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The Original Dirk Diggler & The Early Films of Paul Thomas Anderson

I can remember when a young director by the name Paul Thomas Anderson released a remarkably good film called Boogie Nights back in 1997. The film was kind of a small bomb going off in the film industry.

Anderson made by far the best feature film about the groove porn business of the 1970s. Anderson was able to take extremely sleazy topic and elevate it to high art with his brilliant direction, camerawork and amazing performances.

Click below to read the screenplay for Boogie Nights and watch some of his early films, including the original Boogie Nights, his short The Dirk Diggler Story, as well as Cigarettes and Coffee, his hard to find short film.

Anderson is infamous for dropping out of NYU film school after two weeks. Here’s why:

My filmmaking education consisted of finding out what filmmakers I liked were watching, then seeing those films. I learned the technical stuff from books and mags, and with the new technology you can watch entire movies accompanied by commentary from the director. You can learn more from John Sturge’s audio track on the Bad Day at Black Rock Laserdisc than you can in 4 years of film school. Film school is a complete con, because the information is there if you want it.

The Dirk Diggler Story wonderful mockumentary short film shot in 1988 and written and directed by one of the best working directors alive, Paul Thomas Anderson. It tracks the rise and fall of the fictitious Dirk Diggler, a very well-endowed porn actor. The character is based on legendary porn star John Holmes.

The Original Dirk Diggler

Boogie Nights – (Dirk Diggler) Brock Landers Documentary



Cigarettes & Coffee Rare Short Film by Paul Thomas Anderson

Check out as a bonus Paul Thomas Anderson’s rare and hard to find short film Cigarettes and Coffee (1993). You can start to see his style developing in this early work.

I’d thought I throw in some a Boogie Nights Analysis.

Boogie Nights (HD) – Opening Steadicam Scene



Here’s a Blueprint of the Entire Steadicam Shot from the opening of Boogie Nights

Iconic Boogie Nights Pool Scene



Interviews with Paul Thomas Anderson



If you liked The Original Dirk Diggler: The Early Films of Paul Thomas Anderson, then take a listen to:

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