Perhaps my favourite commentary. Anderson shows such unbridled enthusiasm for his movie and the medium itself that his comments become a fun and informative companion to a great film. I don't think there's more than a few seconds of total silence. He comes dangerously close becoming too over-the-top like Tarantino can so often do, but thankfully his intensity never becomes annoying. Everything related to the movie is ideally touched upon, from the casting to his inspirations to his stylistic choices.

One of the few commentaries I've listened to more than once. Anderson is funny and does an excellent job of talking about this film.

Folks, this is like one of those film school commentaries. If you're really into film, and want to be a filmmaker, this is obvious listening material. He knows what he's talking about, and Boogie Nights depicts a nearly perfect picture. It's only his second film, but so far, his last ever commentary. Can't recommended this enough. Rated 10+!

One of my favorite commentaries ever (or at least, that I've had the opportunity to listen to). Anderson has such an infectious energy and an obvious love for his craft, and doesn't waste any dead air in talking to us, the listeners, about every nook and cranny of this, perhaps his finest and most personal film to date. While yes, he does veer into Tarantinoesque "over-the-top" rambling, he never loses my interest for a moment and always has something interesting and informative to say. A must-listen for fans of film, especially up-and-coming filmmakers: this is where you want to be when you "make it", talking infectiously at a mile-a-minute pace about how much love you have for your work. Otherwise, what's the point?

A perfect track. Makes a great film even better. Now, if only PTA would give us some more tracks (Magnolia, There Will Be Blood, anyone?).

The first commentary track i've ever heard and still one of the best. Like the film, it does drag towards the end, but still one of the most insightful track's ever recorded.

I would give this commentary a higher score but because of the format I won't. The track goes back and forth from actor to actor, rather than having them all together in a room talking. I think this sort of format should automatically lower the rating. Very frustrating.

I would rank this as one of the top all-time running commentaries on a DVD. PERIOD. Director PT Anderson is very entertaining to listen to, never letting up for a moment, telling endless stories in his sort-of manic is-he-high manner. Unlike the commentaires in which the director(s) just explain what you are seeing on screen, Anderson really gives you a full picture of how the film came to be, while over-enthusing about his stellar cast --- most of which he talks to on the disc.

Really, this commentary sets the bar pretty high for entertainment/information value. I am very suprised not to see this ranked higher on this site.

this one has a room of people
someone walks in the room with a Baby (what else do want listing to it now son!)

8 out of 10

for completists i would suggest getting hold of the criterion collection laserdisc which includes a 35 minute excerpt of the john c. holmes documentary 'exhausted' with commentary from PTA. he is once again hilarious and talks alot about how he copied alot of stuff directly into boogie nights. this was and is still unavailable on any other release.

Anderson appears not once, but twice, on the commentary tracks on this DVD, and in spite of the positive reviews given by others here, all I can say is that he comes across as something of a prat (the only difference in the irritation factor between him and Baz Lurhmann commentarywise is that his accent isn't as bad). I think it's probably the culmination of hearing both tracks back-to-back that makes one or the other a dud, as Anderson repeats info in both. Also he's too self-congratulatory ("This scene KICKS ASS!"), and talks of his film as if it were one of the great masterpieces of cinema. Having listened to this commentary the day after I heard the track for THE SEVEN SAMURAI, it simply sounded like a young film-maker having an ego trip.

This commentary as compared to the director-only commentary is a rambling mess. There's drinking and visits to actor's houses at odd times during breakfast or lunch. The mic is picking up background noises louder than the voices. It's kind of like eavesdropping on a neighbour through the wall. Not being able to see what's happening, at times you can barely tell what's actually going on. An experiment that doesn't work and is a waste of time to listen to. Some of the actors seem confused with what he's doing and a little irritated.

Paul Thomas Anderson, brilliant as he can be, uses bad judgement and comes off looking pretty bad.

While there are some brief candid and interesting conversations most of it is just unlistenable.