In tribute to the academy award nominees vast and varied career of more than 20 films. This essay examines the work of contemporary film director richard linklater in the light of the concept of pastiche. The groundbreaking new film, shot over the course of 12 years. Despite his unassuming, easygoing disposition, the man who pinned the label slacker to his own generation is one of the more prolific and intriguing filmmakers around. A guide to the freewheeling films of richard linklater.
Before slacker, an experimental narrative revolving around 24 hours in the lives of 100 characters, garnered acclaim in 1991, richard linklater had made many shorts and completed a super 8 feature, its impossible to plow by reading books 1988 linklaters additional credits include the 70s cult hit dazed and confused 1993. A beginners guide to richard linklater consequence of sound. He constructed the 1991 film available to view on youtube as a series of set pieces some irreverent, some meandering, and some bizarre, but most all of them with stealthily universal resonance taking. Why richard linklater thinks you wont make it in the film. This year marks the 20th anniversary of richard linklaters slacker, the best and maybe the most important little arthouse film ever to. He constructed the 1991 film available to view on youtube as a series of set pieces some irreverent, some meandering, and some bizarre, but most all of them with stealthily universal resonance taking place across the college town of austin, texas. Richard linklater biography life, childhood, children. Since then, linklater has been toggling between making studio films and indies that mostly tap into reallife countercultures. Oct 24, 2017 linklater himself starring in the film that would launch his career, slacker. Richard linklater great director profile senses of cinema. Apr 14, 2014 slacker, richard linklater s 1991 comedydrama of vignettes. Richard linklater is an american filmmaker, screenwriter, and actor. Hospital visit from the carol burnett show full sketch duration. The not so dazed and confused richard linklater, an interview, in suspect culture toronto, fall 1994.
In 1980, a group of college baseball players navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood. Just to make things interesting, the next film, dazed and confused, focused on an earlier generation at a particularly protean moment in personal development. Celine, and even being alone its better than sitting next to your lover and feeling lonely. Presents a day in the life in austin, texas among its social outcasts and misfits, predominantly the twentysomething set, using a series of linear vignettes. A day in the life of austin, texas as the camera roams from place to place and provides a brief look at the overeducated, the social misfits, the outcasts and the oddballs.
Youtube synopsis slacker has been described as plotless, presented as a series of interchanging vignettes, similarly to. Today, richard linklaters acclaimed boyhood which we love opens in select cities. The full table of contents contains links to my conversations with terry gilliam, richard linklater, barry levinson, caleb landry jones, anna paquin, stephen moyer, denis ohare and. Jul 08, 2014 richard linklaters boyhood is a comingofage movie like no otherbut its not exactly a richard linklater movie like no other. Linklaters slacker was in the same line of indie chic, except the lack of character development was blamed on the characters being timewasters. I think the big jump for me was that films were always kind of a social thing, linklater remembered.
Richard linklater lyrics, songs, and albums genius. Apr 30, 2016 a t the start of richard linklaters 1992 breakthrough movie slacker, a passenger in a cab monologues away about life and hope and the randomness of it all. Selftaught film writer and director richard linklater hit the cinema radar in 1991 with slacker, an offbeat film that followed the lives of a group of bohemians over a 24hour period. With richard linklater, rudy basquez, jean caffeine, jan hockey. When, in 1989, then28yearold richard linklater rounded up a bunch of friends and neerdowells in his hometown of austin, texas, to film a lofi, shaggydog odyssey of a movie, he didnt have a title, didnt have. In 2012, the film was selected for preservation in the united states national film registry by the library of congress. Selftaught writerdirector richard stuart linklater was born in houston, texas, to diane margaret krieger, who taught at a university, and charles w. Jul 12, 2016 richard linklater is the james joyce of cinema, and yes, hes also one hell of an artist. The six million dollar slacker, an interview with c. Idle thinking, an interview with tom charity, in time out london, 2 december 1992. Before slacker, an experimental narrative revolving around 24 hours in the lives of 100 characters, garnered acclaim in 1991, richard linklater had made many shorts and completed a super 8 feature, its impossible to plow by reading books 1988. Jan 22, 2015 in turn, richard linklater s second feature, slacker, though nominated for the grand jury prize, was a bit overshadowed by more prominent films, including winner poison by todd haynes. Richard linklater s filmmaking choices seem to defy basic patterns of authorship.
Itll be expanding next week and be practically everywhere by. Jan 21, 2011 this year marks the 20th anniversary of richard linklaters slacker, the best and maybe the most important little arthouse film ever to come out of the lone star state. Slacker is a movie with an appeal almost impossible to describe, although the method of the director, richard linklater, is as clear as day. He is known for humanist films that revolve mainly around suburban culture and the effects of the passage of time. With an ironic title that hit the sweet spot for conceptions and misconceptions about generation x, the film confirmed, post. July 30, 1960, houston, texas filmography bibliography articles in senses web resources richard linklater emerged at a vital, if dubious, moment in american film. Richard was among the first and most successful talents to emerge during the american independent film renaissance of the 1990s. Slacker, directed by richard linklater, presents a day in the life of a looseknit austin, texas, subculture populated by eccentric and overeducated young people. From slacker 1991 to the school of rock 2003, from before sunrise 1995 to before sunset 2004, from the walking and talking of his nolowbudget american independent films to conversing with the philosophical traditions of the european art house, richard linklater s films are some of the most critical, political, and spiritual achievements of contemporary world cinema.
As is evidenced from linklaters illustrious career, he is a man of tremendous ambition. To find out more about richard linklater, you can take a look at american masters. Strange, funny, and sad, it is the most unique film i have ever seen. When richard linklater took slacker to sundance in 1991. But you may underestimate richard linklaters lowkey debut slacker at your peril. Dazed and confused, and waking life were great, but slacker is richard linklater s best film. If the similarly animated and interiorized waking life 01 was a. He wants to show us a certain strata of campus life at the present time a group of people he calls slackers, although anyone who has ever lived in a campus town will also recognize them under such older names as beatniks, hippies. Linklater 101 when richard linklaters slacker was released in 1991, there was barely any apparatus in place for independent film, much less a formless slice of life about fringedwellers, crackpots, dreamers, and selfmade philosophers in austin, texas. I think the big jump for me was that films were always kind of a. In turn, richard linklaters second feature, slacker, though nominated for the grand jury prize, was a bit overshadowed by more prominent films, including winner poison by todd haynes.
He wants to show us a certain strata of campus life at the present time a group of people he calls slackers, although anyone who has ever lived in a campus town will also recognize them under such older names as beatniks, hippies, bohemians. Slacker, directed by richard linklater dazed and confused, presents a day in the life of a looseknit austin, texas, subculture populated by eccentric and overeducated young people. It is a period i am inclined to describe as the rick schmidt era of the american independent film. Slacker, richard linklater s 1991 comedydrama of vignettes. Richard linklater dream is destiny when it airs on pbs on september 1 at 9 p. I was really disappointed to find out that this wasnt actually a novel or story that contained the attitude and themes of the movie but instead just an indepth look at every aspect of the movie and how it got filmed and eventually produced and distributed. Richard linklaters films, ranked in honor of his epic boyhood hitting theaters, we rank all of this pioneering indie. During the 1990s, austin achieved overnight success and celebrity as a vital place for independent filmmaking. Dazed and confused 1993, waking life 2001 and a scanner.
Biography for richard linklater turner classic movies. Following his emergence into the spotlight with slacker 1990, writerdirector richard linklater was cited by many filmmakers and critics as having helped usher in the independent film movement of the 1990s. Austinbased auteur richard linklater s new film whered you go, bernadette opens this weekend. School daze, an interview with tom charity, in time out london, 31 august 1994. Richard linklaters films, ranked in honor of his epic boyhood hitting theaters, we rank all of this pioneering indie filmmakers work from worst to best. Slacker richard linklater, 1991 final sequence youtube. Though it was only his second feature, and linklater himself only 31, it showed a director already in possession of a distinctive filmmaking style. The carol burnett show official recommended for you.
A school project to design a system for a film festival, i chose richard linklater as my director, watched over 10 films of his, i came up a thread which is time is a relentless force that hunts us down and reshapes us no matter how hard we resist it. From his debut with the inventive independent narrative slacker, the austinbased directors divergent films have included the scifi noir a scanner darkly, the socially conscious fast food nation, the kidfriendly the school of rock, the teen ensemble dazed and confused, and the twin romances before. From slacker 1991 to the school of rock 2003, from before sunrise 1995 to before sunset 2004, from the walking and talking of his nolowbudget american independent films to conversing with the philosophical traditions of the european art house, richard linklater s films are some of the most critical, political, and spiritual. Yeah, a memorys never finished, if you really think about it. Dicks 1977 novel, right down to the inclusion of the authors postscript rollcall of drug casualty comrades, a scanner darkly finds richard linklater journeying deep into the spooky, lonesome badlands of the psyche. Dazed and confused, and waking life were great, but slacker is richard linklaters best film. Apr 09, 2015 linklaters slacker was in the same line of indie chic, except the lack of character development was blamed on the characters being timewasters. Its impossible to learn to plow by reading woodshock.
The best way to learn about film, in linklaters mind, is to watch as many films and shoot as much as you can. Today, richard linklater s acclaimed boyhood which we love opens in select cities. His films include the observational comedy film slacker 1990. His debut slacker may seem like an atonal amble across austin, but the experimental debut shows a director of limitless potential, and in effect. Slacker was nominated for the grand jury prize dramatic at the sundance film festival in 1991. Linklater first became the darling of the indie world following his first official feature film, slacker 1990, a comedic look at thencontemporary youth, postcollege layabouts, anarchists and neobeatniks, as they wander around a texas college campus over a. Richard linklater celebrity profile check out the latest richard linklater photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. Itll be expanding next week and be practically everywhere by midaugust. Richard linklater is the james joyce of cinema, and yes, hes also one hell of an artist. Without his manifesto for generation x who later were tagged with the sobriquet slackers other independent filmmakers might not have been compelled to make. I am so happy slacker is finally getting a dvd release, and the fact its going to be released as a special two disc set, as part of the criterion collection, is awesome.
Richard linklaters boyhood is a comingofage movie like no otherbut its not exactly a richard linklater movie like no other. From slacker 1991 to the school of rock 2003, from before sunrise 1995 to before sunset 2004, from the walking and talking of his nolowbudget american independent films to conversing with the philosophical traditions of the european art house, richard linklaters films are some of the most critical, political, and spiritual achievements of contemporary world cinema. Youtube synopsis slacker has been described as plotless, presented as a. Slacker is a 1990 american independent comedydrama film written and directed by richard linklater, who also appears in the film. Apr 30, 2012 2008 keanu reeves at the london film festival anvil the story of anvil 21 oct 2008 duration. The cinema of richard linklater by rob stone overdrive.
Slacker, richard linklaters 1991 comedydrama of vignettes. Linklater first became the darling of the indie world following his first official feature film, slacker 1990, a comedic look at thencontemporary youth, postcollege layabouts, anarchists and neobeatniks, as they wander around a texas college campus over a 24hour period in the summer of 1989. A t the start of richard linklaters 1992 breakthrough movie slacker, a passenger in a cab monologues away about life and hope and the randomness. It was a narrative approach others would later attempt to imitate, some because it felt so fresh and original, others, perhaps, because it. Richard linklater has been at the forefront of several important chapters in american filmmaking, from the rise of the indie in the 80s and 90s to. After beginning with a brief overview of recent scholarship on pastiche, both in culture as a whole and in cinema, it argues that it is a structuring mode in three linklater films. Keanu reeves honoring richard linklater, a slacker turns.
Linklater is mostly known for his realistic and natural humanist films which mainly revolve around suburban. I think i get more excited about welldone representations of life than life itself. Richard linklater s hot list, interview in rolling stone, may 1993. Slacker was nominated for the grand jury prize dramatic at the sundance film festival in 1991 in 2012, the film was selected for preservation in the united states national film registry by the library of congress as being culturally, historically, or. Almost no one wanted richard linklater to direct school of. Richard linklaters filmmaking choices seem to defy basic patterns of authorship. I just returned from covering the 53rd karlovy vary international film festival in the czech republic, where i saw some excellent films, and got the chance to meet many extraordinary people. Slacker was nominated for the grand jury prize dramatic at the sundance film festival in 1991 in 2012, the film was selected for preservation in the united states national film registry by the library of congress as being culturally, historically. With blake jenner, tyler hoechlin, ryan guzman, zoey deutch. Linklater himself starring in the film that would launch his career, slacker.
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