Boogie Nights is a American drama film written, directed, and co-produced by Paul Thomas Anderson. Reilly , William H. Boogie Nights premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, , and was theatrically released by New Line Cinema on October 10, , garnering critical acclaim. The film's soundtrack also received acclaim. It has since been considered one of Anderson's best works and one of the best films of all time.
In , high-school dropout Eddie Adams is living with his father and emotionally and physically abusive mother in Torrance, California. He works at a Reseda nightclub owned by Maurice Rodriguez, where he meets porn filmmaker Jack Horner. Interested in bringing Eddie into porn, Jack auditions him by watching him have sex with Rollergirl, a porn starlet who always wears skates.
He gives himself the screen name "Dirk Diggler" and becomes a star because of his good looks, youthful charisma, and abnormally large penis. His success allows him to buy a new house, an extensive wardrobe, and a "competition orange" Chevrolet Corvette. With his friend and co-star Reed Rothchild, Dirk pitches a series of successful action -themed porn films.
He works and socializes with others from the porn industry, and they live carefree lifestyles in the late s disco era. While attending a New Year's Eve party at Horner's house on December 31, , assistant director Little Bill discovers his adulterous wife having sex with another man. Bill, tired of being repeatedly cheated on, shoots the pair dead and commits suicide. Dirk and Reed begin using cocaine on a regular basis.
Due to his drug use, Dirk finds it increasingly difficult to achieve an erection , falls into violent mood swings, and becomes irritated with Johnny Doe, a rival leading man Jack has recently recruited, and whom Dirk worries will replace him. In , after arguing with Jack, Dirk is fired and takes off with Reed to start a music career along with Scotty, a boom operator who is in love with Dirk. Jack rejects business overtures from Floyd Gondolli, a local theater magnate who insists on cutting costs by shooting on videotape rather than film stock , because Jack believes that video will diminish the quality of his films.
