Deep Focus, movie reviews of The Hustler & The Color of Money
- Thread starter telinoz
- Start date
Personally I think the Hustler is a true classic.
The color of money was a dog,like the GodFather III.
The color of money was a dog,like the GodFather III.
Someone said the Hustler was a love story, about Pool player, and girl friend.
I enjoyed both movies, but Hustler imho was more believable story.
I enjoyed both movies, but Hustler imho was more believable story.
outrider1
Registered
COM disappointed me also. Cruise aka Vincent is pictured on the book but ,isn't in Walter Tevish's book at all. The book was great,it's a shame Hollywood changed it.
I really enjoyed the COM review. They brought up a lot of things I hadn't thought about. Here's part of the tournament chart. I think all the names are fictional but they sure look legit. (The printing is a little too neat, though.)
![CropperCapture[126].png](https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachments/croppercapture-126-png.672152/ "CropperCapture[126].png")
tomatoshooter
Well-known member
At Jointed Cue in Sacramento they have some of the old brackets and name boards. Names like Strickland, Hall, Rempe, Diliberto, etc. The lettering isn't in that super rigid engineering lettering style but it is very neat.
This picture isn't that good but you can get the idea.
Actually, film reviewers, "students of film", kind of bore me. Over analysis of what is merely entertainment. I take it all with a grain of salt. It should be up to the viewer to decide about the makeup and interactions of the characters, not 2 wannabe intellectuals sitting in folding chains.
That said, I was entertained by both movies. More so "The Hustler" than "The color of money".
The movie, the Hustler uses pool as a background to the on screen dramatization of human faults and the ability of some to overcome their faults to some degree and find redemption somewhere in their soul, where, for others, redemption is a fleeting occurrence, and they remain deeply flawed in their make- up.
Fast Eddie develops from a cold hearted hustler to someone who understands remorse and actually feels it and can express it regarding the fate of Sara in the closing scene with Bert. Bert remains a money driven shark who finds within himself a small shred of human feeling when he allows Eddie to leave the final pool hall scene with his winnings and without a terrible beating. Sara rises above her alcoholic state to provide comfort to a wounded Eddie after his first brutal loss to Fats, and his subsequent bar room broken thumb encounter. Yet Sara cannot help herself as she falls back into the depths of her damaged sense of self worth due to her birth defect and subsequent alcoholism; thus, her encounter with Bert in the hotel room leaves her as a tragic figure who can only find death as a solution to a terribly painful life.
If you have spent enough time in pool halls, you have met all of these characters along the way.
Two other movies that used similar characters, but different backgrounds ( one was the waterfront and mob driven labor control, the other was the boxing ring) - On the Waterfront and Raging Bull - also were based upon deeply flawed human characters that either found some degree of redemption in life or lost their souls to their lifetime personal battles. I don't feel that the reviewers here quite understand that black and white filming, the use of shadowing and the actual lack of light in many scenes, the music scores, etc. - while spanning over 30 years between these three movies- are all central to how the director was creating mood so vital to each film's success.
The COM movie was never directed by Scorsese to take on these other three giant films, Vincent Lauria was NOT Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando), Fast Eddie ( a young Paul Newman) or Jake LaMotta ( Robert DeNiro)
Fast Eddie develops from a cold hearted hustler to someone who understands remorse and actually feels it and can express it regarding the fate of Sara in the closing scene with Bert. Bert remains a money driven shark who finds within himself a small shred of human feeling when he allows Eddie to leave the final pool hall scene with his winnings and without a terrible beating. Sara rises above her alcoholic state to provide comfort to a wounded Eddie after his first brutal loss to Fats, and his subsequent bar room broken thumb encounter. Yet Sara cannot help herself as she falls back into the depths of her damaged sense of self worth due to her birth defect and subsequent alcoholism; thus, her encounter with Bert in the hotel room leaves her as a tragic figure who can only find death as a solution to a terribly painful life.
If you have spent enough time in pool halls, you have met all of these characters along the way.
Two other movies that used similar characters, but different backgrounds ( one was the waterfront and mob driven labor control, the other was the boxing ring) - On the Waterfront and Raging Bull - also were based upon deeply flawed human characters that either found some degree of redemption in life or lost their souls to their lifetime personal battles. I don't feel that the reviewers here quite understand that black and white filming, the use of shadowing and the actual lack of light in many scenes, the music scores, etc. - while spanning over 30 years between these three movies- are all central to how the director was creating mood so vital to each film's success.
The COM movie was never directed by Scorsese to take on these other three giant films, Vincent Lauria was NOT Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando), Fast Eddie ( a young Paul Newman) or Jake LaMotta ( Robert DeNiro)
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Do a remake of the Color Of Money and follow the book instead of some Hollywood writer
GentlemanJames
Well-known member
In short, I bow from the ankles and burn incense at the alter of 'The Hustler';
HOWEVER,
The only good things I can really say about 'The Color of Money' are:
1) The massive boost it gave to the game of pool in the public-eye, and the sudden explosion of new Pool Rooms opening up all over the place in response to the 'Average Joe's' newly discovered interest in Pool because of a newly released Hollywood movie featuring 2 big names. (Today, we are long overdue for another 'Booster Shot' for the industry and sport).
2) Some great supporting character presentations, like: Moselle (the top-stick at Chalky's), Orvis (the Houseman at Chalky's), and especially, Grady Seasons (absolutely the biggest d*ck player-personality, which we've all had the displeasure to endure on AND off the table - we've all met THAT guy!).
Perhaps the reason why about the only thing I truly like about COM is some of the wonderful supporting characters I mentioned above, is because they represent the 'Real Pool Room People' most of us have met in life - sometimes many times - and, to me, that's the only reasonably authentic and pleasurable thing about this film.
Hell, I don't even consider the COM 'Fast Eddie Felson', as being the future-version of the same 'Fast Eddie Felson, from Oakland California' from The Hustler - even the mighty Paul Newman didn't sell me on that story-idea in COM.
To tell you all the truth, for one of the only "pool movies" the average person can name off the top of their head, I put COM near the bottom on my personal list of 'pool movies'; but, I'm very appreciative that COM revived the popularity of the game for as long as it did. - GJ
HOWEVER,
The only good things I can really say about 'The Color of Money' are:
1) The massive boost it gave to the game of pool in the public-eye, and the sudden explosion of new Pool Rooms opening up all over the place in response to the 'Average Joe's' newly discovered interest in Pool because of a newly released Hollywood movie featuring 2 big names. (Today, we are long overdue for another 'Booster Shot' for the industry and sport).
2) Some great supporting character presentations, like: Moselle (the top-stick at Chalky's), Orvis (the Houseman at Chalky's), and especially, Grady Seasons (absolutely the biggest d*ck player-personality, which we've all had the displeasure to endure on AND off the table - we've all met THAT guy!).
Perhaps the reason why about the only thing I truly like about COM is some of the wonderful supporting characters I mentioned above, is because they represent the 'Real Pool Room People' most of us have met in life - sometimes many times - and, to me, that's the only reasonably authentic and pleasurable thing about this film.
Hell, I don't even consider the COM 'Fast Eddie Felson', as being the future-version of the same 'Fast Eddie Felson, from Oakland California' from The Hustler - even the mighty Paul Newman didn't sell me on that story-idea in COM.
To tell you all the truth, for one of the only "pool movies" the average person can name off the top of their head, I put COM near the bottom on my personal list of 'pool movies'; but, I'm very appreciative that COM revived the popularity of the game for as long as it did. - GJ
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Totally agree. I remember first(and only) time i saw 'Citizen Kane'. Still don't get the hoopla from movie 'experts'. I'd rather watch re-runs of old tv westerns than that dog.
Whether you like TCOM or not you have to give it major props for jump-starting pool when it needed it. I remember when it came out and rooms in my area were packed and cue makers/dealers were getting pumped. Tulsa Billiard Palace(premier action spot) was 24hrs and there would be a waiting-list at 4AM on the weekends.
It was about a subculture that was only known by pool players at the time. It wasn’t romanticized. There’s nothing about pool halls and pool players that is romantic. It’s a peak into their lives which is a constant hustle in evert respect.
'The Hustler' was look into the dark abyss of substance abuse with pool as the vehicle. Everyone remembers the pool but they tend to overlook the story which is not very pretty.
I can’t fathom this perspective. The book was more about antique shopping and building a folk art store than it was about any interesting facet of pool culture. The plot just plodded along in nowhere accomplishing nothing for over two thirds of the book.
SSDiver2112
2b || !2b t^ ?
I don't know if I saw it as a kid or just feel like I did because its popular presence in our entertainment society. When I seriously got into pool about 5 years ago I of course had to sit down and watch this iconic film. Besides the obvious fact it is a great film, my impression after watching it was that it wasn't a movie about pool like I thought it was going to be. I saw it as more than just substance abuse, but even more about addiction in general. There is the addiction to alcohol, but also to pity, gambling, the thrill of the hustle, and just having to be the best at all costs.