— J.R. John Cassavetes’s first crime thriller, a postnoir masterpiece, failed miserably at the box office when first released in 1976, and a recut, shorter version released two years later didn’t fare much better. In many respects the film serves as a personal testament; what makes the tragicomic character of Cosmo so moving is its alter-ego relation to the filmmaker — the proud impresario and father figure of a tattered showbiz collective (read Cassavetes’s actors and filmmaking crew) who must compromise his ethics to keep his little family afloat (read Cassavetes’s career as a Hollywood actor). The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie. John Cassavetes’ The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, the fourth film in Criterion’s John Cassavetes: Five Films box set, is presented on Blu-ray in the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 in 1080p/24hz. Be respectful! In terms of presentations this is easily the most disappointing one in the set. Don't post randomness/off-topic comments. The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie. Don't use this space to complain about the average rating, chart position, genre voting, others' reviews or ratings, or errors on the page. that's especially true when the performances are as good as ben gazzara here, endlessly trying to bluff and charm and posture his way out of the shit. "That's my friend in there. My fault for not doing proper research so I'll rate/review the film based on the content *aside* from those ridiculous shows. PICTURE. ... shorter, and equally good version, which didn’t fare much better. I was super excited to finally track down this film on BFI Blu … Peter Bogdanovich used Gazzara in a similar part in Saint Jack (1979), but as good as that film is, it doesn’t catch the exquisite warmth and delicacy of feeling of Cassavetes’s doom-ridden comedy-drama. As a thumbnail description, it works well enough: Once inside a Cassavetes film, there's no mistaking it for anywhere else. ... and a recut, shorter version released two years later didn’t fare much better. The dual-layer disc presents both the 1976 and 1978 versions of the film. In terms of presentations this is easily the most disappointing one in the set. This is the first, longer, and in some ways better of the two versions; it’s easier to follow, despite reports that — or maybe because — Cassavetes had less to … Tonight: The Killing of a Chinese Bookie. All of which dovetails into The Killing of a Chinese Bookie ’s final scene, a scene that is left wholly untouched in either version: Rather than announce Mr. With fine performances by Timothy Agoglia Carey, Seymour Cassel, Azizi Johari, Meade Roberts, and Alice Friedland. Actually more a personal and deeply felt character study than a routine action picture, it follows the last days of Cosmo Vitelli (Ben Gazzara at his very best), the charismatic owner of an LA strip joint who recklessly gambles his way into such debt with the mob that he has to bump off a Chinese bookie to settle his accounts. (JR). 135 min. Post your favourite films by the director given above you. A personal, deeply felt character study rather than a routine action picture, it follows Cosmo Vitelli (Ben Gazzara at his very best), the charismatic owner of an LA strip joint — simultaneously an asshole and a saint — who recklessly gambles his way into debt and has to bump off a Chinese bookie to settle his accounts. cassavetes' style is so direct and assaultive that i can feel the crushing weight of his characters' sadness and drunken desperation as though it's my own. The Killing of a Chinese Bookie. In the mid-1970s, things were as different from now as night and day. 2014 Movie Log: A Doug and Jane Production, Big Trouble Living & Dying As a King While Terminating Taxi Drivers in the Streets of Hate 2000: Cyborg Without a Squad, Every Film I Watched During The Big 'Rona (and the rest of 2020 tbh), Jonathan Rosenbaum's "Essential Cinema" (1970s), List of countries by number of bolded films, List of directors by number of bolded films, Best movie of the 70's besides The Godfather, Anti-Canon: Bottom Films Rated by RYMers 2014. i love so many little scenes here; the purchasing of the hamburgers (". Keep your comments focused on the film. Let me explain why the '76 cut is better. Phenomenal, Cosmo Vitelli and his world are brilliantly imagined and experienced. — J.R. John Cassavetes’s first crime thriller (Gloria was the second), a post-noir masterpiece, failed miserably at the box office when it was first released in 1976; two years later, he released this recut, shorter, and equally good version, which didn’t fare much better. A proud strip club owner is forced to come to terms with himself as a man, when his gambling addiction gets him in hot water with the mob, who offer him only one alternative. "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie" is hard to get into at first due to its detached, abstract style, but if you stick with it, you'll find yourself really involved. A masterpiece of late nite desensitization of Paranoia and Existential dilemmas via the fucking Mob, I could quickly finish this off with Ben Gazzara is GOAT, but that wouldn't do this flick any textual justice.
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