10 Greatest Moments In Paul Thomas Anderson Movies

3. The Opening (Boogie Nights)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpV4dDBkSDQ While Hard Eight was Anderson's debut feature, Boogie Nights really announced his arrival as one of the greatest filmmakers in the world and of his generation. Right from the start of the film Anderson displays one of the greatest long takes in film history. The shot goes from the street and into a night club while it circles the place and introduces every main and supporting character. The scene works flawlessly and almost has a hypnotic effect as it gracefully pulls the viewer in to the world of Boogie Nights. The scene is able to set up an exciting world full of amazing characters and brilliant dialogue while only being a couple minutes long. The best thing about the scene is it enhances the movie so much you automatically feel compelled to watch the remainder of the film to see if there are more shots like that and the film definitely doesn't disappoint.