Ben Gazzara in Killing of a Chinese Bookie - Opening 15 min: OneMinFilmSchool

RIP Ben Gazzara. The Killing Of Chinese Bookie (1976). From the opening shot of Ben Gazzara getting out of a cab on Sunset Blvd the camera (operated by a young Fred Elmes) never leaves the character of Cosmo Vittelli. Literally, the director John Cassevetes does not cut away from Ben Gazzara for the entire film. He either keeps him in a close up or includes Gazzara in a wide shot with the other 70's Sunset Blvd noir characters. It's Gazzaras greatest performance playing the saddest strip joint owner in cinema history about a guy who can't get a break whose naive dumb optimism seals his fate. Gazzara's performance is like watching ones own annoying sad sack uncle who just keeps screwing up. This movie might have been Cassevetes attempt to make a commercial genre crime movie but it turns out like Cosmo to be often alienating and in one night club performance with the emcee very annoying. I think the one minute film school Lesson# 652: Make a dirty, documentary like film with disjointed amateurish filmed image, write and cast bewildering characters and you might raise your film to the poetry of Chinese Bookie (1976).

[@Mrsilenciobackgammon]

Pretty much the most esoteric opening 15 minutes of a film ever. I love it.

[@piratesfan1995able]

Anyone else addicted to this movie?

[@neilrafferty2097]

Ruby Night I don’t know what it is but Gazzara’s got it in spades .

[@Alex-rn3br]

It's one of the most "real" films I've ever seen. Lightning in a bottle.

[@kriskeilman2087]

This movie is playing tonight June 23, 2021 at the Skyline Drive In Theater in Shelbyville Indiana.

[@piratesfan1995able]

@@DVDuring you talking about the song that starts when the people in the pick up truck drive by and scream.

[@chrishills2427]

An absolute masterpiece

[@musungu79]

The best movie ever. For me.

[@cloudsombrero]

this is the worst cut of the movie though

[@musungu79]

the best of course id dvd version full movie :)

[@mikewolverton7904]

Alan Jesus I agree. This movie is more of a character study and the camera shots make it feel as if you were right next to the characters.

[@a5dr3]

76 cut is ok. 78 cut is top ten films ever made.

[@GhettoMatt]

"Marty you're a low-life. You have no style." An envelope full of cash didn't buy much back then eh?

[@bikerbudjr]

Masterpiece

[@zack74]

Where you saying anytime Gazzara is in a scene he does not cut away? Because there are some scenes without Gazzara in them (?)

[@cloudsombrero]

I prefer the other cut to this one

[@n-j-c]

Buddy you got no style.

[@grimstarr187]

6:00

[@user-kx1rd3hz5k]

A vision of hell far darker than Taxi Driver. Those close up shots crank up the Isolation of Cosmo. It voids out the usual drama beats it's really elusive hard to watch the mood off these scenes ect. Definitely one of the great films of the 70s but really won't fit a neo Noir category the flow of its anti drama is totally uncomfortable against narrative. Was badly received in its day now it looks so edgy off centre immersive ensembles.

[@area51ville]

omg the acting is atrocious in this crap

[@hozting]

No, fuck you