The Final entry in The Fractured Mirror: Boogie Nights (1997) FM
2 months ago
– Wed, Aug 21, 2024 at 01:32:54 PM
I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that you will no longer receive blurbs from me regularly.
The good news is that that's because I AM DONE WRITING AND RESEARCHING THE BOOK.
Now it's time to edit, edit, edit. I write about 435 movies over the course of 110 years. That's a massive undertaking. I'm glad I got the ball past the finish line.
There's a way to go still, and I'm hoping to have it out by October, but I FINISHED! I FINISHED! I made a book whose parameters seemed impossible but I finished it all the same.
Boogie Nights (1997) FM
Burt Reynolds picked up his only Academy Award nomination for playing ambitious porn auteur Jack Horner in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1997 breakthrough film Boogie Nights. Though Reynolds was famously ambivalent about the role, he nevertheless delivered a career-best, career-defining performance as a twinkly-eyed alpha male in the autumn of his life who is a loving father figure to the oversexed, drugged-up lost souls and outsiders in his peculiar social and professional circle. Reynolds brings battered dignity and fundamental tenderness to the role. Boogie Nights is about profoundly flawed people who love each other despite their glaring weaknesses.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s career-making film chronicles the dizzying highs and agonizing lows of the late 1970s porn world through the story of Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg). He’s a naive kid with big dreams and an even bigger penis. The young man’s freakishly large genitalia, good looks, and fresh-faced likability make him a huge star in fuck films, but changes in the industry and inevitable descent into drug addiction, desperation, and prostitution lead to a precipitous fall.
Cocaine first makes our hero and his sidekick’s life a California dream of decadence and debauchery and then, inevitably, a waking nightmare he’s desperate to wake up from.
Anderson fuses the coked-up rhythms and manic editing of Goodfellas with the groovy West Coast vibes of Robert Altman and Hal Ashby. Anderson’s Oscar-nominated screenplay gives some of our greatest character actors their finest roles. Julianne Moore picked up the film’s third Oscar nomination for playing a tragic porn star with a vibe at once maternal and overtly sexual, but Don Cheadle, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John C. Riley, Alfred Molina, William H. Macy, and Heather Graham deliver award-worthy performances as well.
To borrow Jack’s own words, Anderson made an instant classic that’s true and right and dramatic. He made it fly. Anderson is one of our great auteurs, and he has made many transcendent films, but there is a good chance that this is the one that he will be remembered for.
The final lineup!
2 months ago
– Sun, Aug 18, 2024 at 10:44:01 AM
When I write up Blonde and Boogie Nights, I will officially be done researching and writing The Fractured Mirror. After that comes edit upon edit upon edit and then convincing Martin Scorsese to write the introduction. Then book design and getting it to you beautiful people by February. As tends to be the case, it took much longer than expected, but it will be worth the wait! It's a beast of a book. I am excited to share it with the world, and Felipe's illustrations have been particularly good this time around.
This is what's in the book:
- Abbott and Costello in Hollywood
- Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Cops
- Actors and Sin
- Adaptation
- Affairs of Annabel
- After Adderall
- An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood Burn
- Alex in Wonderland
- All That Jazz
- Almost Salinas
- The Amateurs
- An American Carol
- The American Dreamer
- American Movie
- America’s Sweethearts
- Annabel Takes a Tour
- The Anniversary Party
- Another Face
- Argo
- Thr Assistant
- The Assistants
- The Aviator
- Badasssss!
- Babylon
- Bad and the Beautiful
- Bad CGI Shark
- Baghead
- The Barefoot Contessa
- Barton Fink
- Be Kind Rewind
- Being Michael Madsen
- Best Friends
- Best Worst Movie
- Big Fat Liar
- The Big Knife
- The Big Picture
- Black Bear
- Blow Out
- Bombshell
- The Boneyard Collection
- Bottoms Up
- Bowfinger
- Boy and Girl
- Break a Leg
- Breast Picture
- Brigsby Bear
- Brother’s Justice
- Brutal Massacre
- The Bubble
- Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star
- Burden of Dreams
- The Buster Keaton Story
- Buzzkill
- California Suite
- Callaway Went Thataway
- The Cameraman
- Cannes Man
- The Canyons
- The Carpetbaggers
- Cats Don’t Dance
- The Cat’s Meow
- Cecil B. Demented
- Celebrity
- Celluloid Closet
- Chaplin
- Chip N Dale: Rescue Rangers
- Chump Change
- Clerks III
- The Comeback Trail
- The Comeback Trail
- The Comic
- Comic Book: The Movie
- Cover Me Babe
- CQ
- Crashing Hollywood
- Crazy House
- Crystal Lake Memories
- Dangerous Game
- Danny Roane: First Time Director
- Dark Feed
- David Holzman’s Diary
- The Day of the Locust
- The Dead Hate the Living
- Dead List
- The Deal
- The Death Kiss
- The Death of Superman Lives
- De Palma
- Destroyer
- Directed by John Ford
- Director’s Cut
- The Disaster Artist
- Disclosure
- Doomed!
- Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
- Du Beat-E-O
- The Dying Gaul
- Ed Wood
- Effects
- 100.Ellie Parker
- 101. Entourage
- 102. Entropy
- 103. Evil Eyes
- 104. The Exorcism
- 105. The Extendables
- 106. The Extra Girl
- 107. The Fabelmans
- 108. The Fall Guy
- 109. A Family Affair
- 110. The Fanatic
- 111. Fast & Serious
- 112. Fedora
- 113. Festival in Cannes
- 114. Film Fest
- 115. Final Draft
- 116. Final Draft
- 117. The Final Girls
- 118. Finding Bliss
- 119. Finishing the Game
- 120. First Nudie Musical
- 121. The Fluffer
- 122. Fool’s Paradise
- 123.Forever
- 124. For Your Consideration
- 125. Found Footage 3D
- 126. Four Girls in Town
- 127. Frances
- 128. Free and Easy
- 129. French Exit
- 130. Full Frontal
- 131. A Futile and Stupid Gesture
- 132. Gable and Lombard
- 133. The George Raft Story
- 134. Get Shorty
- 135. The Goddess
- 136. Gods and Monsters
- 137. Going Hollywood
- 138. The Goldwyn Follies
- 139. Goodnight, Norma Jean
- 140. The Great Waldo Pepper
- 141. Guilty by Suspicion
- 142. Hail Caesar!
- 143. Happy Hooker Goes to Hollywood
- 144. The Hard Way
- 145. Hardbodies 2
- 146. Hardcore
- 147. Harlow
- 148. Harlow
- 149. He’s Way More Famous Than You
- 150. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse
- 151. Hearts of the West
- 152. Hellzapoppin
- 153. The Hills Run Red
- 154. Hitchcock
- 155. The Holiday
- 156. Hollywon’t
- 157. Hollywood and Vine
- 158. Hollywood and Wine
- 159. Hollywood Boulevard
- 160. Hollywood Boulevard II
- 161. Hollywood Canteen
- 162. Hollywood Cavalcade
- 163. Hollywood.con
- 164. Hollywood Dreams
- 165. Hollywood Ending
- 166. Hollywood Hotel
- 167. Hollywood Man
- 168. Hollywood or Bust
- 169. Hollywood Party
- 170. Hollywood Shuffle
- 171. The Hollywood Sign
- 172. Hollywood Story
- 173. Hollywood Thrill Makers
- 174. Home Movies
- 175. Hooper
- 176. Horror Noire
- 177. House of Seven Corpses
- 178. How to Make a Monster
- 179. Hugo
- 180. Hurlyburly
- 181. I Blame Society
- 182. I Ought to Be in Pictures
- 183. I’ll Do Anything
- 184. I’m Still Here
- 185. I Love Your Work
- 186. In a Lonely Place
- 187. In a World…
- 188. In the Shadows
- 189. In the Soup
- 190. Incident at Loch Ness
- 191. The Independent
- 192. Inland Empire
- 193. Inside Daisy Clover
- 194. Inside Monkey Zetterland
- 195. Interior. Leather Bar
- 196. Into the Sun
- 197. Irreconcilable Differences
- 198. It Happened in Hollywood
- 199. It’s a Great Feeling
- 200. The Invention of Lying
- 201. Jay and Silent Bob Reboot
- 202. Jay amd Silent Bob Strike Back
- 203. Jim and Andy in the Great Beyond
- 204. Jiminy Glick in LalaWood
- 205. Jodorowsky’s Dune
- 206. Johnny Doughboy
- 207. Jolson Sings Again
- 208. The Jolson Story
- 209. Judy
- 210. Just Write
- 211. The Kid & I
- 212. The Kid Stays in the Picture
- 213. King Cohen
- 214. King Kong
- 215. King Kong
- 216. King Lear
- 217. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
- 218. Knight of Cups
- 219. La La Land
- 220. Lady Killer
- 221. Last Action Hero
- 222. The Last Command
- 223. The Last Film Festival
- 224. The Last Horror Film
- 225. The Last Movie
- 226. The Last Movie Star
- 227. The Last of Sheila
- 228. The Last Producer
- 229. The Last Shot
- 230. The Last Tycoon
- 231. The Legend of Lylah Claire
- 232. Licorice Pizza
- 233. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
- 234. Life Itself
- 235. Living in Oblivion
- 236. Lobster Men from Mars
- 237. The Lonely Lady
- 238. Looney Tunes: Back in Action
- 239. Lord Love a Duck
- 240. Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley and The Island of Dr. Moreau
- 241. The Lost Squadron
- 242. Love, Hollywood Style
- 243. Love Me or Leave Me
- 244. Lovelace
- 245. Lucky Devils
- 246. Mad Holiday
- 247. Madness in the Method
- 248. Maidstone
- 249. The Majestic
- 250. Make Me a Star
- 251. The Making of “And God Spoke”
- 252. Malcolm & Marie
- 253.The Man of a Thousand Faces
- 254. Mank
- 255. Matinee
- 256. MaXXXine
- 257. May December
- 258. Memories of Me
- 259. Merton of the Movies
- 260. The Mighty Kong
- 261. Miracle of the Bells
- 262. Mistress
- 263. Modern Romance
- 264. Mommie Dearest
- 265. Movers and Shakers
- 266. Movie Crazy
- 267. Movie 43
- 268. Mr. Imperium
- 269. Mulholland Drive
- 270. The Muppet Movie
- 271. Murder a la Mode
- 272. The Muse
- 273. My Week with Marilyn
- 274. Myra Breckinridge
- 275. My Geisha
- 276. My Life’s in Turnaround
- 277. My Name is Bruce
- 278. My Tiny Universe
- 279. Naked Movie
- 280. National Lampoon’s Another Dirty Movie
- 281. National Lampoon’s Dirty Movie
- 282. Never Give a Sucker an Even Break
- 283. Nine
- 284. Nobody Knows Anything
- 285. Nobody Walks
- 286. Nope
- 287. Not Another Church Movie
- 288. Not Another Not Another Movie
- 289. On the Corner of Ego and Desire
- 290. Once in a Lifetime
- 291. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
- 292. The Oscar
- 293. The Other Side of the Wind
- 294. Overnight
- 295. Paparazzi
- 296. Paris When It Sizzles
- 297. The Party
- 298. Pauly Shore is Dead
- 299. Pawparazzi
- 300. Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure
- 301. The Perils of Pauline
- 302. Pick a Star
- 303. The Pickle
- 304. Pipe Dreams
- 305. Play as it Lays
- 306. The Player
- 307. Playing it Cool
- 308. Playmaker
- 309. Please Stand By
- 310. Postcards from the Edge
- 311. Poultry in Motion: Truth is Stranger than Chicken
- 312. The Pretenders
- 313. Preview Murder Mystery
- 314. The Purple Rose of Cairo
- 315. Queen of the Lot
- 316. Real Life
- 317. Red Flag
- 318. Redbelt
- 319. The Remake
- 320. Rented Lips
- 321. Return to Horror high
- 322. The Rewrite
- 323. Road to Nowhere
- 324. Room 237
- 325. Rules Don’t Apply
- 326. Saving Mr. Banks
- 327. Scream 3
- 328. Scream, Queen!
- 329. Search and Destroy
- 330. Searching for Bobby D
- 331. Second Fiddle
- 332. See This Movie
- 333. Seed of Chucky
- 334. The Seven Psychopaths
- 335. Sexbomb
- 336. Shadow of the Vampire
- 337. She Wants Me
- 338. Shoot or Be Shot
- 339. Show People
- 340. Showgirl in Hollywood
- 341. Shrink
- 342. Silent Movie
- 343. Silver Bullets
- 344. Singing in the Rain
- 345. Sitting Pretty
- 346. Slightly French
- 347. Slipstream
- 348. S.O.B.
- 349. Something to Sing About
- 350. Somewhere
- 351. Souls for Sale
- 352. Southland Tales
- 353. Special Effects
- 354. Stand-In
- 355. The Stand In
- 356. The Stars
- 357. Star 80
- 358. A Star is Born
- 359.A Star is Born
- 360. Star Spangled Rhythm
- 361. Stardust Memories
- 362. Starry Eyes
- 363. Starstruck
- 364. Start Cheering
- 365. State and Main
- 366. Stranger’s Kiss
- 367. Straight Jacket
- 368. Student Affairs
- 369. The Stunt Man
- 370. Stunts
- 371. Sullivan’s Travels
- 372. Sunset
- 373. Sunset Boulevard
- 374. Super 8
- 375. Supporting Characters
- 376. Susan Slept Here
- 377. Sweet Liberty
- 378. The Talk of Hollywood
- 379. Targets
- 380. Teen Titans Go! To the Movies
- 381. Ten Items or Less
- 382. Terror Firmer
- 383. That’s Adequate
- 384. 13 Fanboy
- 385. Three Amigos
- 386.3 Geezers
- 387. 3 Holes and a Smoking gun
- 388. 365 Nights in Hollywood
- 389. Timecode
- 390. Tinseltown
- 391. Too Much Too Soon
- 392. Top Five
- 393. Tropic Thunder
- 394. Trumbo
- 395. Two Weeks in Another Town
- 396. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
- 397. Uncle Kent 2
- 398. Under the Rainbow
- 399. Untitled Horror Movie
- 400. Urban Legends: The Final Cut
- 401. Valentino
- 402. Valentino
- 403. The Valley of the Dolls
- 404. Variety Girl
- 405. Venice/Venice
- 406. Wag the Dog
- 407. The Wager
- 408. The Watermelon Woman
- 409. The Way We Were
- 410.W.C. Fields and Me
- 411. Welcome to Hollywood
- 412. Wes Craven’s New Nightmare
- 413. What Just Happened
- 414. What Price Hollywood
- 415. Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
- 416. White Hunter Black Heart
- 417. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
- 418. The Wild Party
- 419. Win a Date with Tad Hamilton
- 420. The Wings of Eagles
- 421. Wired
- 422. Without Reservations
- 423. With Friends Like These
- 424. The Wizard of Speed and Time
- 425. The Woman Chaser
- 426. A Woman, Her Men and a Futon
- 427.Won Ton Ton, the Dog That Saved Hollywood
- 428. X
- 429. You’re My Everything
- 430. Young and Beautiful
- 431. Zack and Miri Make a Porno
- 432. Zeroville
