Boogie Nights: 10 Facts You Didn’t Know

“You know, this is the movie where I want them to remember me.” These are the words of Jack Horner, the adult film director on Boogie Nights (played by the late Burt Reynolds), He aspires to create art where most people see trash. The same goes for the film’s actual director, Paul Thomas Anderson, who wanted to create an epic story about an alternative family often discarded by society and discovering their own worth. . It happened to take place in the tumultuous 1970s porn world.

Anderson, who grew up in the San Fernando Valley in the ’70s, was fascinated by other films made in Southern California at the time. After an unpleasant experience with his first film, the PTA decided not to repeat the same mistakes with his second film. That movie is Boogie Nights. Here are 10 facts you didn’t know about boogie night.

Leonardo DiCaprio was the original choice for the role of Dirk Diggler

Mark Wahlberg has come a long way since his tenure as the frontman of Funky Bunch. Former lingerie model Calvin Klein has become an A-list Hollywood star. However, his breakout role in Boogie Nights (and arguably his most memorable role) barely happened. Eddie Adams’ portrayal of porn superstar Dirk Diggler almost ran to Leo. Anderson wanted DiCaprio for the role, but Leo had to turn it down because he was cast as James Cameron’s Titanic. Joaquin Phoenix was also considered for the role before Wahlberg finally accepted the role. The PTA has said that Wahlberg is definitely the right choice.

burt Reynolds hates this movie

Reynolds, an A-list star in Hollywood in the 70s and 80s, didn’t like making a movie set in the world of porn. After several attempts to hire the former college football star, he was finally convinced to take on the role of director Jack Horner. (Warren Beatty, Sydney Pollack and Bill Murray were also offered the role, but declined.) During production, the famously short-tempered Reynolds clashed with the young director, nearly clashing with Anderson at one point. . In the oral history of Grantland’s Boogie Nights, first assistant director John Wildermuth said, “Burt was frustrated that Paul didn’t give him (improvisation) freedom.” He didn’t change his mind during the rough cut, but he ended up liking the film after it received many good reviews.

Inspired by two different movies

Frustrated with his first film, Hard Eight/Sydney, as he didn’t have full creative control, PTA turned to one of his earlier short films for inspiration, the film fantasy The Dirk Diggler Story. The 32-minute short, made when he was a teenager, tells the story of Diggler, who is bisexual and dies of a drug overdose in that version.

More elements appear in the longer version, such as Reed Rothchild’s hilarious hot tub poem. Anderson also used the 1981 documentary Burnout: John C. Holmes, The True Story as the creative source for Boogie Nights. In fact, the PTA recreated some of the scenes on the record for his movie, such as “Block Myself” and the “Great” restaurant scene.

Drug trafficking scene based on real events

One of the film’s climax occurs when Diggler, Reed Rothschild, and Todd Parker attempt to pull off a bait-and-switch scam with drug lord/lunatic Rahad Jackson played by Alfred Molina. Tensions rise when Diggler and crew attempt to sell Jackson some fake cocaine. What you may not know is that this sequence is partly based on a real-life robbery and home invasion and subsequent revenge, Murder in Wonderland. In 1981, porn star John Holmes (on whom Diggler was partly based) was accused of participating in a break-in to Nash’s home in which Nash’s bodyguard, Gregory Diels, was shot and wounded. Nash, Dills, and Holmes appear to be involved in a bloody attempt to reclaim Nash’s fortune from the Wonderland gang’s house, resulting in four brutal murders.

The opening track shot is an attempt to get past Scorsese

If you’ve watched Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, you probably remember Henry Hill and his girlfriend Karen entering Copacabana to the tune of Crystals’ song “And Then He Kissed Me,” all done in one full shot. . The PTA allegedly wanted to show off its filmmaking prowess with its own opening long shot. While Scorsese’s shot actually lasts about 10 seconds (3:03 vs 2:53), Anderson’s long shot uses crane footage into his Steadicam tracking shot, following mo Reese for the first time. Luis Guzman’s Rodriguez (it’s “G”, not “Q”) into Hot Traxx, then shifts the focus to Jack and Amber, then to Roller Girl, and finally to Eddie Adams (from Torrance) who of course is Dirk Diggler.

Nina Hartley happily wrapped gifts for the actor

Hartley, who plays William H. Macy’s wife Bill “Little,” is one of the film’s adult stars. Perhaps due to her day job or her outgoing personality, or both, Hartley says many other performers, especially women, are less enthusiastic about her. However, in Grantland’s oral history, Hartley claims that Macy “treats me with respect and professionalism. I really appreciate that.” After giving gifts to the actors… even if those gifts were fancy suits and, um, her “teaching” videos.

Connect the transformer

Astute fans of the 1980s Transformers animated series immediately recognized Dirk Diggler’s offbeat soundtrack recorded in the film (apart from “Feel the Heat”) as “The Touch”, originally composed Written by Stan Bush for the 1986 film Transformers Recording: Movie.

Anderson used this tune for a similar scene in The Dirk Diggler Story and decided to copy it in Boogie Nights. But the connection doesn’t end there, as Mark Wahlberg will go on to star in Transformers: Age of Extinction and Transformers: The Last Knight 17 years later.

Boogie Nights House recently sold

During the pre-production of Boogie Nights, an extensive search was conducted to find the home of pornographer Jack Horner. An exact location is important, as many scenes from the movie will be filmed there. The production team eventually found a home in West Covina outside Los Angeles that hasn’t been remodeled since the ’70s. It’s perfect for a movie. Then in August 2017, the iconic party house sold for $1.21 million after five months on the market, according to the Los Angeles Times. Bargain at all costs!

The double suicide of Bill Jr. original with more pictures

The ’70s are about to give way to the ’80s, and Jack Horner’s dysfunctional gang gathers at his home to welcome the new year. Once again, Little Bill (William H. Macy) discovers his wife’s infidelity, deciding that her infidelity is finally enough. The scene is replayed in sequence (based on the real-life suicide of porn actor Cal Jammer), and ends with Bill shooting his wife and her lover, then himself. The scene is incredibly brutal, effectively taking us into the dark second half of the film. But it was even more disturbing at first when the PTA showed two victims being brutally shot in the laundry room. Decided to shrink the scene.

The last scene is a tribute

The PTA’s erotic epic ends with the clean Dirk Diggler getting a second chance in the adult film industry. When Diggler was ready to shoot a scene, he sat in front of the mirror in the dressing room to mentally prepare and get into the character. This scene is directly related to the final scene in Martin Scorsese’s “Raging Bull” (it’s also a reference to Marlon Brando’s iconic speech in “Beach”), in which aging boxer Jack Rameau Ta Prepare the stage for your single person. Shows. The dialogue might be different, but it’s an almost exact replica of the scene.