Boogie Nights

Boogie Nights is a 1997 film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The film's ensemble cast includes Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, Nicole Ari Parker, William H. Macy, Heather Graham, Ricky Jay, John C. Reilly, Don Cheadle, Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Melora Walters.

Characters

Eddie Adams/Dirk Diggler - A handsome but dimwitted high school dropout with a 13-inch long penis who is recruited into the porn industry by director Jack Horner. He changes his name to Dirk Diggler and becomes an instant success in the porn world. In the 1980s he gets hooked on cocaine and after a dispute with Jack leaves his studio. Dirk is the central character in the story and the one who has the greatest effect on all the other characters.

Related Topics:
Penis - 1980s - Cocaine

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Jack Horner - A successful director of pornographic films. He meets Eddie Adams in a nightclub in Reseda, California, and convinces him to consider a career in adult cinema. He's a wise and kindly figure who knows a lot about his craft.

Related Topics:
Nightclub - Reseda, California

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Amber Waves - Female actress in Jack Horner's stable of pornstars. She's a cocaine addict and also has serious emotional issues - these are the main reasons she's lost the custody of her son to her ex-husband. Amber's son is never seen in the movie and the closest he comes to her is an unsuccessful attempt to call her. She falls in love with Dirk soon after meeting him and essentially takes him on as a new son. Her care is not always beneficial, however, as she is responsible for Dirk's eventual addiction to cocaine.

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Rollergirl - A very attractive high school dropout who never takes off her roller skates. Rollergirl, like Dirk, is not particularly intelligent but has found her place as a frequent costar in Jack's movies. She also becomes addicted to cocaine later in the film, and is 'adopted' by Amber as a daughter after Dirk leaves Jack's studio to persue other interests.

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Reed Rothchild - A veteran of the industry, Reed becomes Dirk's best friend in the industry. Reed is an egocentric who, like many others in the film, is not very bright. He and Dirk create and star in their own porno series in the late 70s, get hooked on cocaine at the same time, and leave Jack's studio at the same time.

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Buck Swope - A black stereo salesman and pornstar. Buck spends most of the movie trying to find a fashion style that suits him, and ends up showcasing some of the wilder forms of dress of the 1970s and 1980s. He marries Jesse St. Vincent and she soon becomes pregnant. During the 80s, Buck tries to open his own stereo store, but his loan application is turned down by the bank because of his ties to pornography.

Related Topics:
Stereo - 1970s - 1980s

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Scotty J. - A shy, fat, nerdy member of Jack's filming crew. Scotty J. works menial positions behind the camera, mostly as boom operator. He's gay and falls in love with Dirk the first time he sees him. Scotty idolizes and emulates Dirk and at one point during a drunken stupor, even tries to kiss him, but gets rejected.

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Kurt Longjohn - Jack's sarcastic yet knowledgeable cameraman.

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Little Bill - Jack's meek assistant director. Little Bill has no real self-esteem due to his shy nature and his cruel wife, who spends most of her time sleeping with other men. On New Year's Eve 1979, Little Bill shoots his wife and one of her boyfriends, and then kills himself.

Related Topics:
New Year's Eve - 1979

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Jesse St. Vincent - A female pornstar who joins Jack's crew after Dirk becomes famous. She attempts to start a relationship with Dirk but is unable to because of Amber's controlling influence. She instead sets her sights on Buck.

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Becky Barnett - A black pornstar. She costars with Dirk in several movies, then quits the industry when she gets married.

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The Colonel - The producer for all of Jack's movies. He's an old, fat, rich man, often seen in the company of young women. Halfway through the film, The Colonel is arrested on drug-related charges and for the possession of child pornography, effectively cutting off the flow of money for Jack's films.

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Floyd Gondolli - Another producer. Prior to The Colonel's arrest he tries to convince Jack to start shooting his movies on videotape, but Jack refuses. After the arrest, Jack has nobody to go to for funding except Floyd, and Floyd will only fund video projects. As a result, Jack starts shooting his movies with video.

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Todd Parker - A friend of Reed's. He's a stripper at a nightclub, but he also supplies cocaine for Reed and Dirk.

Related Topics:
Stripper - Nightclub - Cocaine

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Rahad Jackson - An eccentric drug dealer who spends most of his time listening to mix tapes and smoking crack cocaine. He lives in an affluent part of town and will buy drugs from anyone. Todd, Reed, and Dirk try to sell him fake cocaine with disastrous results.

Related Topics:
Drug dealer - Crack cocaine

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