Helen: So, Paul Thomas Anderson. Talk me through your first encounters with PTA.
Alex: My first dalliance was in 1997 at the Prince Charles Cinema. Boogie Nights came out and people I knew were saying, “You’ve got to see this film, you’re gonna love it.” And I did, and it’s like, “Where did this guy come from?” It’s probably one of my top five films.
Nick: I missed Hard Eight. But Boogie Nights was such a mission statement. It feels like a first film, in a way. It’s got so much energy. The firecracker scene hits you in the face.