umerous low budget and independent films, PTA went on to write and shoot a short film titled, Cigarettes and Coffee. This 24-minute excursion into the world of film shorts made its premier at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival. As a result of the buzz that Cigarettes and Coffee generated, he was afforded the opportunity to develop his first full-length motion picture, Hard Eight. It was screened at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival and the 1996 Cannes Film Festival. The picture received rave reviews for critics and audiences alike and Anderson was dubbed one of the most promising directors of 1997.PTA lived up to the praise with his second feature, Boogie Nights. The critically acclaimed porn film-making milieu pulled in three Academy Award nominations, received the Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best New Filmmaker and the PEN Center USA West Literary Award for Best Screenplay.Anderson returned in late 1999 with his beautifully crafted mosaic of American life, Magnolia. It appeared on more than 80 critics top ten lists and pulled in over a dozen awards from all over the world, including a Golden Globe Award. It also received three Academy Award nominations.What follows is an individual breakdown and commentary on each of PTAs first three features. You know the first thing they shouldve taught you at hooker school? You get the money up front.-Sydney to Clementine.Hard Eight was the feature film debut of Paul Thomas Anderson. Directed in a gritty film-noir style, it is the story of a professional gambler, his young protg, and a slow cocktail waitress who are fighting to push back the demons of their past. It is set against the casino scene of Reno, Nevada (PTA has always held a fascination for Renos casino nightlife), and showcases a wonderful ensemble cast, which includes Phillip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman.Hard Eight is based upon An...
