Pool hall junkies

PoppaSaun said:
Anyone who likes PHJ hates movies...and thinking.

COM was just borderline watchable, which can be completely attributed to Scorsese understanding his craft (unfortunately he had a lapse of judgment on the script).

Hustler is a very good film.

Stickmen was slightly worse than PHJ. Right about the waste-of-talent that was Turn the River.
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I read the original " The Hustler " by Walter Tevis it was a terse expose of the pool world. It did not contain all the melodrama that they injected into the screenplay regarding the very troubled love interest of the protagonist.

The Hustler, the movie is a classic and I've enjoyed it many times. I never read the novel the COM and don't know how it compares to the movie.

I thought the COM was entertaining and as a sequel did not live up to the standards of the original as is often the case.

PHJs has to be viewed from the point of view that the guy that made it was a fledgling film maker. He had made another movie about gamblers in the San Fernando Valley that wasn't that bad.

PHJs is entertaining and I recognize it was not a candidate at anytime for any Academy Awards.

I heard through the grapevine that Mars is still out there and about to release more entertainment.
 
overlord said:
I read the original " The Hustler " by Walter Tevis it was a terse expose of the pool world. It did not contain all the melodrama that they injected into the screenplay regarding the very troubled love interest of the protagonist.

The Hustler, the movie is a classic and I've enjoyed it many times. I never read the novel the COM and don't know how it compares to the movie.

I thought the COM was entertaining and as a sequel did not live up to the standards of the original as is often the case.

PHJs has to be viewed from the point of view that the guy that made it was a fledgling film maker. He had made another movie about gamblers in the San Fernando Valley that wasn't that bad.

PHJs is entertaining and I recognize it was not a candidate at anytime for any Academy Awards.

I heard through the grapevine that Mars is still out there and about to release more entertainment.
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He had a deep run at the WSOP a few years back and I think they mentioned that he was working on "Poker Junkies".
 
No one blasts PHJ on here and gets away with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Love the movie. Director's cut too!
I've lent the DVD to many people and they liked it.
Love the soundtrack too.
Own the "Hustler" shirt also.
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Kind of a cult classic...... in our house anyway! ha
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You better delete this post before Bobby Cotton sees it!!!:p
 
The people who talk trash about it are comparing it to amazing movies. It is what it is! Just a fun little project with some surprisingly good actors. I enjoy the movie even more when people criticize it.
 
overlord said:
Haters gonna hate.
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They can hate all they want...aint giving up my T-shirt.

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I thought it was okay. Movies centered around pool are so rare that I'm glad to see any of them being made, especially with budgets decent enough to get recognizable actors. Sure it was a bit cheesy but overall I've watched it e or 4 times, I'm sure I'll end up watching it at least that more if I'm lucky enough to live to old age.
 
easy-e said:
The people who talk trash about it are comparing it to amazing movies. It is what it is! Just a fun little project with some surprisingly good actors. I enjoy the movie even more when people criticize it.
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Hahaha! This is kind of how I feel about it too. Me and my pops watched it this afternoon and he enjoyed the part he didn't sleep thru:smile:
 
easy-e said:
The people who talk trash about it are comparing it to amazing movies. It is what it is! Just a fun little project with some surprisingly good actors. I enjoy the movie even more when people criticize it.
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It's possible, but I'm comparing to "average" movies. But PHJ was complete garbage as far as the script was concerned. Great acting can never save a bad script, that's a saying that is as old as Hollywood. I always love movies where they have to continually remind me what is happening (yes, you're a great player we get it) It reminded me a little of Yentl with Barbara Striesand, which had to remind us, over and over, that book learning was not meant for woman. Ok, we get it, don't hit us over the head with a book ;)

Does it bother me in the least that folks like it. Nope. Enjoy :)

Movies are like music, there is no accounting for taste ;)
 
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ChicagoRJ said:
It's possible, but I'm comparing to "average" movies. But PHJ was complete garbage as far as the script was concerned. Great acting can never save a bad script, that's a saying that is as old as Hollywood.

Does it bother me in the least that folks like it. Nope. Enjoy :)
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Ok, I'll agree that it is "below average". I'd rather watch PHJ than most average movies though. Maybe because its about pool.
 
Mars was a hustler that always played with a house cue. PHJs is kinda like a house cue.

Its not a high budget Hollywood studio picture but it is entertaining.
 
easy-e said:
Ok, I'll agree that it is "below average". I'd rather watch PHJ than most average movies though. Maybe because its about pool.
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Fair enough. I really, really, really, really, really wanted to like it to. I still do want to ;)
 
ChicagoRJ said:
Fair enough. I really, really, really, really, really wanted to like it to. I still do want to ;)
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If they'd have shown that chick's tits at the end, so we can all form our own opinion of whether they're real or fake, it would have been much better.
 
ChicagoRJ said:
It's possible, but I'm comparing to "average" movies. But PHJ was complete garbage as far as the script was concerned. Great acting can never save a bad script,that's a saying that is as old as Hollywood. I always love movies where they have to continually remind me what is happening (yes, you're a great player we get it) It reminded me a little of Yentl with Barbara Striesand, which had to remind us, over and over, that book learning was not meant for woman. Ok, we get it, don't hit us over the head with a book ;)

Does it bother me in the least that folks like it. Nope. Enjoy :)

Movies are like music, there is no accounting for taste ;)
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Said of Anthony Hopkins....and many others...
"A great actor can read a telephone book and make you weep."

Pool Hall Junkies is worth watching for 'The Lion Speech" alone.
 
pt109 said:
Said of Anthony Hopkins....and many others...
"A great actor can read a telephone book and make you weep."

Pool Hall Junkies is worth watching for 'The Lion Speech" alone.
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Nope, just Hollywood believing in their own hype. There is a premium for great writers. They are well paid. The top screen writers make a small fortune, the bad ones not so much.

And we've all seen those badly written movies where they paid top actors to be in it and they just can't save it.... never could, never will.

Otherwise, they would just pay a chimp to type it out and stick De Niro in the movie and call it a day ;) That formula does not work. Oh, they try and make it work on occasion, but at the end of the day, the box office receipts never lie ;)

PT, you're one of the most reasonable guys on ABZ. Would you rather see Meryl Streep in "It's Pat - The Movie" Or Madonna in Gladiator ;) And remember, death is NOT an option :)
 
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I'm biased.
Like I said I love it.
But I'll admit that Allison Eastwood is HORRIBLE! LOL
 
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