Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10956 in DVD
• Released on: 1999-05-21
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 149 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Even if the notorious 1970s porn-filmmaking milieu doesn't exactly turn you on, don't let it turn you off to this movie's extraordinary virtues, either. Boogie Nights is one of the key movies of the 1990s and among the most ambitious and exuberantly alive American movies in years. It's also the breakthrough for an amazing new director, whose dazzling kaleidoscopic style here recalls the Robert Altman of Nashville and the Martin Scorsese of Good Fellas. Although loosely based on the sleazy life and times of real-life porn legend John Holmes, at heart it's a classic Hollywood rise-and-fall fable: a naive, good-looking young busboy is discovered in a San Fernando Valley disco by a famous motion picture producer, becomes a hotshot movie star, lives the high life and then loses everything when he gets too big for his britches, succumbs to insobriety and is left behind by new times and new technology. Of course, it isn't exactly A Star Is Born or Singin' in the Rain. Writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson (in only his second feature!) puts his own affectionately sardonic twist on the old showbiz biopic formula: the ambitious upstart changes his name and achieves stardom in porno films as "Dirk Diggler." Instead of drinking to excess, he snorts cocaine (the classic drug of 70s hedonism); and it's the coming of home video (rather than talkies) that helps to dash his big-screen dreams. As for the britches ... well, the controversial "money shot" explains everything. And the cast is one of the great ensembles of the 90s, including Oscar nominees Burt Reynolds and Julianne Moore, Mark Wahlberg (who really can act--from the waist up, too!), Heather Graham (as Rollergirl), William H. Macy, John C. Reilly and Ricky Jay. --Jim Emerson

Special Features
16:9 Wide Screen
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Dolby Digital 5.1
Interviews
Interactive Menu
English

Synopsis
It's Los Angeles, 1977, and adult film director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds) meets Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg), a well-endowed dishwasher in a nightclub. Jack recruits Eddie to be his newest star and Eddie, hungry for fame, quickly agrees, changing his name to Dirk Diggler. Soon Dirk is the hottest star in the porn industry, alongside Rollergirl (Heather Graham), a high school dropout who never removes her roller skates, and Amber Waves (Julianne Moore), the veteran star who pines for the son she's not allowed to visit. On the fringes, Little Bill (William H. Macy) fumes while his wife cheats on him in public, and Buck Swope (Don Cheadle) tries to escape the stigma of being a porn actor. The good times roll, but before long Dirk falls victim to the pressures of stardom and a drug habit that ruins his career while Jack struggles with porn's conversion from film to cheaper videotapes. Director Paul Thomas Anderson's breakthrough film is an exhilarating ride along the underbelly of the 1970s inspired by the films of Altman and Scorsese, featuring colorful camera work, a dynamic soundtrack, and excellent performances from the entire cast, most notably Reynolds in an Oscar-nominated comeback role.

Customer Reviews

Five star film, one star DVD
While there's no doubting whatsoever that the film is a classic, the DVD leaves a lot to be desired. For a start, the widescreen is the wrong shape. While there should be two thick black bars at the top and bottom (2:35 ratio) for some bizarre reason, and unlike the VHS widescreen version, the DVD has two smallish black bars (1:85 ratio). As an example of how this affects the film you need only look at the opening sequence. Instead of 'BOOGIE NIGHTS' the viewer can only see 'OOGIE NIGHT'. Very, very poor. The extra interviews you get with the DVD are so short as to be almost pointless. My advice: Buy the widescreen video and wait until the US special edition of the movie is released in region 2 (I believe it's going to be before the end of the year). The special edition has TWO commentaries from the director, music videos and the correct widescreen ratio. Amazing film, terrible, terrible DVD.

Great Classic film but the DVD is terrible!
1 star DVD but a 4 star film. Just wanted to warn any prospective buyers. For a star £18.99 is quite a rip off. That aside though the dvd is really rushed and poorly put together. Extras are pointless and minimal. The interviews are so short and badly edited its a complete waste of time. I dont think there is directors commentary on there either. If you dont like extras though this wont bother you.
As mentioned already on amazon, the biggest problem with the film is the aspect ratio. I wont get too technical as to be honest I dont fully understand them. Basically the film seems constantly too "zoomed" in. Large sections of the left and right of the screen are completely cut off! Even if you zoom out on your remote it wont help. Sections of the film where text appears have parts cut off. Also scenes where characters are on the left and right of the screen appear almost empty whilst you can only hear talking. It looks ridiculous! Also as its so zoomed in the picture quality isnt as good as it should be and can appear grainy.
In summary avoid the film in this version and wait for a better transition. This version completely spoils the film.

One of the best films of the 90s (if not ever made)
Suprised to see more people hadnt given this film 5 stars (although evreyone is most certanly entitled to their own opinion) this movie shows you the dark side of the porn industry, this film is dark disturbing, funny, realistic and a film i truly belive diserves no less than 5 stars and for this price on amazon you realy cant go rong, truly one of the most entertaining films ever made.