A Dazed and Confused Cinema Arts Celebration: The Soundtracks of Richard Linklater
With Richard Linklater, Bun B, and Handsomebeast
This year’s Cinema Arts Celebration will celebrate both the 25th anniversary of Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused and the 10th anniversary of Houston Cinema Arts Festival. Houston hip-hop legend Bun B, also a noted cinephile and member of the Houston Cinema Arts Society board, will interview Linklater about the remarkable ‘70s and ‘80s musical selections that animated both Dazed and its “spiritual sequel” Everybody Wants Some!! (2016).
The interview will be followed by a set of soundtrack covers by Houston’s Handsomebeast, founders of the irresistible genre dubbed by the pioneers themselves as Space-Rock-Bump-n-Grind.
Then Bun B will return to the stage with special guests to perform songs from Everybody Wants Some!!, the Sugar Hill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight and a set of numbers from his latest release, Return of the Trill. And then...DJ Ramalama—Matt Johns will take the stage and the dancing will commence!
Special Guests
Richard Linklater
Self-taught writer-director Richard Linklater is among the first and most successful talents to emerge during the American independent film renaissance of the 1990s. Typically setting each of his movies during one 24-hour period, Linklater’s work explores what he dubbed “the youth rebellion continuum,” focusing in fine detail on generational rites and mores with rare compassion and understanding while definitively capturing the 20-something culture of his era through a series of nuanced, illuminating ensemble pieces which introduced any number of talented young actors into the Hollywood firmament. Born in Houston, Texas, Linklater suspended his educational career at Sam Houston State University in 1982 to work on an offshore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. He subsequently relocated to Austin, where he founded a film society and began to work on his debut film, It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books (1988). Three years later he released the sprawling Slacker (1990), an insightful, virtually plotless look at 1990s youth culture that became a favorite on the festival circuit prior to earning vast acclaim at Sundance in 1991. Upon its commercial release, the movie, made for less than $23,000, became the subject of considerable mainstream media attention, with the term “slacker” becoming a much overused catch-all tag employed to affix a name and identity of America’s disaffected youth culture.
Bernard "Bun B" Freeman
As one-half of Underground Kingz, Bernard "Bun B" Freeman created much of the language and style that informs modern street rap, whether it's the gleaming "candy paint" of tricked-out classic Chevys, or simply being "trill," or too real for haters. He rose to fame in the influential rap duo UGK, winning numerous awards including a Grammy nomination. Bun B has also been featured on albums with several other notable artists with guest appearances on the Jay- Z hit single “Big Pimpin” and Beyonce’s chart-topper “Check On It.” His solo projects include Trill (which opened at #6 on the Billboard Hot 200 and peaking at #1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-hop Album chart), Trill OG was released in 2010 and Trill OG: The Epilogue in 2013.
Today, Bun B has grown into an elder statesman, collaborating with and mentors younger hit makers like Kirko Bangz, a young Houston rapper. More importantly, he has often spoken about the unique subculture of Southern rap, and why it deserves as much respect as any form of popular music. Since 2011, Bun B has been a guest lecturer on religion and hip-hop culture, in a course taught by Professor Anthony Pinn at Rice University in Houston. A practicing Baptist, he's married with two children and a grandchild. He also co-owns a food blog, www.yougottaeatthis.com, which features exotic how-to tutorials like "cooking with Himalayan salt blocks."
Handsomebeast
Handsomebeast – yes, one word – is a five piece band based out of Houston, TX. They are the founders of an irresistible genre dubbed by the pioneers themselves as Space-Rock-Bump-n-Grind, which incorporates elements of classic and indie rock with futuristic electrofunk and infectious pop. Their most recent album, The Badass Future (12/2/16), is available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Soundcloud and at handsomebeastmusic.com.