After seeing celebrity, pool I think it's clear that
Tom Green would have to star in this movie. That killer
stroke of his says it all
Tom Green would have to star in this movie. That killer
stroke of his says it all
We need a new movie.
- Thread starter 5aheadforpinks
- Start date
Frankncali, thats the best damn movie idea i have heard in a while. I like the tie in with the girl, but something doesnt sit right with me there, maybe its in the way you described it, but something sounds cheesy there. I don't think it should be scrapped, maybe just somehow approached from a different angle, i like her to be there for sure though. Sappy, ugly girl playing at table, and being made fun of by a few dudes, doesnt sit right. Guys don't really pick on ugly girls that i know of, they just kind of leave them alone. Maybe have her adore the younger player for a while first, something other than a bunch of dudes making fun of her, i don't think that is the correct way to 'bring her in' to the movie. How about these guy's are a bunch of cocky assholes who think they can play the game, just like the 20 year old dudes at the bars. Hammering balls in, no shape, etc.... But this other guy, the main character kid, sees into the game more, but wires shots in with his buddy's. I think you should have em gambling, and really into pool, not bashing it. I'm thinkin beer drinking kids that play pool not Poolplayers... just some suggestions, i don't mean to re-write your whole story, i like it as it is, just need to change the girl and group of friends interaction and introduction i think.
Thanks for the thoughtsfxskater said:
The girl can be introduced in many ways. I really didnt mean picking on her like real young kids do but maybe an odd comments while playing next to her.
I also thought of having the girl actually being an old friend of the younger
guy. Maybe the older guy meets her and introduced them and then the
younger guy disses her in front of his buddies while they are playing. The older guy could see all of this.
The reason I see the young group of somwhat punks talking bad about pool is that its what would really happen IMO. Most of it would probably be nonsense but when their buddy leaves them for pool then pool gets bashed.
I also wanted to show the aspect that the game does not affect everyone.
My best friend did not understand why I liked pool so much. We actually quit hanging out so much after I started. I think this is common.
If you go to a bar and theres 100 people there will be no more than 50 cars there. Go to a pool room with 100 people and there will be no less than 60 cars there. Pool affects singles not groups. Not sure why that is but it seems to be. IMO thats why in a pool room there can be people from all walks of life that are friends......pool room friends.
Thanks again for the movie idea. I am open to any angles and thoughts.
IMO pool needs a good movie not JUST a movie. I also have no idea about how to go about getting an idea into a movie. Heck what from I have found out its very hard to get some good scripts made into a movie.
I talked to a proffessional writer for a few hours on a plane to LA once. He was on his way to the biggest writer convention thing of the year, where all the independent studios were there buying up movies and movie ideas. He explained to me how the movie industry is kind of funny. He was saying there are guys that wrote a whole script, had a great storyline, perfect everything, but written in the wrong format (i'm not sure how this works) and they wouldn't even look at it. At the other end, there has been guys that walk into the room with producers and say something like 'I have an idea for a movie where a Young Gun Pool player meets an old Road Dog, they meet up and travel from seattle to las vegas hustling pool.' and the producers jump on the idea and cut him a check for $100,000 without even a script. Again this isnt my opinion, or in depth knowledge, it was just a 2 hour conversation with a not so successful movie writer. Apparhently the script for Titanic sucked originally.
Purdman
Banned
jaz said:
Man I only had two swigs of that shine. I don't think anybody got drunk off it. It's just kind of a novelty thing. The real McCoy, if ya know what I mean. It was all the beer in the bar that took a bite out of me. I haven't had a beer since. Getting sick and tired of waking up sick and tired. I probably won,t have another beer for 6 months or a sip of shine for a year. Next year at VF probably. You really don't have to tell everybody how old and cheep I am. That's cold dude, real cold. Maybe we put you in the movie, huh!!! How ya like that! Cornholius, yep, we been trying to find someone to play the part. We do have a position for an opening. Can you touch you toes? Your in buddy. $Bill, Shorty, JAZ, Rip, and Buck, now that's a line up.
Your buddy, Rip
Did ya get the shaft yet. The one for the pool cue man, get your mind out of the gutter.
5aheadforpinks said:
I always thought my book, "Do It For The Game" would make a good movie...at least that's what many of the readers have saidl
Bob Campbell
I want to see a pool movie with a McGoorty style of story telling of the past and through the years to the present. It could start in a pool room with a very old feeble broke looking man sitting at the bar drinking a coffee in the mid afternoon glancing over a couple of young 16-18 year olds shooting pool like crap woofing at each other about playing for cash, generally acting loud and cocky. The guys see him staring and not missing a beat start to trash talk him and ask him "old man, wanna play some? he he" "Come on Joe, dont go picking on the old guy *laughs*" ect.... The old timer simply looks away, turning back to his coffee. While the two young guys take it as a victory and laugh and make a couple more remarks in the distance as they get back to their game the old man starts to reminisce about the old days, inner dialog about when he was that age blends into memory and we then regress to the early 1930's and to the time when our old man was instead only about 12-14. We see his early days sneaking into the pool halls in New York, skipping school, getting his beats from his dad for it, generally the start of the average pool player. We watch his rise to a decent amount of skill as a youngster, his leaving home, we get to see his run in's with truely famouns players of the past, who do you get to play Greenleaf for the movie? How about Mosconi? The kid grows to be a young adult, we see his life, odd jobs, drifter, jumping the train ala McGoorty, first love, first time getting the crap kicked out of him, big scores, real highs and real lows of the game and his life. We see the early era of pool as we follow him, we see the war years, we see the 60's, we see the fall of straight pool and the rise of 9-ball, we see the rise of TV and the sad commentary of the game when a very old Fats and an even older Mosconi compete on national TV as shadows of their former self. Until the modern day, when the story reaches the later part of his life we are finally back in the pool hall, the old man sits still staring at a very old cup of coffee where the milk pooled in the center of the liqued as happens when it has sat for a long time without moving. The bartender approaches the old man and snaps the old man out of his trancelike state of daydreaming, remembering his past life that is nearing it's end "It's closing time" "Huh, oh what time is it?" "It's 1:00, were closing, you gotta go" the old man nods, the bartender walks away to another area of the bar continuging to clean and get ready to close up. The old man turns to look at the pool hall, mostly dark, mostly empty, a situation that mimicks his life and how he sees the game of billiards today compared to it's golden years. He slowly gets off his chair and starts to walk through the old pool hall to the exit, the door is alight compared to the dark of the hall, The TV is still on, Johnny Archer is running a rack of 9-ball, again, against some young 20'something kid, the sterile world of pool on TV can be seen reflecting in the old mans eyes, he shakes his head, the audiance after seeing the life the man lead can see how it could seem boring in comparison. The old timer is the last of his kind, his era
This is the movie that I want to see, make it a character study, follow the life of a very good road player through the golden age of pool, a player not of top caliber, a McGoorty level of player who is really good, good enough to be in the pool scene but someone who mostly just experiances the scene and is not a major character in it. The movie would go through the time periods and done right the music of the movie and the fashion of the movie and the look of the locations all could change over time as the movie moves through time. The feeling of the USA in the different era's could really come across if a movie like this was done right.
How many movies do this, take an old person and then watch their life through their memories. The Godfather 2 had this, a major part of the movie was Deniro as the young Brando and his early years and rise to the top. Alot of gangster movies do it, start young, show how those people got into that kind of life, show the changes, the key moments in the characters life, the great times, the terrible times, the high points, the low points, ect.... Historic moments can be worked into the whole thing, as I said the depression era was a major time for pool, but also things such as the shooting of JFK took place in this time period, the landing on the moon (this could be a great scene where the TV shows the landing and all the pool players and railbirds are glued to a money match and dont even notice). While technology boomed and the economy exploded and moved forward the game of pool kind of missed the winds of change and stagnated in dark smokey pool rooms largely unaware it was being left behind.
That is the movie I would like to see made. I would write a script but I am too young to know what really went on, I would be going largely on the things I know from reading other people's books and such. I doubt there are too many old timers left that were around in the early days though, and a movie like this would have to start in the 30's to get a important era in pool so it better come out soon because the guy has to be 90 at least already about.
This is the movie that I want to see, make it a character study, follow the life of a very good road player through the golden age of pool, a player not of top caliber, a McGoorty level of player who is really good, good enough to be in the pool scene but someone who mostly just experiances the scene and is not a major character in it. The movie would go through the time periods and done right the music of the movie and the fashion of the movie and the look of the locations all could change over time as the movie moves through time. The feeling of the USA in the different era's could really come across if a movie like this was done right.
How many movies do this, take an old person and then watch their life through their memories. The Godfather 2 had this, a major part of the movie was Deniro as the young Brando and his early years and rise to the top. Alot of gangster movies do it, start young, show how those people got into that kind of life, show the changes, the key moments in the characters life, the great times, the terrible times, the high points, the low points, ect.... Historic moments can be worked into the whole thing, as I said the depression era was a major time for pool, but also things such as the shooting of JFK took place in this time period, the landing on the moon (this could be a great scene where the TV shows the landing and all the pool players and railbirds are glued to a money match and dont even notice). While technology boomed and the economy exploded and moved forward the game of pool kind of missed the winds of change and stagnated in dark smokey pool rooms largely unaware it was being left behind.
That is the movie I would like to see made. I would write a script but I am too young to know what really went on, I would be going largely on the things I know from reading other people's books and such. I doubt there are too many old timers left that were around in the early days though, and a movie like this would have to start in the 30's to get a important era in pool so it better come out soon because the guy has to be 90 at least already about.
I like pool movies. I just hope they don't focus too much on the stereotypes. Take Pool Hall Junkies for example, the whole movie's full of cliches and stereotypes. The stereotypes are usually negative and they lower the image of the sport. No more loser gamblers or gangsters who can't play pool, but act like they can in the movie.
I'd like to see a movie that gives pool a wider audience. Include more than just players from the states, god knows its not the 60's anymore, the states don't dominate the game anymore.
I'd like to see a movie that gives pool a wider audience. Include more than just players from the states, god knows its not the 60's anymore, the states don't dominate the game anymore.
I agree and thought PHJ was not very good. Not only the storyline
but the acting and the cinematography was bad as well.
The ending made no sense and the movie as a whole portrayed
a dark side of pool.
Nothing wrong with a pool movie with gambling or hustles but thats not a plot.
Even in the COM theres was gambling but it was only a subplot.
In todays movie world rated R movies are few and far between. The moneymaking and exposure comes from getting the under 17 year old crowd into the seats. I would like to see a PG-13.
but the acting and the cinematography was bad as well.
The ending made no sense and the movie as a whole portrayed
a dark side of pool.
Nothing wrong with a pool movie with gambling or hustles but thats not a plot.
Even in the COM theres was gambling but it was only a subplot.
In todays movie world rated R movies are few and far between. The moneymaking and exposure comes from getting the under 17 year old crowd into the seats. I would like to see a PG-13.
SplicedPoints said:
frankncali said:
Someone forgot to tell Quentin Tarantino that. He seems to get OK crowds, most rated R movies are crap, that is why they dont get an audiance. At the same time it takes a heck of a bad film to be rated R and I dont think a pool movie needs to be that extreme or graphic. Sex scenes dont need to be in your face porn, viloence does not need to be like Casino where Pesci gets beat virtually to death by baseball bats and then burried alive. For certain movies scenes like that work and are needed to show the true nature of the topic, that is not the pool scene.
Also. I hate seeing corny 'trickshots' where they have the 9 ball at the pocket and the player hits the cue ball with lots of draw to pocket the 9. They seem to have that shot in every single pool movie i've seen.
Also. In PHJ, most of the 'pool players' have horrible looking strokes. The bad hustler in the movie with the graphite stick didn't even know how to use a close bridge to break! What up with that?
Also. In PHJ, most of the 'pool players' have horrible looking strokes. The bad hustler in the movie with the graphite stick didn't even know how to use a close bridge to break! What up with that?
When I think about what kind of pool movie I'd like to see, I'm always torn between two poiints of view.
On one hand, I want to see a story of a young and flashy road player enduring the ups and downs of life on the road, one which shows how life on the road transforms both the man and the player.
On the other hand, I want to see a story about the majesty of the game when it is played at the highest level and with the highest possible level of elegance, grace and sportsmanship, the pool version of "The Legend of Bagger Vance."
I often feel I'd prefer the latter, but that the former might be more marketable.
On one hand, I want to see a story of a young and flashy road player enduring the ups and downs of life on the road, one which shows how life on the road transforms both the man and the player.
On the other hand, I want to see a story about the majesty of the game when it is played at the highest level and with the highest possible level of elegance, grace and sportsmanship, the pool version of "The Legend of Bagger Vance."
I often feel I'd prefer the latter, but that the former might be more marketable.
justnick said:
Is there any information released on that? Or is it just word of mouth?
sjm: Both those types of movies need to be released. One with the memoirs of an old timer and the development of the game, and another to show the progression and future of pool. The Hustler and CoM do this well... but they dont show real pool being played which is the key to getting people excited and interested in the game. And those set up carom shots and masse' and easy jump shots or wired combos are the worst; we need to film good players that can string a few racks together, and show that uncut... That might make people say WOW, especially if it was from someone they have never seen on ESPN...
BTW, ESPN is actually worse for pool.. (except when Danny B was playing) because its only the end result, theres no struggle, nothing spectacular usually.. Maybe ESPN should follow a player through the tournament, and show highlights from each of his matchs.. Theres a new reality TV special for you, follow someone on the Peachaur Tour, or one of those East Coast Tours, every episode is him competing in a different tourny, show highlights and all exceptional play. That might be the only way, a movie might not be enough.
They've been saying that as long as they've been saying Die Hard IV is going to be made .justnick said:
Making a movie about pool.
The success of The Hustler was due to the cast. Gleason, Newman, Laurie and the several co-stars made that film the draw that it was. I have played pool for over 50 years and believe me pool has never been as popular as it was when Greenleaf, Mosconi and that ilk played the game. But remember.....they played STRAIGHT POOL . It is difficult for you younger people to identify with that because it was before your time.
When I was a kid playing pool the highest compliment you could receive when you made a good shot was " This guy plays like Mosconi!"
9 Ball was like a pick-up game. You played a guy and if he was stuck $30 or $40 in a straight pool or one pocket game and the place was going to close in 30 minutes, the decent thing to do was offer the guy to play 4 games of 9 ball at $10 a game to give him a chance to getSOME of his money back.
The next logical movie is Paul Newman to continue as Eddie Felson and to legitimally win a few open tournaments and be declared the best player. Then
another up and comer goes to him to learn how to play. Newman takes t
he kid under his wing insisting if he wants to learn how to play "ya gotta play straight pool if ya wanta play pool".
He then proceeds to develop this kid ( male or female ) (maybe Jeanette Lee) into a tournament player ending up representing the U.S.A. in the Olympics.
A documentary type film would draw only pool players which does not help the industry itself.
Everyone talks about how the movies did so much for pool. The advent of the bar pool table that paid the overhead for every bar that had one did more to rejuvenate pool than all the movies ever made about pool.
The real answer is if you want pool to stay alive and progress you have to get the kids involved. They need an incentive to play and playing with the family at family billiard parlors didn't work either.
Playing Off The Rail is about as documentary as you can get. What you read was what he saw. There were no embellishments. All movies based on books are given poetic license and the moviemakers try to add what they can to make the film watchable. Don't forget the Techical Advisor for The Hustler was none other than Mr. Willie Mosconi himself.
The success of The Hustler was due to the cast. Gleason, Newman, Laurie and the several co-stars made that film the draw that it was. I have played pool for over 50 years and believe me pool has never been as popular as it was when Greenleaf, Mosconi and that ilk played the game. But remember.....they played STRAIGHT POOL . It is difficult for you younger people to identify with that because it was before your time.
When I was a kid playing pool the highest compliment you could receive when you made a good shot was " This guy plays like Mosconi!"
9 Ball was like a pick-up game. You played a guy and if he was stuck $30 or $40 in a straight pool or one pocket game and the place was going to close in 30 minutes, the decent thing to do was offer the guy to play 4 games of 9 ball at $10 a game to give him a chance to getSOME of his money back.
The next logical movie is Paul Newman to continue as Eddie Felson and to legitimally win a few open tournaments and be declared the best player. Then
another up and comer goes to him to learn how to play. Newman takes t
he kid under his wing insisting if he wants to learn how to play "ya gotta play straight pool if ya wanta play pool".
He then proceeds to develop this kid ( male or female ) (maybe Jeanette Lee) into a tournament player ending up representing the U.S.A. in the Olympics.
A documentary type film would draw only pool players which does not help the industry itself.
Everyone talks about how the movies did so much for pool. The advent of the bar pool table that paid the overhead for every bar that had one did more to rejuvenate pool than all the movies ever made about pool.
The real answer is if you want pool to stay alive and progress you have to get the kids involved. They need an incentive to play and playing with the family at family billiard parlors didn't work either.
Playing Off The Rail is about as documentary as you can get. What you read was what he saw. There were no embellishments. All movies based on books are given poetic license and the moviemakers try to add what they can to make the film watchable. Don't forget the Techical Advisor for The Hustler was none other than Mr. Willie Mosconi himself.