The Misfits of Nostalgia

"A sociology of nostalgia…is concerned with tracking down the sources of nostalgic experience in group life [...] commodified nostalgia involves the revival by the culture industry of certain fashions and styles of a particular
past era"

This week’s nostalgic screening, Dazed and Confused, was by far my favorite of the films we’ve watched in class and is probably now one of my favorite movies of all time. Everything about this movie is iconic – the clothing, the hairstyles, the language, the whole youthful and carefree atmosphere that surrounds these teenagers as they navigate life in the late 1970s. Davis defines nostalgia as an experience of group life which involves a revival of culture, and I think that Dazed and Confused is the embodiment of this concept. For me, the beauty of this film lies in its ability to somehow make me nostalgic for a time that I’ve never even know, by recreating this not-so-distant culture and presenting it in a way that allows me to fully engage with its ideas and values – by presenting it as a shared experience.

"… a new kind of engagement with the past, a relationship based fundamentally on its cultural mediation and textual reconfiguration in the present."

The funniest thing about the nostalgic feelings you get from this film is the fact that they’re evoked by watching a group of teenagers do a whole lot of nothing. Most of the film shows these different groups driving around, talking, getting into trouble in a way that is almost mundane and expected from the time period. It reminds you of what it’s like to be a highschooler, with no cares and nothing better to do than wasting your time goofing off with your friends. It feels like almost every scene in the film evokes some sort of connection, from driving around aimlessly with friends to the hell you have to go through in order to find your place in the social hierarchy. No one likes hazing, but we like the idea of it – we all feel that universal need to fit in, and I think that this movie really plays on that desire as we watch Mitch navigating the transition between junior high and high school. We’re presented with characters that are easy to connect with because of the fact that we can see ourselves reflected in them, and its through these connections we make that we’re able to get a sense of this time and its culture, and to really feel those feelings of nostalgia that these films are designed to create.

One final thing that I feel I have to address: the soundtrack. Holy shit. It’s the first thing to draw you in and it honestly never disappoints, continually driving the plot forward and supporting it in ways you didn’t even know it needed. In some ways, the music is one of the strongest aspects of this film – it’s sort of the background music that sets the tone for the whole film, and is really vital in conveying those nostalgic undertones that are meant to evoke a positive response from viewers.

Overall, I’d say that this film is alright alright alright. 😏

ps, one of the most relatable moments in all of cinematic history: