Color of Money Question - Do I Need To Lose Weight?

Martin Scorsese

Good question. Hard to really know. My gut feel is it is not related to handicapping since the term "weight" in matching up in pool is a intra-cult term. What would Martin know about that? On the other hand he had player experts consulting him during the production. Someone should reach out to Martin Scorsese for the answer.
 
rayjay said:
Weight is a spot. When he asked if he needed to lose weight, he was asking if he needed to spot Eddy, rubbing in his dominance.
:thumbup:
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I disagree. He was simply making a smart remark to Eddie after he ran over him. It was about his weight, not about a spot. He could have said "Do you think I need to dye my hair." Same effect.

The comment makes no sense in the context of weight as the term is used in pool, and the average movie goer would not understand it in that context.

He was simply being a smart ass to Eddie which reinforced the whole reason for that episode in the movie, which was to piss off Eddie and therefore motivate him to practice diligently and get his game back.

Great sequence in the move, brilliantly written and acted. The "I'm a subject of experiments" thing from Whitaker was beautiful.
 
kvinbrwr said:
Yeah that's what I originally thought when I first saw the movie, that it was a non sequitur, as it did seem real disconnected.

Thanks

Kevin
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I agree with this take on the whole thing simply because this movie was targeted to a very general population audience that obviously consists of people that don't play pool. (you can see that by the quality of the pool playing in the movie)
Your non-pool-playing viewer isn't going to understand any lines that are too "jargon" related", so if the question was spot related, nobody is gonna get it.
Letting my imagination run loose, and adding to the rubbing it in theory, I take it as setting Eddie up for even more humiliation by getting a rise out of Eddie by giving Eddie the false impression that the guy is about to ask a question related to the game or pool in general. Giving Eddie a little bit of a life line of self respect by appearing to acknowedge that, even though he just busted the guy, he still respects Eddie enough to tap into his wisdom by asking a very serious question. Then he drops the bomb by asking something that has absolutely nothing about what just happened or pool/gambling in general. It can also be read as his way of telling Eddie "the whole time I was playing you, the only thing on my mind was wether or not I have a physical weight issue." "That's how easy you were."
My 2 cents. (I think too much)
dave
 
When I originally posted the question it was without the U Tube scene. Now after watching it, I have formed a new (for me) opinion.

Throughout the scene, Amos is playing a screwed up character, the results of being a psych experiment monkey, he's twitchy and he echos what what just said, he's a mess. He uses this act to suck Fast Eddie in, Eddie is paying too much attention to Amos's flaws and not enough to his game.

At the end, when Eddie is completely beat, and Amos asks him the question, Amos isn't twitching, he isn't echoing, he is who he is, a slightly overweight great pool player. I think he is rubbing salt in the wound, showing Eddie that he allowed himself to get sucked in by over attention to Amos's physicality and flaws by asking him a question about his real and only flaw, his weight. He doesn't ask him should I lose the twitch (its gone). He doesn't ask him should I lose the echoing (its gone too). He is definitely showing Eddie who he is and letting Eddie know that that answer to Eddie's question of is Amos a hustler is "yes", but also letting Eddie know what all real hustlers know, the mark hustles himself.

Or something like that.

Thanks

Kevin
 
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kvinbrwr said:
When I originally posted the question it was without the U Tube scene. Now after watching it, I have formed a new (for me) opinion.

Throughout the scene, Amos is playing a screwed up character, the results of being a psych experiment monkey, he's twitchy and he echos what what just said, he's a mess. He uses this act to suck Fast Eddie in, Eddie is paying too much attention to Amos's flaws and not enough to his game.

At the end, when Eddie is completely beat, and Amos asks him the question, Amos isn't twitching, he isn't echoing, he is who he is, a slightly overweight great pool player. I think he is rubbing salt in the wound, showing Eddie that he allowed himself to get sucked in by over attention to Amos's physicality and flaws by asking him a question about his real and only flaw, his weight. He doesn't ask him should I lose the twitch (its gone). He doesn't ask him should I lose the echoing (its gone too).

Or something like that.

Thanks

Kevin
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Kevin,
I gotta go watch again, but I believe he is no longer twitching once Eddie asks "Are you a hustler"
 
I never thought about the "weight" = a spot in this scene. The way I always saw it is that he was rubbing in the fact that his whole initial persona was an act ... This goofy unnecessarily open and flakey guy talking about how he was a subject for psychology experiments etc. At the end just to make sure Eddie knows he's been hustled the whole time he says the same sort of goofy thing without the same type of personality letting him know the whole thing was an act.
 
WKRP said:
I never thought about the "weight" = a spot in this scene. The way I always saw it is that he was rubbing in the fact that his whole initial persona was an act ... This goofy unnecessarily open and flakey guy talking about how he was a subject for psychology experiments etc. At the end just to make sure Eddie knows he's been hustled the whole time he says the same sort of goofy thing without the same type of personality letting him know the whole thing was an act.
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Yup.

Thanks

Kevin
 
I think it's just an arbitrary insult. Asking something completely ridiculous to break someones balls.

You've probably seen it in the pool hall at one point or another.
I know i have. LOTS of times.

Usually, it seems to be in reference to how they are going to spend the money they just won. Such as, cheering to their buddies on the sidelines that it's time to go eat, THEIR TREAT, and then they turn to the guy they beat and ask, "Do you think we should get Chinese food or Pizza?"

Or they make some reference to going shopping and turn to the guy they just pounded on and ask, "Do you think i need to buy some new sneakers?"

But i have seen the non money references such as,
"Do you like this shirt?"

Much like the "Did you win?" move (one of my personal favorites), where you have just WATCHED someone get crushed by someone, and they are feeling down on themselves, and here comes the happy ball breaker with a smile on his face, asking you, "DID YOU WIN!?!" when they fully well know you just got tortured, and know you saw them watching you get tortured.

It's all about breaking balls.
That's how i took that line in the movie. It was purely to make Eddie feel like more of a jackass and get a cheap laugh at his expense.
 
The first time I saw the movie, I took it as a double edged sword. With that innocent look, Amos asks a question that, on the surface, could have been simply about his physical size, but to another pool player, could be taken as a jab regarding his player ability. It was just a parting shot to get into Eddie's head, and it worked.

The general population watching the movie would not even question it, but it was more of an inside joke for the pool players.

It is done in a lot of movies.

Steve
 
Good question, I think he was just being cocky after hustling someone who was somewhat of a legend, and rubbing more salt in the wound. I don't think it was about a spot.
 
Bit of a noob question but here goes, can someone explain in detail what weight & a spot is but also how they can be used in a game?
 
He was saying that just to rub salt in the wound. Forrest has never been the same since they killed his Z28 in high school. :)
 
pooltchr said:
The first time I saw the movie, I took it as a double edged sword. With that innocent look, Amos asks a question that, on the surface, could have been simply about his physical size, but to another pool player, could be taken as a jab regarding his player ability. It was just a parting shot to get into Eddie's head, and it worked.

The general population watching the movie would not even question it, but it was more of an inside joke for the pool players.

It is done in a lot of movies.

Steve
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I tend to agree with Steve. Movies have a lot of inside jokes and some that are obvious if you are observing. For instance in a re-make of an old Marylin Monroe movie the main charcters walk by a theater that has her name in the over head sign for some other movie. Some people get it, some don't.

Amos, like any good hustler, is asking a two edged question. If Eddie knows what he is talking about Amos is asking about his hustling ability, if you don't know what he is talking about he is just a wise ass, rubbing salt because he is literally over weight.

And who better than Forest Whittiker could pull it off this well.

Weight is the difference a good player gives a lesser player. If the better player gives two balls the better player has more weight to carry, that is he has to make two more balls than his opponet to win the game.

It is used as in the following sentence. "So how much wait are you going to give him in a ten ball game, race to 7?"

For the pool player Amos is saying, "Did I get your hopes to high? Cause you can't play very well at all, though you think you can."
 
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kvinbrwr said:
When I originally posted the question it was without the U Tube scene. Now after watching it, I have formed a new (for me) opinion.

Throughout the scene, Amos is playing a screwed up character, the results of being a psych experiment monkey, he's twitchy and he echos what what just said, he's a mess. He uses this act to suck Fast Eddie in, Eddie is paying too much attention to Amos's flaws and not enough to his game.

At the end, when Eddie is completely beat, and Amos asks him the question, Amos isn't twitching, he isn't echoing, he is who he is, a slightly overweight great pool player. I think he is rubbing salt in the wound, showing Eddie that he allowed himself to get sucked in by over attention to Amos's physicality and flaws by asking him a question about his real and only flaw, his weight. He doesn't ask him should I lose the twitch (its gone). He doesn't ask him should I lose the echoing (its gone too). He is definitely showing Eddie who he is and letting Eddie know that that answer to Eddie's question of is Amos a hustler is "yes", but also letting Eddie know what all real hustlers know, the mark hustles himself.

Or something like that.

Thanks

Kevin
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You win the drink round..this is a great thread for coffee an conversation on a Sunday morning..now I want to go down to the pool hall an see what the guys are doin..I like what everyone has said..but you really nailed it, because I see it this way as well..I just could have not put it words as you have, well done..
 
kvinbrwr said:
I always thought it was funny too, now that I've watched the scene again and asked the question, I think it was deep. I'd like to see some explanations before I offer mine, but looking at the scene again it sure doesn't look to me that Amos is offering up a spot.

Thanks

Kevin
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I think he is saying that for next time. In other words "Do you think if we play again I will need to give you some weight?"

Also it is the play on him literally being overweight.

KMRUNOUT
 
He is just being sarcastic. He is not offering a spot. The point is that if he had asked Eddie that question when they were just getting ready to play, Eddie thinking he was stealing would have complimented him saying no " you look good" but after Eddie got hustled and he asked Eddie the question you know Eddie is thinking" yeah you fat cocksucker" LOL LOL LOL
 
thebighurt said:
He is just being sarcastic. He is not offering a spot. The point is that if he had asked Eddie that question when they were just getting ready to play, Eddie thinking he was stealing would have complimented him saying no " you look good" but after Eddie got hustled and he asked Eddie the question you know Eddie is thinking" yeah you fat cocksucker" LOL LOL LOL
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Ooh...now I owe you a shot..just throw the big c out there..yes I would think this as well, and have..lol
 
kvinbrwr said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBvyB2dTnlQ

Anybody wanna take a stab at explaining what is happening here to dummy me?

Thanks

Kevin
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I always just took it that was part of his hustling schtick.

He tells the "sucker" that he was a test subject in psychology, talks about electroshock (winces in head pain at the right moment). He makes the sucker feel good that the guy is crazy for betting with him too. He starts "getting lucky" and slopping the money ball in. He keeps shooting the lucky shot and "slopping" the money ball in and doubling the bet, laughing and talking about luck, even apologizing. He takes Eddie's money, probably gets serious and outshoots Eddie, then when confronted asks him an irrelvant, almost crazy question.

Crazy Amos never came out of his role...it keeps 'em coming back...

Chris
 
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