Interview: "Anderson Boogies With Confidence"

San Diego Tribune, Written By David Elliott
November 9th, 1997


"The motion picture represents our customs and our daily life more distinctly than any other medium. . . "  -- MGM studio god Irving Thalberg, 1929

Irving Thalberg never did, or could, or would, make a movie like "Boogie Nights." Just the thought would have turned his white skin to blue velvet.

I try to imagine courtly mogul Thalberg and his showcase wife, Norma Shearer, cozy in their home screening room -- Irving formal yet dapper, Norma in something silky concocted by Adrian. Late into the very elite "Boogie Nights" preview, one of the more outspoken guests (Anita Loos? Marion Davies?) chirps, "Yowza, look at that love wand on Dirk Diggler!"

Yes, the flashback is unreal, impossible, although the Thalbergs certainly knew the facts of life, and you can bet there was little laundering of hot gossip about Fatty Arbuckle, Mae West or Errol Flynn. But Thalberg's Hollywood was largely defined by his taste, which meant major book adaptations, the Production Code in force, and a clean screen (though often speckled with double-entendres).

Thalberg had no need to make films about male bimbos with big bazookas. There was more sexiness in the beam of Clark Gable's smile, or the silvery shrug of Jean Harlow's shoulder. It has taken 60 years after the Thalberg era (and almost 30 since "breast king" Russ Meyer briefly enjoyed a Fox contract) for Hollywood to be forcefully reminded that sex films are, indeed, part of "the industry," even if parked back near the drainage pipes.

Interview: "Nights Shines Human Light On Porn"

San Diego Tribune, Written By Rene Rodriguez
October 19th, 1997


To most people, the words "porno film" conjure up the worst of American society: sleaze, exploitation, filth. "Boogie Nights" director Paul Thomas Anderson understands that natural association. But he doesn't think it has to be that way.

"Most people feel a weird embarrassment about watching porno -- they're shamed by it -- because it's so poorly done," the wiry 27-year-old says. "Most of it is crap, and you wouldn't bring it up in conversation with a group of smart people. It's like admitting you actually went to see `Con Air' and liked it.

"But if there were great porno movies being made, it might be a different situation. You could say, `Yeah, I'm renting this, and there's (sex) in it, but I'm not embarrassed by that, because there is also great storytelling, and it's good.' "

Anderson's understanding of the potential of adult films -- and his genuine lament of the state of the genre -- fuels "Boogie Nights." The highly anticipated film, which opens Friday, is a sprawling, multicharacter, 2 1/2 -hour epic.