2. Boogie Nights (1997)
Paul Thomas Anderson's time period piece, just like "Dazed and Confused," spawned two soundtracks. The two were released just a few months apart. Accompanied by The Emotions' "Best of My Love," an opening shot that lasts two minutes and 53 seconds shows all the leading characters. The shot ends with Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg), the teenaged bus boy that would later become Dirk Diggler. As the years go by, starting in 1977, the music stays with the time. Later in the 80s, Dirk, along with fellow actor Reed Rothchild and Reed's dancer friend Todd Parker, go to a drug deal with a dealer Todd knows named Rahad Jackson (Alfred Molina). Rahad, who likes to party and has tons of money and dope, is at his home with his bodyguard and Cosmo, a Chinese teen who likes to play with firecrackers indoors. Rahad loves making mix tapes and and is listening to "My Awesome Mix Tape #6" when Dirk, Reed, and Todd arrive. Night Ranger's "Sister Christian" plays, followed by Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl." The deal seems to be going well, while "Jessie's Girl"'s upbeat tone fits the scene's mood. The deal takes a detour that doesn't end well for either party. During this, the apocalyptic "99 Luftballons" by Nena comes on. While the song quietly opens, Todd gets upset and starts to cry because he hasn't gotten what he wants (and because he's maybe high). When the song builds up, someone is killed and others run for their lives now that multiple people have been killed and someone has a shotgun.
A turning point comes at a party earlier in the movie when we meet Todd with his absolutely awesome moustache, and Floyd Gondoli (Philip Baker Hall). "Driver's Seat" by Sniff 'n' the Tears introduces us to Gondoli, who is there for the Colonel. It's fitting when you consider all the changes that ensue. Gondoli later replaces the Colonel as the financier of Jack Horner's (Burt Reynolds) movies. Buck (Don Cheadle), who looks like a bad Rick James, loses his job as a salesman after failing to sell the TK-421 with a sample of rodeo music (which definitely doesn't give you all that bass). Buck starts a relationship with Jessie, who thinks his Rick James look is great. They have financial problems as well. So someone new has gotten into the driver's seat and things get much worse before they get better. One quick shout out to Walter Egan for Magnet and Steel.