killing of a chinese bookie be and from time to time and not easy to sit through . john cassavetes have one of the harsh style of any independent director in film history while his close ups can be out of focus and wavering and mostly hand hold and and his dp probably have only enough light depend on when cassavetes could get the dough for them . but limitation that be put on cassavetes and either by choice ( which be arguable ) or by cost and do not make the film feel compromise . if anything it add to the idiosyncrasy and noir quality of the script while it a surprisingly well direct film that cassavetes have and but it not simply this that leave a lasting impression . chinese bookie make it impact because of mood and character and ben gazarra performance and and an attention scene to scene where people be in the low common denominator ( a strip club and a gangster office or car and on the run ) . while cassavetes have the theme that run through the pulpiest story and the most thrilling thriller of the 40 and 50 and it still casavetes through and through . like many of the director best work and too and the premise be there plain and simple and and it always the context of the dialog and the connection the actor have and the time take for a cut away and that make the big difference . gazarra be cosmo and a club owner who have his stripper do their dance to a weird and sort of pathetic lounge singer and and he have just wipe his debt clean . then he go again and make his debt rise by gamble once more and and take out a loan from some mobster . when they offer an option to wipe out the debt kill a bookie in chinatown causing problem for the competition he totally reluctant and but agree on a bad threat . the consequence be not the simple cene of the crime cop get involved good triumph kind of deal and however . surround this premise be scene that verge on the meditative while a lot of time we see cosmo look on at his eccentric club and or with his girl and and gazarra make him a curious sort and a man who lead a crude and mismanaged life but be never vulgar and never even mean and and beneath his calm exterior follow the murder ( one of the most startling kill scene i have ever see and not just for the obvious other casualty ) be a loneliness and almost a longing for something else . he should be just another shady character among the lot of them and but a he get in deeper with the gangster and and subvert his conscience ( probably another strong theme here and as well a demean oneself because of people put one down ) and the audience can suddenly have some sympathy for a man who should have none . even when a moment could be dull or uninvolving and gazarra make u involved and without call attention to his emotion in obvious way . it a career highlight if ever there be one . and cassavetes continually film without a net and without a desire to do it mainstream . i admire how cosmo watch the girl audition for the club and but he never pan up only show leg walk back and forth until she step down . or the nighttime scene with cosmo or the gangster in the car and about a dark and ominous a possible . and the way that cassavetes open and close his film be most intriguing of all ( if one be still watch by the end and a mention it might turn off some viewer expect a more conventional narrative ) we see the singer and who have no self confidence follow night after night be boo while try to have his own unique style in sing for the girl to dance to and and finally he just walk off after not be able to take any more ( this be the last shot and follow an ambiguous end for cosmo and a his fate be leave open to chance or damnation ) . there almost a parallel that can be make not just to the singer and cosmo ( comso be boo off or not successful and in a sense and from life in general ) and but to cassavetes himself . it strange and provocative and like a story take for grant of the gambler have to pay debt in an unforgiving underworld set give some fresh life and a sense of possibility for what can be do in the genre . i can not wait to watch it again and perhaps even the 1976 version . only note of warn represent if it your first time with cassavetes start with something else like face or woman under the influence . but if you want to take a risk and here the risky picture of any genre from 1976 .