Great filmmakers and classic films are very often misunderstood in their time (see the producers’ notes for Ridley Scott’s "Blade Runner"), and so it goes for Paul Thomas Anderson‘s "Boogie Nights." Given the subject matter, it’s probably not a surprise that the director’s second feature length film had a difficult time getting a green light, which was not helped by his initial insistence on an NC-17 rating. But it wasn’t his demands that resulted in "Boogie Nights" stalling —it was the script.
READ MORE: Retrospective: The Films Of Paul Thomas Anderson
In this 1994 memo from 20th Century Fox, three years before "Boogie Nights" would eventually be released, the studio is none too impressed with the 186 page first draft of the screenplay, giving it a grade of "Poor" for both storyline and concept. Of course, we all know now that the project eventually landed at New Line, got made, established Anderson as a major director, showed that Mark Wahlberg had strong acting chops, and became an early career milestone for many of the actors involved. Maybe that draft changed, or maybe Anderson learned how to pitch it better, but in the end, "Boogie Nights" got made.
For an interesting piece of cinematic history, read the memo below. [Dangerous Minds]
I wrote a whole angry thing here but it said my comment seems to be spammy so you get this instead.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
LOL grading it like homework, studios are such a sucky bunch of sucks.
absolute bloody idiots
In defense…
This is coverage. Its written by either an intern or someone else low on the totem pole – not the hypothetical "big shot exec who doesn\’t understand art" we all want to believe passed on this masterpiece.
Yea this is just coverage of the script that I\’m sure some intern wrote, something I did when I first got my start in this business (Wasn\’t a fan of the Sicario script when I wrote that coverage for my bosses… I was wrong). Definitely not something an executive or anyone like that would have written
The genius in casting Mark Wahlberg is not for his acting chops but for the fact he can\’t act which is perfect for the role.
Major studios at that time were unadventurous and were only interested in making brain-dead dross for the massses. Luckily there was an independent film movement to support interesting films.
This coverage, even if written by a lower level intern, reflects the mind set of top executives.
This is only the first page. There would have been a full synopsis and a page of commentary. This is also studio coverage, not a memo, and would have been written by a union studio reader, not an intern. Based on the log line, it sounds like an earlier draft than the one used to shoot. 186pp is audacious, an almost unheard of length for a feature script. And to be fair major studios like 20th Century Fox were not in the business of making movies like this. Not a surprise that the reader was unimpressed, his boss would not have liked it either.