Whats the best movie/doc/show about gambling addiction? - Page 4 - Poker News

Maury Chaykin. Beloved Canadian character actor. Most memorable in the lead role in a cult film called Whale Music about a Brian Wilson-esque rock n' roll recluse.

I vaguely remember hearing about Whale Music when it came out. Didn't know Chaykin was in it or more likely didn't know who he was at the time. Gonna check it out!

LOL at his "It's Tina Turner!" line in Owning Mahowny.

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03-26-2011 , 02:03 PM

#77

SnotBoogy

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 7,694

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewRyan

Often overlooked and underrated: "Even Money"

man that movie depressed the **** outta me

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03-26-2011 , 03:46 PM

#78

big e

centurion

Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 199

Owning Mahowny is def +1.

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Good film with small amount of gambling at the start.

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03-26-2011 , 04:04 PM

#79

Carnivore

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Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 8,232

Quote:

Originally Posted by luckyjimm

What's the name of that documentary DVD about broke American poker players/losers?

Edit: Poker Bustouts, watching now

It's funny watching all those degens talk about their failures and how they figure everyone else must be failing just like they are.

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03-26-2011 , 09:04 PM

#80

topbozza

enthusiast

Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 72

Quote:

Originally Posted by RNauta

I found it lacking. Theroux came across as a total stiff who shows no sympathy or willingness to understand anything. It's like that friend you have who thinks poker is nonsense, and when you explain it to him he is just saying 'yeah sure' with a look on his face that says "I am hearing you talk but I don't even want to listen, I'm just trying to keep a straight face instead of laughing in your face". And he's British, from the country with bookmakers on every street, where every adult gambles recklessly on dogs, horses, lotto or sports.

It's amazing he even found people willing to speak with him, with that attitude of not wanting to show any understanding I bet 90% of the people gave up trying to talk to him within 10 minutes.

Theroux goes to Vegas, and instead of actually going to a casino he just stays in the Hilton. They do offer some games but you could see it was just a wide open space with some tables and maybe a dozen people hanging there. He never even bothered to go to a real casino.

LOL at what you said. thats total bs

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03-26-2011 , 09:33 PM

#81

duh

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 5,741

(Grunch)

1974 was a good year for degen gambler movies:

-The Gambler
-California Split

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03-26-2011 , 10:11 PM

#82

zeroprogress2

grinder

Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 530

owning mahoney was a great movie, I'm glad I started this thread a year or so ago so that I could hear about that one. Even money was kinda weird. Its depressing and not much of a solid plot, its kinda like a bunch of stories from "degen stories" thread bunched together. The cooler was pretty cool, had some brutal scenes.

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03-26-2011 , 10:27 PM

#83

SnotBoogy

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Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 7,694

Quote:

Originally Posted by bursito

the casino scenes in swingers were awesome

that double down scene was just priceless. going low budget to vegas and getting met with something like that must just completely suck.

theres no where on earth where being broke is felt more than LV

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03-26-2011 , 10:40 PM

#84

Gianakki

journeyman

Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 360

fast eddie ---- the color of money and teh hustler (didn't notice these being mentioned)

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03-26-2011 , 11:16 PM

#85

NapoleonDolemite

adept

Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 823

Owning mahoney, Croupier, and the Hustler.

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03-26-2011 , 11:21 PM

#86

dandaman29

enthusiast

Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 96

Owning Mahoney and the Louis Theroux doc are both great.
The book Whale Hunt in the Desert by Steve Cyr is awesome too. I think he was interviewed on 2+2 Pokercast. Great interview and great book!

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03-26-2011 , 11:34 PM

#87

RussellinToronto

veteran

Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,198

Quote:

Originally Posted by illdonk

Frederick also wrote an excellent fictionalized version of his gambling difficulties called Bob the Gambler. I'd recommend reading both together.

I'll add a vote for the Barthelmes' book about their blackjack (and also, even though FB talks about how stupid it was, slots) addiction, Double Down, plus FB's Bob the Gambler. Watching the two of them go through their inheritance is riveting. And Frederic B. is an excellent writer who really captures the psychology of wandering around in a casino compulsively throwing away money. The fact that they were not the usual degenerates but respectable academic types added to the poignancy of it all for me.

How they managed to lose so much money and still get accused of cheating is one of the odd puzzles of the whole story.

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03-27-2011 , 04:03 AM

#88

arkyten

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Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 364

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsasexywaytoCRAI

Yeah, I also just wanna chime in and say Owning Mahowny is great, outstanding performance by Seymour Hoffman. Read on the imdb boards (something which always leaves me with less faith in humanity) where someone was complaining that he was boring and nothing special, pretty much the complaint was that his performance was "unflashy", which is precisely why it is so good. The polar opposite of how, say, Nicolas Cage might treat such a role.

This is a great movie! The clue to being a degenerate gambler is the final craps scenes. Racks & racks of $5000 chips ( I think that was the denomination) and you know what happens next!!!!!

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03-27-2011 , 04:06 AM

#89

ToDeepToFold

grinder

Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 515

2 Months 2 Million

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03-27-2011 , 04:27 AM

#90

blitzforce

centurion

Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 110

Quote:

Originally Posted by hijack

Owning Mahowny

This, its not even close...

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03-27-2011 , 07:47 AM

#91

GRANTCKING

banned

Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 751

just watched owning mahoney after reading this thread, good watch

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03-27-2011 , 09:22 AM

#92

soapdodger

adept

Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,079

esp for the ending

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03-27-2011 , 12:14 PM

#93

JackCase

adept

Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 956

Quote:

Originally Posted by apt-get

PSH is one of my favourite character actors

Hoffman had a brief role in a movie about gambling called "Hard Eight" some time back. Go to YouTube and search on "hard eight cigarette". I didn't link it because of language, and not sure about policy on that here.

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03-27-2011 , 12:26 PM

#94

mako17pa

journeyman

Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 336

Quote:

Originally Posted by stone75

Nobody mentioned "The Cincinnati Kid" with Seve McQueen, Karl Malden, Edward G. Robinson? OMG I think I'm oldschool

great poker movie. the scene late in the movie with mcqueen holding a stack of 100s in his hand like a weapon. nl 5card stud. i want play right now.

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03-27-2011 , 01:12 PM

#95

Priapus1

adept

Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,105

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRANTCKING

just watched owning mahoney after reading this thread, good watch

Same here. Great recommendation. Thanks guys.

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03-27-2011 , 01:17 PM

#96

Priapus1

adept

Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,105

Quote:

Originally Posted by RNauta

And he's British, from the country with bookmakers on every street, where every adult gambles recklessly on dogs, horses, lotto or sports.

...

He himself even admits after playing high stakes blackjack that he certainly experienced the thrill of risking his money, and could appreciate how someone could become addicted to that thrill. However, he's sensible enough to realise that the majority of casino games are games of luck, with the casino always having an edge and takes his small winnings back to his room and calls it a night.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karamazov

+1

Forget films. Read Dostoevsky.

I just bought The Gambler after finally finishing Brothers. Wasn't ole Dosto himself a degenerate card player?

Last edited by Priapus1; 03-27-2011 at 01:30 PM.

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03-27-2011 , 04:16 PM

#97

mr21

journeyman

Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 304

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helloffabooeerrr

Owning Mahony is a hell of a film...Great Acting.

the book is much better

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03-29-2011 , 10:03 PM

#98

RussellinToronto

veteran

Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,198

Quote:

Originally Posted by Priapus1

...
I just bought The Gambler after finally finishing Brothers. Wasn't ole Dosto himself a degenerate card player?

Not cards but roulette.

From a short bio on the Dartmouth U. site (http://www.dartmouth.edu/~karamazo/bio08.html):
"The most persistent challenge would prove to be Dostoevsky's addiction to gambling. Dostoevsky was obsessed with games, particularly roulette. In gambling, he found the terrific thrill of staking his fortunes, but he also felt great shame in not being able to stop himself. For Dostoevsky, gambling was high spiritual drama. In it he found expression of the soul's despair and its twin hope for redemption."