Welcome to 8 Ball on the Silver Screen! This blog is exclusively about billiards movies, billiards TV shows, billiards short films, and billiards web series. I’m reviewing every one of the 300+ that I have found.
My Latest Billiards Movies Review
In 1961, when 20th Century Fox released The Hustler, Robert Rossen not only made history by directing the gold standard of billiards movies, but also forever popularized the hustler avocation and its association with pool. Though the term “hustler” had been used by road players throughout the twentieth century, and was also the title of Walter Tevis’ first novel, from which The Hustler was adapted two years later, it was Rossen’s movie that permanently injected the hustler into billiards pop culture.
Over the last 63 years, the “hustler” appellation has appeared in more than two dozen billiards movie and television episode titles, ranging from short films (e.g, The Hustle) to international films (e.g., Io, Chiara e lo Scuro, aka The Pool Hustlers); from sketch comedies (e.g., “The Hustler of Money”) to documentaries (e.g., Raising the Hustler); from games shows (e.g., Minnesota Fats Hustles the Pros) to reality shows (e.g., The Hustlers).
The films and shows below are all members of that titular tribe of “hustlers,” tipping their cultural hat to Rossen’s original masterpiece. They all have a whole lotta hustle, even if, unfortunately, most don’t have that much else about which to boast. Read the full post HERE.
Every Billiards Movie, TV Episode, Short Film and Web Series…EVER
I’ve discovered more than 400 billiards movies, TV episodes, short films, and web series. Below are the first 10 full-length billiards movies I believe were ever made. Check out my full list. Also take a look at my list of billiards scenes from other (non-billiards) movies and TV shows.
- Bad Boy (1935)
- The Hustler (1961)
- There Are No Thieves in This Village (1965, Mexico)
- The Player (1971)
- Wandering Ginza Butterfly (1971, Japan)
- Vai Trabalhar Vagabundo (1973, Brazil)
- Festival at the Poolroom (1975, Israel)
- O Jogo Da Vida (1977, Brazil)
- Three Card Monte (1978, Canada)
- The Baltimore Bullet (1980)
The Top Billiards Movies “Top 10” Lists
Okay, not all of these go up to ten, but I guarantee these lists will make you think twice about billiards and pop culture. Have an idea for a list? Send me an email with your suggestion.
- Top 10 Billiards Brawls
- Top 10 Baddies of Billiards Movies
- Rated B for Billiards: Top 10 Billiards Bedroom Scenes
- Top 15 #FakeBilliardsMovies
- The #FakeBilliardsMovies Global Conspiracy
- Be Careful of the #FakeBilliardsMovie Scam
- Top 10 Billiards Movie Posters
- Top 10 Cartoon Cue Stick Carriers
- Top 12 Billiards Comic Book Covers
- Top 10 Billiards Breaks
- Another Top 10 Billiards Commercial List
- One More Top 10 Billiards Commercial List
- Can Billiards Ads Sell Cat Food?
- Top 10 Pool Players Playing Pool in Movies
- Top 8 List of Billiards Players Promoting Products
- Top 10 Billiards Songs and Music Videos
- Top 7 Billiards Companies Starring in TV and Movies
- Top 7 Billiards Tables Not for Sale
- Top 10 Wish List of Billiards Screenplay Adaptations
- Billiards: More Than a Game, It’s a Game Show
- Inaugural Billiards-Themed Non-Billiards Magazine Awards – Part 1
- Inaugural Billiards-Themed Non-Billiards Magazine Awards – Part 2
Win $20 in FREE Billiards Supplies
Do you see a billiards movie, TV episode, short film, or web series missing from my list? If so, send me an email with the name of the missing show. If you’re right, I’ll send you a $20 gift certificate for FREE billiards supplies courtesy of Pooldawg, the pool player’s best friend.
I was talking to matthew allready. By his side I found your side.
I found three titles I did not have.
I have a list with 4409 titels of movies having pool, snooker or billiard scenes in it
From 80 % of those I have a foto, captures, the dvd or digitelized video scenes.
I have a digital database with at least 50.000 images of movie scenes
Besides that i have 400 TV series with captures and or video of the billiard scenes
I posses more or less 500 photo,s lobby cards or posters of the billiard scene in those movies
I think i collected over the last 30 years the biggest collection about billiards in the movies, there exist in the world.
Is this interesting and you think about an offer maybe together with matthew, I will hear from you.
When you answer me by email, you will get 3 titels from me with captures from movies from 1920.
With regards, Hans de Wilde
LOVE YOUR OFFERS AND CONTESTS TOO!!!
Hello, I´m really excited with this webpage, congratulations!
A high school principal told me about a movie where they teach pool in a high school to students with social problems. Do you know which is that movie? Thanks for your unvaluable work!
Poscript: I have a dream, to make a pool movie in Costa Rica with a social and political approach
It is possible your principal is referring to the 1990 movie “Lambada” (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099969/). About 41 minutes into the film, there is a whole school scene in which they use pool to teach the rectangular coordinate system. You can see the dialogue here: http://www.qedcat.com/moviemath/lambada.html
Where can you watch or buy a copy of 9 ball??
It looks like they stopped producing the new DVD, but you can buy used on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00ATGHU9E/ref=tmm_dvd_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=1489505418&sr=8-1)
The color of money
There’s no list without “The Color of Money.” You can see the full list at https://www.billiardsmovies.com/complete-list-of-movies-shorts-and-tv-shows/
Okay People The Movie That Everyone Is Trying To Think Of Is…. Its Still One Of The Greatest Movies Still To This Day….
It Stars: Edward James Olmos In The Movie Stand And Deliver
Hi – would you consider
https://www.comedy.co.uk/podcasts/richard_herring_snooker/
relevant here?
It’s a broadcast of sorts, though not fitting the movie, tv show, short film, ad format & lacking the visuals.
About a guy playing snooker against himself extensively.
Thanks for sharing! To date, I’ve drawn an arbitrary line and excluded podcasts, but I may revisit that decision in the future.
There was a mivie named “Match” in 2006. It was from Israel or had a Jewish element to it since it was featured at a Jewish Film Fest in the SF Bay Area. There is a version of it on YouTube but because of Copyrights or ?? the timing is tweaked.
Put this on your list.
Daniel, thank you so much for alerting me to this movie. I was not aware of it. Do you have a link to it on YouTube or any additional information on it so I can research it? Unfortunately, with its generic title, I am coming up empty when I try to find it. There are 39 “Match” movies on IMDB, but none seem to fit the description or are from around 2006.
Dear Blogger,
I read your recent post regarding the relationship between The Godfather and pool. I believe this topic was incorporated into an earlier version of the script where Vito and Michael Corleone muse about Michael’s future and the transfer of power:
Don Corleone:
I like to play pool more than I used to.
Michael:
It’s good for ya, Pop.
Don Corleone:
Anyway I’m playin’ more.
For reasons unexplained, pool was changed to wine and drinking.
Thank you for your excellent material.
Chet M
I can research it? Unfortunately, with its generic title, I am coming up empty when I try to find it. There are 39 “Match” movies on IMDB, but none seem to fit the description or are from around 2006.