The 1976 film The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, directed by John Cassavetes, was definitely another unique one. Mr. Klobuchar was right in saying that Cassavetes takes some getting used to. Overall, I enjoyed this film better than Faces. It had a little more sustenance. I liked the bright lighting and colors used in the film, it made it more appealing to the eye and caught my attention.
When I watch a film, often times there is one scene in particular that sticks out to me and catches my attention (once again). Whether its a cinematic element or a literary element.
In this film a specific scene that I keep thinking about focused on a literary element. Ben Gazzara plays the character of a strip club owner named Cosmo Vitelli. When Cosmo is sitting around with some of the dancers talking; he says, "People are happy when they are comfortable". This quote immediately popped into my head and got me thinking: "that is so true!" Coming from a gambler, that is somewhat insightful. To me it sort of bounces off of the whole: money doesn't buy you happiness. However, Cosmo could have very well meant that money buys comfort, which would resolve in money "buying" happiness. I like to take the quote and relate it to more internal comfort, not material comfort. For most of us humans; if we are comfortable with ourselves, we are happy. I mean obviously not everyone is happy 24/7 like in Pleasantville (Gary Ross 1998), but a more general happiness.
For the most part I enjoyed watching The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, and I really like when films have something I can connect to outside of the box of images and sounds.
1 comment:
I really liked that quote. I personally took it to be referring to confidence. When people are comfortable and generally confident in themselves and their life it sort of defines happiness.
You talked a little bit about the bright colors in the film, and I don't quite know what you're talking about. But Cassavetes' style has definitely grown on me. I like the longer shots, shot sort of from a ghost-subjective view.
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