8.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.3 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.1 |
The adventures of high school and junior high students on the last day of school in May 1976.
Starring: Jason London, Joey Lauren Adams, Milla Jovovich, Shawn Andrews, Rory CochraneDrama | 100% |
Coming of age | 40% |
Period | 32% |
Comedy | 20% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: DTS 2.0
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
BD-Live
Mobile features
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Richard Linklater helped popularize the idea of a slacker in his film of the same name, and some might think of the writer-director as something of a slacker himself, at least judging by the often inchoate, formless “structure” of a lot of his films. His output, which is rather regular and unusually diverse, of course argues otherwise, but many of Linklater’s films just kind of drift in the breeze like wafting marijuana smoke, something that might be a more appropriate analogy than ever for one of his best-remembered films, Dazed and Confused. Though Dazed and Confused was released in the rather sizable critical wake of Slacker, it never really found its audience in its original theatrical exhibition, and instead it was that typically slacker behavior of sitting around on a living couch and watching a rented (or purchased) movie on a VCR (remember those?) which initially started bringing hordes of people to the film. In a way, the home video revolution helped cement Dazed and Confused’s reputation to the point where many people consider it as having eclipsed Slacker itself as the prime example of Linklater’s early work. This generally sweet natured look at an Austin, Texas high school graduating class of 1976 fits into a rather straight line of several classic films recently released on Blu-ray, including American Graffiti and Fast Times at Ridgemont High, both films, like Dazed and Confused itself, Universal catalog titles which really might make a rather interesting triple feature. Linklater preceded Robert Rodriguez in popularizing the environs in and around Texas, and Dazed and Confused is a loving time capsule of a generation lost in the space between its own two ears.
Dazed and Confused wafts onto Blu-ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. While this Universal release will probably not supplant the Criterion release which is due in just a few more months, in terms of Universal catalog releases, it really looks rather good. Colors, while just this side of lurid some of the time, are robust and well saturated. The image is clean and clear and no egregious print damage is apparent. Sharpness is very good to excellent, and best of all this release hasn't been aggressively DNR'd, so grain structure is still intact but not overwhelming to the levels it was in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Contrast is generally strong, though some of the outdoor scenes look just slightly pushed, and while black levels aren't exceptional, crush is kept to a minimum throughout most of the film. Eagle eyed videophiles will spot a few examples of edge enhancement and resultant haloing.
Dazed and Confused is presented with an often boisterous lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that makes the most of the film's nonstop use of source cues. "Jukebox" films have had a heyday this year on Blu-ray, and Dazed and Confused continues the tradition of extremely fine soundtracks which filter through the surround channels with very appealing immersion in the musical elements. Dazed and Confused also tends to default to larger group scenes than some of the other films of this ilk, and that gives more ample opportunity for some good use of discrete channelization. Several of the large high school scenes spill into the surrounds, and the closing nighttime party scene also has some fine use of the side and rear channels. While this isn't a nonstop immersive blockbuster by any means, fidelity is strong, dynamic range is excellent, and surround activity is certainly well above average, especially with regard to the excellent music.
Dazed and Confused is surprisingly clear-headed in its portrayal of a bunch of kids on the cusp of adulthood, and it certainly ranks pretty much equally in the triumvirate which also includes American Graffiti and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Linklater's seemingly formless approach actually pays incredible dividends throughout the film, because it captures the wandering and questioning which is part and parcel of most of these kids' mindsets at this precarious moment in their lives. While some may want a more standard three act structure, for those who are able to "go with the flow," Dazed and Confused is a sweetly charming and often very funny film. While the Criterion version is probably going to ultimately be the "go-to" Blu-ray for this title (especially with regard to supplemental features, something this release is pretty slim on), for the time being, and in the relative world of sometimes botched Universal catalog releases, you could do a lot worse. Highly recommended.
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