In the ninteen seventies, porn was crappy. Let's get that misconception out of the way. Porn was no good even then (except, of course, on the merit of, um, well...you know, what people watch porn for anyway). But though, what should be noted, is that they at least tried. The filmmakers gave it their all, they shot it on film, they tried to give it real stories, and even some of the acting had a goofy naturalness to it (which means that it was pathetic, but amusing). Porn was cheap explotation, but it was sweet and innocent and you didn't feel dirty watching it.
Boogie Nights is about that time, or at least the first half is. The second half is when the eighties arrives. Videotape, cocaine, and ego ruin the lifes of these people, but their undying need for a family, any family, to replace those that had shunned them, eventually brings them together again.
Eddies Adams is a nice boy from the valley. Really dumb, but nice. He works at a night club as a busboy, dropped out of high school, has a girlfriend named cheryl lynn, lives with his parents, and has a fourteen inch long penis. This what brings him the attention of Jack Horner, porn auteur.
Eddie takes the name Dirk Diggler, and is soon starring in his first x-rated film, Amber's Auditions (where he has a sex scene with his surrogate mother that is both very touching, and very disturning in it's implications). Also along are stars Rollergirl, Reed Rothchild, Buck Swope, and Jessie St. Vincent. And crew members Kurt Longjohn, Scotty J., and Little Bill, who's violent death leads to the turnaround in the 80's.
Writer/Director Paul Thomas Anderson tells his story with an energy and enthusiasm that is necessary to bring alive times such as those. The movie is epic in the ways of Robert Altman, but also very tender in how it cares so much for these characters who are on paths of self destruction. Some people have accussed Anderson of exploiting the porn industry and getting the facts wrong, but I think you should view the film on it's own merits, not how close it adheres to reality (of course, in my opinion, it's pretty realistic, but what the hell do I know?)
Family is what Anderson's films are really all about, and this movie shows us how people band together when they are forced out of their real family. The porn world that Dirk gets himself into may not be the best, but they do honestly love him, and care for him, while all his real mother ever did was tell him he was stupid and would never be anything.
Also, the movie does have an ending that is a tad too happy. But still, even under the guise of the supposed happiness there, we have the undying yearning to be somebody and have your share of the spotlight. Dirk may be self deluded in his own thoughts, but damn, you can't help but love him.
CINEMATOGRAPHY BY
ROBERT ELSWIT
EDITED BY
DYLAN TICHENOR
PRODUCED BY
PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON
JOANNE SELLER
JOHN LYONS
LLOYD LEVIN
MIKE DELUCA
STARRING
MARK WHALBERG - EDDIE ADAMS/DIRK DIGGLER
BURT REYNOLDS - JACK HORNER
JULIANNE MOORE - AMBER WAVES
JOHN C. REILLY - REED ROTHCHILD
HEATHER GRAHAM - ROLLERGIRL
DON CHEADLE - BUCK SWOPE
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN - SCOTTY J
ROBERT RIDGLEY - THE COLONEL
WILLIAM H. MACY - LITTLE BILL
NINA HARTLEY - LITTLE BILL'S WIFE
LUIS GUZMAN - MAURICE RODRIGUEZ
MELORA WALTERS - JESSIE SAINT VINCENT
NICOLE ARI PARKER - BECKY BARNETT
RICKY JAY - KURT LONGJOHN
THOMAS JANE - TODD PARKER
ALFRED MOLINA - RAHAD JACKSON
PHILIP BAKER HALL - FLOYD GONDOLLI
YEAR OF RELEASE: 1998
MPAA RATING: R
RUNNING TIME: 152 MINUTES
ASPECT RATIO: 2.35/1
MEMORABLE LINES
ROLLERGIRL (high on coke): Amber, are you my mom? I'm gonna ask you, okay? And you say yes, okay? Amber, are you my mom?
AMBER WAVES (high on coke): Yes, sweetie.
DIRK DIGGLER: You wanna f**k with me! I know f**king karate!
DIRK DIGGLER: I mean, everyone has one thing, you'd think. Everyone's blessed with one special thing.
JACK HORNER: Wait a minute. You come into my house, my party, to tell me about the future? That the future is tape, videotape, and not film? That it's amateaurs and not professionals? I'm a filmmaker. That is why I will never make a movie on videotape.
FLOYD GONDOLLI: I like simple pleasures, like butter in my a**, lollipops in my mouth. That's just me. That's just something that I enjoy, call me crazy, call me a pervert.
DIRK DIGGLER: When I close my eyes, I see this thing, a sign, I see this name in bright blue neon lights with a purple outline. And this name is so bright and so sharp that the sign -- it just blows up because the name is so powerful... It says, "Dirk Diggler."
DIRK DIGGLER: You're not the boss of me, Jack! You're not the king of Dirk! I'm the boss of me! I'm the king of me. I'm Dirk Diggler! I'm the star! It's my big dick and I say when we roll!
DIRK DIGGLER: It's lying, It's cheating, it's vindictivness. But, god. What can you expect when you're on top? You know? It's like Napoleon. When he was the king, you know, people were just constantly trying to conquer him, you know, in the Roman Empire. So, it's history repeating itself all over again.
DIRK DIGGLER: Listen, to all you critics out there, I know you're gonna knock me. Well, you know, I...I have a gift. And I am trying not to be selfish, but to use it. And let, me just tell you my friend, jealousy will get you nowhere.
DIRK DIGGLER: I'm a star. I'm a star, I'm a star, I'm a star. I'm a big, bright shining star.
CLIPS FROM THE MOVIE THAT I STOLE FROM OTHER SITES
-Boogie Shoes - KC And The Sunshine Band
-Momma Told Me Not To Come - Three Dog Night