
This is the single greatest movie ever. on the surface its a teen comedy about teens gettin' rowdy. but underneath that, it's about oppression and not knowing what you want. It's a very eloquent movie with a great message: have fun while you can and do what you wanna do;not what anyone else wants you to do. live in the moment. Think for yourself.
I think the title speaks for this. Yeah, it refers to the teens drinking and getting high. but I think it has a double meaning. I think it also refers to the confusion that the teens (and everybody else) feels.
Dazed and Confused:
The film is about Rebellion against the oppressions of society.
Everyone in this film seems to be doing something they are not supposed to be doing.
Each character is standing up to the force that oppresses them. This is a running theme throughout the story.
Examples:
Fight Back against "The Man."
If you leave you can't come back in. The boys walk out of the middle school mixer.
Freshman returns home to a mother waiting up. He gets a get out of jail free card by his mother.
Highschool kid orders kegs to throw a party at his parents house.
Kids cutting class, skipping school.
Banion makes a wood paddle while the shop teacher sleeps.
What is also interesting is the kids pick on each other and most of the adults don't seem to care. Because to adults, keeping tradition is important.
Though, we do have our adults that are rebels too. The hippy teacher reminds everyone to not celebrate the fourth of July because the founding father's were corrupt.
Nerd mentions this while girls are getting hazed in parking lot.
Kids heckle freshman while he pitches a baseball game and paddle him after the game. Where is the coach, where are all the adults in this?
Freshman ask to get out of school early so they don't get paddled by Seniors. Teach says: "It's just like my drill sergeant said, Men....... Some of you aren't coming back.
Quarter back standing up to the coach trying to make him take a drug test. It is not the drugs that he is worried about it is what other demands will be forced upon him if he gives into this one. In the final scene he throws the slip he is supposed to sign at the coach and takes off down the road to get concert tickets.
Nerds going to party stand up against bully. He doesn't want this to be the start of his meaningless existence.
Freshman stand up to Banion by devising a plan to dump paint on him.
Mathew McConohey is the ultimate Rebell. He never went to college, wanted to stick around and keep a little bit of change in his pocket. He tells the police officer. You are just mad because I went to State and you didn't.
Young girls get hazed. Finally one of the girls stands up the the older senior at a party. Senior calls out air raid right now. She doesn't do it. "Good for you," says the Nerd/love interest.
There are so many examples of rebellion in this film that I could go on and on. What makes this a great film is that it nailed it's era and the theme captured that era as well.
| Movies Now on DVD | |
|---|---|
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Contagion |
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Don't Be Afraid of the Dark |
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I Don't Know How She Does it |
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Moneyball |
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Shark Night |
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What's Your Number? |