Dazed and Confused is a film that follows a plethora of characters on the last day of school before summer break. Although lacking a tangible plot, it makes a bold attempt to encompass and present the zeitgeist of the 1970s. In my opinion, it's as if Dazed and Confused was produced in the hope of conveying a feeling of nostalgia to viewers who lived through the 1970s. The film's trajectory, exploitation of the zeitgeist, and soundtrack are all very similar to George Lucas's American Graffiti, a film that also successfully roots itself in nostalgia. Dazed and Confused was released in 1993 and, like American Graffiti, was able to look over its shoulder to determine what music had stood the test of time. The film attempts to embody what it meant for someone to grow up in the 1970s. Its success depends on its ability to recreate the spirit of that era. In this article I will talk about how the use of the popular soundtrack works with the overall narrative, show the way the characters actually interact with the music, how the soundtrack works in a specific scene, explain my personal relationship with the soundtrack and touch briefly on how the meaning of the film has changed over time. The film chooses to use a soundtrack composed entirely of popular music from the 1970s. Frith writes: "The sociologist of contemporary popular music is confronted with a body of songs, records, stars and styles that exists thanks to a series of decisions, made by both producers and consumers, about what constitutes a hit sound” (Frith, 134). ). I reference this quote because it is important to note that this film was released in 1993. The people who are responsible for choosing the soundtrack have the luxury of knowing what the music is capable of......middle of paper .... ..ability to depict rites of passage and coming-of-age scenarios. Frith writes: “…youth music is socially important not because it reflects the experience of youth (authentic or not), but because it defines for us what “youth” is” ( Frith, 143). The soundtrack is still effective because it not only captures the zeitgeist, but also because it captures the concept of youth. The film uses songs that it knows are classic hits, songs that audiences still know very well, even thirty-four years later. He is able to do this through music that transcends generations and a storyline that many people can relate to. Works Cited: Frith, Simon. “Towards an aesthetic of popular music.” Music and society. 133-49. Electronic resource. Gorbman, Claudia. Unheard melodies: narrative film music. London: BFI Pub., 1987. Electronic resource.