a cult classic. Through interviews with Linklater and the cast (including Ben Affleck and Matthew McConaughey) and crew, Maerz delivers an at times humorous chronicle of how a small film became a touchstone of 1990s cinema, with introspective analysis of directing techniques, casting, and performance. While readers may become overwhelmed by the different perspectives, the author maintains a sense of cohesion among different insights, resulting in a well-rounded account.