I thought the lion scene was the worst part of the movie
Poolhall Junkies Movie Stream - Free
- Thread starter CrownCityCorey
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With all the crazy shit that happens in pool, I find it hard to believe that any of this is unrealistic
You may be onto something!
Okay finally did watch PHJ and it wasn't totally bad.
Enjoyed seeing Mike Massey and think I saw Sigel in there as well. dont know anything about Schroder but he at least knows which end of the cue to use. I found it odd he was wearing the same clothes in every scene. Did they shoot all his scenes in the same day? Obviously a cheap shoot, but then you have top dollar like Christopher Walken and Palminteri.
The 8 ball games they played where the kid had to take 4 balls off the table after the break was an interesting choice of a hustle.
The final pool shot schroder had to make looked like it was going to be a repeat of the 'hustler' shot. balls frozen together.
But it turned out not even be a fun proposition shot. dont know why they did that. Bit of a letdown ending there.
Anyway if you really like pool enough you wont hate this, imo. I must be a junkie.
Enjoyed seeing Mike Massey and think I saw Sigel in there as well. dont know anything about Schroder but he at least knows which end of the cue to use. I found it odd he was wearing the same clothes in every scene. Did they shoot all his scenes in the same day? Obviously a cheap shoot, but then you have top dollar like Christopher Walken and Palminteri.
The 8 ball games they played where the kid had to take 4 balls off the table after the break was an interesting choice of a hustle.
The final pool shot schroder had to make looked like it was going to be a repeat of the 'hustler' shot. balls frozen together.
But it turned out not even be a fun proposition shot. dont know why they did that. Bit of a letdown ending there.
Anyway if you really like pool enough you wont hate this, imo. I must be a junkie.
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I always thought they should make a movie about Mars' real life. He created a fake poker junkies sequel and then scammed a few million dollars from it.
Poker junkies?
Poker, Poolhall "Junkie" Mars Callahan Sued For Fraud, Allegedly Makes Death Threats
If you are a WSOP on ESPN junkie (like we are) then you might remember the name Mars Callahan.
Damn, old boy went off the rails lol. Didn't he get really sick? I seem to remember him at the WSOP like in a wheel chair or something.Poker, Poolhall "Junkie" Mars Callahan Sued For Fraud, Allegedly Makes Death Threats
If you are a WSOP on ESPN junkie (like we are) then you might remember the name Mars Callahan.f5poker.com
Guy Manges
Registered
I watched i enjoyed, Thank you... Guy
L.S. Dennis
Well-known member
To those who enjoyed it I’m happy for you! I think it was the worst pool flick ever done, just me.
Yes. I was offered the part but there was no pay involved, only expense money. I was also scheduled to run a big tournament (Sands I think) at the same time and it was a paying gig, so that made the choice easier for me. They had me sign a release allowing them to use my name in the movie. The man who played me (Richard Portnoy) was a well known character actor who looked a lot like me. After the movie came out some people actually thought that it was me playing the part.
Good review. This was also Rod Steiger's last movie. That's kind of a shame, since he had a distinguished acting career. I think what really turned me off was the constant use of the F word in line after line. It must have been used at least a couple of dozen times in the film. I also thought the title was a mistake and told the screenwriter (Chris Corso) so. He told me it was only the "working title" while they were shooting. I gave a him a couple of alternative titles but they stuck with PHJ. To me the word Junkies had a bad connotation and would not attract an audience. I still don't like that title. Credit to Mars who did a great job of assembling a top notch cast, all of whom worked for scale. Didn't much care for the script though. Could have been a lot better.Pool Hall Junkies... I look at the film this way:
Take some great character actors (Christopher Walken, Chazz Palmintari, and Mars Callahan), and a decent enough 'The Sting'-type story-line. but make it about Pool and Hustling instead of Horse-Racing and Poker; and, literally smash it together with the wacky 80s High-School Hi-Jinks of Porky's; and well... That's Pool Hall Junkies to me.
I look at the film on 2 separate levels:
The 'A' Story, being the Johnny Pool Story (I thought Mars Callahan was great in this role); along with, The 'B'-Story, being, Johnny's Girlfriend and Job Troubles; and then, separately, The 'C' Story, featuring the Silly Juvenile Nonsense of Johnny's younger brother and his clownish pals.
I guess when I watch the film, I feel more like I'm flicking back-and-forth between 2 different movies, which has a bit of 'cross-over' happening.
I'd love to see this film re-cut, with the 'C'- story edited out completely, but would never work in reality; so, when those scenes are playing, that's when I go make a sandwich or scratch the dog.
The film gets hammered by most pool players; but, I like more things about this film than things I don't like about it.
Hell, I'd rather watch Pool Hall Junkies than The Color of Money (Tom Cruise??? Seriously?? ... Get Offa My Lawn!) any day of the week.
Okay guys, go for it, Flame Away!- GJ
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Yes. He was in bad shape for quite a while. Some kind of intestinal problems if I recall, but life threatening. He spent a couple of weeks in Intensive Care.
I went for years without watching the movie, because I heard it was terrible.
One night I was in a match with a friend who is as crazy about the game as I am and he was talking about a scene in the movie and asked me what I thought about it.
I admitted I had never watched it. He asked me why and I told him it got a lot of terrible reviews.
He then said "YOU are a pool player and this was a pool movie, you need to watch it"
The next day I watched it and was glad I did.
One night I was in a match with a friend who is as crazy about the game as I am and he was talking about a scene in the movie and asked me what I thought about it.
I admitted I had never watched it. He asked me why and I told him it got a lot of terrible reviews.
He then said "YOU are a pool player and this was a pool movie, you need to watch it"
The next day I watched it and was glad I did.
Feel good moments from PHJ:
In no specific order:
Star Sightings: Asian ninja turtle 2 star, Lex luthor from Smallville, Walken, Chazz, Numbers series star
Best Gags: Shots VS Beer Bet, 4 balls off the table, Where you got your shoes?, Lets make a bet
Best Pool Scene: Talking before pocketing a shot
In no specific order:
Star Sightings: Asian ninja turtle 2 star, Lex luthor from Smallville, Walken, Chazz, Numbers series star
Best Gags: Shots VS Beer Bet, 4 balls off the table, Where you got your shoes?, Lets make a bet
Best Pool Scene: Talking before pocketing a shot
WOW!!!! A post that doesn't leave one feeling that you dropped acid followed by Thorazine smoothies. Major props dude.
I had to see it to believe it.
Did you ever have a chance to talk to Mars ? Despite the movie's many flaws, it did seem like he really cared about pool.