Sunday, February 5, 2012

Ben Gazzara RIP

The actor Ben Gazarra passed away last week. He starred in TV and movies for over sixty years, but I will always remember him from his staggering honest role as a luckless LA strip club owner. The 1976 John Cassavetes film opens with Cosmo Vitelli paying off a gambling debt to a loanshark at a outdoor coffee. Vitelli - Late? Loanshark - Right on time. No dialogue after that exchange. Only Gazarra's hard stares of exasperation. It doesn't get much better than that and to view this opening scene please go to the following URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtFyKbrqgvI It's a masterpiece.

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