Boogie Nights
BOOGIE NIGHTSÂ (18)
D: Paul Thomas Anderson
New Line (Lloyd Levin, Paul Thomas Anderson, John Lyons
& Joanne Sellar)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
USA 🇺🇸 1997
156 mins
Drama
W:Â Paul Thomas AndersonÂ
DP: Robert Elswit
Ed: Dylan Tichenor
Mus: Toby Emmerich
PD: Bob Ziembicki
Cos: Mark Bridges
Mark Wahlberg (Eddie Adams / Dirk Diggler), Burt
Reynolds (Jack Horner), Julianne Moore (Maggie / Amber Waves), John C. Reilly (Reed Rothschild), Don Cheadle (Buck Swope), Heather Graham (Brandy /
Rollergirl), Luis Guzman (Maurice Rodriguez), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Scotty J), William H. Macy ('Little' Bill Thompson), Alfred Molina (Rahad Jackson), Philip Baker Hall (Floyd
Gondolli)
Ensemble piece about the dying days of the 1970's pornography
industry as long as Mark Wahlberg's wonder-schlong, he plays well-endowed pornographic actor Dirk Diggler on a rise to fame and fortune from a lowly busboy and then the fall following addiction
to drugs, tinkerings with crime and the general decline of the pornographic film industry following the medium's transition from specialist theatres to home video.
The supporting characters are every bit as interesting as the
main story, with Burt Reynold's delivering one of his best ever performances as producer/director Jack Horner, trying desperately to keep the market alive. Heather Graham as young 'Rollergirl',
who gave up her high school education for the trade and Julianne Moore, excellent as an actress who is in an emotional custody battle for her son.
At 156 minutes, it's a stretch, but there's not much which
could have been left on the cutting room floor. On DVD release, avoid the cropped version and ensure you're watching in the intended 2.35:1 aspect ratio (it's actually essential).
8/10
