Why I Love The Killing of a Chinese Bookie

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is a surprisingly high concept film that has carved out a special place in my mental film landscape with it's strange atmosphere, performances and self-reflexivity.
My main source for the anecdotal information in this video is the great book Cassavetes on Cassavetes by Ray Carney (2001).

[@maciek8159]

This is the first Cassavetes film I've ever seen and I loved it. I tried watching A Woman Under The Influence and Faces before and I hated the cinematography. It looked as if a father with a home movie camera was filming his family. Well, after seeing Chinese Bookie I was blown away. There's a famous story that Ben Gazzara was having trouble playing Cosmo and couldn't relate with him. Cassavetes explained that the mob is a metaphor for people who try to ruin your dreams (studios) and Cassavetes started to cry when explaining this. Gazzara Immediately understood that Cosmo was Cassavetes. It's powerful because even though Cosmos club isn't very packed he still writes, directs and choreographs the skits. Even after being shot he still directs the plays even though they are corny. He believes in his vision and be damned to anyone who doesn't. He's gonna do what he wants to fulfil his vision. That really stuck with me and won me over. I'm going back to watch Faces and Woman Under The Influence.

[@JohnMoseley]

Don't miss Opening Night too. For me, that's the best of all, and thematically it's very similar to what you describe above.

[@maciek8159]

@@JohnMoseley I've seen Opening Nights and I did enjoy it. Since I've left that comment I bought the Criterion John Cassavetes box set which has Shadows (second favorite film of his), Faces, Woman, Chinese Bookie and Opening Night. I've also seen Husbands and Love Streams. He's now a hero and inspirator for me. Top five directors of all time for me. Cassavetes, Melville, Fellini, Bergman and Tarkovsky.

[@JohnMoseley]

@@maciek8159 I agree, he's one of the all-time greats, so it's interesting how different our tastes are other than that. I like all the directors you mention, but my favourites are other things where, as with Cassavetes, you can see the joins a bit more: Godard, early Rohmer, early Wenders, early Jarmusch, even some Warhol.

[@maciek8159]

@@JohnMoseley I've seen many Godard Films but I think his three masterpieces are Band Of Outsiders, Breathless and Vivre Sa Vie. I've only seen one Rohmer film and that's Claire's Knee. Winders is great. The American Friend and Wings Of Desire are my favorite. With Jarmusch I have only seen Ghost Dog. I've been meaning to watch Down By Law. What's your top ten favorite films?

[@JohnMoseley]

​@@maciek8159 I can't pick just ten or really put them in order, but some of the films I've loved most are: Week End (by Godard; there are one or two others with this title) Opening Night La Collectionneuse Down by Law Alice in the Cities Beginners Faces Kings of the Road Band à Parte Repo Man C'mon C'mon Sans Soleil Being There Five Easy Pieces How about you?

[@hedley7775]

You don't see many video essays on Cassavetes. Thank you for this, you did a great job!

[@conflictmagazine]

My favorite Cassevetes film. Thank you for covering this film.

[@mainmanmainlining7575]

This is one of his most accessible movies too. Incredible film. I was mesmerized

[@healingmomentum]

I’ve been a huge fan of this film for so long and I’ve never understood why people didn’t like it. You completely did it justice. So articulate in seeing all of its subtle and deep qualities and communicating and in such an excellent and informed manner. Thank you so much I appreciate you for this video. I loved cassavettes and this is really my favorite of his films. It is most genre film and it is most vulnerable film in someways to me

[@MrShaunsk]

Excellant essay on a truly great film. Perfect, antihero noir, all location. A fucking masterpiece of American cinema. Casssvetes was a genius.

[@Ce13stialBunny]

This was my first Cassavettes film and I really loved it. Though, I’m a big fan of real sleazy feeling movies, characters that you can’t look away from but aren’t necessarily great people. It was perfect for me, I loved it, I was surprised to see Cassavettes other films and find none really resembling Bookie. But you can very much feel the influence the movie had with things like Uncut Gems, which reminded me a lot of this movie. I love it.

[@v4enthusiast541]

Yeah, it felt like a gritty mirror of Mulholland Drive's dreamlike state

[@Maxwell_Reh]

This made me love the film even more!

[@agodmma4977]

I think there are a lot of similarities that can be drawn to uncut gems which is one of my favorite movies of all time

[@captainb4914]

Yeah if you liked these two you will love pusher, one of my favourite trilogies ever

[@healingmomentum]

I have always loved this film and have been shocked how misunderstood it has been.

[@healingmomentum]

It is a cassavettes attempt at noir. Brilliance.

[@littleghostfilms3012]

This movie is why I love films. Impossible to sum up or be brief in saying why. It is filled with elements that add up to something beyond description. Cosmo is the epitome of a flawed man who nonetheless has a dream to to aspire to his version of 'greatness'. We see in retrospect that those gangsters, representing the sharks of Capitalism, were a force too big and ruthless for Cosmo. The club is his little oasis for him, his girls, and his world. He's pretentious, but sincere in his dreams. Such a tragic figure.

[@brad5392]

Great review, very thorough and was spot on for the most part. Cassavettes did seem to have a very self-aware persona. Perhaps it was this burden of self-awareness that drove him to the bottle. You mentioned Sunset Blvd. I definitely see the parallels as well as Muholland Dr. for that matter.

[@locksh]

Great review, a huge fan of the long cut of this film. This sleazy, glum atmosphere is pulpable.

[@colmoduffy6897]

Palpable..

[@zachariah7114]

@@colmoduffy6897 let the man invent his own words

[@captainb4914]

Having only seen the short version, how would you say they're different and how essential is the longer one?

[@locksh]

@@captainb4914 Plot wise it's the same thing, but the long version has just stunningly beautiful scenes inside the strip club of their routine shows, it is the heart of the film, it makes it an atmospheric masterpiece. Basically these scenes capture the 'spirit' of the time and place in truly extraordinary fashion, at least in my view.

[@captainb4914]

@@locksh Thanks so much, will definitely be seeking it out. Know anywhere I can find it (in the UK)?

[@soundminedd]

Well said❤❤❤

[@LuisChannelTV]

Just watched today. Watch a Masterpiece!

[@slow.poetry]

If you can't get enough of the Cassavetes universe do watch Cabaret Maxime, an unofficial remake of Bookie set in Lisbon (with its own Mr. Sophistication!, played by a legendary subversive portuguese musician). "Cosmo" is played by, surprise, Michael Imperioli. Yes, it's nowhere near as good, but I find these kind of sincere homages to be really beautiful in their selflessness.

[@armsfullofronan]

Really cool video, thanks! Obviously Ben Gazzara makes think to the Big Lebowski, and I wondered as I watched Chinese Bookie if the Coen brothers were influenced by this Cassavetes film. There are so many parallels; the shoddy performances (the dude’s landlord’s dance performance), corruption, murders/money, LA playing itself, etc.

[@stfuomgdude]

I don't really think any of the performances are shoddy, lol. TKoaCB is one of the better-acted neo-noir films of the 70s. What did you find particularly bad about the performances?

[@armsfullofronan]

@@stfuomgdude oh no I wasn’t talking about the acting, I meant the performances in the club. Like how there’s a kind of rag tag and under rehearsed feeling to all the numbers.

[@stevencoffin328]

One movie this reminds me of the most is Wanda by Barbara Loden. I actually think both films' strengths come from the fact that they are genre films because it still let's both movies have a traditional three act structure.

[@damianplatt]

It's extraordinary.. "choose a personality!" Thanks for doing this. I've been lucky enough to see both cuts and they're almost like different films. What shines through though is Cosmo's genuine love for the club and his hatred for the gangsters, and how getting mixed up with both is his downfall.

[@RUSTYdiscogs]

Great review

[@burdwurds3758]

You nailed it

[@cameronbehm847]

Great vid!

[@jackprecip5389]

I've moved around the country quite a few times over many decades and have had far too many different cable companies to name. Almost all of them have an info button on their remotes that tell you the movie you're watching (or that is upcoming), when it was made, who's in it, and the film is rated by the service for quality, usually with 1 star as its lowest rating and 4 stars as its highest (a few would rate on a half star scale, but most were on full star scale). In all those many thousands of movies I've seen rated by hundreds of cable companies over many years, only two movies did I ever see that received both 1 star (lowest available) and 4 star (highest available) ratings on different viewings. Those movies were Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia and Killing Of A Chinese Bookie. I love both of those films, and regard them in high esteem, but I can certainly understand someone thinking they were utter trash also. I think it's a special type of awkward brilliance (and Peckinpaugh and Cassavetes both fit that bill) that could produce such polarizing opinions of a film.

[@DenshoGiallo]

Great review, I love your channel. Keep up the good work !

[@joek.6259]

Thank you! A wonderful movie!!

[@juniorjames7076]

On my college campus in the early '90s, there was a film club that showed obscure films around midnight on the weekends. One Saturday night I was on my way to a party, but was kind of early so I thought I'd kill some time watching a little bit of whatever they were showing. It was John Cassavetes Husbands, and I must have been one the 6 or 8 people watching in that massive science auditorium. I immediately felt discomfort to what I was watching. Loud, unlikeable people screaming or shouting, no music or soundtrack, sounds of dishes and glasses crashing, story sequence confusing, ugh...- I kept want to get up and leave, but I was also mesmerized by what I was watching. I gave up the party, and stayed for the whole movie! I wasn't even sure I liked what I just saw, but the following week I couldn't stop thinking about that "horrible" movie! Finally I broke down and went to the film library on campus to watch it again. That day, I think checked out every movie John Cassavetes was in or directed. Life long fan ever since and Killing Of A Chinese Bookie is his masterpiece. PS: Check out Cassavetes take on screwball romantic comedy- Minnie & Moskowitz!

[@burpreynolds3250]

Ben Gazzara was the most talented actor to step in front of a camera. Top fucking notch.

[@miffyshoes]

This was fantastic!! Thank you for this :)

[@lastunctives2095]

Yeah it felt strange in the 70s with that strange texture that's hard to name . It seems to avoid beats the standard style and is like a long claustrophobic selfie mostly of Cosmo no sound track can see why it threw people it has become a cathartic and killed off contested ( classic ) of the 70s .I always rated it in spite of that flat pace but wasn't really sure why it was so hard to watch ? Thanks for an excellent pick has to one of the best reviews of 2022 . A strange film experience if you're looking for it but worth it and yeah probably Cassavettes best .10/10

[@djshowtrial4565]

Great analysis! Definitely a film I need to watch again

[@fishman7921]

great video, always been my fav from Cassavetes and never really understood the hate, nice seeing it get its flowers :)

[@dannybarrs]

Very helpful to one's understanding of this remarkable film. Thank you!

[@JohnMoseley]

I spent a birthday in the Dutch countryside, staying with an artist couple who lived next door to two more artists, also a couple. The next door couple came over with a birthday present for me: a DVD of this movie. 'It's such a perfect present that I already have it,' I said. I watched it next day with the guy I was staying with and he was fascinated. 'Oh!' he said suddenly during the garage scene, 'It's realist, but it's also absurdist.' This was exactly what I'd always thought about it.

[@patpagano]

IF only for the Mr Sophisitication scenes which were brutally edited, it's a masterpiece

[@tech5298]

Nicely done

[@kayanoreeves1949]

My favorite film is Broadway Danny Rose, and I see a few resemblances between Danny and Cosmo. I actually think Cosmo loves his club more than Danny believes in his acts. Both movies are really special IMO.

[@chrishills2427]

Love this movie

[@mustardegg2]

It has been confirmed that the Big Lebowski is a direct sequel to this movie.

[@JAE-li9vw]

yeah I can't say I enjoyed watching the movie but thank you for helping me appreciate it's substance

[@johnjohnston1086]

Thanks for this. This is my 3rd JC film and enjoyed it. The strip club looked a right good night back in the day.

[@TuneShucker]

Perhaps more west coast theater than east coast filmmaking. And improvisation. This is much looser than Scorsese. Damn! Thank you for what you are doing! American cinema of the 70's is (sometimes) understated and wonderful.

[@joelesser2550]

I hated this movie at first, but now I think it is great. - Great overview of the movie and cast! As a side comment, in recent years Alice Friedland said in an interview that she very attracted to Tim Carey during the making of this movie. - I'm still trying to wrap my brain around that one. - Maybe Tim held in his farts the days they worked together.

[@maciek8159]

Hahahah!!!! Thank you for making me laugh out loud genuinely. He's definitely a character that's for sure. I've only seen him in this film, paths of glory and one eyed jacks.

[@TuneShucker]

Not to clog your comments thread,

[@theosauve3504]

We really all need to let a fart out at the same time

[@goodbonezz1289]

I don’t know. Some of the scenes were way overdrawn.

[@SteKelly-jd8iu]

YOU BEEN HERE 7 YEARS, YOU DONT KNOW WHAT THE PARIS NUMBER IS??

[@user-kx1rd3hz5k]

Yeah it's a hard watch because Cosmo is so phoney in that American way. it could easily have slipped into a psychological horror thriller were the sheer unreality banality of terror delusionalism is outted. A very uncomfortable thing to view I always feel something is lurking in the scenes. Was it just a formal exercise in anti cinema new wave? Nah there's another film inside this one or half of it. A vision of hell psychosis. But whatever that self cannibalism might be will have to wait for it's extrapolating??? Uncomfortable to watch right in the guts. No wonder it died in its day. Forgot how creepy odd Cassavettes himself looks and acts.. Taxi Driver was just a b movie in comparison. Yeah that retro 20 /20 vision irks now. It was way under that radar.

[@sulevisydanmaa9981]

ALIENATION IS OUR NATION could be a better title for the work. REGRETTABLY, you completely failed or chose to ignore to position the film into the POSTNOIR sub-extension genre. The most recognizable determinants of the actual film noir are hiding in plain sight all over. The mentally jammed-up protagonist is constantly projecting the self-image of an existential refugee by putting up various role-reflections on what other people erraneously point out as "the self" - which actually does NOT exist as a monolith @ ALL. It is an evasive biological unit dressing up just as variously & randomnly as the tit-chicks performing onstage. The flux of urban hell, generally known as everyday market-based reality expectations and demands in daily life, produce here an interpretation of the entity of the seedy side of the not-so-glamorous side of the asphalt jungle of L.A. in the 70s. Carnally and effervescently, a certain inverted homage and an ode to SUNSET BLVD will evaporate out of the seems of the concocted script via the adequate usage of the tools of the trade the director so fathomably allows himself to portray, creating an aura of blatant exactness furnished with mundane mechanisms - much similarly as in Schrader s HARDCORE (from the same period). Urban realism is here more vivid than it actually could be. It is inasmuch as it can not mend itself. All corrections are corrupt, all amends doomed to fail, the bleak ideals rule the cityscape, the dreams have become succumbed. Failure is normalcy. LA has fallen - once again. Heroes have become extincted. Obfuscation is the only rule, the only way of life : putting up a front has become the only religion, our only daily Bread. Authenticity lies in lies, most vehemently, most ineradicably. Darkness carries all in its harness, in its limitless veiled truth. Its mouth is the bottomless pit - manifested in the film by the menacing mob, a miniature of capitalist evil, an analogy of dereliction of being a man. Cosmo s motto is as sartrean as it can be : "It does not matter who you are OR what personality you choose". It such democratically declares : choosing is losing if u aint got what winn7ng takes; life is a sham in the wilderness of the western syphilization, as is philosophy, a strange game of shifting shadows, odd variables, - nothing is permanent, the only stabile state is there is NO any such. Trust has been obliterated; "The Self" is an illusion, a fallacy, as is acting. They both only begin when they end. That happens every second, every mode. The ideal is ecstasy in nothingness of being - mysticism without god ! What a peep into The Deep ! No wonder John Coltrane & John Cassavetes have the same holy, unholy initials ... What about Jean Genet & Samuel Beckett (?) 🇫🇮

[@infrequentvlogs4433]

I am NOT a "Cassavetes fan who came to TKoaCB 'late,'" and I think it's BY FAR his best movie. By far. I don't think his best movies (adding Opening Night here) get as much love as lesser films.

[@terenceboris851]

this movie is genius.