This release can only be found in the following box set: John Cassavetes: Five Films
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The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
Licensor Information
Jumer Productions, Inc.
Directed by: John Cassavetes
John Cassavetes engages with film noir in his own inimitable style with The Killing of a Chinese Bookie. Ben Gazzara brilliantly portrays a gentleman’s club owner, Cosmo Vitelli, desperately committed to maintaining a facade of suave gentility despite the seediness of his environment and his own unhealthy appetites. When he runs afoul of loan sharks, Cosmo must carry out a terrible crime or lose his way of life. Mesmerizing and idiosyncratic, the film is a provocative examination of masculine identity. It is presented here in two versions: Cassavetes’s original 1976 edit and his 1978 one, nearly thirty minutes shorter.
Details by Film
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
Year: 1976
Time: 135
Aspect Ratios
1.85:1
Audio
English PCM Mono 1.0
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
Year: 1978
Time: 108
Aspect Ratios
1.85:1
Audio
English PCM Mono 1.0
Streaming Options
732.
+289
Stream
Rent
Release Information:
Technical Specifications
Format:
Blu-ray
Disc:
BD-50 (1 Disc)
Total: 1 Disc
Regions:
A (Blu-ray)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85:1
Audio Options:
English PCM Mono 1.0
Resolution:
1080p/24
Subtitles:
English
Supplements
Types of Supplements Included: Interview, Audio Interview, Gallery, Theatrical Trailer
- New interview program featuring actor Ben Gazzara and producer Al Ruban
- Audio interview with John Cassavetes from the 1970s
- Stills gallery
- Trailer
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Film
Picture
Audio
Supplements
Artwork
Release Credits
Artwork: Lucien S. Y. Yang
Producer: Johanna Schiller
Release Notes on Restoration
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Black bars at the top and bottom of the screen are normal for this format. This high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit DataCine from a 35mm color reversal internegative and restored by Criterion. The original monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the 35mm magnetic audio track. Clicks, thumps, hiss, and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube's integrated workstation.
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Black bars at the top and bottom of the screen are normal for this format. This high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit DataCine from a 35mm color reversal internegative and restored by Criterion. The original monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the 35mm magnetic audio track. Clicks, thumps, hiss, and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube's integrated workstation.