BOOGIE NIGHTS
by
Paul Thomas Anderson
1
EXT. HOT TRAXX NIGHTCLUB - NIGHT
CAMERA
holds on this PACKED disco on Van Nuys Blvd.
TITLE
CARD: "San Fernando Valley, 1977"
A
CADILLAC SEVILLE pulls up to the valet area and CAMERA (STEADICAM) moves
across
the street, towards the car, landing close;
From
the Seville steps, JACK HORNER (50s) and AMBER WAVES (early 30s).
CAMERA
follows them (this is one continous shot) as they pass the crowd,
greet
a DOORMAN and enter --
INSIDE
THE NIGHTCLUB. Twice as packed inside as outside. Music is full
blast.
Amber and Jack are greeted by;
MAURICE
t.t. RODRIGUEZ (30s). Owner of the nightclub. Puerto Rican. Wearing
a
suit and fifteen gold chains.
MAURICE
Jackie-Jack-Jack and Miss Lovely Amber Waves --
AMBER
Hi, Maurice.
JACK
You bad ass little spick. How are you, honey?
MAURICE
Pissed off you ain't been around --
JACK
--
I been on vacation.
MAURICE
Don't stay away this long from my
club ever again, Jackie-Jack-Jack.
JACK
I
promise.
Maurice
takes Amber's hand and gives it a kiss.
MAURICE
You are the foxiest bitch in ten countries.
AMBER
You're
such a charmer.
MAURICE
(to Jack)
I got you all set up at your booth.
I wanna send over some clams on the half shell.
JACK
Beautiful.
MAURICE
Just remember, Jack: I'm available
and ready. Cast me and find out --
JACK
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Amber
and Jack head off towards the booth. CAMERA stays with Maurice,
follows
him to the bar area, where he shouts some orders to a WAITER.
MAURICE
Clams on the half shell to Jack
and Amber -- over there -- go!
The
WAITER takes off to the kitchen, Maurice walks onto the dance floor and
greets
three people;
REED
ROTHCHILD, 20s, tall and skinny, BECKY BARNETT, 20s, black girl in
silk,
BUCK SWOPE, 20s, black guy in cowboy gear.
MAURICE
Hello there, kiddies.
REED/BUCK/BECKY
Hi,
hey, hi, Maurice.
MAURICE
Having a good time?
BECKY
Excellent.
MAURICE
Great, great, great.
Maurice
moves away to greet some more people. CAMERA stays with Reed, Becky
and
Buck, does a 360 around them. Reed and Becky Disco Dance. Buck does
some
Cowboy-Type Moves.
Moments
later, the WAITER carrying clams on the half shell passes and
CAMERA
picks up with him, follows him to Jack's booth, where he presents
them;
WAITER
Compliments of Maurice.
JACK
Thank you.
AMBER
Can I get a Marguerita, please?
JACK
Seven-Up,
here --
The
WAITER exits, CAMERA PANS with him for a moment, leading to a young
girl
wearing rollerskates, ROLLERGIRL (aged 18). She always, always wears
rollerskates.
CAMERA PANS with her back to Jack's booth.
ROLLERGIRL
Hi.
JACK
Hello, honey.
AMBER
(to Rollergirl)
Did
you call that girl today?
ROLLERGIRL
I forgot.
AMBER
If you don't do it tomorrow, then it's
the
weekend and you'll never be able to
get in to see her --
ROLLERGIRL
OK.
Rollergirl
scratches her crotch as she speaks. Amber notices;
AMBER
What's the matter down there?
ROLLERGIRL
I gotta go pee.
AMBER
Well
go, then.
CAMERA
stays with Rollergirl, following her across the dance floor. She
passes
Buck, Becky and Reed, says hello, dances a moment, then continues on
--
into the clearing off the dance floor, heading for the bathroom. She
passes
something, CAMERA moves away towards this something:
A
bus boy cleaning a table, EDDIE ADAMS, aged 17. CAMERA moves into a CU --
blending
to SLOW MOTION (40fps) for a moment.
(Note:
In the text Eddie Adams will be referred to as Dirk Diggler.)
ANGLE,
JACK'S TABLE.
Jack
turns his head, looks across the dance floor and sees this kid
cleaning
the table.
ANGLE,
DIRK DIGGLER.
He
looks up, catches Jack looking back at him, then turns away, disappears
into
a back room.
CAMERA
DOLLIES in on Jack, who at that moment, is approached by a figure
entering
FRAME. Short, buffed out LITTLE BILL (late 40s). This is Jack's
Assistant
Director.
LITTLE BILL
Jack.
JACK
Hey, Little Bill.
LITTLE BILL
Whatsa schedule look like?
Are we still on day after tomorrow?
JACK
I wanna do it the day after
the day after tomorrow.
LITTLE BILL
For sure? 'Cause I wanna call
Rocky,
Scotty, Kurt and all those guys --
Jack's
attention is with the backroom that Dirk entered. He stands and
heads
away.
JACK
Absolutely. But I wanna keep it small.
I
wanna keep a small crew on this one --
LITTLE BILL
-- a relaxed deal.
JACK
Exactly.
LITTLE
BILL
Do you have a script yet?
JACK
Tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day --
Jack
is off across the dance floor.
CUT
TO:
2
INT. BACKROOM/KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER
JACK
Hey.
DIRK
Hey.
JACK
How
ya doin'?
DIRK
Fine.
JACK
How old are you?
DIRK
I have a work permit, I got the paper --
JACK
No, no, no. Not like that.
How long have you worked here?
DIRK
A month.
JACK
Maurice give you a job here?
DIRK
Yeah.
JACK
How much he pay you?
DIRK
I'm not supposed to say how much I make.
JACK
He's a
friend of mine --
DIRK
Well you'll have to ask him.
JACK
You live around here, Canoga - Reseda?
DIRK
Um . . . no . . . do you know where Torrance is?
JACK
How do you get here?
DIRK
I
take the bus.
JACK
So what do you wanna do?
DIRK
What?
JACK
You take the bus from Torrance to work
in Reseda, why don't you work in Torrance?
DIRK
I don't want to.
JACK
. . . ok . . .