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The Dirk Diggler Story (1988)
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson · Shot by Paul Thomas Anderson · 32 min
How it was made
- Anderson conceived the film at 17 while a senior at Montclair College Preparatory School, shooting it in 1987 on a video camera and Steadicam borrowed from his father, radio personality Ernie "Ghoulardi" Anderson.
- Anderson funded the production by cleaning cages at a pet store, and modelled the mockumentary on the real John Holmes documentary Exhausted, lifting some dialogue almost word for word.
- The cast came largely from friends: Michael Stein, who chose his own wardrobe, played Dirk Diggler, and bodybuilder Eddie Dalcour was cast as Reed Rothchild after Anderson saw video of him; Anderson's father narrated, and family friend Robert Ridgely played Jack Horner.
- Anderson worked from a written shot list and edited the finished film himself using two VCRs.
Elsewhere
More by Paul Thomas Anderson
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