House of Games (1987)

[THX1137]

HoG is great, but would love Criterion to upgrade Mamet’s 1991 Homicide, also with Mantegna. Exceptional work from him in both, but The latter has always been a favorite: dark, reflexive, even a bit nightmarish.

[gnj1958]

I was thinking about getting this next payday. The review says it looks a little soft and the screengrabs seem to bare this out. How does it look on screen?

I really like this movie. I must have watched it 10 or 12 times over the years. I think Grouses performance adds to the charm of the movie. I never had any problem with any aspect of this movie. Now go to lunch.

[nitin]

It looks pretty decent for an older master but I would grab it in the 50% off sales.

[I KEEL YOU]

Let me put it this way: It looks as good as the older, softer pre-2010 2K masters can look on blu ray.

And since Criterion used this master for their blu ray, it's safe to say that it's because it won't be getting a new scan/restoration any time soon. The fact that they used this older master this recently might even mean that there is something wrong with the original elements, but I'm just speculating here.

[shane01]

Thanks to entries on the Blah-ray blog, I’m always paranoid about Criterion’s mono tracks. How is the audio on this BD?

[Verisimilitude1984]

Watched this for the first time tonight.

Has left me thinking. For those who have seen it, interested to hear your thoughts. Spoilers obviously.

[Show spoiler]Margaret Ford, a psychiatrist, believes she has the upper hand when she is drawn into the The House of Games gambling den. She feels something is missing from her life, despite all her success and the latest novel bringing her wealth and into the best seller list. However, it's clear to the audience (even before she realises) that she is being 'conned'. The group of men had her marked out from the start and used her book against her, essentially lead Mike could tell that she was a repressed woman, who is a born thief who is addicted to the thrill of being bad. Margaret overhears this and gets her revenge, by confronting Mike and killing him as he (in his own con man analysis of her) tells her what she is. Once she has done that, she has found what is missing in her life and is no longer repressed, is able to forgive herself for this transgression but it's awakened within her a seemingly continued need to be 'bad' by stealing the lighter of the woman in the restaurant at the end.

Have I missed anything? Any other interpretations or insights?

Questions I have are:

(1) What is the significance of Margaret's continued 'Freudian Slips'?

(2) Somewhat linked to the first question, what symbolism does this have in terms of the discussion she has with one of her patients - the female murderess who was abused?

(3) Why was Margaret so emotionally distraught when she thought she had killed someone, then learnt she hadn't, and was so quick to kill Mike?

(4) What is the reading/significance of the line 'When you have committed something unforgivable, forgive yourself' - you see, Margaret again thought she had killed a man but then was quite happy to kill when she realised she had been slighted.

[koberulz]

Are you trying to get us to do your homework for you?

This film lost me with the completely inaccurate portrayal of how poker and bluffs work, and shifted me to hate-watching mode when Margaret asks a man who has just tried to con her out of thousands of dollars "can I trust you?"