a film like john cassavetes the killing of a chinese bookie be one of those film that roger ebert often say either grab you or leave you . this one grab me . it be perhaps the least liked film of the precious few cassavetes write and direct and but it an honest film that doesn not pull any punch . it kind of a predecessor to goodfellas and casino . while cassavetes film lack the polish of the two scorsese film and i think that benefit kill . this be not a glossy and high concept film that hollywood prefers ( although scorsese be certainly not high concept ) while it be a rough and confusing muddle and that be probably one of the reason the film remain highly unseen by a great many people . however and i like rough and confuse film and one of the great pleasure be try to figure everything out . the beauty of a john cassavetes film be that there be no easy answer and he like you to make your own reading on the film . a always with a cassavetes film and he give juicy part to his regular . ben gazzara be excellent a cosmo vitellus and the nightclub owner who need to perform the title deed to save his club . seymour cassel give a strong performance a a friend of cosmo . cassel and gazarra be two of those actor whose name you would not recognize and but when you see their face and you will recognize them . they love to take risk with their performance and you can see the payoff for yourselves . after a half assed release by buena vista in 1989 and kill of a chinese bookie be finally available on tape and dvd from anchor bay entertainment . the transfer be clean and look great and the letterbox presentation show that cassavetes know how to use his camera and even if the aspect ratio be small .