Best Billiards Movie Posters

jasonamoss13

jasonamoss13

8 Ball on Silver Screen
Silver Member
If a picture is worth a 1,000 words, how many words is a good billiards poster worth?

I don't know, but I've looked at a lot of billiards movie posters over the years. This is my Top 10 list. Any you would add?

Note: this is not an endorsement of these movies.

Death Billiards.jpg
 
In searching for cool pool movie posters, I found this jewel. Now I just gotta find the movie link or where I can watch it. Jeez Louise, this is something else. It's a Mad Max meets Minnesota Fast plot: The Hustler meets Mad Max in this post-apocalyptic Australian sports drama, about drifter Harry (played by Steve Bisley, best known for playing Goose in the first Mad Max film), who uses his more than decent pool skills to survive. The most popular non-lethal sport around is Hard Knuckle, a form of pool, in which a domino tile is positioned upright on a pool table and if it falls during someone's move, that player loses a tip of his finger. However, the player is allowed to continue with the game after that, if he's able and willing to do so. Harry has lost his bike and the only way to get it back is to beat the standing hard knuckle champion called Top Dog. Since he's practically running the games, only those who prove themselves and pay can play with him, so Harry must play smaller games around the shanty town to earn enough cash to be able to pay to play with the big boys. He uses hustling tactics, but they don't always work. He also hires a kid to be his agent, since all serious players must have promoters. Harry is determined to get the bike back, but when he gets a chance to help or hinder Top Dog during one of the matches, he realizes that things aren't as simple as that.

hard-knuckle-vhs-cover-uk-full-1.jpg
 
JAM said:
In searching for cool pool movie posters, I found this jewel. Now I just gotta find the movie link or where I can watch it. Jeez Louise, this is something else. It's a Mad Max meets Minnesota Fast plot: The Hustler meets Mad Max in this post-apocalyptic Australian sports drama, about drifter Harry (played by Steve Bisley, best known for playing Goose in the first Mad Max film), who uses his more than decent pool skills to survive. The most popular non-lethal sport around is Hard Knuckle, a form of pool, in which a domino tile is positioned upright on a pool table and if it falls during someone's move, that player loses a tip of his finger. However, the player is allowed to continue with the game after that, if he's able and willing to do so. Harry has lost his bike and the only way to get it back is to beat the standing hard knuckle champion called Top Dog. Since he's practically running the games, only those who prove themselves and pay can play with him, so Harry must play smaller games around the shanty town to earn enough cash to be able to pay to play with the big boys. He uses hustling tactics, but they don't always work. He also hires a kid to be his agent, since all serious players must have promoters. Harry is determined to get the bike back, but when he gets a chance to help or hinder Top Dog during one of the matches, he realizes that things aren't as simple as that.

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I really wish it had been a better movie.. It had so much promise! (My review: https://www.billiardsmovies.com/hard-knuckle/)
 
jasonamoss13 said:
That is an AMAZING scene. It ranked as my #1 on Top Billiards Brawls in Movies: https://www.billiardsmovies.com/top-10-billiards-brawls/
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Thanks. The scene almost didn't take place because the table that was provided had a plywood bed instead of slate, and the script called for an actual jump shot. I couldn't get the ball to jump off the plywood more than 2 inches, and the director, Brian DePalma insisted on sticking to the script. He insisted on a jump shot. I even tried setting up a launching pad of pinheads but that didn't give me much more height. It wasn't working. Everyone was afraid of DePalma because he was not a nice guy so nobody stood up to him. The scene was about to be scrapped because Pacino said, rightfully so, that there's no way it would look like he could hurt anyone with that shot.

So I was about to lose my job, so I figured, what the heck, let me stand up to DePalma and offer him an alternative. I approached the table and put the cb and the 8 ball on pieces of chalk. I was thinking on my feet at that point and DePalma was scowling. I hit the cb as hard as I could --- the 8 ball went flying into the pocket on a fly, and the cb went airborne off of the 8 and slammed into the wall with a huge "BANG!"

The room filled with cast and crew all were shocked by the loud bang. I thought maybe I put a hole in the wall. Haha. DePalma stood up and said to me, "Why didn't you show me that in the first place?" He turned to Pacino and said, "Does that work for you Al?" Al said something to the effect of, "That's great! Let's do it!"

And the scene was put back in with a slight script change. So instead of challenging the bad guy to a game of 8 ball, he invited him to watch a trick shot.
 
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FranCrimi said:
Thanks. The scene almost didn't take place because the table that was provided had a plywood bed instead of slate, and the script called for an actual jump shot. I couldn't get the ball to jump off the plywood more than 2 inches, and the director, Brian DePalma insisted on sticking to the script. He insisted on a jump shot. I even tried setting up a launching pad of pinheads but that didn't give me much more height. It wasn't working. Everyone was afraid of DePalma because he was not a nice guy so nobody stood up to him. The scene was about to be scrapped because Pacino said, rightfully so, that there's no way it would look like he could hurt anyone with that shot.

So I was about to lose my job, so I figured, what the heck, let me stand up to DePalma and offer him an alternative. I approached the table and put the cb and the 8 ball on pieces of chalk. I was thinking on my feet at that point and DePalma was scowling. I hit the cb as hard as I could --- the 8 ball went flying into the pocket on a fly, and the cb went airborne off of the 8 and slammed into the wall with a huge "BANG!"

The room filled with cast and crew all were shocked by the loud bang. I thought maybe I put a hole in the wall. Haha. DePalma stood up and said to me, "Why didn't you show me that in the first place?" He turned to Pacino and said, "Does that work for you Al?" Al said something to the effect of, "That's great! Let's do it!"

And the scene was put back in with a slight script change. So instead of challenging the bad guy to a game of 8 ball, he invited him to watch a trick shot.
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thank you sharing a great memory.
 
FranCrimi said:
Thanks. The scene almost didn't take place because the table that was provided had a plywood bed instead of slate, and the script called for an actual jump shot. I couldn't get the ball to jump off the plywood more than 2 inches, and the director, Brian DePalma insisted on sticking to the script. He insisted on a jump shot. I even tried setting up a launching pad of pinheads but that didn't give me much more height. It wasn't working. Everyone was afraid of DePalma because he was not a nice guy so nobody stood up to him. The scene was about to be scrapped because Pacino said, rightfully so, that there's no way it would look like he could hurt anyone with that shot.

So I was about to lose my job, so I figured, what the heck, let me stand up to DePalma and offer him an alternative. I approached the table and put the cb and the 8 ball on pieces of chalk. I was thinking on my feet at that point and DePalma was scowling. I hit the cb as hard as I could --- the 8 ball went flying into the pocket on a fly, and the cb went airborne off of the 8 and slammed into the wall with a huge "BANG!"

The room filled with cast and crew all were shocked by the loud bang. I thought maybe I put a hole in the wall. Haha. DePalma stood up and said to me, "Why didn't you show me that in the first place?" He turned to Pacino and said, "Does that work for you Al?" Al said something to the effect of, "That's great! Let's do it!"

And the scene was put back in with a slight script change. So instead of challenging the bad guy to a game of 8 ball, he invited him to watch a trick shot.
Click to expand...
great story
thanks fran...(y)
 
FranCrimi said:
Thanks. The scene almost didn't take place because the table that was provided had a plywood bed instead of slate, and the script called for an actual jump shot. I couldn't get the ball to jump off the plywood more than 2 inches, and the director, Brian DePalma insisted on sticking to the script. He insisted on a jump shot. I even tried setting up a launching pad of pinheads but that didn't give me much more height. It wasn't working. Everyone was afraid of DePalma because he was not a nice guy so nobody stood up to him. The scene was about to be scrapped because Pacino said, rightfully so, that there's no way it would look like he could hurt anyone with that shot.

So I was about to lose my job, so I figured, what the heck, let me stand up to DePalma and offer him an alternative. I approached the table and put the cb and the 8 ball on pieces of chalk. I was thinking on my feet at that point and DePalma was scowling. I hit the cb as hard as I could --- the 8 ball went flying into the pocket on a fly, and the cb went airborne off of the 8 and slammed into the wall with a huge "BANG!"

The room filled with cast and crew all were shocked by the loud bang. I thought maybe I put a hole in the wall. Haha. DePalma stood up and said to me, "Why didn't you show me that in the first place?" He turned to Pacino and said, "Does that work for you Al?" Al said something to the effect of, "That's great! Let's do it!"

And the scene was put back in with a slight script change. So instead of challenging the bad guy to a game of 8 ball, he invited him to watch a trick shot.
Click to expand...
I love it Fran. Reminds me of the shot I made for Dennis Miller and his late night TV show. It was to be shown in the opening segment of the show when the music for "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was played. They had six cue balls painted to all look like planet Earth and they wanted me to make all six in the six pockets. We all know this shot. The problem was they were using a prop table with a plywood bed. The balls would roll all over the place since the table was so out of level. I practiced it several times and usually could make three or maybe four balls, but never all six. I was being paid 500 to make this shot and I told the director why it was so difficult on this table. He told me he could cut in several takes so it looks like I made all six balls in one shot. Then he pipes up that if I can make all six in the same shot he will pay me an extra 500! Bingo, the light went off in my head. I took one practice shot and slammed the balls with all my might. Five balls went in! I told the director I was ready and now we were taping. On the very next try I made all six balls and he asked me to do it again. It took me a couple more tries and I made it a second time. I realized that by hitting the shot at warp speed they had no chance to roll off. They literally flew into the pockets!

We were done and now Dennis took my precious Josey cue and did the opening, where they would cut to me making the shot (you only see the balls on camera). After they go in Dennis is supposed to throw the cue gently on the table in triumph. But oh no, Dennis throws my cue across the table hard where it bounces off the end rail and slides across the concrete floor. I was pissed! I grabbed the cue (luckily undamaged) and told them he was not using my cue again. No matter, they used that one take in the opening that aired a few hundred times over the course of his show's run. Dennis was a very nice guy and we chatted away during breaks, he even inviting me to visit him at his home in Santa Barbara where he had a pool table. That's 25 years ago and I have yet to take him up on his offer.
 
jay helfert said:
I love it Fran. Reminds me of the shot I made for Dennis Miller and his late night TV show. It was to be shown in the opening segment of the show when the music for "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was played. They had six cue balls painted to all look like planet Earth and they wanted me to make all six in the six pockets. We all know this shot. The problem was they were using a prop table with a plywood bed. The balls would roll all over the place since the table was so out of level. I practiced it several times and usually could make three or maybe four balls, but never all six. I was being paid 500 to make this shot and I told the director why it was so difficult on this table. He told me he could cut in several takes so it looks like I made all six balls in one shot. Then he pipes up that if I can make all six in the same shot he will pay me an extra 500! Bingo, the light went off in my head. I took one practice shot and slammed the balls with all my might. Five balls went in! I told the director I was ready and now we were taping. On the very next try I made all six balls and he asked me to do it again. It took me a couple more tries and I made it a second time. I realized that by hitting the shot at warp speed they had no chance to roll off. They literally flew into the pockets!

We were done and now Dennis took my precious Josey cue and did the opening, where they would cut to me making the shot (you only see the balls on camera). After they go in Dennis is supposed to throw the cue gently on the table in triumph. But oh no, Dennis throws my cue across the table hard where it bounces off the end rail and slides across the concrete floor. I was pissed! I grabbed the cue (luckily undamaged) and told them he was not using my cue again. No matter, they used that one take in the opening that aired a few hundred times over the course of his show's run. Dennis was a very nice guy and we chatted away during breaks, he even inviting me to visit him at his home in Santa Barbara where he had a pool table. That's 25 years ago and I have yet to take him up on his offer.
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mikemosconi said:
My favorite - thank God
It was Paul Newman and not Frank Sinatra as almost occurred!
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You're right about Sinatra, I think it was Mosconi who originally suggested Sinatra for the part but thankfully the studios ultimately went with Newman and the right choice!
 
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