Thursday, October 25, 2007

Boogie Fever in its Tenth Year


I meant to mention this earlier -- "too many things...too many things" -- Boogie Nights, one of my very favorite films and one of yours [right? the correct answer is "yes"-ed.] turned 10 years old this month! So in honor of the film that introduced most of us to the wondrous writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson (Hard Eight, Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love next up: There Will Be Blood) a poll






If your favorite Boogie porn star isn't listed (this thing only offers us five options) tell us how groovy they are in the comments

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

one of my faves of 97 moore should have received the first of her 2 oscars for this "i think you have the job" her delivery is spot on she would battle sigourney weaver in the ice storm for best supp actress 97 for me,loved every single perf,they were my ensemble winners,was wahlberg a legitimate best actor contender that year nat i have in my top 5 with crowe,kline,duvall & damon was he deserving do you think,willimas took reynolds supp oscar ohh i could go on,why don't you recap 97 a great movie year!!!!.

Cinesnatch said...

The surfer who drove the truck who was one of the guys who beat up Dirk was super hot.

Anonymous said...

Chocolate Love, baby!

M

Anonymous said...

That's a good point. Nat, I'd love to see you continue your re-caps of past years like you did with 95 and 99, and you should kick it off with 97. That was the first year I started getting into "grown-up" movies, with Titanic and L.A. Confidential and Good Will Hunting all blowing me away. Those three have remained in my Top 10 films ever since, which I guess would make 1997 my default favorite movie year.

Anonymous said...

I was going through the movie in my head, and at first I was going to pick Dirk as foxiest. Then I remembered his whole second act downward spiral. Then... Rollergirl? Then I remembered she might stomp on my face if I fucked with her the wrong way (literally and figuratively). So I had to go with Amber, a great choice even if she's the third choice.

Definitely the best performance in the movie, too.

Incidentally, I agree - it would be nice to see some more retrospectives. For instance, in this particular year, Boogie Nights dominates my acting nominees in an unhealthy way: Cheadle, Graham, Moore, Reynolds, Wahlberg all get mentions. I love the movie, but even I know that's ridiculous. I've seen most of, if not all, the major contenders from that year, but don't impress me as much. It would be great to get pointers on where else to look.

Anonymous said...

OK,1997

BEST PIC

the ice storm
good will hunting
jackie brown
la confidential
the wings of the dove

ACTOR
robert duvall - the apostle
matt damon - good will hunting
kevin kline - the ice storm
russell crowe - la confidential
mark wahlberg - boogie nights

ACTRESS
judi dench - mrs brown
jessica lange - a thousand acres
helena bonham carter - the wings of the dove
pam grier - jackie brown
helen hunt - as good as it gets

S/ACTOR
greg kinnear - as good as it gets
mark addy - the full monty
robert forster - jackie brown
burt reynolds - boogie nights
robim williams - good will hunting

S/ACTRESS
julianne moore - boogie nights
sigourney weaver - the ice storm
debbi morgan - eve's bayou
bridget fonda - jackie brown
joan cuscak - in and out

Anonymous said...

Was that the year Helen Hunt won? That is just SO wrong. (But we all know that already, don't we?)

RedSatinDoll

Anonymous said...

i did like hunt in the uk we are not familiar with mad about you it is not shown here s o when she was nominated she was fresh to us apart from twister so while most usa citizens thought she was playing her sitcom character we thought hey she is v good,i think sometimes it depends if you are familiar with a persons work,usa went ga ga for judi dench that year but in the uk she has been a natinonal treasure for years in a series called a fine romance and small independent british flms on the uk stage etc,i feel helena bonham carter should've won best actress in 97 anyway.

NATHANIEL R said...

ok. 97 it is next (I'll do it first week of november. I've got a few years half done anyways and that's one of them)

KingRoper said...

10 years already? Oy...

I first saw Boogie Nights on its opening weekend - bought tix online so I wouldn't be sold out. They neglected to mention that it would be shown on the IMAX screen (not IN IMAX, but letterboxed on that giant screen) and I had to sit in the front and turn my head side to side to see everything. Just imagine Dirk Diggler's pride... only much, MUCH bigger than life...

Anonymous said...

I ADORE "Boogie Nights". It's also the only PTA film I can tolerate without throwing something at somebody hard. I have the DVD at home and I've never watched it. This might mark the right time to do that. But not before seeing something new tonight? "Gone Baby Gone" or "Dan in Real Life"? Comedy or drama?

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:17 I have to agree with you - HBC SHOULD have won that year for Wings of the Dove.

It's not that I think Hunt's performance was bad, per se, but just that Bonham's was so much better. But alas, she played an unlikable female - a no-no unless you go ugly (which she didn't), are murdered in the end or punished appropriately (justice must be served), and/or you are playing a lesbian (preferably an ugly, unlikable one who is killed off in the end, so the mainstream audience can walk away happy.)

Alas, she was none of those, nor was she "transcendant" as in "glowingly beautiful for the rapt pleasure of filmgoers". Therefore, no little golden man.

Here's hoping her work in Sweeney Todd is so striking (and can overcome the tics of Burton's style) that the wrong is finally corrected. (But I haven't much hope based on the trailer.)

Besides, Julie Christie's performance in Away from Her was said to be so wonderful, (I've not seen it myself) that I think it still has a chance - provided the studio bothers to remind voters about it.

RedSatinDoll

Kenneth M. Walsh said...

When I saw "Boogie Nights" back in the day I have to say I was a bit disappointed. The hype was so huge that I guess it was inevitable.

Having watched it a dozen times since I have come to realize it truly is the masterpiece that critics knew it was a decade ago.

NATHANIEL R said...

red do watch away from her it's really moving and smart

kenneth it's funny how you never truly know which films will last and lead to multiple viewings. but i'm happy that your experience with Boogie has mirrored many peoples because i've been rooting for it since 97 ;)

adam k. said...

I voted for Dirk Diggler simply because I'm gay and therefore much more attracted to Mark Wahlberg (and cause I knew he'd already lose). But I'll be happy when Amber wins the poll.

Mark Wahlberg should have gotten an oscar nomination from that perf.

And yeah a '97 film bitch retro would be great, Nathaniel.

Anonymous said...

Don't you think it's time to conside Julianne Moore in your predictions for Best Actress for her work in Savage Grace?

NATHANIEL R said...

not really. i still see no indication that the film will be released this year

i'm desperate to see it tho