The story of Dazed And Confused has been told before, but never with the depth, breadth, or remarkable reproduction of the film’s conversational rhythms found in Melissa Maerz’s new oral history.

This is a spoken, as-told-to memoir of (mostly) everyone who was involved in the making of Linklater’s 1993 follow-up to Slacker. A loose, hormonal slice of ’70s Texas teenage life that’s become a modern coming-of-age classic.

The book’s prime appeal is its font of anecdotes.

... targeted at the film’s fans, who should enjoy it. It is a well-organized and developed oral history that presents an engaging and enjoyable chronicle of an enduring 1990s film. It covers a broader range of topics in greater detail than its predecessors, presenting the most comprehensive oral history to date ofDazed and Confused. The book also features numerous black-and-white behind-the-scenes photos and some excerpts from script drafts, letters, and Linklater’s Dazed by Days diary..

Through interviews with Linklater and the cast (including Ben Affleck and Matthew McConaughey) and crew, Maerz delivers an at times humorous chronicle of how a small film became a touchstone of 1990s cinema, with introspective analysis of directing techniques, casting, and performance. While readers may become overwhelmed by the different perspectives, the author maintains a sense of cohesion among different insights, resulting in a well-rounded account.

... makes for fun reading, enhanced by veteran entertainment journalist Maerz’s expert chapter introductions and many, well-organized conversations with everyone from Linklater to the stars to the film crew. But Alright, Alright, Alright is also an interesting peek into the many relationships that must be navigated in the making of a film, and a surprising foray into the nature of memory and nostalgia. A must for fans of the movie and readers interested in the moviemaking experience..

A charming oral history of everyone’s favorite stoner film.

... exhaustively researched.