Techtite's DVD Reviews!

Boogie Nights

A Techtite Review

The Film : Of all the films in 1997, this was probably the most under- appreciated. Much like L.A. Confidential and As Good as it Gets, this was one of many Oscar-caliber films to fall victim to the debatably fleeting fad of Titanic-mania. While L.A. C had a better script, and while AGAIG had better acting, Boogie Nights had...well, let's just say it was far better than most of the films offered in '97. Debatably, it was 4th best of the whole year.

I think the film's big hurdle was in trying to get people to realize that this wasn't going to be just another easily missed "nudie" film. Beforehand, you had the hype of Demi Moore in Striptease, and the title characters of Showgirls, both of which were attempts at a similar story: young hopeful decides to make a living by doing...that (in this case, "that" being adult films). Based on the ill-received responses of those earlier films, you can see the hurdle Boogie Nights faced. However, it's far better than those films, in many ways.

The story involves a young teenaged boy (Mark Wahlberg), who is actually an amalgam of one or two actual adult film stars. He is coaxed into the business by a fatherly figure in adult filmmaking (Burt Reynolds), with the help of an alluring young starlet, Roller Girl (Heather Graham, in one of her best performances). At first, he seems to be on his way to debatable "stardom." After all, the film takes place during the best years porn ever had; the high-on-drugs, sex-starved, disco night life of the 1970's. However, the film later shows the downward spiral of the industry as well, and how hard it is for Wahlberg's character to not go down with it...

As a flashback to the "best days" porn ever had, the film duplicates the overall mood of the '70s and '80s nicely, complete with excellently chosen music. Acting talent is equally well chosen; one deserved Oscar nomination went to Julianne Moore as a single mother who might lose her child because of the life she leads. Burt Reynolds was equally excellent; so much so, he was considered the most likely winner of an Oscar that year (sadly, he lost). As for Heather Graham's "Roller Girl," it's arguably one of the most under-appreciated roles in 1997. Although often under-appreciated himself, Wahlberg offers a stunning performance of the main character, forevermore nicknamed "Dirk Diggler."

Yes, that character name is slightly humorous, though that was half of the film's charm; adding dark-humor to an even darker, frank look at adult film. With or without such humor, the film holds back no punches, and equally shows the downside of the business as well as its "good ol' days." It effectively achieves this, by showing the darker years of adult entertainment, during the 1980's. Unlike Pretty Woman, this is no prostitute recruitment film (or, as Boogie Night's characters might prefer to call themselves, an "adult entertainer" recruitment film). Some have said it held back more than it should, while others felt it was too biased. I think of it as somewhere in between; evened out perfectly, and a must-see picture.

The DVD : What do you do, after releasing (over two years ago) one of the best-designed DVDs that year? Well, why not follow it up with a whole new DVD, that offers even more...? This just-released, 2-disc DVD set seems to want to compete with similar two-disc "Collectors Edition DVD" film sets, like Fight Club and Armageddon. Are the additions worth the price? Well, that depends on what additions you're expecting.

First, lets discuss how flawless the original, single-disc DVD version already was. It included no less than nine deleted scenes...and they were actually worth watching! Among these scenes is the now-infamous Roller Girl (Heather Graham), casually talking to one of the newbie porn stars while topless, as she changed her clothes for her next "adult film scene." This deleted scene is an amusing look into RollerGirl's personality; a totally free spirit,  not ashamed of a single thing. If anything, it's was a great DVD addition. Other deleted scene clips were equally amusing. In addition, there was a commentary track by the writer/director, P T Anderson.

The two-disc version is almost exactly the same, with a few perks. The film has been digitally re-mastered, so the audio/video is even better. In addition, there's an added, second commentary track, with anecdotes from actors Don Cheadle, Heather Graham, Wis Guzman, William H. Macy, Julianne Moore, John C. Riley, Mark Wahlberg and Melora Walters. All commentary audio is well edited, and you never have two or more people talking at once, so you can hear everything being said by each of the 8 stars interviewed. Such numerous input almost rivals the commentary tracks of As Good As It Gets, or the just-released Terminator 2 Special Edition.

This commentary has its flaws, however, particularly in how oddly it's recorded. While As Good As It Gets' was apparently taped professionally in a sound studio, and Terminator 2 Special Edition's comments seem edited from professional interviews, Boogie Night's newly-added commentary was often taped in the director's own apartment(!). The result is certainly a more relaxed atmosphere, although some might find it too relaxed. At times, the discussion is interrupted by Melora Walters' kids playing nearby, or Mark Wahlberg's cellular phone going off. In addition, it's often difficult for Anderson to get a star to shut up quickly enough, so when the next scene plays, a different star can speak. Even with these audio flaws, however, there are still some amusing comments, including why the never-done-it-before Heather Graham chose to do her first nude love scene, and how Julianne Moore defended her own choice to take this role.

The second disc, unfortunately, includes only minor enhancements to the original, one-disc DVD set. Only one new deleted scene is given, of when Dirk Diggler crashes an expensive car. There's also the "John C Riley Files," which are rough cuts and outtakes of various scenes while filming. This is about it for disc 2, with the exception of the typical cast filmographies, and the "Try" Music Video. Personally, I was a bit disappointed in the second disc.

If you ask me, in the long run, the only reason to buy the two-disc version instead of the single-disc, is to listen to the new audio commentary. It's one of the most amusing audio commentary tracks I've heard, no matter how oddly recorded it was. In addition, the 2-disc version of the film has been re-mastered, with better digital audio and video. However, neither of these perks might matter to all DVD shoppers. In truth, either DVD version is a great purchase. It's just a matter of which version is within your price range, and how much you like to listen to the commentary tracks.

	Final Rating : Deep Impact. One of the more under- appreciated films of 1997, given more than its share of respect on DVD. A must-have for fans of the film.
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