Opening Act - Boogie Nights

Welcome to Opening Act, a new feature in which I analyze the first scene of a movie. I hope to do this on a weekly basis and may even transition this to a video review series if I ever decide to learn how to do that. If anybody wants to teach me, feel free to try.

The first movie I have chosen for this column is Paul Thomas Anderson's 1997 odyssey through the pornographic film industry of the late 70s and into the new era of home video of the 80s through the rise and fall of porn star Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg). In addition to Dirk, Boogie Nigthts chronicles influential director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), his wife and porn star Amber Waves (Julianne Moore), Dirk's best friend and fellow actor Reed Rothchild (John C Reilly), cowboy-loving porn actor with a passion for stereo sales Buck Swope (Don Cheadle) and the young female pornstar Rollergirl (Heather Graham) among many others. Now I haven't seen Paul Thomas Anderson's debut feature, Hard Eight, so I cannot speak to it's quality but Boogie Nights is his breakout film, making him a marquee director among film lovers.

Boogie Nights famously opens with a nearly three minute tracking shot introducing us to the world and characters we're doing to be spending the next two and a half hours with but before that there is 50 seconds of quiet, somber, almost dirge-like music playing over the production company card and a black screen. This accomplishes two things; most immediately it sets us, the audience, up for the jarring tonal shift into the upbeat, neon disco world we are about to enter, making it seem even more lively and energetic and enticing than it already is; and secondly it tells us that this is ultimately going to be a sad movie. Despite the glitz and glam we see and experience, this movie is ultimately about a group of sad individuals trying to make their way in the world the only way they know how.

As the dirge comes to a close Anderson instantly cues up the movie, opening with the camera on a marquee flashing "Boogie Nights" and with "Best of My Love" by The Emotions cued up. It's glitz and glam and glee time now. The camera then falls to the left onto a sign informing us the action is set in Reseda. The falling camera and blue colours of the Reseda sign bring the dirge quickly back to mind, letting us know that the sadness will be coming, but not until the gleeful stuff is done with.

Now the camera moves down to street level catching a car driving up to a club. The driver, Jack Horner, gets out and gets the first foreground line of the film, simply calling attention to club's owner Maurice (Luis Guzman). Immediately we know Jack is an important and influential person in this world and his reputation is solidified as the camera swoops in on Maurice's adoring platitudes towards both Jack and his wife, Amber. They are led inside and as Maurice sends them off to their reserved table he begs for a role in one of Jack's movies informing us that these people are in the world of film.

The camera stays with Maurice as he shifts to the dance floor where Reed, Buck and Becky (Nicole Ari Parker) are dancing up a storm. As the camera approaches Becky turns her back, separating herself from the guys, letting us know that while she is involved with these people now, she won't be for very long. She even embraces Maurice and gives him a friendly kiss, giving us more detail into how she will be leaving the story.

Buck makes an immediate impression, being a black man in a full cowboy outfit while in the middle of a disco club, but while outwardly comfortable in his getup, he still wants validation for it. Maurice gives him what is the first trepidatious yet positive response. Happy, carefree Reed doesn't do much, but his presence as a friendly figure on the dancefloor is shown, first here and later with Rollergirl, letting us know that his role is ultimately as the friend of a more important character.

The camera turns to find Rollergirl, skating up to Jack and Amber's table for our introduction to the matronly aspects of Amber's character. She acts as a mother to Rollergirl, prodding her to return a phone call in the loving way only a mother can. Rollergirl's child-like nature is shown by her desperately needing to go the bathroom to the point of physical discomfort but still looking for adult permission. As she gets it she heads for the facilities, making her way through the dancefloor and connecting with Reed. This solidifies Reed's friendly nature and shows the connection between the two groups. Maurice knowing both isn't enough as it is his club. As Rollergirl leaves the dancefloor she skates past a young dishwasher who takes the camera's focus.

This is Eddie Adams, soon to be Dirk Diggler. He is young, though not wholesome and innocent as many young protagonists are. He is working at this particular club for a reason, and that reason is Jack. As he looks in Jack's direction we get our first cut of the film. Jack returns the glance and the two continue exchanging looks as the camera cuts closer and closer to their faces, bringing these two together. Eddie then heads to the dishpit, leaving the club area and it's glamorous world for the dark and dingy back area where things get done. His future life as a porn star is exactly the same. The "glamorous" films he makes are created in the least sexually appeasing manner possible.

In four minutes, Paul Thomas Anderson has already set our expectations for the ultimate tone of the film, immersed us into the glamorous world of 1977 Reseda and introduced us to essentially all of our major characters and told us what their roles will be in this film. Essentially all done with one dazzling steadicam shot. The film remains in the club for another few minutes, finishing off what it needs to do in it's first location, namely introducing "Little" Bill (William H Macy) and bringing Eddie and Jack closer together but those are the second and third scenes in my books. I'd love to talk about them, especially "Little" Bill's introduction and how perfect it is for his character, but that's not this column.