With the opening notes of Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion," the last day of school in 1976 began. Over the course of the day, futures are decided, relationships change, and a small Texas town is made to seem as large as the entire state. This is the premise for Richard Linklater's classic movie Dazed and Confused, which he wrote and directed based on his high school years in the Lone Star State.
Far from the semi-wholesome slice of Americana that is American Graffiti, Dazed and Confused focuses on disaffected youth who deal with life's BS by escaping it through fun. All that matters in high school is that moment you and your friends would share inside the haze of too much booze—then you'd wake up, shake off the hangover, and do it again.
Dazed and Confused also features an amzaing soundtrack that perfectly captures the decade. This film is the reason you hear Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold" in your head at any party in a large, open field. It's also the reason that Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Tuesday's Gone" signals the end of such gatherings.
Despite depicting the exploits of baby boomers in their young and reckless days, it resonated well with Generation X and introduced a new generation of talent to Hollywood. Dazed and Confused was released 20 years ago today, so we're taking a look at what some of the cast members are up to these days. Think of it as a 20-year high school reunion, even though it's based on fictional events that took place 37 years ago.
Written by Julian Kimble (@JRK316)