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Fratelli Breaks (billiards short film)

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Uttering a sentiment that could melt the phenolic resin off a billiard ball, Alex Scigliano explained to me the impetus for his 2007 short film Fratelli Breaks. “We made this film because we want to make the greatest pool movie ever made some day.”

Fratelli BreaksScigliano, along with his older brother Marcus, co-wrote, co-directed, and co-starred in this 17-minute movie, while he was a student in Boston University’s College of Communication.  Shot over 18 days in Boston and parts of New Jersey, the superbly filmed movie ultimately won the Best Film Award at the Sumner Redstone Film Festival and the Best Cinematography Award at the Boston International Film Festival.

The gritty story, which has no dialogue for the first 3 minutes, focuses on Carmine and Guy Bianco, two brothers (played by the Sciglianos) who play each other for $10,000 in nine-ball billiards on the anniversary of their father’s murder.  Jumping in time between the brothers at their current age and the brothers at a much younger age learning the hustler’s trade from their father, it’s a story that feels a bit crammed in the space of 17 minutes, but could make for a fantastic full-length film.  More on that later.

Interestingly, the origin of the story is based on truth.  According to Scigliano, “When my mother went back to school to get her Master’s degree, she could no longer shepherd us to church and left the responsibilities to my father. Little did we know of his disdain for organized religion.  Instead of taking us to church for two years, my father took us to a pool hall and taught us how to dead stroke. The ‘Cue Balls for Christ Ministry’ he called it. He taught us how to hustle. He taught us about life.”

That background is relevant for two reasons.  The first is for the film’s authenticity.  Half the film is shot in the Bunker, a Boston bar with a single pool table.  The place is populated by guys with names like Jimmy Feathers, Mike the Arm, Nicky Sausage and Joey Bananas.  And while those monikers aren’t real, “the Paisanos in the Bunker…they’re not actors,” Scigliano shared. “They’re real people and they really don’t fuck around.” The decision to shoot in black-and-white (a technique that equally benefited the billiards movie Chalk) also adds to the close-quartered realism.

The second reason is for the billiards cinematography (starting around 09:35). Scigliano told me that when he and his brother saw The Color of Money, “it changed our lives.”  That’s no surprise when you watch the pool-playing.  Similar to Martin Scorsese, Scigliano uses a lot of different filming techniques to capture the energy and beauty of billiards.  The brothers are also damn fine players, so it doesn’t hurt to watch Alex make a five ball run in one continuous camera shot.  And, again emulating their muse Scorsese, the pool-playing is anchored by some hard-rock, blues-pounding music from local Boston musicians Ernie and the Automatics, and James Montgomery and Johnny A.

In addition to winning some awards and being “the most fun he’s ever had,” Fratelli Breaks also caused Scigliano to “lose 20 pounds, almost fail out of school, and lose [his] job as a bartender,” according to a 2008 interview in The Phoenix .  On the brighter side, it introduced the brothers to a commercial producer in New York City that landed them some gigs a few years later.  And finally, it remains “the template of for the feature film we want to make.”  More on that now.

Scigliano tells me that he is currently re-writing a feature-length adaptation of Fratelli Breaks.  What will make the movie different than other billiards movies (and, more broadly, other sports movies) is the goal. “Sports movies usually focus on an outward goal of winning that is tied to an internal conflict – redemption.  Ours is different.  Winning is killing.  It’s not simply a sports movie.  It’s a true revenge film, where the goal is murder.”

In the full-length, the brothers will aim to avenge their father’s murder by finding his killer, O’Boy, and hustling him out of everything he has.  Scigliano adds, “It will be set in the ‘60s, during the zeitgeist of the pool renaissance that followed the release of The Hustler. The tournament the boys must find and beat O’Boy at is based off the legendary Johnson City Hustler’s Jamboree in Little Egypt, Illinois.  R.A. Dyer’s literature is a major influence…All the classic hustlers – Wimpy Lasseter, Jersey Red, Knoxville Bear, Cowboy Jimmy Moore, Boston Shorty, Tuscaloosa Squirrel, even the real life Minnesota Fats Rudolf Wanderone – will be present.”

So, watch Fratelli Breaks, and get a taste of what is hopefully to come in the future. In the interim, keep up with the Scigliano Brothers by checking out their YouTube page.

9-Ball (billiards movie)

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Though 12 different billiards movies have been released since Poolhall Junkies in 2003 (Don’t believe me?  Check my list.), the only one that really catalyzed the billiards community with anticipation and passion was the most recent one, the 2012 billiards movie 9-Ball, written and directed by Tony Palma.

9-Ball with Jennifer Barretta - Billiards MovieIt wasn’t just that the film starred Women’s Professional Billiard Association (WPBA) pool professional Jennifer “9mm” Barretta as the lead, or that Allison “The Dutchess of Doom” Fisher and Jeanette “Black Widow” Lee, perhaps the two most famous women in billiards, were going to appear in the movie.  It wasn’t even that the American Poolplayers Association (APA), the world’s largest pool league, was a sponsor of the movie (though it significantly helped that the APA marketed the movie to its 265,000 members).   It was that the movie sought to show pool as a professional sport.  As Palma told me, “I wanted to take the essence of pool out of the smoky backroom bar scene and shine a bright spotlight on it…I wanted to focus on one woman’s dream of becoming a professional pool player.”

This proven, well-worn theme of an aspiring athlete overcoming obstacles to pursue a dream is so recognizable in cinema, from Rocky to Rudy, from Hoosiers to Hoop Dreams, yet it had never been done in billiards, a sport that is too often derided as a barroom game with professional players too often caricatured as hustlers.  (Yes, the movie The Hustler likely contributed more to the popularity of pool than any other single event, but it also did reinforce the stereotype.)

Under this lens, it’s clear why the APA sponsored the film, why the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) endorsed the film, and why interest and enthusiasm abounded from all across the globe, years before the film even began shooting.  Similarly, it’s why individuals like Allison Fisher and Jeanette Lee lent their name.  According to Palma, “[Jeanette] felt the movie would be beneficial to pool…She felt it would get people interested in playing in an organized league…she felt it told a very positive story about pool and about women in pool.”

For those not familiar with the movie, it follows the life of a young Gail (played by Barretta), who is left in the care of her creepy uncle Joey (played by Kurt Hanover), after her father is murdered.  The uncle, sensing great pool skills in his niece, turns her onto the life of hustling and uses her as a way to make money for himself.  But, as Gail gets older, she aspires to break out of that lifestyle and join the APA to become a professional 9-ball champion.

(Interestingly, Poolhall Junkies also is about a skilled billiards player who dreams of becoming a professional, but has his plans sabotaged by his mentor/trainer, also named Joe.  Of course, that’s where the similarities between the two movies stop, and as we all know, Poolhall Junkies ultimately presented a far less positive portrayal of league play/players.)

9-Ball took Palma almost 5 years and a budget just under $1 million to make, such was the challenge of “independently writing, casting, directing and producing a dramatic, contemporary, character-driven feature film.” Financing was a big issue.  Fortunately, Palma produced a trailer from some of the original scenes that generated excitement and ultimately landed him an angel investor.

With all the anticipating mounting for so long, it is not a surprise that when the movie was finally released in November, 2012, reviews ran the gamut (as you can clearly see on IMDB or Amazon).  Regardless of whether the movie is a little too “feel-good,” my primary criticism of 9-Ball is the sheer lack of pool.  In my interviews with both Palma and Barretta, they dismissed this criticism.  “It’s really a character-driven story more than it’s a story about pool,” said Palma.  Barretta also said, “It’s not a movie about pool, it’s a movie with pool in it.  I don’t think a montage of fancy shots will help tell the story.  Nobody is impressed by them.”  But, given the movie’s noble purpose, I wish the movie had emphasized and shown in much greater detail the beauty, skill and art of an exceptional game of billiards.  Of course, Martin Scorsese did this exceptionally in The Color of Money, as did Mars Callahan in Poolhall Junkies.  But, even a little known film like Carambola (2005) figured out how to weave in incredible examples of three-cushion shots.  In 9-Ball, Barretta’s final rail shot is a stunner, but it’s a rare treat.

On the other hand, I think too many of the movie’s harshest critics did not understand Palma’s underlying objective to “shine a bright spotlight on pool…and to talk about a sport that is deserving of being in the Olympics.” Measured against this goal, I give the movie high marks, and I join the thousands of others around the world who, according to Palma, have sent emails and Facebook messages saying how much they appreciated the portrayal of billiards in 9-Ball and its obvious respect and love for the sport.

To conclude, I want to share the sentiments expressed by Michael J’s Cues in Toledo, Ohio. “Overall in my opinion this movie promotes the game and that is great for the business of billiards…An honest reflection of the game as it stands today!! The game of billiards needs to be shown more as a game the whole family can enjoy.”.

To watch or purchase 9-Ball, go to Tubi or Roku.  You can also join the 9-Ball community on its Facebook page or follow 9-Ball on Twitter (@9Ballthemovie).

Special congratulations to Jeanette Lee, who appeared in 9-Ball, for her induction just days ago into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame.

Ballbreakers (billiards TV game show)

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For a fleeting moment in July 2005, members of the billiards community were aroused by a new billiards TV show – specifically, a billiards game show featuring both amateur “pool sharks” and celebrities – that debuted on the Game Show Network.

Produced by Sokolobl Entertainment, the show Ballbreakers (originally titled No Limit 9 Ball) consisted of contestants competing in 9-ball for a chance to win $20,000.  Giving the show its billiards imprimatur was Ewa Mataya Laurance (“The Striking Viking”), who provided commentary on game play and expert advice on shots if asked by the players, as well as Mars Callahan, the director of Poolhall Junkies, who was the show’s co-executive producer.   Adding to the show’s popular appeal was Adrianne Curry, winner of the first season of America’s Top Model, who served as the series’ “Rack Girl.”

Billiards TV - BallbreakersWith its cover story in the July 2005 issue of Pool & Billiard Magazine, the show sparked a brief surge of debate about its merit and role in improving the popular image of pool.  Rob Lobl, one of the show’s creators, said, “Pool is coolest in the movies…and the lamest thing on TV.”  His partner, Sam Sokolow, added, “With the right set, the right format, we knew we could come up with the coolest pool show ever…the sky is the limit.”

But, among billiards players, the reactions were more polarizing, even before it premiered.  One person posting in the Billiards Digest Forum said, “This program will probably bring more interest to the game and more pool players.”  While another person countered by saying, “Great.  Another dumbass show to lower the bar…whatever happened to elegance and the beauty of this game to those who really can play.”

In hindsight, Ballbreakers had very little impact on billiards.  This was, in a large part, because the show wasn’t particularly good, and it was cancelled in 2006.   Why, you might ask?  Let’s start with the premise: watching amateur players compete in 9-ball is only interesting to watch on TV if the billiards-playing is decent.  But, the contestants never ran more than a few shots and often missed easy ones.  Similar to hearing bad jokes told at an amateur comedy show, some of the playing became downright cringe-worthy.

This “lousy pool” dynamic in turn made the Striking Viking’s job as commentator kind of a joke, too.  Laurance may be an ESPN commentator, a member of the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame, and a winner of all the major events on the WPBA tour, but even she couldn’t breathe much excitement into average playing and positioning.

The addition of Sal Masekela (X Games) as host also did little to dial up the engagement factor, especially because he was asked to treat the contestants as caricatures (e.g., the gay player “Cupcake,” the big player “Beefcake, etc.).  I did, however, enjoy his catchphrase, “Good luck.  Break some balls.”

A group of b- and c-list celebrities, including Tia Carrere (Wayne’s World), Lou Diamond Phillips (La Bamba) and Noah Wyle (ER) also joined two episodes of the series to boost ratings, but had little long-term impact.  However, at least one of those celebrities – Dorian Harewood – gets an honorary shout-out from me, for he also appeared 6 years earlier in the pool movie Kiss Shot, the topic of a future blog post.

I’ve included above one full episode of Ballbreakers, divided into four segments.  Watch them all, but I encourage you to check out the most novel part of the episode, which was Laurance’s introduction of the game “Jawbreakers” (Segment 2, 7:38) to get table control in the 2nd round.  It’s an interesting game designed to test how fast the players can pocket the 6 balls arranged next to the 6 pockets on the table.  But, like the show itself, it quickly falls apart.

The Baron and the Kid

As far back as 1906, there have been movies based on songs, such as the silent short Waiting at the Church, based on the music hall song of the same name by Vesta Victoria.  Over the years, the genre has expanded to include more well-known movies, such as Alice’s Restaurant, Yellow Submarine, The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia, and Born in East L.A.

To this atypical list, we must also add the 1984 made-for-TV-movie, The Baron and the Kid, directed by Gary Nelson and starring Johnny Cash as William “The Baron” Addington.

The Baron and the Kid (billiards movie)Based on Cash’s 1980 song “The Baron,” the title track of his 1981 Columbia Records album of the same name, The Baron and the Kid was derided by pundits as a feeble attempt to follow in the footprint of Kenny Rogers’ The Gambler (1980) – another movie based on a song – and rope in those same fans.  (There is something inherently in the story-driven DNA of C&W songs that lends themselves to movie translation. See also Convoy; Ode to Billy Joe; and Take This Job and Shove It.)

In any event, this criticism is not entirely unfounded.  The Baron and the Kid follows the basic sentimental father-son drama as The Gambler in that it casts Cash as an ex-pool hustler determined to rectify the wrongs of his violent, alcoholic past life by establishing a relationship with his son, Billy Joe “The Cajun Kid” Stanley (Greg Webb), who his ex-wife Dee Dee Stanley (June Carter Cash) had kept a secret for 18 years.

Wish I had a known ya
When you were a little younger
Around me you might have learned
a thing or two
If I had known you longer
You might be a little stronger
And maybe you’d shoot straighter
Then you doooo

Not surprisingly, that reunion doesn’t go swimmingly well at first, especially since the Cajun Kid, now a successful small Southern town hustler, has no interest changing his cue stick ways and listening to the Man in Black.

Apparently, when there is “nothing to lose, everything to win,” the only way to forge a father-son bond and remedy almost two decades of absence is to bond over billiards on the road and get “in the zone…a combination of what experience tells you to do, the ego wants you to do, and the nerves will let you do.”  This includes competing against Dr. Pockett (played by the perfectly named Earl Poole Ball, Johnny Cash’s pianist of 20 years) in a double-elimination tournament;  playing a “10-game freeze out” against the menacing Frosty (memorably and most ironically played by Richard Roundtree a.k.a. “Shaft”) and his posse of rednecks;  and trading shots with trick-shot legend Mike Massey, who makes a cameo as a rival 9-ball player.

Regardless of the predictable plot, the fact is any billiards movie starring Johnny Cash gets a thumbs-up from me.  And, without question, this is a billiards movie.  It opens with an incredible series of pool shots performed by Cash (reflecting the brilliance of technical adviser Mike Massey). There are then frequent pool games and demonstrations of pool prowess, including the introduction of Tracy Pollan (future spouse of Michael J. Fox) as pool-shooting Southern belle Mary Beth Phillips.  And, of course, like so many other billiards movies (e.g., The Color of Money; Up Against the 8 Ball; Kiss Shot), there is the culminating final tournament, in this case, the National Pocket Billiards 9-Ball Championship

And while the movie is rather hackneyed, it does introduce one aspect of pool that I’ve not seen in other movies – namely, the practice of ”jarring,” in which a player has his opponent’s drink spiked with drugs (e.g., amphetamine) to make him overconfident so that he’ll undertake impossible shots.  I couldn’t turn up much research on the practice, though a handful of message boards confirmed that “jarring” was done through the 1980s.  Of course, today in sports, the issue is less about drugging one’s opponent than it is about self-doping…yes, even in billiards.   Just ask German billiards champ Axel Buescher, who was stripped of his national carom billiards title in 2008.

The Baron and the Kid is widely available to rent or buy online.

The Baron and the Kid v2Additional information of interest:

8-Ball: Coming to a Theater Near You

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Suppose I told you there was an upcoming billiards movie that borrows storytelling, narration, and plot elements from Godfather Part II, GoodFellas, The Usual Suspects, and The Silence of the Lambs?

Yeah, I thought I might have your attention now.

Well, then get ready for 8-Ball, a billiards crime drama that is expected to be released at the New York Film Festival this September.

8 Ball - Billiards MovieI had the pleasure of interviewing David Barroso, the lead actor and executive producer of 8-Ball.  Though he was on only 2 hours of sleep, Barroso was incredibly personable and talkative about the film, and his passion and enthusiasm were contagious.

Barroso was rather secretive about the complete plot, but the gist of the story is that it begins 10 years ago with a fateful encounter at a pool hall in Queens, New York, between Ramone Torzo, the neighborhood mobster, who is a great pool player, and four neighborhood friends.  When a phony bet is made on a game of 8-ball, the situation goes horribly wrong, and Torzo is forced to flee across the country. As the film shifts from black-and-white to color, the story picks up a decade later with Torzo, having left his billiards life (among other things) behind, comfortably settled into the Hollywood lifestyle.  But, that ability to escape his past is threatened when a local cop, who is also a pool player, finds him, threatening to undermine his new lifestyle.

Seemingly, it’s a thriller that has the usual share of twists, suspense and dead bodies.  But, this story is based on the life of a real mobster, for whom “pool was his life.” And so while gangster movie fans will rejoice over the newest true crime biopic, billiards movies fans will equally celebrate a movie in which one-third focuses on pool (and was filmed on location between Rack Em-Up in Queens and Mr. Pockets in Manhattan Beach, CA).

The story behind the billiards movie is as compelling as the movie itself.  Much of the movie was filmed 10 years ago by David Manzano, the original director and writer.  But, the movie stalled when Manzano left to pursue his music career.  Fortunately, Barroso would not let the movie wither.  He says, “I wanted to get this movie done.  I owed it to a lot of people.” Along with cinematographer Adrian Manzano, Barroso committed himself to raising the financing and finishing the movie, which included filming the remaining 40-50%, attracting all-star talent like actor Paul Ben-Victor (who fans of The Wire will forever remember as Spiros “Vondas” Vondopoulos) and assembling a killer soundtrack with music from The Rolling Stones, James Brown, and Eminem.

So, whether you’re a movie lover or a pool player, keep your eyes open for 8-Ball.  Fingers crossed it will premiere at the New York Film Festival, before moving on to the Hollywood Film Festival (October), the 10th Annual Big Apple Film Festival (November) and the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City (January).  And, if all goes well, we should see it on the big screen in select cities around April, 2014.

For ongoing updates, check out the film’s Facebook page and homepage.