BOOGIE NIGHTS

BOOGIE NIGHTS (1997)

So I just watched Boogie Nights last night for 213^th time and just fell in love with it even more.  I love that it involves so much sexuality, yet does not earn a raw label.  It reveals just enough skin to avoid an awkward feel while watching it with a group of friends.  Well, a group of  “sexually loose” friends that is.  It wouldn’t compare to the eye covering reaction you would get if you popped HBO’s OZ in the DVD player.  As much as I love OZ, it should definitely come with a “twisted minds only” or “guaranteed to fuck you up” warning label. 

Mark Wahlberg was legendary in portraying Dirk Diggler.  As fame, money, and drugs dig deeper into Dirk’s mind, he becomes a ticking bomb.  Beginning with his unmotivated “thank you” speech at the award ceremony, his fairytale takes a downward turn to hell.  It hurts to fall in love with an innocent amateur only to grow bitter as he allows drugs to shred his dream apart.  We see this happen all the time in real life.  Gia Marie Carangie, Nikki Sixx, Steven Tyler, Sid Vicious and an infinite list of other models, rock stars, and actors have all publicly allowed drugs to take over their lives and eat their dreams.  I suppose most people’s tolerance after seeing this over and over has taken away their sympathy and turned it into disgust and critical judgments.  I must admit that I for one still have sympathy for these people because I’m afraid I would be just as guilty as they are if I had their opportunities and freedom.    

This film has a rocking soundtrack blasting in almost every scene, making you want to get freaky deaky.    It is a true rollercoaster ride that twisters through every emotion in the book.  By the end of the film, you are kicking yourself in the ass for not taking the porn star career path, but at the same time you’re thankful to be coming back to reality.  Aside from watching a porn star go through the ups and downs of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, you learn a bit of history about a real person.  John Holmes is the large packaged porno star who influenced Dirk Diggler’s character.  Although this film is mainly fictional, there is one scene that is loosely based on truth.  The drug robbery gone bad actually happened in real life.  The true story is way bloodier and gut wrenching than what is seen here, but you can, however, see it in the movie Wonderland.  Val Kilmer plays a filthier, yet a more honestly based version of John Holmes.  Although you don’t get to actually see Dirk’s package in Wonderland, you see some other body parts you really rather not see. 


(Wonderland, 54, Party Monster)