Paul Thomas Anderson

Anderson was able to get his version released but only after he retitled the film and came up with the $200,000 necessary to finish it which was contributed by himself, Gwyneth Paltrow, and John C. Reilly. The version that was released was Anderson's and even though Rysher did nothing to promote it, the acclaim from the film launched his career.

Anderson began working on the script for his next feature film during his troubles with Hard Eight completing the script in the summer 1995. The result was Anderson's breakout film Boogie Nights (1997), a full-length major motion picture based on his short The Dirk Diggler Story. The script was noticed by New Line Cinemas president, Michael De Luca, who felt "totally gaga" reading it. It was released on October 10, 1997 and was a critical and commercial success. The film revived the career of Burt Reynolds and provided breakout roles for Mark Wahlberg and Julianne Moore. The film received three Academy Award nominations, for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Burt Reynolds), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Julianne Moore), and Best Original Screenplay. Read Less