How The Doors inspired Matthew McConaughey’s break out moment
These days, the average movie-goer or television fan is aware of Matthew McConaughey, an actor who has appeared in many acclaimed dramas, such as Interstellar and Dallas Buyer’s Club, as well as the popular series True Detective. McConaughey has numerous prestigious accolades to his name, including an Oscar, becoming one of Hollywood’s most impressive and likeable stars.
However, many people might not be aware that one of his most iconic roles was actually his first proper film credit. We all remember McConaughey’s performance in Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused from 1993, a comedy about teenagers celebrating the last day of school before the summer break. Yet, he had only appeared in a crime reconstruction in Unsolved Mysteries and had a minor cameo in the film My Boyfriend’s Back before then.
Featuring an ensemble cast, Dazed and Confused unravels over one night as different characters interact with each other, do drugs, listen to music, and get caught up in hazing rituals. The movie is set in the ‘70s, and McConaughey appears with a blonde haircut and moustache typical of the era, pulling up in his car to hang out with teenagers despite being in his early 20s. He delivers one of the most memorable lines in the film: “That’s what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age.”
Despite his character’s limited screen time, that wasn’t his only memorable moment. His character also says, “Alright, alright, alright,” which movie fans often quote. McConaughey actually came up with this catchphrase himself, which impressed the crew, demonstrating that this new actor had what it took to become a star.
McConaughey actually stole the line from The Doors’ Jim Morrison, drawing slight parallels between his character and the frontman, both of whom loved women, music and drugs. The actor had been listening to lots of The Doors leading up to his performance, especially a live album. Between some songs, Morrison started talking to the audience, at one point saying, “Alright, alright, alright, alright.”
The actor knew he could take this and use it for his performance in Dazed and Confused, subsequently improvising the line on set. In an interview on George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight, McConaughey revealed that he thought about his character’s interests by taking influence from Morrison. He decided his main priorities were “his car, gettin’ high, rock and roll and pickin’ up chicks.”
He added, “I’m in my car; I’m high as a kite; I’m listening to rock and roll. ‘Action!’ And there’s the chick – ‘All right, all right, all right!’ Three out of four!”
Morrison, who died in 1971 aged 27 due to heart failure stemming from years of alcohol abuse, was a known womaniser, even getting maced by police when he refused to stop his make-out session with a woman backstage. While Morrison is not remembered as a creep like McConaughey’s character, who purposefully hits on teenage girls, the actor was inspired by the singer’s embodiment of ‘sex, drugs and rock and roll’, something his pathetic character wants so desperately to be a part of.
