Alright, Alright, Alright Read online

  Dedication

  For my family:

  Chuck, Silas, Hope, Jennifer, Mat, Eska, Mom, and Dad

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Cast of Characters

  Introduction: If I Ever Start Referring to These as the Best Years of My Life, Remind Me to Kill Myself

  Part I: The Inspiration

  Chapter 1: Oh My God, This Movie Is My Life!

  Chapter 2: Old People in Your Face, Fucking with Who You Are

  Chapter 3: The Hardest Working Slackers in Austin

  Chapter 4: How to Pitch an Unpitchable Movie

  Chapter 5: Don’t Lead with Your Ego

  Chapter 6: A Truffle Pig for Talent

  Chapter 7: I’ve Never Worn Underwear

  Part II: The Shoot

  Chapter 8: All of These Attractive Children, Unsupervised

  Chapter 9: Maybe the ’70s Didn’t Suck?

  Chapter 10: If You Don’t Like Your Character, Change It

  Chapter 11: The New Kid Versus the Old Guard

  Chapter 12: We Were All Hormonal

  Chapter 13: Air Raid!

  Chapter 14: The Next Marlon Brando Probably Wouldn’t Call Himself “the Next Marlon Brando”

  Chapter 15: Anyone Who Had a Cell Phone Was Instantly an Asshole

  Chapter 16: We Turned into Vampires

  Chapter 17: Go Ahead and Stab Me!

  Chapter 18: The “Fuck” Police

  Chapter 19: Dumb and Horny and Mean and Drunk

  Chapter 20: Alright, Alright, Alright

  Chapter 21: She Called You a Bitch and You a Slut

  Chapter 22: They Stay the Same Age

  Chapter 23: Party at the Moon Tower

  Chapter 24: Shawn and Milla Self-Destruct

  Chapter 25: Just Keep Livin’

  Chapter 26: You Can’t Go Home Again

  Part III: The Comedown

  Chapter 27: Faster, Funnier, Stupider

  Tracklist from Richard Linklater’s Original Dazed and Confused Mixtapes

  Chapter 28: Instead of Led Zeppelin, How About . . . Jackyl?

  Chapter 29: Seduced and Abandoned

  Chapter 30: I Was Alive, and I Wasn’t Afraid

  Part IV: The Legacy

  Chapter 31: Amazed and Confused

  Chapter 32: Wading into the Shark Waters

  Chapter 33: The New Rocky Horror Picture Show?

  Chapter 34: Dazed and Confused: The Series

  Chapter 35: The 10-Year Reunion

  Chapter 36: A God-Awful Failure of an Anti-Nostalgia Movie

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  Acknowledgments

  Notes

  Index

  About the Author

  Copyright

  About the Publisher

  Cast of Characters

  Richard Linklater: writer, producer, director, actor, “Should Have Stayed at Bus Station,” Slacker; writer, director, producer, Dazed and Confused

  Courtesy of Richard Linklater.

  Main Cast of Dazed and Confused

  Joey Lauren Adams: “Simone”

  Courtesy of Jonathan Burkhart.

  Ben Affleck: “O’Bannion”

  Courtesy of Jason London.

  Shawn Andrews: “Pickford”

  Courtesy of Richard Linklater.

  Rory Cochrane: “Slater”

  Courtesy of Jason London.

  Jeremy Fox: “Hirschfelder”

  Courtesy of Richard Linklater.

  Adam Goldberg: “Mike”

  Courtesy of Jonathan Burkhart.

  Chrisse Harnos: “Kaye”

  Courtesy of Jason London.

  Cole Hauser: “Benny”

  Courtesy of Jason London.

  Christin Hinojosa-Kirschenbaum: “Sabrina”

  Courtesy of Jonathan Burkhart.

  Sasha Jenson: “Don”

  Courtesy of Jason London.

  Milla Jovovich: “Michelle”

  Courtesy of Richard Linklater.

  Nicky Katt: “Clint”

  Courtesy of Nicky Katt.

  Jason London: “Pink”

  Photography by Anthony Rapp.

  Deena Martin-DeLucia: “Shavonne”

  Courtesy of Jonathan Burkhart.

  Matthew McConaughey: “Wooderson”

  Courtesy of Richard Linklater.

  Catherine Avril Morris: “Julie”

  Courtesy of Jonathan Burkhart.

  Parker Posey: “Darla”

  Courtesy of Jason London.

  Esteban Powell: “Carl”

  Courtesy of Richard Linklater.

  Anthony Rapp: “Tony”

  Courtesy of Jonathan Burkhart.

  Marissa Ribisi: “Cynthia”

  Courtesy of Jonathan Burkhart.

  Michelle Burke Thomas: “Jodi”

  Courtesy of Universal Studios Licensing, LLC.

  Mark Vandermeulen: “Tommy”

  Courtesy of Richard Linklater.

  Wiley Wiggins: “Mitch”

  Courtesy of Jason London.

  Everyone Else

  Sandra Adair: editor, Dazed and Confused

  Wes Anderson: director; screenwriter; producer

  Gary Arnold: former film critic, Washington Times

  Autumn Barr: actor, “Stacy,” Dazed and Confused

  Chris Barton: former staff writer, Daily Texan

  Marjorie Baumgarten: film critic and contributing writer, Austin Chronicle

  Burt Berman: former Senior VP of music, Universal Pictures

  S.R. Bindler: director; Matthew McConaughey’s high school friend

  Louis Black: co-founder and former editor, Austin Chronicle; actor, “Paranoid Paper Reader,” Slacker; co-director, Richard Linklater: Dream Is Destiny

  Robert Brakey: apprentice editor, Dazed and Confused

  Mark Brazill: co-creator, That ’70s Show

  Lisa Bruna: casting assistant, Dazed and Confused

  Jonathan Burkhart: first assistant camera, Dazed and Confused

  John Cameron: first assistant director, Dazed and Confused

  Peter Carlson: former reporter, Washington Post

  Jay Clements: Huntsville High School alum; son of Richard Linklater’s late football coach, Joe Clements

  Shavonne Conroy: Huntsville High School alum

  Kahane Cooperman: director of the behind-the-scenes documentary Making Dazed; Richard Linklater’s former girlfriend

  Douglas Coupland: author, Generation X

  Bill Daniel: artist; brother of Lee Daniel

  Lee Daniel: actor, “GTO,” Slacker; director of photography, Slacker; director of photography, Dazed and Confused

  Sean Daniel: producer, Dazed and Confused

  Brett Davis: Huntsville High School alum

  Valerie DeKeyser: production assistant, Dazed and Confused

  Scott Dinger: former owner, Dobie Theatre

  Don Dollar: Huntsville High School alum

  Katherine Dover: costume supervisor, Dazed and Confused

  Erika Geminder Drake: actor, “Freshman Girl #2,” Dazed and Confused

  Jay Duplass: actor; director; screenwriter; producer

  Mark Duplass: actor; director; screenwriter; producer

  Jesse James Dupree: lead singer of the band Jackyl

  Roger Earl: founding member of the band Foghat

  Greg Finton: second assistant editor, Dazed and Confused

  Keith Fletcher: actor, “Cafe Card Player #1,” Slacker; extras wardrobe supervisor, Dazed and Confused

  Melanie Fletcher: extras set costumer, Dazed and Confused

  Richard “Pink” Floyd: Huntsville High School alum

  Heyd Fo
ntenot: graphic designer, Dazed and Confused

  Kim France: former staff writer, Sassy magazine

  John Frick: production designer, Dazed and Confused

  Sheri Galloway: assistant editor, Dazed and Confused

  Harry Garfield: music supervisor, Dazed and Confused

  Holly Gent: production coordinator, Dazed and Confused

  Mike Goins: Huntsville High School alum

  Roderick Hart: Matthew McConaughey’s former professor, University of Texas

  Samantha Hart: former creative director of advertising, Gramercy Pictures

  Ethan Hawke: actor; writer; director

  Lydia Headley: Huntsville High School alum

  J.R. Helton: scenic painter, Dazed and Confused

  Terry Hoage: Huntsville High School alum

  Tracey Holman: grip, Slacker; wardrobe assistant, Dazed and Confused

  Don Howard: emc2 editor, Dazed and Confused

  Steven Hyden: journalist

  Jim Jacks: producer, Dazed and Confused

  Nina Jacobson: former senior VP of production, Universal Pictures

  Robert Janecka: property master, Dazed and Confused

  Katy Jelski: script supervisor, Dazed and Confused

  Tom Junod: journalist

  Jeff Kerr: director, The Last of the Moonlight Towers

  Priscilla Kinser-Craft: actor, “Freshman Girl #1,” Dazed and Confused

  Kim Krizan: actor, “Questions Happiness,” Slacker; actor, “Ms. Stroud,” Dazed and Confused

  Julie Irvine Labauve: Huntsville High School alum

  Sam Lawrence: Matthew McConaughey’s friend during the ’90s

  Jason Lee: actor; Marissa Ribisi’s former boyfriend

  Tricia Linklater: Richard Linklater’s sister; assistant to Richard Linklater, Dazed and Confused

  Michael MacCambridge: former film critic, Austin American-Statesman

  Alison Macor: author, Chainsaws, Slackers, and Spy Kids

  Peter Millius: former recording engineer and music producer; Deena Martin-DeLucia’s former boyfriend

  Kari Jones Mitchell: Huntsville High School alum

  D. Montgomery: art department and sound department, Slacker; actor, “Having a Breakthrough Day,” Slacker; assistant art director, Dazed and Confused

  Christopher Morris: extra, Dazed and Confused

  Chale Nafus: Richard Linklater’s former professor, Austin Community College

  Kelly Nelson: assistant hair stylist, Dazed and Confused

  Justin O’Baugh: extra, Dazed and Confused

  Tony Olm: Huntsville High School alum

  Tommy Pallotta: production assistant, Slacker; actor, “Looking for a Missing Friend,” Slacker

  Vincent Palmo Jr: second assistant director, Dazed and Confused

  Deb Pastor: art department, Slacker; actor, “Wants to Leave Country,” Slacker; set decorator, Dazed and Confused

  John Pease: Huntsville High School alum

  Kari Perkins: additional costume designer, Dazed and Confused

  Don Phillips: casting director, Dazed and Confused

  Keith Pickford: Huntsville High School alum

  John Pierson: former producer’s representative; author, Spike, Mike, Slackers & Dykes

  Tom Pollock: former chairman, Universal Pictures

  Gary Price: actor, “Watching Early Morning TV,” Slacker

  Brian Raftery: journalist; author, Best. Movie. Year. Ever.

  Charles Ramírez Berg: professor, University of Texas

  Mike Riley: Huntsville High School alum

  Jason Reitman: director; screenwriter; producer

  Melina Root: costume designer, That ’70s Show

  Russell Schwartz: former president, Gramercy Pictures

  Jason Davids Scott: unit publicist, Dazed and Confused

  Shana Scott: Texas casting assistant, Dazed and Confused

  Greg Sims: Shawn Andrews’s former manager

  John Slate: actor, “‘Conspiracy A-Go-Go’ Author,” Slacker

  Andy Slater: Huntsville High School alum

  Kevin Smith: director; screenwriter; producer

  Frances Robinson Snipes: Huntsville High School alum

  Steven Soderbergh: director; screenwriter; producer

  Kal Spelletich: actor, “Video Backpacker,” Slacker

  Don Stroud: actor, “Recluse in Bathrobe,” Slacker; stand-in, Dazed and Confused

  John Swasey: actor, “Beer Delivery Guy,” Dazed and Confused

  Teresa Taylor: drummer for the band Butthole Surfers; actor, “Pap Smear Pusher,” Slacker

  Heidi Van Horne: actor, “Freshman Girl #3,” Dazed and Confused

  Clark Walker: assistant camera and dolly grip, Slacker; actor, “Cadillac Crook,” Slacker; second assistant camera, Dazed and Confused

  Anne Walker-McBay: casting and production management, Slacker; co-producer, Dazed and Confused

  Deenie Wallace: extra, Dazed and Confused

  Leslie Warren: Huntsville High School alum

  Don Watson: Huntsville High School alum

  Scott Wheeler: Matthew McConaughey’s former roommate

  Monnie Wills: Matthew McConaughey’s former roommate

  Bill Wise: extra, Dazed and Confused

  Bob Wooderson: Huntsville High School alum

  Linden Wooderson: Huntsville High School alum; son of the late Bob Wooderson

  David Zellner: actor; director; screenwriter

  Nathan Zellner: actor; director; screenwriter

  Renée Zellweger: actor, “Girl in Blue Truck” (uncredited), Dazed and Confused

  Introduction:

  If I Ever Start Referring to These as the Best Years of My Life, Remind Me to Kill Myself

  In 2011, Richard Linklater lost everything.

  From September to October of that year, the most destructive wildfire in the history of Texas burned through the middle of the state. Strong winds from Tropical Storm Lee had merged three separate fires into one massive blaze that ripped through the small historic town of Bastrop, nearly 30 minutes southeast of Austin. Bastrop State Park, a lush, 6,600-acre area teeming with pine trees, white-tailed deer, and armadillos, was reduced to a charred wasteland. The only sign of life was the sound of katydids singing from somewhere beyond the billowing smoke. Two people were killed, and more than 1,600 homes were reduced to ash, including the one that belonged to the writer-director of Dazed and Confused.

  Linklater and his family were unharmed, but nearly everything he owned was destroyed. Not long after Dazed was released, he’d bought a 38-acre piece of land in Bastrop and slowly built a compound, doing some of the construction himself. It featured a sports field, tennis court, and almost every artifact he’d amassed from his entire career as a filmmaker: personal prints of his films, early drafts of scripts, production materials, publicity documents, and a museum’s worth of memorabilia that included the famous KISS statues from Dazed. Just a few years before, he’d hosted a 10-year reunion party for Dazed here, and the place was haunted with memories of the cast just hanging out. Matthew McConaughey had hit a home run in the trees. Parker Posey swam in the pool. Deena Martin got in trouble for racing around the grounds in one of Linklater’s go-karts. Those go-karts were now melted to the ground.

  “Everything went up in flames,” Linklater’s friend and collaborator Ethan Hawke recalled. “Thirty years of work. He lost everything. And when I called him to say how sorry I was, he was already thinking about how grateful he was for the fire for teaching him not to be materialistic. This makes him sound like Saint Rick. He’s not. He’s his own mysterious entity.”

  After hours of interviews and visits with Linklater, who was unfailingly patient and cooperative as I persistently asked him to revisit an experience that brought back unwelcome memories, I agree that Linklater is a bit of a mystery. Even his friends characterize him as someone who is hard to get close to. Still, Hawke’s story captures a fundamental contradiction about the director: he’s the master of exploring the concept of nostal
gia in his films, but he often seems actively intellectually opposed to the very idea of it. He makes period pieces that vividly capture bygone eras, and romantic tributes to childhood and early adulthood. The most important theme of his work is the passing of time. And yet when his entire history was swallowed by a fire, he seemed determined not to dwell on the loss.

  “Obviously, I draw a lot of creative inspiration from the past, what people would call nostalgia,” says Linklater, who is surrounded by classic movie posters in his office in Northeast Austin. “But when I was making Dazed, I was thinking about how nostalgia can be a dangerous thing. People are nostalgic for times that never fucking existed. When you think about the past, you have to try to remember what was really going on. When people say, ‘Oh those were the good times!’ I always have to remind them, ‘No, that time sucked.’”

  This was the surprising goal behind Dazed and Confused: he wanted to show how much the ’70s sucked.

  As a thoughtful teenager growing up in the East Texas town of Huntsville in the late 1970s, Linklater was disgusted by adults’ nostalgia for the 1960s. “What a great time,” he says, laughing. “Rioting, war, assassinations!” But his generation ended up having the same feelings about the 1970s. That’s just the way nostalgia works: It is not a collection of memories, but a reinvention of memory itself. It’s misremembering your own life on purpose.

  Linklater intuitively distrusted that type of sunny, revisionist thinking, even when he was too young to fully understand it. “I remember my football coaches being like, ‘These are the best years of your life!’ and me being like, Fuck, I hope not. There’s gotta be something better,” he says. “That scene in the movie where Pink says, ‘If I ever start referring to these as the best years of my life, remind me to kill myself.’ That’s me reminding my younger self.”

  The film is set on the last day of high school in spring 1976, in a small, unnamed Texas town. Its main character, Pink (Jason London), is the quarterback, the popular kid, the guy that multiple hot girls want to make out with. In a different kind of movie, he would be having the time of his life. Instead, he’s acutely aware that he’s stuck in this place, surrounded by small-minded adults, and determined to avoid becoming one of them. Pink is a stand-in for Linklater, who played quarterback in his junior year. Mitch, the skinny, awkward freshman played by Wiley Wiggins, is also a stand-in for Linklater. “Whenever Pink talks to Mitch, that’s me talking to my younger self,” he points out.