Party at the moon tower! Life was simpler back in 1976, when your biggest priority was acquiring Aerosmith tickets and your biggest concern was the impending paddling that might come from a power hungry rising senior. Richard Linklater’s 1993 film Dazed and Confused chronicles less than 24 hours in a tiny Texas town, through the eyes of the various social stratospheres of the local high school. Despite consisting of a mostly unknown cast (including future Oscar winners) the film has become a cult classic, beloved by those who too believe that the best philosophy is just to keep L-I-V-I-N.
Today marks the 20th anniversary of Randall “Pink” Floyd and friends rejecting the proposed tyrannical structure their football coaches and high school administrators tried to put into place, in exchange for drinking warm beer from a keg, and, yes, getting high. To celebrate, take a look at how those most closely involved with the film have fared since its release.
1 Miley Cyrus film
Since first appearing in Dazed and Confused as Jodi Kramer, the older sister to Mitch who is the subject of the seniors’ hazing, Michelle Burke (pictured right) hasn’t done too much in the way of acting. She appeared in several made-for-TV movies and is the only cast member on the list to later work with Miley Cyrus in the unseen LOL.
[Photo: Gramercy Pictures]
2 reunions… so far
In addition to the upcoming reunion at the New York Film Festival, the cast of D&C has gotten together to celebrate twice before. In 2003, they reunited in Texas at the site of the famed “moon tower” where the epic last night of high school/first day of summer party took place. In March, Linklater and cast members Joey Lauren Adams, Anthony Rapp, and Nicky Katt appeared at a special 20th anniversary screening and discussion of the film, hosted by the Austin Film Society.
[Photo: Getty]
3 Oscar wins
Thanks to an uncredited appearance by Renee Zellweger, Dazed and Confused is responsible for giving two Oscar winners their start in film. Zellweger (Nesi White) went on to pick up three nominations and one win for Cold Mountain. Meanwhile, Ben Affleck (paddle-obsessed Fred O’Bannion) has earned two Oscars, one as a writer (Good Will Hunting) and another as a producer (Argo). Linklater has also picked up a nomination for his adaptation of Before Sunset.
[Photo: Gramercy Pictures]
4 Aerosmith albums
In 1976 Aerosmith was a band high school kids wouldn’t think twice about staying up all night to buy tickets to see live, and in the years since D&C’s release they’ve been anything but silent. In addition to the front man’s stint on reality TV, there have been four studio albums–Nine Lives, Just Push Play, Honkin’ on Bobo, and Music From Another Dimension!–and one highly successful movie theme song to keep fans happy. “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing,” recorded for 1998’s Armageddon, was the band’s first No. 1 single, is still heard at weddings and in elevators around the world, and provides yet another link between Steven Tyler and Ben Affleck. (They have more in common than you think!)
[Photo: Getty]
4 appearances in Christopher Guest films
While fans still hold onto Parker Posey’s first starring role as Darla, the actress has gone on to star in other memorable films. Most notably, Posey has appeared in several Christopher Guest projects, including Waiting For Guffman, Best In Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration. And Meg Swan in Best In Show is easily her most iconic role since D&C.
[Photo: Warner Bros.]
6 Resident Evil movies
At the time of the film’s initial release, Milla Jovovich was a model turned actress taking on bit roles in small flicks. Five years later, she’d make her mark in Hollywood with The Fifth Element, co-starring Bruce Willis. But it was the Resident Evil flicks where Jovovich found lasting success as the franchise’s main character Alice. In 2014, the franchise will debut the sixth film in the series starring Jovovich. However, she’s not the only D&C actor to appear in franchise films: Cole Hauser (Benny O’Donnell) has starred in two Vin Diesel franchises, Katt (Clint Bruno) has had bit roles in two different Batman series, and Posey gave horror a try with a role in Scream 3.
[Photo: Screen Gems]
9 roles in Kevin Smith films
Following D&C, both Joey Lauren Adams (Simone Kerr) and Affleck found success alongside Kevin Smith. Adams starred in three of the director’s movies: Mallrats, Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back and Chasing Amy, which earned the actress a Golden Globe nomination. Back in his acting days, Affleck worked with Smith a total of six times–one of them being Jersey Girl, which was Affleck’s second flop co-starring then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez.
[Photo: Miramax Films]
6 times Jason London starred in D-List sequels
The film’s breakout star at the time was easily London, who had all the makings of a teen soap heartthrob. However, following the D&C, London made a string of TV appearances before turning into a working D-List actor by starring in sequels no one wanted to see, including The Rage: Carrie 2, Dracula II: Ascension, The Prophecy: Uprising and Glass House: The Good Mother.
[Photo: Sony Pictures]
9 times director Richard Lanklater directed his D&C cast in subsequent films
While D&C is notable for being a number of actors’ earliest roles, it was also Linklater’s third feature film and most notable at the time. Like many directors (Guest, Smith and Joss Whedon), Linklater has worked with a the same pool of actors. Adam Golberg (Mike Newhouse), Katt and Matthew McConaughey have appeared in three of Linklater’s films including D&C. Meanwhile, the director has also worked with Rory Cochrane (Ron Slater), Posey and Wiley Wiggins (Mitch Kramer).
[Photo: Millennium Entertainment]
24 years old
At the age of 24, McConaughey was already pushing the creep factor as David Wooderson, who recited D&C’s most iconic line: “That’s what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age.” Now, at the age of 49, it’s just creepy to think about Wooderson still hanging outside Emporium and hitting on high school chicks.
[Photo: Getty]
94 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes
Based on 52 reviews, the film earned a 94 percent freshness rating thanks to positive reviews from Roger Ebert, Entertainment Weeky’s Owen Gleiberman and Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers.
[Photo: Gramercy Pictures]
7,993,039 dollars earned at the box office
Considering all the love for D&C, it was hardly a box office hit. While the film recouped its $6.9M budget, it came and went with little fanfare. It was until its DVD release that fans rediscovered the film – making it the cult classic it is today.
[Photo: Gramercy Pictures]
What’s your favorite line from Dazed and Confused? Let us know in the comments below.