My apologies guys. I’ve been watching this movie for years and always thought Alfred Molina’s character was named “Rayhan”. I literally IMDd the movie after I uploaded this video to check its ratings, saw his characters actual name thought f***! There’s two instances in the film where he is named by Todd and to me it always sounded like “Rayhan”. Again my apologies, I hope it doesn’t take away from the video! (Alfred Molinas character is named Rahad)
So I've heard. I remember reading a comment once about that look on Mark Wahlberg's face being the moment he finally realized he didn't wanna live like that anymore.
Philip Seymor H stole the show from a pure acting standpoint then again i thought his role as Sandy in Along Came Polly is the the best comedic role in decades.
For anyone thinking this scene is 'over the top', they're sadly mistaken. This type of zany batshyt went down countless times in countless L.A. hillside residences. It's a documentary, as far as i`m concerned.
It’s loosely based on the Wonderland Murders in 1981 in which three people were killed in a drug deal gone wrong. John Holmes the inspiration for Dirk Diggler was charged with murder in a sensational trial but was acquitted. He lived in infamy for the rest of his days until he died of complications of AIDS in 1987.
The camera focus on Wahlberg in this scene is brilliant. His character while strung out with coke withdrawal has his first moment of clarity in the film. The first time in the movie Dirk seems somewhat intelligent. He knows his life has hit rock bottom and he might be in physical danger but at the same time he has a half smile knowing how ridiculous his life has become and how comically, though tragic, his current predicament is.
Thomas Jane and Alfred Molina absolutely nailed their somewhat short screen time in this film two best characters imo, brilliant and when Jesse's Girl kicks on and few seconds later the firecracker goes off, god that was genius
And without telling anyone that they "must" watch the film, I'll take it a step further: part of the film's subject IS porn. So what? Part of the subject of "The Sound of Music" is Nazi Germany; part of of "Snow White" is trying to poison a girl to death, etc.
I avoided this film cuz of Mark Wahlberg. Couldn't stand him back then. Was told by countless people that I NEEED to see it. Upon watching it , it became my favorite and still is to this day...❤
An absolute masterclass in tension building. One of the greatest single-scene cameos - and greatest scenes, period - ever committed to film. PTA wasn't even 30 when he made this masterpiece. Pure genius.
@@johnmacdonald5483 That’s funny when that happens. I recognized him, but I’ve done that with others. Recently I didn’t realize it was Nic Cage in “Long Legs” under all the make up, even though it’s obvious.
Molina is so good here he belongs in a time capsule. When people ask, “What’s good acting/showmanship?”, just cue up this scene. He dances, squints, sings, wields a gun, whispers, yells, and creates a fully-realized character who should be all rights be dead way before he gets to this point. He seizes the screen and melts it. And his supporters are equally great, ranging from flatlining to “can-we-go-now?” to “I’m taking it ALL!” And no one steps on each other. No one is trying to one-up each other. The attention of everyone involved is riveting to witness.
I think it would've been dope if they had played Private Eyes by Hall & Oates right after the Sister Christian songs... that clapping sound would've gone good with the firecrackers and the lyrics of the song would be more ominous than Jesse's Girl.
Back in the mid 70s I was pretty involved in drugs. No addiction but southern California was a hotbed for coke, weed, hash, uppers, downers, angel dust, you name it. There were way too many times I went to some dealers house to buy whatever it was and there were many uncomfortable moments. EXTREMELY uncomfortable. When I saw Boogie Nights and they got to this scene I was crawling ouf of my skin. Fun fact, I was living in Orange county at that point in my life but in the early 80s moved up to the valley and literally lived around the corner from The Country Club where the movie had scenes filmed.
I grew up with young stoner parents that were teens in the 70s and raised me in the 80's in their 20s. This scene always stuck with me, as how accurate it was being taken to their "friends" houses growing up. Always the most random setups and people. All straight characters out of movies, some with nicknames to match.
Yeah I mentioned above the firecrackers work cuz meth/coke heads do stuff like that. Personal fave sticking a dart in a dart board then having a mouse crawl on said dart and they'd fire away. Yeah uncomfortable.
These standard filmmaking techniques are what I used to do on my channel that was banned, used to make westerns. Learned from these guys. I had to sub to this dude cause just watching his analysis made me nervous af just like the first time I saw this movie. Fng love movies man
I just watched the Wonderland murders documentary the other day and never realized that this scene is based on that and actual events with John Holmes. Dirk Diggler is Holmes, the black guy is Gregory Diles and Alfred Molina is Eddie Nash (born Adel Nasrallah). Holmes was forced to take part in the murders and Diles basically bashed everyone’s heads in with a bat and a hammer. Nash was supplied by Pablo Escobar and it was his coke that ended up killing John Belushi in the infamous speedball. It was also his coke that Richard Pryor was freebasing when he set himself on fire.
There’s a pretty good movie called ‘Wonderland’, starring Val Kilmer which is about the murders and John Holmes involvement. I’m sure that you already knew that though.
Well I'll be!! For me, this has always been my favorite scene in the movie. SO much tension, and your dissection of it was wonderfully done!! Not only was it filmed brilliantly to show the environment Marky-Mark, Wreck-It Ralph and The Other Guy were trapped in, but we as an audience are trapped there, too. It's SO unnerving!! LOVE it!!!
It’s one of those rare movies where after i watched it for the very first time, i rewound the tape and immediately watched it again. It’s still one of my favorite movies of all time.
A brilliant, bat-shit crazy scene from one of my all-time favorite movies. I love how indulgent P.T. Anderson went in this film, mirroring the excesses and mocking the emptiness of all its characters. At the dawn of the '80s, things go south fast for everybody. Anderson's Kubrick-level attention to detail made Boogie Nights stellar.
And for most people including me, the little bits of extreme attention to detail go through us without us noticing. Only when it's pointed out to me in vids like this do I understand why I liked it so much. It's a really amazing thing directors do - they work on *every* angle but we only consciously notice parts of it while appreciating the whole. That's so damn cool.
I saw this film five times in the theater when it first came out. Every single time I was transfixed by this scene. Many former drug addicts that I've read commentary from have said they had tears in their eyes. Dirk's "moment of truth" Dirk's "fight or flight" much mirrored their own descent. "This is it. I can't do this anymore. God, if you get me out of this tonight, I will NEVER do drugs again. Please God, just get me out of here. I don't want to die this way." It's a masterful scene and a fantastic moment into the heart of a kid named Eddie Adams who just wanted to be big. Dirk Diggler IS Eddie Adams again in that scene. He reverts back to that childlike moment of needing Jack and Amber and yes, even Rollergirl. They may not have been the best family, but God knows they're a hell of a lot more than Rayhad. Getting back to THIS scene: Alfred Molina IS Rayhad. And this performance IS literally a performance. Rayhad is thrilled that, "Which one's Todd?" has come to his house (no WAY he actually remembers Todd from Party Boys) and he puts on a performance which, insanely includes almost blowing his own head off with a silver bullet. "Ah come on man! You just got here!" Rayhad doesn't want them leave. He has nothing going on. It's (my guess is as good as yours) 4 o'clock in the morning on Sunday and seriously, what the hell is HE gonna do? "He just likes people hanging out at his house, partyn, the whole thing." Do you see all that many people at Rayhad's house? He parties too much, even for them. Rayhad has no one to impress with his crack and his gun and his Awesome Mix Tape. So he puts on a terrifying show. Even when Rayhad is in control, he's out of control. FANTASTIC video! I can't thank you enough for your insight! I am SOOOO glad I discovered such amazing commentary and insight! Looking forward to what you have next for us! Now that is some QUALITY shit right there! If you wanna test that out, go ahead! Test it! No really, go ahead and test that out!
Hey thanks for the kind words and also the commentary yourself. Completely agree with everything you say. It really is just a perfect scene and the performances, the way all actors captured being drug addicts is spot on. Thanks for watching :) Appreciate it
- I HAVE A LITTLE GIRL! - DON'T LIE TO ME! We're going to get to the bottom of your bullsh*t. It's not right involving a civilian. Later......"Vato was telling the truth, life's a trip que no?" (I almost had a heart attack watching it)
I'm so happy to see this video..... I have always said that this scene is one of the greatest scenes in cinematic history. Everything is just so perfect. I get caught watching this part whenever I see the movie is playing on TV.. Its really just perfect.
Everything about this movie is pure genius. From the direction of Paul Thomas Anderson to the cinematography, soundtrack, locales, cast, etc. The culmination of the drug scene is the most pivotal one in the movie because it ultimately represents the awakening of Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg) when he comes to realize he has embarked upon a self-destructive course in realizing that he needs Jack's help (Burt Reynolds).
Todd Haynes and PTA are my two modern favs. They’re both so chock full of detail, and I feel blessed to have seen the distillation, the process. Best 👏🏼
Man you nailed it! This scene has always been in my top 10 movie scenes of all time. The tension, performances, humour, and impending doom was just brilliantly blended. Thank you for breaking it down in how it achieved all this!
When the boys pull up they are in Dirk's once shiny, new and beautiful Corvette that is now damaged from abuse and neglect and they are in the same condition. Once young and vibrant themselves they are now miserable and broken down as a result of their lifestyle choices and abuses.
The Corvette is used as a metaphor right after this scene of the drug deal going catastrophicly wrong. Shortly after Dirk takes off in it, the car runs out of gas and there's a shot of the fuel gauge reading "empty"...
I have watched this film many times. Most recently a week or two ago. I wasn't able, at the time and until you detailed everything, to appreciate just what is was that grabbed me. BRAVO! I will add that the music choices throughout definitely contributed to the "feel" of the film. I don't understand why this wasn't a bigger hit.
Everything works in this scene. Alfred Molina is putting on a master class. Thomas Jane is like a feral dog staring down the barrel of a shotgun. Wahlberg and John C. Reilly convince you they’re barely holding it together. Add in the loud music, the exploding firecrackers, and the intimidating dudes with the guns and you have and everything is pushed to 11. My favorite scene in Boogie Nights by far.
Fantastic breakdown. This movie made me change my major to film (which is basically useless, but digress). You touched on the shot of Dirk that last nearly a minute. I LOVED that choice. For me, It's PTA making us take a breath and really watch Dirk for a minute. We all know that he has fallen....but this shot tells the story.
I've seen the film like ten times now, but I remember seeing it in the theater when it was first released. By the end of this scene I was literally sweating in the air conditioned theater. The absolute pinnacle of tension. Molina is a master.
Man... In my twenties I knew people like Rayhan. Charasmatic, welcoming, kekked out of their brains, hairtrigger tempers. I'm really pleased to have survived that era. Not having any ulterior motive but to party definitely worked in my favour.
This is my all-time favorite movie for many of the reasons you mentioned in this one specific scene. PTA delivered a masterpiece and selected perfect actors to portray his vision.
Everything you are talking about in this video I lived in the theater watching this when it was first released. The anxiety I experienced during this scene was horrible.
For anyone who has actually been in a shady scenario around dangerous people, and maybe you happen to be strung out and literally all you want is to be held peacefully by your mom so you can apologize to her for any foul shht you ever did and you just want to go back in time to take it all back: then you know how incredible this scene is. I've never seen a film capture this.
this scene left me baffled in a confused and excited way when i was a teenager. the song drew me in and never left my mind which is another way to say it meant i would never forget this scene.
This has been my favourite film ever since I saw it at the cinema. For me, its little imperfections are what makes it my kind of perfect. Critics hail There Will Be Blood as his magnum opus, and maybe his film making techniques, and a more economical and linear use of dialogue are honed in his subsequent films, but none of them are as ‘fun’ as Boogie Nights. The characters are brilliant, played by an incredibly talented ensemble cast. Each scene plays out perfectly as its own mini-classic. The way the film is divided into two halves - the hedonism and carefree time of the 70s, which is torn apart by the advent of the new decade, and how video tape and coke destroys the idyllic bubble they occupied. The theme of families, fractured, flawed and makeshift. And one brilliant soundtrack. I’ll never love a film more than this one.
Tarantino only wishes he could write and/or direct an adult scene like this. Quentin serves up M&Ms when the audience orders steak. Inspired amateurism at its finest.
Its like the whorehouse scene in true romance when he's buying out Alabama with a empty envelope and a crazy pimp named drexel. Watch it!! Actually tops boogie in terms of suspense!
@@fromthescreen123in the song, the lyric is “Where can I find a woman like that?” What he sings is, “Why can’t I have a woman like that?” It’s another dissonace that escalates the tension.
I'm a recovering addict with 7 years drug and alcohol free. I hadn't seen this movie in years and I watched it not too long ago. It is spot on with Dirks visible emotions. Anyone that has ever been going through withdrawals and sitting in some dirtbags house house waiting for drugs for hours knows exactly what he is feeling in this movie. It made me sweat just watching it in this short video. Excellent breakdown too, btw.
Molina is such a damn good actor (Remember he was the "Throw me the idol and I'll throw you the whip" guy ) and he had NEVER heard any of the three songs before !!! Never heard Sister Christian, Jesse's Girl, and Balloons...
One of the best scenes I've ever seen. In 1997 I paid to see this film six times in the theater. Two best films of the past 34 years: Goodfellas and Boogie Nights.
Growing up in the 80s, it wasn't out of the norm to come across people like rahad/ molina every once in a while. People with a lot of money for no real reason or dirty money. Hedonistic volatile drug addict selfish hateful people. The crazy part is that every single one that I ever met didn't make it out of that decade or the 90s alive.
I vividly remember watching this 'Gem' back in the fall of nineteen ninety-seven at the Cumberland Theater in Toronto with my former friends and it lingered (pun intended) in my noggin for days. It was great. Man, I miss films like Boogie Nights, they're original & fresh.
A bit of random trivia unrelated to the movie. The song "Jessie's Girl" was based on a true story, but the friend was named Gary. Rick Springfield didn't think the name Gary fit right when singing it, so he changed it to Jessie.
I was in the shower one morning before work maybe 2-3 years ago and Sister Christian was playing on a local FM station. Nothing else was on so I let it play. It's not my choice for a morning song, but it's not terrible. The second it ended, Jesse's Girl began. It gave me hope, I thought "maybe the programming isn't all done by robots, because you've gotta be cool to air those 2 back to back on purpose."
Alfred Molina is in Raiders of the lost ark. Hes the guy at the beginning that double crosses Indiana Jones saying he'll throw him the whip if he throws the statue. All the years ive seen that movie, i never noticed because hes very young in it.
This takes me back to the first time I saw this scene, super tense and startling with the firecrackers going off (brilliant sound design that enhances the tension and unease) and you knew once Todd indicated he was armed things were going to go quickly downhill. Alfred Molina delivers what’s possibly one of the greatest 5-minute performances as Rahad Jackson, in fact I didn’t even realise it was him until a second viewing. Brilliant scene and a brilliant film!
YUP... 💙 It was this scene that made me realize I'm watching a masterpiece of cinema. My favorite film of '97. As a movie theater usher, I made a point to time my theater checks to walk during this scene.
@@sonics25 Also Virgil vs Alabama, and the final drug deal YOU RIPPED MY FUCKING HEART OUT! And Sizemore and Penn at thier peak. The whole cast, the whole movie is a goddamn masterpiece
Sitting in the theater when this came out, I was 20, maybe 21, this scene truly had an effect on me. It was one of the first times I appreciated something like this! Truly special. That weekend was pretty legendary, Boogie Nights on Friday and The Big Lebowski on Saturday.
I always thought this scene was perfect for where they were at as characters and was so wild and erratic that it still gives me a sense of nervousness. What a masterpiece and masterclass of storytelling.
That scene is so uncomfortable to watch. Someone that high, and that crazy, and you're trying to rip him off, it's crazy. It's like you're in that room.
That scene captures a very recognisable moment for me, the heartfelt singing, then the music stops, and your back in reality. A bit like the end of the night at a club, one minute your dancing with complete strangers like youve known them all your life, then the music stops the lights come on and everyone is making there way to the exit......
My apologies guys. I’ve been watching this movie for years and always thought Alfred Molina’s character was named “Rayhan”. I literally IMDd the movie after I uploaded this video to check its ratings, saw his characters actual name thought f***!
There’s two instances in the film where he is named by Todd and to me it always sounded like “Rayhan”.
Again my apologies, I hope it doesn’t take away from the video!
(Alfred Molinas character is named Rahad)
Are you familiar with the masterpiece _Wonderland_ ?
@@dancarter482no I’m not, is it good?
@@fromthescreen123 _Awesome!_ One of Val Kilmer's other great performances and the basis for _Boogie Nights._
@@dancarter482 I’m going to have to check it out now! Thanks for mentioning it!
@@fromthescreen123 Recon you'll appreciate it. Enjoy!
This scene makes you FEEL like you're tweaking out. Legendary scene
Key point.
So I've heard. I remember reading a comment once about that look on Mark Wahlberg's face being the moment he finally realized he didn't wanna live like that anymore.
Been there, did that!
This movie in general is a masterpiece!!
Philip Seymor H stole the show from a pure acting standpoint then again i thought his role as Sandy in Along Came Polly is the the best comedic role in decades.
It was everyone in this got really famous love bert Reynolds was great whith a caddy ya this scene is great 👍
For anyone thinking this scene is 'over the top', they're sadly mistaken. This type of zany batshyt went down countless times in countless L.A. hillside residences. It's a documentary, as far as i`m concerned.
It’s loosely based on the Wonderland Murders in 1981 in which three people were killed in a drug deal gone wrong.
John Holmes the inspiration for Dirk Diggler was charged with murder in a sensational trial but was acquitted. He lived in infamy for the rest of his days until he died of complications of AIDS in 1987.
Have you ever Seen Wounderland with Val Kilmer? Check it out if not.
@@jdubhbsfinnest4881 no, I have heard of it, tho. I will def have to check it out now. Thanks!
Absolutely.
yeh, its not over the top....its meth lol
The flinching at each firecracker is how I feel all the time
Then go into therapy.
This whole scene is how I feel when sedated
🤓
@@orangewarm1Right?
😂😂😂@@orangewarm1
The camera focus on Wahlberg in this scene is brilliant. His character while strung out with coke withdrawal has his first moment of clarity in the film. The first time in the movie Dirk seems somewhat intelligent. He knows his life has hit rock bottom and he might be in physical danger but at the same time he has a half smile knowing how ridiculous his life has become and how comically, though tragic, his current predicament is.
So true. He had a post pornographic epiphany. "We're leaving!"
Perfectly described. The way Mark subtly cycled through emotions was brilliant acting.
I hoping that scene would be explained .. thank you 🎬
Very well put.
No such thing as coke withdrawl
Thomas Jane and Alfred Molina absolutely nailed their somewhat short screen time in this film two best characters imo, brilliant and when Jesse's Girl kicks on and few seconds later the firecracker goes off, god that was genius
The Punisher and Doc Oct!
holy crap that IS Thomas Jane
I know so many people that won't even watch this film because they think the subject is porn. I try to convince them that this is a great work of art.
Agree. It's similar in that regard to Fight Club.
And without telling anyone that they "must" watch the film, I'll take it a step further: part of the film's subject IS porn. So what? Part of the subject of "The Sound of Music" is Nazi Germany; part of of "Snow White" is trying to poison a girl to death, etc.
That’s akin to saying Citizen Kane is about newspapers.
Top 5 all timer
I avoided this film cuz of Mark Wahlberg. Couldn't stand him back then. Was told by countless people that I NEEED to see it. Upon watching it , it became my favorite and still is to this day...❤
An absolute masterclass in tension building. One of the greatest single-scene cameos - and greatest scenes, period - ever committed to film. PTA wasn't even 30 when he made this masterpiece. Pure genius.
Never knew Todd was Thomas Jane. Great character!
Jesus Christ,I watched this movie at least a dozen times and I did not recognize him either ,FFS, now it's so obvious.
That porn-stache was well placed
@@johnmacdonald5483 That’s funny when that happens. I recognized him, but I’ve done that with others. Recently I didn’t realize it was Nic Cage in “Long Legs” under all the make up, even though it’s obvious.
Molina is so good here he belongs in a time capsule. When people ask, “What’s good acting/showmanship?”, just cue up this scene. He dances, squints, sings, wields a gun, whispers, yells, and creates a fully-realized character who should be all rights be dead way before he gets to this point.
He seizes the screen and melts it. And his supporters are equally great, ranging from flatlining to “can-we-go-now?” to “I’m taking it ALL!” And no one steps on each other. No one is trying to one-up each other. The attention of everyone involved is riveting to witness.
100%
You're 100% correct. This scene captivated me when I first saw it; and every time I think about this movie, my mind goes straight here.
I think it would've been dope if they had played Private Eyes by Hall & Oates right after the Sister Christian songs... that clapping sound would've gone good with the firecrackers and the lyrics of the song would be more ominous than Jesse's Girl.
Back in the mid 70s I was pretty involved in drugs. No addiction but southern California was a hotbed for coke, weed, hash, uppers, downers, angel dust, you name it. There were way too many times I went to some dealers house to buy whatever it was and there were many uncomfortable moments. EXTREMELY uncomfortable. When I saw Boogie Nights and they got to this scene I was crawling ouf of my skin. Fun fact, I was living in Orange county at that point in my life but in the early 80s moved up to the valley and literally lived around the corner from The Country Club where the movie had scenes filmed.
Huntington Beach, bro, 89-92
I grew up with young stoner parents that were teens in the 70s and raised me in the 80's in their 20s. This scene always stuck with me, as how accurate it was being taken to their "friends" houses growing up. Always the most random setups and people. All straight characters out of movies, some with nicknames to match.
Same here Mike!
Yeah I mentioned above the firecrackers work cuz meth/coke heads do stuff like that. Personal fave sticking a dart in a dart board then having a mouse crawl on said dart and they'd fire away. Yeah uncomfortable.
These standard filmmaking techniques are what I used to do on my channel that was banned, used to make westerns. Learned from these guys. I had to sub to this dude cause just watching his analysis made me nervous af just like the first time I saw this movie. Fng love movies man
This scene transported the movie from a twisted, dark satire to a nightmarish drama.
Based on the _Wonderland Murders_ events.
This was supposed to be john Holmes. Check out the movie Wonderland with Val Kilmer
This scene hit me like no other when I first saw it. Boogie Nights is one of my favorites because of it.
That scene is pure ANXIETY, they nailed it that movie is a masterpiece
This is the most realistic, nostalgic, drug scene for me, ever. Totally early 80's. Very well done.
I just watched the Wonderland murders documentary the other day and never realized that this scene is based on that and actual events with John Holmes. Dirk Diggler is Holmes, the black guy is Gregory Diles and Alfred Molina is Eddie Nash (born Adel Nasrallah). Holmes was forced to take part in the murders and Diles basically bashed everyone’s heads in with a bat and a hammer. Nash was supplied by Pablo Escobar and it was his coke that ended up killing John Belushi in the infamous speedball. It was also his coke that Richard Pryor was freebasing when he set himself on fire.
We were big into coke in the early 80s. After watching the movie Blow, I now know that any coke we got came from Escobar
Interesting, I’ve definitely gotta check out the doco now. Thanks for sharing
There’s a pretty good movie called ‘Wonderland’, starring Val Kilmer which is about the murders and John Holmes involvement. I’m sure that you already knew that though.
@@mikeberg5003 didnt jaun in blow say it cane from only two people in the 80s?
@@RyanHaragan Could be? Been a while since I've seen it.
Wahlberg was a better actor then than he is now.
He was good then and still solid now.
he is good know, he does not need a good movie, he is having some fun, it runs in the family, his brother Donnie shows it too.
He's on record saying he regrets making this, his greatest film. He's an idiot.
@@gridlo Religion does weird shit to people.
@@claudiocorleone7856 lol have you seen the happening?
This scene still blows my mind everytime i watch it i feel major anxiety. It’s brilliant 🤩
The tension in this scene is epic..
Man, what a great breakdown. I remember the intense anxiety I felt when I first saw this in a theater. Definitely a great memorable scene.
Thanks you :) Glad you enjoyed it.
I would have loved to have seen this in theatres! What an experience that would have been
Well I'll be!! For me, this has always been my favorite scene in the movie. SO much tension, and your dissection of it was wonderfully done!! Not only was it filmed brilliantly to show the environment Marky-Mark, Wreck-It Ralph and The Other Guy were trapped in, but we as an audience are trapped there, too. It's SO unnerving!! LOVE it!!!
Thank you :) I'm glad you enjoyed it! Definitely agree, one of cinemas perfect scenes
If you're on blow and someone is lighting firecrackers off, it is a total freakout, great scene all the way. Well played.
I can rarely watch a movie more than once, Boogie Nights is an exception.
Masterpiece
Then you need Showtime because it's on almost every day
It’s one of those rare movies where after i watched it for the very first time, i rewound the tape and immediately watched it again. It’s still one of my favorite movies of all time.
A brilliant, bat-shit crazy scene from one of my all-time favorite movies. I love how indulgent P.T. Anderson went in this film, mirroring the excesses and mocking the emptiness of all its characters. At the dawn of the '80s, things go south fast for everybody. Anderson's Kubrick-level attention to detail made Boogie Nights stellar.
And for most people including me, the little bits of extreme attention to detail go through us without us noticing. Only when it's pointed out to me in vids like this do I understand why I liked it so much. It's a really amazing thing directors do - they work on *every* angle but we only consciously notice parts of it while appreciating the whole. That's so damn cool.
I saw this film five times in the theater when it first came out. Every single time I was transfixed by this scene.
Many former drug addicts that I've read commentary from have said they had tears in their eyes. Dirk's "moment of truth" Dirk's "fight or flight" much mirrored their own descent. "This is it. I can't do this anymore. God, if you get me out of this tonight, I will NEVER do drugs again. Please God, just get me out of here. I don't want to die this way." It's a masterful scene and a fantastic moment into the heart of a kid named Eddie Adams who just wanted to be big. Dirk Diggler IS Eddie Adams again in that scene. He reverts back to that childlike moment of needing Jack and Amber and yes, even Rollergirl. They may not have been the best family, but God knows they're a hell of a lot more than Rayhad.
Getting back to THIS scene: Alfred Molina IS Rayhad. And this performance IS literally a performance. Rayhad is thrilled that, "Which one's Todd?" has come to his house (no WAY he actually remembers Todd from Party Boys) and he puts on a performance which, insanely includes almost blowing his own head off with a silver bullet.
"Ah come on man! You just got here!" Rayhad doesn't want them leave. He has nothing going on. It's (my guess is as good as yours) 4 o'clock in the morning on Sunday and seriously, what the hell is HE gonna do? "He just likes people hanging out at his house, partyn, the whole thing." Do you see all that many people at Rayhad's house? He parties too much, even for them. Rayhad has no one to impress with his crack and his gun and his Awesome Mix Tape. So he puts on a terrifying show. Even when Rayhad is in control, he's out of control.
FANTASTIC video! I can't thank you enough for your insight! I am SOOOO glad I discovered such amazing commentary and insight! Looking forward to what you have next for us!
Now that is some QUALITY shit right there! If you wanna test that out, go ahead! Test it! No really, go ahead and test that out!
Hey thanks for the kind words and also the commentary yourself. Completely agree with everything you say. It really is just a perfect scene and the performances, the way all actors captured being drug addicts is spot on. Thanks for watching :) Appreciate it
No one knows what he's thinking. Everyone puts their own interpretation on that.
I saw it one time with a hot friend I was afraid to make a move on, it was agony.
Long comments like that are insane.
Dude you wrote a book!😂😂😂
Having a character randomly set of firecrackers was a genius move.
I went to a 70mm screening of Boogie Nights not long ago at The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and it was amazing to see on the big screen again.🕺😎
Couldn't agreed more. Great presentation 👍
The scene out of 'Training day' also filled me with the same dread.
Glad you enjoyed it :)
Training day is on my list for movie scenes to break down. Absolutely love that movie.
- I HAVE A LITTLE GIRL!
- DON'T LIE TO ME! We're going to get to the bottom of your bullsh*t. It's not right involving a civilian.
Later......"Vato was telling the truth, life's a trip que no?"
(I almost had a heart attack watching it)
The acting, the writing, directing and the atmosphere in this scene is next level
@@xNeoRoninx-y4y yeah man 100%!
This scene was incredible. Wahlberg, John C. Reilly and Thomas Jane really looked like sweaty, paranoid, tweekers on the verge of snapping.
Great scene. I was 13 when this movie came out, and whenever I hear the songs I immediately think of this movie.
I'm so happy to see this video..... I have always said that this scene is one of the greatest scenes in cinematic history. Everything is just so perfect. I get caught watching this part whenever I see the movie is playing on TV.. Its really just perfect.
Everything about this movie is pure genius. From the direction of Paul Thomas Anderson to the cinematography, soundtrack, locales, cast, etc. The culmination of the drug scene is the most pivotal one in the movie because it ultimately represents the awakening of Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg) when he comes to realize he has embarked upon a self-destructive course in realizing that he needs Jack's help (Burt Reynolds).
Damn, that was an incredible dissection! Wonderfully done.
@@6demonbag542 thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it :)
your analysis of this scene is spot on. So many good scenes in this movie, and this is the most absurd. Nice break down :)
@@davidtaylor6663 thanks :) Glad you enjoyed it!
Todd Haynes and PTA are my two modern favs. They’re both so chock full of detail, and I feel blessed to have seen the distillation, the process. Best 👏🏼
Best scene breakdown I’ve seen and agree with you on most parts. When I saw that freebase pipe I knew it was going to be an epic crazy scene.
He should have won an Oscar for this.
Stop with the nonsense
Alfred Molina? Fun fact:Alan Arkin won an Oscar for little miss sunshine with only 14 minutes of screen time
Man you nailed it! This scene has always been in my top 10 movie scenes of all time. The tension, performances, humour, and impending doom was just brilliantly blended. Thank you for breaking it down in how it achieved all this!
@@stevendruskovich436 you’re welcome! Thanks for watching :)
When the boys pull up they are in Dirk's once shiny, new and beautiful Corvette that is now damaged from abuse and neglect and they are in the same condition. Once young and vibrant themselves they are now miserable and broken down as a result of their lifestyle choices and abuses.
There is a deleted scene that explains how the corvette got damaged
@@williamgiesen4910 I'd love to see that scene but, its still a metaphor for Dirk.
The Corvette is used as a metaphor right after this scene of the drug deal going catastrophicly wrong. Shortly after Dirk takes off in it, the car runs out of gas and there's a shot of the fuel gauge reading "empty"...
I always thought there was probably some symbology behind showing him pushing the car in neutral by hand, too.
@@D-Fens_1632 "sssssymbolism..." -Paul Smecker (Willem Dafoe)
I have watched this film many times. Most recently a week or two ago. I wasn't able, at the time and until you detailed everything, to appreciate just what is was that grabbed me. BRAVO! I will add that the music choices throughout definitely contributed to the "feel" of the film. I don't understand why this wasn't a bigger hit.
@@ernietetrault3403 Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching :) Yeah me neither, it’s such a good film, I find myself watching it once a year!
Everything works in this scene. Alfred Molina is putting on a master class. Thomas Jane is like a feral dog staring down the barrel of a shotgun. Wahlberg and John C. Reilly convince you they’re barely holding it together. Add in the loud music, the exploding firecrackers, and the intimidating dudes with the guns and you have and everything is pushed to 11. My favorite scene in Boogie Nights by far.
Very few movie scenes make me as uncomfortable as this one does.
One of my favorite films of all time. This is a great moment to highlight and I couldn't agree more with your analysis.
Great cast that it has, this entire scene belongs to the amazing talents of Thomas Jane and Alfred Molina.
@@BaraKabal 100% 👏🏽
Alfred Molina is such a great actor.
Thomas Jane was robbed from being at least nominated for some awards.
Fantastic breakdown. This movie made me change my major to film (which is basically useless, but digress). You touched on the shot of Dirk that last nearly a minute. I LOVED that choice. For me, It's PTA making us take a breath and really watch Dirk for a minute. We all know that he has fallen....but this shot tells the story.
I've seen the film like ten times now, but I remember seeing it in the theater when it was first released. By the end of this scene I was literally sweating in the air conditioned theater. The absolute pinnacle of tension. Molina is a master.
Great scene breakdown. Everything in the film builds up to this point, and it's masterfully paid off.
Thomas Jane is a criminally underrated actor
You break down all these scenes phenomenal. I get a better and great appreciation and understanding of all these great movies 👍🏼 thanks
Man... In my twenties I knew people like Rayhan. Charasmatic, welcoming, kekked out of their brains, hairtrigger tempers. I'm really pleased to have survived that era. Not having any ulterior motive but to party definitely worked in my favour.
Yeah, me too.😰
Same, man.
This is my all-time favorite movie for many of the reasons you mentioned in this one specific scene. PTA delivered a masterpiece and selected perfect actors to portray his vision.
Everything you are talking about in this video I lived in the theater watching this when it was first released. The anxiety I experienced during this scene was horrible.
For anyone who has actually been in a shady scenario around dangerous people, and maybe you happen to be strung out and literally all you want is to be held peacefully by your mom so you can apologize to her for any foul shht you ever did and you just want to go back in time to take it all back: then you know how incredible this scene is. I've never seen a film capture this.
this scene left me baffled in a confused and excited way when i was a teenager. the song drew me in and never left my mind which is another way to say it meant i would never forget this scene.
This has been my favourite film ever since I saw it at the cinema. For me, its little imperfections are what makes it my kind of perfect.
Critics hail There Will Be Blood as his magnum opus, and maybe his film making techniques, and a more economical and linear use of dialogue are honed in his subsequent films, but none of them are as ‘fun’ as Boogie Nights.
The characters are brilliant, played by an incredibly talented ensemble cast. Each scene plays out perfectly as its own mini-classic. The way the film is divided into two halves - the hedonism and carefree time of the 70s, which is torn apart by the advent of the new decade, and how video tape and coke destroys the idyllic bubble they occupied.
The theme of families, fractured, flawed and makeshift.
And one brilliant soundtrack.
I’ll never love a film more than this one.
this scene always reminds me of Tarrantino because it's so crazy.
Tarantino only wishes he could write and/or direct an adult scene like this. Quentin serves up M&Ms when the audience orders steak. Inspired amateurism at its finest.
@@StevenCarinci🙄
Its like the whorehouse scene in true romance when he's buying out Alabama with a empty envelope and a crazy pimp named drexel. Watch it!! Actually tops boogie in terms of suspense!
@@StevenCarinciTrue Romance?! Which he wrote- check out Alabama's liberation-
This scene was so fucking tense and every actor in that room brought their fucking A-game.
100%
Another item that adds uncomfortability to the scene: Rahad is singing the wrong lyrics. That simple dissonance adds to the stress in the scene.
@@eggsII What do you mean singing in the wrong lyrics? Do you mean him adding his own lines when singing Jessie’s Girl?
@@fromthescreen123in the song, the lyric is “Where can I find a woman like that?” What he sings is, “Why can’t I have a woman like that?”
It’s another dissonace that escalates the tension.
@@eggsII nice spotting!
Excellent point
@@fromthescreen123 You are not very good at this mate. Try another hobby.
I'm a recovering addict with 7 years drug and alcohol free. I hadn't seen this movie in years and I watched it not too long ago. It is spot on with Dirks visible emotions. Anyone that has ever been going through withdrawals and sitting in some dirtbags house house waiting for drugs for hours knows exactly what he is feeling in this movie. It made me sweat just watching it in this short video. Excellent breakdown too, btw.
@@col.greasebagmcqueen9933 thanks for sharing your story :) and I’m glad you enjoyed the video!
Molina is such a damn good actor (Remember he was the "Throw me the idol and I'll throw you the whip" guy ) and he had NEVER heard any of the three songs before !!! Never heard Sister Christian, Jesse's Girl, and Balloons...
The real genius is how you show me how to REALLY watch a movie !! Beautifully explained!!
Glad you enjoyed it :)!
One of the best scenes I've ever seen. In 1997 I paid to see this film six times in the theater. Two best films of the past 34 years: Goodfellas and Boogie Nights.
Two good choices. Add two foreign films, Pan's Labyrinth and Capernaum.
The only other film I would add to that would be True Romance
Your videos are great - need more of em!
Great analysis..... Great movie 💯👍
Yeah, this small scene is gold. The music. The tone of the setting. Director really nailed it.
Growing up in the 80s, it wasn't out of the norm to come across people like rahad/ molina every once in a while. People with a lot of money for no real reason or dirty money. Hedonistic volatile drug addict selfish hateful people. The crazy part is that every single one that I ever met didn't make it out of that decade or the 90s alive.
The worst curse some people can have is abundance especially with no direction
How many people have you killed in total?
Damn.
great stuff, love this movie and this scene is just so amazing.
“What’s your price for flight…”
Great breakdown and analysis. Brilliant
Thanks :) I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I vividly remember watching this 'Gem' back in the fall of nineteen ninety-seven at the Cumberland Theater in Toronto with my former friends and it lingered (pun intended) in my noggin for days. It was great. Man, I miss films like Boogie Nights, they're original & fresh.
That was amazing! Thanks for this video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
The actor playing Ray was sooo good.
I agree.
This scene is one of my favorite scenes in cinema. I'm happy to see that it is appreciated by many.
A bit of random trivia unrelated to the movie. The song "Jessie's Girl" was based on a true story, but the friend was named Gary. Rick Springfield didn't think the name Gary fit right when singing it, so he changed it to Jessie.
Oh great thanks a lot! Now anytime I hear this song I'll be singing "Gary's girl" lol j/k Cool trivia!
He was scared of Gary, that's why he changed the name.
The kid lighting off the firecrackers is really the icing on the cake in this scene. Brilliant.
I was in the shower one morning before work maybe 2-3 years ago and Sister Christian was playing on a local FM station. Nothing else was on so I let it play. It's not my choice for a morning song, but it's not terrible. The second it ended, Jesse's Girl began. It gave me hope, I thought "maybe the programming isn't all done by robots, because you've gotta be cool to air those 2 back to back on purpose."
If you ever been strung out.... This scene makes it even more emotional
It’s so unsettling to me and that means they fricking nailed it.
Couldn’t have said it all better myself , good job sir 😅
Thanks :)
Alfred Molina is in Raiders of the lost ark. Hes the guy at the beginning that double crosses Indiana Jones saying he'll throw him the whip if he throws the statue. All the years ive seen that movie, i never noticed because hes very young in it.
This takes me back to the first time I saw this scene, super tense and startling with the firecrackers going off (brilliant sound design that enhances the tension and unease) and you knew once Todd indicated he was armed things were going to go quickly downhill. Alfred Molina delivers what’s possibly one of the greatest 5-minute performances as Rahad Jackson, in fact I didn’t even realise it was him until a second viewing.
Brilliant scene and a brilliant film!
And it's only barely implied why that Chinese kid is there but we know.
Why exactly? I thought that was his kid
@@anonymousf454 Human trafficking
@@anonymousf454boy toy
@@furbabydaddy814 also he knows karate...so protection.
@@FunnyThoughts44 😂
YUP... 💙
It was this scene that made me realize I'm watching a masterpiece of cinema.
My favorite film of '97.
As a movie theater usher, I made a point to time my theater checks to walk during this scene.
Rahad's character is loosely based on a guy named Eddie Nash, who was a big dealer in LA.
The movie is a light take on John Holmes so it would have an Eddie Nash type character.
Wonderland is a great film as well imo
@@hoggers7572 Just been through all the comments - no one is aware of the case, the events or anything! What rock do modern audiences hide under?
owner of the Starwood
@@dancarter482 I'm aware
This was a nerve racking scene to sit through but so good and all of the actors were spot on! The whole movie was fantastic!
Another great movie scene is the moment in True Romance when Christopher Walken confronts Dennis Hopper.
It’s on my list! I absolutely LOVE that scene
That and the scene Clarence meets Drexl. One of my faves!
@@sonics25 Also Virgil vs Alabama, and the final drug deal YOU RIPPED MY FUCKING HEART OUT! And Sizemore and Penn at thier peak. The whole cast, the whole movie is a goddamn masterpiece
And they were never in the scene together thanks to stand ins and timely editing
@@marksaguindel1903 are you sure about that? Can’t find anything online saying they weren’t in the scene together 🤔
Brilliant break down the movies is a genuine masterpiece ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Doc Oc crushes it
oh man - didn't even realize that was him!
This is going to my list of favorite videos bc it’s about the best scene from one of the best movies
Ricky Springfield...He's a buddy of mine!!!!
Sitting in the theater when this came out, I was 20, maybe 21, this scene truly had an effect on me. It was one of the first times I appreciated something like this! Truly special. That weekend was pretty legendary, Boogie Nights on Friday and The Big Lebowski on Saturday.
The 80s were like this and they nailed it!
I always thought this scene was perfect for where they were at as characters and was so wild and erratic that it still gives me a sense of nervousness. What a masterpiece and masterclass of storytelling.
That scene is so uncomfortable to watch. Someone that high, and that crazy, and you're trying to rip him off, it's crazy. It's like you're in that room.
Perfect description.
Amen
It's just like that scene when Jesse Pinkman confronts the meth-head with the shotgun.
That scene captures a very recognisable moment for me, the heartfelt singing, then the music stops, and your back in reality. A bit like the end of the night at a club, one minute your dancing with complete strangers like youve known them all your life, then the music stops the lights come on and everyone is making there way to the exit......
Loved it. If you RUclips allows please do scene breakdown of Pulp Fiction gimp scene.
@@tPsychedelic
I feel like pulp fiction has been done to death BUT I’ve never seen anyone talk about the gimp scene so I’ll definitely look into it!
I used to have this on VHS and rewatched this scene over and over as a kid, haha. It's such a great scene.
the addition of firecracker guy was a brilliant move for creating tension.
John C. Reilly was great in What's Eating Gilbert Grape (who wasn't - that's an all time classic) but BN took him to another level.