what is boogie nights?

[sphinx]

perhaps i'm being silly here, but in watching the movie again i was sort of wondering about the very very first part of the opening shot.  in the reality of the film, is it the name of a porno movie that a couple is excitedly running off to see, or does the title on the marquee exist solely for the audience?

[Ernie]

I've been wondering this lately too. At first I thought Boogie Nights was the club, but it's not...Hot Traxx is the club. So I've just been telling myself that's just a big, flashy, electronic title card...like that it exists for the audience like you said...but I could be wrong. That's just what I've been telling myself.

How he turns the camera sideways in that shot is so fucking cool.

[Victor]

i think it is the actual movie, 'boogie nights' that you are watching at that instant, and the people running inside in the movie are the actual people that just walked into the theater behind you. the shot is the shit happening just outside the theatre you are sitting in. you are truly in the 70's at this moment.

[Cecil]

i think it is the actual movie, 'boogie nights' that you are watching at that instant, and the people running inside in the movie are the actual people that just walked into the theater behind you. the shot is the shit happening just outside the theatre you are sitting in. you are truly in the 70's at this moment.

very very cool. (and very cool avatar).

[sickfins]

boogie nights is

[av8raaron]

It is the title card, but also the name of the feeling of the film, if that makes any sense.

[Xixax]

boogie nights is

Man, I should have locked the thread right there. What a perfect statement.

[snaporaz]

i guess i was the only one who found that question dumb.  

like, what's in the briefcase in pulp fiction...

[Pubrick]

like, what's in the briefcase in pulp fiction...

not like that at all..

[The Silver Bullet]

This isn't like discussing the contents of the briefcase for one reason; the briefcase has some deeper level of meaning that the name of a movie coming up on screen. In terms of the people running in to the theatre that you yourself are currently in, I think you can be pretty damned sure that PTA meant nothing of the sort. Do you sit around contemplating the metaphysical nature of your title cards? We should only hope not.

[sphinx]

i guess i was the only one who found that question dumb.

actually, questioning the metaphysical nature of things is part of my nature

[phil marlowe]

An Earth, Wind and Fire song.

[Jeremy Blackman]

or does the title on the marquee exist solely for the audience?

I think so. And I remember PTA saying that because was pissed off about Sydney becoming Hard Eight, he wanted to put the title in the movie.

[ReelHotGames]

I think so. And I remember PTA saying that because was pissed off about Sydney becoming Hard Eight, he wanted to put the title in the movie.

That and the fact he didn't want there to be opening credits for Sydney, he just wanted the movie to start, and with the title being IN the movie, he can start of immediately into his story.

[snaporaz]

This isn't like discussing the contents of the briefcase for one reason; the briefcase has some deeper level of meaning that the name of a movie coming up on screen. In terms of the people running in to the theatre that you yourself are currently in, I think you can be pretty damned sure that PTA meant nothing of the sort. Do you sit around contemplating the metaphysical nature of your title cards? We should only hope not.

this is exactly like discussing what's in the briefcase. i mean, to have theories about "what it truly is" is purely unwarranted speculation. period.

it's like asking "were shaggy and scooby really stoners?".