Pool in popular culture and popular media:
Pool culture has appeared often in most all popular media. There are a few movies that are well known for being pool themed. There is at least one song that is perfectly connected to pool. There is (at least) one other song, along with its corresponding artist, that owns a strong connection to pool (though that connection may be mostly known to just billiards groups). If there are any fiction books with story lines about pool, I have yet to find them. Certainly though, there are many books of non-fiction about pool, pool players, and pool instruction. Pool has been appearing in art, probably soon after the inception of the sport. Pool definitely appears on television, in the news, and the web. On television, pool is mostly seen in its professionally competitive form, as sportscasts, though it has appeared in some sitcoms. On the web, it seems that pool appears in numerous websites (and blogs), primarily as a form of personal expression (basically, as people explore and explain their personalities). One can assume that pool subject matter has appeared in most news media. In fact, was once pictured on the front page of our local newspaper as a tournament was being covered. Please go this site's
"About the Author" page for more on that).
Please note that once one views any of the videos on this page, there is a possibility that one might be able to access other videos (in the same player) with similar subject matter. Please take advantage of that opportunity if you like.
Pool Themes in Popular Movies and Film:
First of all... most everyone over the age of 30, or so, is probably familiar with the following manifestation of pool as media...
Movie Title: "The Hustler"
Plot Synopsis: Jackie Gleason stars as Minnesota Fats opposite a young actor named Paul Newman. These two competitive players, who can be called "pool-sharks," compete against one another in dramatic fashion.
Folkloric Perspective: This movie is very much about a small communal activity, that has developed into its own society. The ritual players, the stars of the movie in this case, are competing over money, certainly, but there are also levels of status, on the line.
The following is apparently a video of a trailer for the film:
Then of course, that movie was followed by a sequel called "The Color of Money." This movie starred, again, Paul Newman, but also starred an up-and-coming Tom Cruise.
Movie Title: "The Color of Money"
Plot Synopsis: This time Newman is the seasoned veteran, and Cruise is the young buck trying to beat the aforementioned, now legendary player. Again, the film depicts a players attempt to rise in status.
The following is a video of a trailer for the film:
Pool Themes in Popular Music and Song
Pool themes have appeared in very few films, really. However, there are some songs that seem to be synonymous with pool playing, or pool culture; actually, the connection may be due mostly to the songs' connection to bar culture (alcohol, drinking, drugs, etc.).
Song Title: Don't Mess Around with Jim
Song Artist: Jim Croce
Brief on pool relativity: The main character in the song is Jim, whom we are told, is a "pool shootin' son of a gun" and that he owns "a two-piece, custom-made pool cue." Moreover, the song relates a tale of conflict about Jim has "hustling" another player out of money, and eventually, the other player gets his revenge.
The following link will take one to a live performance recording of
the Jim Croce song, "You Don't Mess Around With Jim"
on YouTube.com (opens in a seperate window).
This is an audio player from Project Playlist...
which contains songs I could find that are related to pool:
Pool in Live Performance Comedy
The following YouTube video shows how pool has appeared in a live performance comedy show:
The following YouTube video is a very creative, independent short (video production) about pool (this is not footage from the original and famous film).
