A summertime question for Matt Dentler.

I've made a habit lately of saying something along the lines of, "The day I move out of Austin, is the day I move out of Texas." It's a fairly childish and uninformed statement, but I keep saying it. I love Texas, I've lived here all my life and don't regret that fact for one minute. But, I can honestly say that when I visit other, bigger cities in this state (Houston, where I was born, and Dallas), I cannot wait to get back home. But I am proud to be a Texan. I think we have a rich, deep and vibrant culture that exists throughout this state. I mean, let's not forget that Wes Anderson and Paul Wall are both from Houston. Kris Kristofferson is from Brownsville. Renée Zellweger is from Katy. The Flatlanders are from Lubbock. Steve Martin is from Waco. Daniel Johnston lives in Waller. There's a fascinating artistic history in Texas, one that runs deeper and edgier than many people may realize.

With all that said, there is something very special about Austin. But I think Austin wouldn't be Austin without Texas around it. It's sort of a chicken-and-egg scenario: would Austin be what it is if other parts of Texas weren't sitting there reinforcing it? Geographically, Austin is like this drain in the middle of the shower... where all the elements and people unwanted in other parts of the state eventually flow towards each other in a central community. It may not be the most diverse city in Texas (in terms of sheer per capita, Dallas and Houston have it beat), but I'd argue it's one of the most culturally-blended towns the state has to offer. And I'm not just talking about ethnicity. You have entire generations of young Americans that circulate between the giant public university, the dysfunctional state government offices, the overpowering live music venues, the unconventional cinemas, and the beautiful hills and lakes. Austin is one of the only communities where a person will regularly eat heavy, Texas barbecue for lunch and then some vegan Mexican dish for dinner (trust me, I've done it).

But the thing about Austin is, so many of the residents here are from other parts of Texas. So, without those amazing communities in El Paso, Denton, Marfa, and the like, there would arguably not be an Austin. Does that sound a bit confusing and muddled? Exactly the point, and exactly why you have some of the best filmmakers of the last 20 years not only embracing Austin, but also setting up shop. This is just as much Terrence Malick's homebase as it is the home of Robert Rodriguez. This is the town where Richard Linklater can make A Scanner Darkly one minute, and Fast Food Nation the next. And, as a result, Linklater has become, in my opinion, the most daring American filmmaker working today. He loves baseball and football, just as much as he loves Buñuel or Godard. And that right there, is Austin.

Austin is where a film like Mike Judge's Office Space can be made and become a cult classic, and then Judge can continue making episodes of King of the Hill from the comfort of his office here. This is the place where Quentin Tarantino and Kevin Smith regularly hold court, because they know that audiences here get "it," whatever "it" is. This is the town where the University of Texas can produce internationally renowned documentary filmmakers, as well as produce a teen gothic flick like The Quiet through the newly-formed Burnt Orange Productions. In short, it's a city full of bizarre, creative juxtapositions. Because, at the end of the day, Austin is a bizarre, creative juxtaposition within the Lone Star State. And, I wouldn't want it any other way.

Posted by dwhudson at August 6, 2006 3:06 AM