Plot: What’s it about?
Movies like The Gambler are both brutally honest and somehow always explore the dark side of human nature. Naturally, the movie focuses on the life of an addicted gambler, but not the kind we’re used to seeing on screen. Though the movie is some twenty years old and very dated, the themes that it deals with are still prevelant today; and maybe even more so. As countless banner ads pop up on the internet, we can gamble with the click of a mouse now, this movie was back in the days when it was still a phone call away and the glitz and glory of Las Vegas or Atlantic City were the only two places in the country that one could go to legally gamble. Trying to identify with the character of Axel (James Caan), I found myself almost lost. As a professor of literature at a New York University, he’s obviously very educated himself. He reads Shakespeare, is very well thought of and highly respected at his job and has a passion for what he does. He’s also got a passion for gambling as well. His girlfriend (Lauren Hutton) loves him, but as his grandfather admits, she’s not for him.
As the film opens, we see Axel as he’s in an underground casino and well on his way to losing some $44,000 to some people you don’t want to lose money to. He makes foolish bets, doesn’t know when to quit and on top of all that; he’s unlucky. He borrows the money from his mother, but instead of paying his debt, he and his girlfriend decide to head out to Las Vegas for a day. This kind of confused me as Atlantic City isn’t that far of a drive from New York, but then again, Axel’s actions don’t really seem to make sense throughout the course of the movie. Add to this the fact that he has bet another $45,000 on three "sure thing" basketball games and you’ve got some problems. He wins in Vegas, but loses the basketball games and in a desperate attempt to win it back, bets (and loses) another $50,000 on another basketball game. He’s in big trouble.
Axel’s grandfather is very wealthy. He has built up a successful chain of furniture stores across the country and it might seem fit for Axel to ask him for the money. He doesn’t. Essentially, he’s left with the only option that he has left…he must ask one of his athlete students to try and fix the basketball game so that the bookies can profit off of it. Like one of my favorite movies, Rounders, the film isn’t afraid to explore the darker side of gambling and addiction. Even successful, professional people have problems and this movie shows us that in a harsh way. Essentially, this movie is all James Caan, but look for Paul Sorvino and a very young James Woods. The Gambler isn’t a "feel good" movie per se, it’s a frank look at gambling and the consequences of it. Even if you win, you lose because as he puts it in the film "All gamblers have one thing in common…they’re all looking to lose".
Video: How does it look?
For a film some 20 years old, The Gambler and it’s 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer look pretty good. As with a lot of films of the time, the outdoor shots look very detailed and sharp, while some of the indoor shots suffer from a hazy effect and some grain is evident. There is no real edge enhancement to speak of and flesh tones appear warm and natural. There are also plenty of afros to look at (even James Caan has some pretty funky hair throughout) and I’m proud to say that they all look dyno-mite! The greys and more muted palettes of the 70’s prevail, and the movie does a good job at capturing the themes of the mid 70’s.
Audio: How does it sound?
The original mono track is included here and it essentially serves it’s purpose. I think we’ve all become very spoiled with the new soundtracks as everything on screen seems to have a sound associated with it. Several shots of people playing basketball are shown during the film and you see the ball bounce, but hear no sound with it. I found it odd, but then realized that this is a mono track and what we’re meant to hear is the dialogue. Speaking of which, it sounds about average, but I found it a bit low in parts. Not too bad, but not that great either.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Though the back of the box says "Special Features Not Rated", I couldn’t find any. I suppose they’re saying that English subtitles, Scene Selections and Menus are "Special Features"? Not even a trailer to boot!
