Paul Thomas Anderson reportedly watched Martin Scorsese’s seminal crime epic Boogie Nights because he wanted his own film to recapture the magic of Scorsese’s work. The subject matter was different, but they’re both stories about an individual entering an unfamiliar world and finding himself in over his head.
Just as Scorsese used the life of Henry Hill to examine organized crime as a whole, Anderson used the life of Dirk Diggler to chronicle the Golden Age of Porn. But Anderson didn’t just set out to emulate Goodfellas’ style; he nailed it.
Emulated Goodfellas: Breakneck Pacing
When Martin Scorsese first received Nicholas Pileggi’s book Wiseguy about the life of Henry Hill, he envisioned his movie adaptation to hit audiences like a speeding bullet and then get faster from there. He thought this would be the most accurate way to depict the chaos of mafia life on-screen.
Inspired by the breakneck pacing of the opening moments of François Truffaut’s Jules et Jim, Scorsese wanted to cut all over the place without giving the viewer a second to breathe. Anderson sought to give Boogie Nights the same spirit.
Nailed It: A Densely Packed Script
If a screenplay is bursting at the seams with material when shooting begins, then the director and editor are going to have a lot to work with in the cutting room. A densely packed script can really explore the characters’ lives and the world they inhabit and get to the core of the story.
Anderson’s Boogie Nights script was crammed full of story and character material. One of his original conditions with the studio was that he had to be allowed to release a three-hour movie. This resulted in a movie that races by with plenty to say.
Emulated Goodfellas: Frenetic Editing
Thelma Schoonmaker’s Oscar-nominated editing is one of the shining stars of Goodfellas. It certainly contributes more than any other element of the film to the unique style that Anderson seemingly hoped to emulate with Boogie Nights.
Schoonmaker cuts like there’s no tomorrow, but none of the cuts ever feel jarring. The movie flows seamlessly from start to finish, thanks to Schoonmaker’s lyrical editing.
Nailed It: Dylan Tichenor’s Brilliant Work
Paul Thomas Anderson may not have had the great Thelma Schoonmaker at his disposal, but he did find his own editing wiz in Dylan Tichenor.
After working as a post-production coordinator on Anderson’s debut feature Hard Eight, Tichenor was called up to full editing duties for the director’s sophomore directorial effort. Tichenor has continued to collaborate with Anderson on films like Magnolia, There Will Be Blood, and Phantom Thread.
Emulated Goodfellas: A Large Ensemble Cast
Ray Liotta and Lorraine Bracco are the stars of Goodfellas, but they’re surrounded by a massive ensemble of brilliant actors that includes Joe Pesci, Robert De Niro, Paul Sorvino, Frank Vincent, and a young Samuel L. Jackson.
Anderson followed this model with Boogie Nights, which is told through the eyes of Mark Wahlberg’s Dirk Diggler, but features a giant ing cast around him.
Nailed It: Incredible Performances
Just like the ensemble in Goodfellas, Boogie Nights’ impressive roster of actors gives incredible performances that bring their characters to life. Mark Wahlberg, of course, anchors the story in the role of Diggler (successfully shedding his hip hop image and establishing himself as a respectable dramatic actor), but he’s backed up by some scene-stealing legends.
Burt Reynolds gives a particularly powerful turn as Jack Horner, a role that scored him an Oscar nod, while Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, Don Cheadle, William H. Macy, Heather Graham, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Alfred Molina are all great in this movie, too.
Emulated Goodfellas: Memorable Soundtrack
Scorsese is one of many filmmakers, like Tarantino and Edgar Wright, whose films are famous for their well-chosen soundtracks. He always pairs each scene with the perfect piece of music. He’ll often go with a musical choice that intentionally creates a jarring juxtaposition, like playing a whimsical song over gritty violence. Goodfellas has one of the director’s most memorable soundtracks.
From Tony Bennett’s “Rags to Riches” playing over the opening credits to the Crystals’ “Then He Kissed Me” playing over the Copacabana tracking shot to Donovan’s “Atlantis” playing over the murder of Billy Batts, Goodfellas’ soundtrack is iconic. Anderson borrowed Scorsese’s use of recognizable needle-drops in Boogie Nights.
Nailed It: Pitch-Perfect Song Choices
Anderson’s Scorsese-inspired soundtrack worked perfectly, as Boogie Nights developed its own musical identity by simply using the right song for each scene.
Night Ranger’s “Sister Christian,” Electric Light Orchestra’s “Livin’ Thing,” the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” — the film is filled with songs that would feel out of place in Goodfellas, but feel right at home in Boogie Nights.
Emulated Goodfellas: Rise And Fall
The narrative arc of Goodfellas is the rise and fall of Henry Hill. He wants all the glitz and glamor of the mafia lifestyle, but he’s not prepared for the dark, violent side of it. When he gets into the drug business against Paulie’s wishes, it’s only a matter of time before it all comes crumbling down.
While Boogie Nights doesn’t chart the rise and fall of a gangster, it does follow the same rise-and-fall trajectory of Goodfellas in the tragic career path of a well-endowed porn star.
Nailed It: The Captivating Story Of Dirk Diggler
Dozens of movies have tried to copy Goodfellas’ rise-and-fall arc and failed miserably because the rise isn’t tangible enough for the fall to have any impact or the fall isn’t spectacular enough to feel like a due comeuppance for the character. In the first half of Boogie Nights, Anderson puts Dirk on top of the world. Then, in the second half, he takes it all away.
In the final scene, Anderson evokes a different Scorsese movie, Raging Bull, as Dirk psyches himself up in the dressing room mirror like an aging Jake LaMotta who “coulda been a contender” before resuming filming, bringing his story full circle.
