No doubt . Yes it has pool in it but the underlying story is just a dark look at people living bleak lives. The more i watched it the less pool i noticed and the brutal story took over.
The Hustler is on PRIME
- Thread starter Johnson
- Start date
I get that I am new around here, but I am confused. I have seen at least a couple people here post stories that sound like they have been in and around pool rooms (often with extremely detailed knowledge of pool tables and even cue build dimensions) for 40-50 years. Are these just people really good at repeating information from being on forums for 15/20/25 years? Did anyone witness anything remotely close to The Hustler in the 70s/80s or is it frowned upon to talk about the real gritty characters in pool rooms with real texture and funk?
There were several old school road players/pros on here but a lot of them have passed. Jay Helfert is the resident OG pool historian going back to the 1960's he has a few books he's written that are on Ebay Pool Wars/More Pool Wars and I'd also recommend McGoorty. I posted his profile below and a few deceased road players azb profiles. wincardona is another legend that used to post regularly but moved to onepocket.org, Grady used to post on here before he passed. You'd also want to check out Legends of the Cue podcast that started this year it's on Spotify, they recently interviewed Keith and Billy and lots of other current/retired pros to have a historic account of their lives/careers as pros/road players.
OldHasBeen
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SJDinPHX
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freddy the beard
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jay helfert
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Thanks for the recommendations. I have seen some of Helfert’s posts. I guess I was surprised at what seemed to be surprise at the dark underpinnings of the film, The Hustler. I have seen the film and while I do realize that it isn’t the only example of what playing pool looked like when pool halls were everywhere and packed with people looking for being in the action or just some side action. Things like gambling, excessive drinking and even drug use were also happening in and around pool halls, I would imagine well into the early/mid 2000s. I was half joking about people seeing things but staying quietThere were several old school road players/pros on here but a lot of them have passed. Jay Helfert is the resident OG pool historian going back to the 1960's he has a few books he's written that are on Ebay Pool Wars/More Pool Wars and I'd also recommend McGoorty. I posted his profile below and a few deceased road players azb profiles. wincardona is another legend that used to post regularly but moved to onepocket.org, Grady used to post on here before he passed. You'd also want to check out Legends of the Cue podcast that started this year it's on Spotify, they recently interviewed Keith and Billy and lots of other current/retired pros to have a historic account of their lives/careers as pros/road players.
OldHasBeen
forums.azbilliards.com
SJDinPHX
forums.azbilliards.com
freddy the beard
forums.azbilliards.com
jay helfert
forums.azbilliards.com
, like the sharking and gambling all night. I do see at least a couple people that post all over the forum and seem like they have been in the pool hall environment for decades, but maybe they didn’t really get in the mix outside of working on a table or shooting around and heading home when the sun went down.
I think you might be overestimating the number of pool enthusiasts vs. Paul Newman enthusiasts.
pj
chgo
agree. that movie's ratings and box-office #'s were driven far more by the average movie/Newman fan than by pool players. sure ton's of pool nuts watched it but they weren't the one's that moved the needle.
DeeDeeCues
Well-known member
Maybe, but tough call. I think the Newman enthusiasts are divided into camps. I think there are many who love The Sting and Butch Cassidy, but probably won't watch The Verdict.
That said, if you want a great viewing experience, watch the mini-series, 'Empire Falls' and the movie, 'Nobody's Fool'. Both from Richard Russo books with Newman cast perfectly.
Gar, I lived that scene from my first Big score playing 3C in Michigan City to IN!
The guy was Ed Winski, the family was big in the steel game in Gary, IN!
Renegade4006
Active member
In the book the character Preacher is a drug user/addict.
Empire Falls is top notch even for HBO, I randomly found it 2 years ago when I last had HBO. Great all around cast too.
DeeDeeCues
Well-known member
Absolutely. The cast is great, Ed Harris, Dennis Farina, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Helen Hunt (she is fantastic in it, especially if you've read the book). Also it marks Newman's and Joanne Woodward's final screen appearances.