Boogie Nights Is An American Classic That Everybody Should Watch Multiple Times
With no new movies or shows being released in Nerdland this week, we decided to watch "Boogie Nights" for today's My Mom's Basement since it's one of my favorite movies but Robbie had never seen it. Not only had Robbie never seen it, he had no clue what the movie was about, which led to this hilarious reveal.
I know Robbie is in his mid-20s and sprung onto the Barstool scene by recording how long it would take his body to naturally cum on its own without jerking off back as a 19-year-old, which admittedly made me recoil as I typed it all these years later.
But it still felt wrong to spring a movie about the porn industry on him without him having any clue what it was about. He actually thought it was a movie that was similar to Saturday Night Fever, which makes sense based on the title, the poster, and the incredible opening scene.
However from there, it obviously goes in a COMPLETELY different direction.
Anyway, Robbie and I were trying to figure out how to properly describe Boogie Nights. I'm not sure if it fits the title of being a "classic" since that feels like something that goes for films like The Godather (yes I used the word film instead of movie to fancy it up a bit). However a movie that was nominated for three Academy Awards and had a ridiculous cast that reads like the 2001 Miami Hurricanes roster feels better than "cult classic".
Obligatory 2001 Miami Hurricanes Wikipedia page snippet so we can all cackle at the sports porn that is the list of those names all playing together.
So we are going to come to a compromise and call Boogie Nights an American classic, even though pretty much every movie I have in the category of classic or cult classic is technically American. But throwing the ol' stars and stripes in front of the word classic just makes it feel bigger.
Blogger's Note: Nice gif usage, Clem!
Having an incredible cast doesn't mean you are going to have an incredible movie. But everything about Boogie Nights is fantastic, from the way it is shot.
To the legendary quotes.
To the out of this world soundtrack that has hits as well as those perfect background songs that you kinda know but love.
I could honestly go on and on about this movie forever. Like how watching Philip Seymour Hoffman absolutely crush every scene as Scotty J in a smaller role knowing what he would later become was like watching Justin Tuck cause absolute carnage in Super Bowl XLII, which must've had the HC of NEP feeling like this as the confetti fell in Glendale.
How "The Touch" and "Feel My Heat" would've set Billboard records that Michael Jackson couldn't have even dreamed of in the 80s if that schmuck record producer could've just given Dirk his demo tapes.
How the mom from Boogie Nights is the worst mom in movie history, including the mom from Blow who I hate with the fire of 1000 suns.
How much I hate the 80s because pretty much every character in a movie that starts in the 70s goes to shit in the 80s because of cocaine.
Or how great the ending for everyone that somehow survived the turbulent arrival of the 80s.
But Robbie and I broke down all that down and then some from this cinematic gem on this week's My Mom's Basement so check it out if you wanna burn an hour with a couple of pals talking about an American classic on a Friday.