An Epic Film about... yeah, Porn (+ DVD Review)
Written: Dec 10 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Incredible ensemble cast delivers powerful performances / Superb direction by P.T. of his first epic film / Wonderful script & story
Cons: Mark Wahlberg's lead performance could be better / Subject matter is sure to repel many viewers
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| JonTurner's Full Review: Boogie Nights |
With only three feature films under his belt, Magnolia, Hard Eight, and of course, Boogie Nights, Paul Thomas Anderson has already established himself as one of the most poignant directors in Hollywood. A master storyteller, he has written every film that he has directed, and he puts everything he has into his craft. By combining a distinctive style of fluid, polished direction with emotional stories of epic proportion, P.T. has all but redefined the limits of character-driven dramas.
Boogie Nights is not an epic in the historical sense, but it manages to do to the porn industry what The Godfather and Goodfellas have done to the world of gangsters. It takes the viewer inside of an otherwise unaccessible society and paints a portrait of an entire era through a diverse collection of fascinating characters. Anderson condemns the industry by showcasing its immoral qualities and exposing the effects of its excesses, but he reminds us that those caught up in it are not that different from ourselves, allowing us to draw our own conclusions in the end.
In a sweeping four minute tracking shot reminiscent of The Player's opening, Anderson introduces almost all of his characters and sets the atmosphere for what is to come. In a San Fernando Valley (where Magnolia also takes place) nightclub in 1977, we first meet Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), a successful director of adult films. While he and his extended "family" have their night out, Horner eyes one of the club's dishwashers, Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg - Perfect Storm, Three Kings), and immediately envisions a bright future for the kid.
Eddie, a 17 year old high school drop out working two jobs, sees an opportunity to escape from his distraught mother and make some real money. Almost overnight, Eddie finds a screen identity in "Dirk Diggler" and uses his God-given talent, an umm... 13 inch penis, to become the biggest (pun intended) star in the industry. Not surprisingly, he begins to develop quite an ego as he gets caught up in the fame, drugs, sex, and violence that go along with the industry.
Similar to Magnolia, Boogie Nights features an elaborate supporting cast which carries the story. Julianne Moore (Magnolia, End of the Affair) plays Amber Waves, a porn star who becomes a mother to Dirk and others. She longs for a connection with her real child which her ex-husband profusely denies her. Heather Graham (Committed, Austin Powers 2) plays Rollergirl, a high school dropout and Horner's most promising starlet.
Also in Horner's extended family are Reed Rothchild (John C. Reilly - Hard Eight, Magnolia), a fellow star who immediately develops a strong friendship with Dirk; Little Bill (William H. Macy - Magnolia, Fargo), Horner's assistant director who is not strong enough to stand up to his promiscuous wife; Buck Swope (Don Cheadle - Out of Sight, Rosewood), another star who doubles as a stereo salesman and hopes to someday open his own store; Maurice (Luis Guzman - Out of Sight, Magnolia), a nightclub owner and friend of Horner's who wants nothing more than to be in one of his films; and Scotty (Philip Seymour Hoffman - Happiness, Magnolia), a lighting assistant who is immediately smitten with Dirk. Each of these supporting characters is memorable in his or her own way thanks to heartfelt performances and, of course, Anderson's amazing script.
Boogie Nights unabashedly takes us deep inside the porn industry, and there is no denying the immoral behavior of the characters we meet. However, once we get to know them, they become much more likeable and accessible than we would expect. We learn how they bond together as an extended family, often because they are not accepted or respected by the outside world. They think of themselves as just part of any other profession while they are amongst friends, but once out in the real world, they are disdained for their work. We cannot help but feel Buck's pain when, at the bank, he is denied the loan that he needs to open his stereo store simply because he is involved with the industry.
As the 70s roll over into the 80s, the industry prepares for major changes. The wave of the future is videotape, not film, as XXX theaters are replaced by porn shops around the country. Horner has gradually brought more story and dialogue to his films to make them more respectable, and he does not wish to reform his techniques and abandon film. But like all the others have had to, he must learn to make sacrifices to keep up with the changing industry. Although we learn a fair share about different components of the industry itself, and we are even taken behind the scenes to see how the action is filmed, the details of the industry never distract from the real meat of the film - its characters.
Boogie Nights propelled Mark Wahlberg into movie stardom, but ironically, his is one of the worst performances in the film. While he is not bad in his role, compared to great performances from Julianne Moore, Heather Graham, Burt Reynolds even, and the entire star-studded supporting cast, Wahlberg appears weak and unprepared.
Paul Thomas Anderson showed promise with Hard Eight and moved onto epic film making with Boogie Nights. However, it is not until Magnolia, in 1999, that he illustrates just how emotionally powerful and brilliant his films can be. Understandably, Boogie Nights is not for all tastes since it is very direct with its subject matter, but if you are still interested, it proves to be a journey well worth taking.
9 out of 10.
Rated R for explicit sexuality, nudity, drug use, pervasive language, and violence
DVD Extras: With the recent release of a new 2 disc DVD set, P.T. Anderson hoped to have this edition of Boogie Nights rank up there with the best recent DVD special editions like Fight Club and Terminator 2. But unfortunately, certain planned features were cut during production, and while the set is still good, it is not quite as loaded as fans hoped it would be.
The first disc contains the film in 2.35:1 widescreen format in a new, flawless transfer. To supplement the film, we are provided with a full-length commentary from Anderson and a second one during which he interviews most of the cast. Other than the exclusion of Burt Reynolds and Philip Seymour Hoffman, most all of the main players in the film are included. Neither commentary quite lived up to my expectations as both seemed to drag after a while, but they do contain some interesting notes on production, pre-production stories, and most notably, background information on where Anderson came up with his ideas. A last note for the first disc is its hidden Outtakes section inside of the Color Bars feature. Contrary to the Outtakes on P.T.'s Magnolia disc, this section is short and wasted by actors messing around with the prosthetic penis.
Featured on the second disc are 10 deleted scenes which can be viewed with or without commentary from Anderson. Most of them go further into side plots and some generate a few laughs, but all were definitely cut for a reason. None of them are necessary to the film, and they take up way too much time to be included in a film that is already stretching it in time, at over 2 and a half hours. A documentary entitled "Exhausted," which was either part of the real John Holmes documentary on which some of the film is based or may have just been a making of documentary for Boogie Nights, was slated to be part of this disc but cut for reasons unknown to me. This is unfortunate, because as a 2 disc special edition, Boogie Nights feels like it needs a little bit more material. For DVD collectors and fans of the film, however, this special edition is definitely worth checking out.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
JonTurner
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Member: Jon Turner
Location: Raleigh, NC
Reviews written: 106
Trusted by: 56 members
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