You’re Not the King of Dirk: 13 Massive Behind-the-Scenes Facts From Boogie Nights

Everyone has one special thing (but this list has 13 of them.)

July 25, 2021

The 1997 classic Boogie Nights is known for its engaging and entertaining story and a behind the scenes look into one of the world’s most well known industries. But what many people don't know is that the film is very loosely based on real life.

Paul Thomas Anderson's entire filmography is a list of masterpieces or near masterpieces. Boogie Nights is no exception to that rule, and it is probably the film most people think of first when hearing his name (the other, of course, is There Will Be Blood. Maybe Magnolia. Or The Master. The man really can't miss is what we're saying). The film gave us Mark Wahlburg's breakout role, and featured many consistent collaborators for Anderson's future career, like Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and John C. Reilly. In short, we just really like this film.

In 1977, sex was safe, pleasure was a business, and business was booming. Go behind the scenes with these 13 highly gratifying facts about Boogie Nights.

BEHIND-THE-SCENES FACTS Burt Reynolds was looking for a FISTFIGHT CRACKED.COM Here are some of the people Burt wanted to fight: Bill Macy (for making fun of Smokey and the Bandit), Thomas Jane (when a scene improv got violent) and Paul Thomas Anderson (You f*ckin' little punk kid, don't tell me what to do!) — Grantland

HIND-THE-SCENES: FACTS Look who almost played ROLLERGIAL CRACKED.COM Casting Rollergirl was difficult due to the nudity, says casting director Christine Sheaks. Two other actresses who were considered: Drew Barrymore and Tatum O'Neal. — Grantland

BEHIND-THE-SCENESFACTS Wahlberg was almost scared away by SHOWGIALS CRACKED.COM Showgirls had just come out. That movie was a disaster. And you know, coming from the underwear background, the music stuff, I was like, 'I don't want to do this, says Wahlberg. This guy either wants me to take the Calvin Kleins off, or he wants to make a serious movie. — Mental Floss

BEHINO-THE-SCENES FACTS Burt Reynolds may have cost himself an OSCAR CRACKED.COM It was no secret around Hollywood that Reynolds didn't like the film and was surprised by its critical reception. His initial badmouthing may have been costly. He would've won the Oscar, says Mark Wahlberg, had he not dug such a hole for himself. — Yahoo

BEHINO-THE-SCENES FACTS Multiple revisions set a record with the MPAA CRACKED.COM The Motion Picture Association of America decides whether an adult-themed movie is rated NC-17 (box-office death) or R. To get the lower rating, Boogie producers submitted 18 different versions of the flim. — Grantland

BEHIND-THE-SCENESFACTS There was plenty of competition for BURT REYNOLDS CRACKED.COM Burt Reynolds was nominated for an Oscar for his role as Jack Horner. But plenty of Hollywood heavyweights were considered, including Harvey Keitel, Bill Murray, Warren Beatty, Albert Brooks, and film director Sydney Pollack. — Grantland

BEHIND-THE-SCENESFACTS Dirk Diggler was almost Leonardo DICAPRIO CRACKED.COM Boogie Nights was still a few months away from filming when Leonardo got cold feet about playing Diggler. Leo was never 100 percent committed to the movie, says Anderson. He dropped out to do Titanic. — Esquire, via Cigarettes and Red Vines

THE-SCENES FACTS Anderson saw his first adult film at AGE MIS CRACKED.co My dad was one of the first guys on the block who had a VCR, says Anderson. The film was called The Opening of Misty Beethoven. Very, very, very well made - one of the best. And I just found it. It terrified me at the time, really scared the piss out of me. — Total Film via Cigarettes and Red Vines

BEHIND-THE-SCENES FACTS PTA was in high school when he invented DIRK DIGGLER CRACKED.COM When I was 17, I wrote a half-hour short called the The Dirk Diggler Story. I was so influenced by Spinal Tap that it was in my brain, SO it was like, 'Let's play it as a documentary.' The 30-minute film about a girl from Iowa chasing her porn dreams is still up on YouTube. — Roger Ebert, YouTube

- THE-SCENES FACTS Here's how they made Dirk's DIGGLER CRACKED.COM The bulge in Dirk's pants was a stocking filled with birdseed. But the actual behemoth was made of plaster around a wire armature. Says director of photography Robert Elswitt, That's asking an awful lot of an actor, honestly. — Vulture

BEHIND-THE-SCENES FACTS Don't hold your breath for BOOGIE NIGHTS 2 CRACKED.COM The problem, suspects Paul Thomas Anderson, is that most of the characters would be dead. I doubt Dirk Digger's still alive, says PTA. He'd be probably gone. I couldn't see him making it. — Moviehole

BEHIND-THE-SCENES FACTS Boogie Nights cast included actual ADULT STARS NOV EX ND GRACKED.COM I got called in because Paul had been a fan of mine when he was younger, says adult film star Nina Hartley, who played Little Bill's adulterous wife. I did cast Veronica Hart, says Anderson. She's not only a great person, she's the Meryl Streep of porn. — Playboy via Cigarettes and Red Vines

BEHINO-THE-SCENES FACTS PTA's screenplay clocked in at 135 PAGES 1 EXT. HOT TRAXX NIGHTCLUB NIGHT 1 CAMERA holds on this PACKED disco on Van Nuys Blvd. TITLE CARD: San Fernando Valley, 1977 A CADILLAC SEVILLE pulls up to the valet area and CAMERA (STEADICAM) moves across the street, towards the car, landing in close; From the Seville steps, JACK HORNER (50s) and AMBER WAVES (early 30s) CAMERA follows them (this is one continuous shot) as they pass the crowd, greet a DOORMAN and enter INSIDE THE NIGHTCLUB. Twice as packed inside as outside. Music is full blast. Amber and Jack — Grantland, Indie Hustle

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