HBO Series - 'Luck'

[norisk]

Just a heads up to keep an eye out for a new series about to start shortly on Foxtel/Austar called 'Luck' - its about racing in the US & I got to see the first episode recently & enjoyed it thoroughly.

[jose]

What channel NR?

[norisk]

Not 100% sure jose but think the ad for the show on TVN or Sky the other day said 'Showcase' so guess it's part of the movie packages.

[jose]

Cheers NR, hope that is not the case as I only have the "basic" package and if it wasn't for the races I wouldn't be bothered having pay TV at all.

[norisk]

Yeh much the same myself, other than for the horses & footy probably wouldnt bother with pay tv - that said tho with the change this season to all the AFL games live, for a Aussie Rules addict such as myself it's all just too good to be true, might need rehab by seasons end;)

[AngryPixie]

I seems to be recommending lots of books at the moment. Currently reading these two Max Gunther books on the Kindle.

"The Luck Factor" (http://www.amazon.com/Luck-Factor-People-Luckier-ebook/dp/B00371V6X4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1331137247&sr=8-2)

"How To Get Lucky" (http://www.amazon.com/How-Get-Lucky-discovering-ebook/dp/B003XRDBYY/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2?ie=UTF8&m=A24IB90LPZJ0****)

Have had this Max Gunther classic for a long, long time. Kindle edition here

"The Zurich Axioms" (http://www.amazon.com/The-Zurich-Axioms-ebook/dp/B006WB7S5Q/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=A24IB90LPZJ0****)

The best racing ideas come from non-racing books. ;)

[UselessBettor]

Thanks for those Angry pixie. Can you let me knwo which one you would recommend reading first.

For those of us who do have the luxury of pay tv the show is on Showcase.
It airs 18th March.

Here is a link to the series page :

http://showtime.com.au/showcase/show/13281

And for those who want more information on it :

Starring
Dustin Hoffman (http://showtime.com.au/showcase/show/13281/actor/46625), Dennis Farina (http://showtime.com.au/showcase/show/13281/actor/45751), Nick Nolte (http://showtime.com.au/showcase/show/13281/actor/45940)
<!-- /STAR -->
http://cdn.showtime.com.au/assets/shows/13281/poster_sml_s01.jpgIn this provocative look at the worlds of horseracing and gambling, told through a diverse group of characters surrounding a California racetrack, Michael Mann directs Dustin Hoffman as intuitive tough guy Chester 'Ace' Bernstein, who has always been involved with gambling, from bookmaking and money laundering to casino operations.

Recently released from prison after three years, he teams with Gus Economou (Dennis Farina), his longtime chauffeur and muscle, to craft a complex plan involving the Santa Anita Racetrack in California. As they plot out Ace's strategy, the pair recruits Turo Escalante (John Ortiz), a successful trainer with a sordid reputation.

In the meantime, an old trainer (Nick Nolte) nurtures a possible breakthrough thoroughbred, while a ragtag group of four racetrack groupies band together to try to catch lightning in a bottle - as winners of an elusive Pick Six bet.

The ensemble cast includes Kevin Dunn, Richard Kind, Jason Gedrick, Ritchie Coster, Ian Hart, Tom Payne, Kerry Condon, Gary Stevens and Jill Hennessy.

<!-- DIRECTOR -->Directed by
Michael Mann (http://showtime.com.au/showcase/show/13281/director/52043)

[norisk]

Creator David Milch who was responsible for Deadwood, which is one of my all time favourites & after having seeing the first episode of Luck, it looks like its going to be a goodun as well:)

[AngryPixie]

UB good question. I'm further into "How to get lucky". Both didn't cost much more than a Melbourne coffee each though.

[garyf]

Finally something coming up that interests me.


Have the platinum package but can only record a week in Advance so will set that channel on sunday the 11th after the last race for this movie.

Nice sumarry U.B.if the punt ever fails you obviously would have,
No problem launching a career as a movie critic.

Cheers.

[garyf]

D--k head garyf .


Just saw the link with ubs summary.
Looks like the punt will have to remain ub.

Embarresed.
Garyf.

[jose]

Just checked and I don't have showcase.
This is a catastrophe!

[norisk]

jose, you could add the necessary channel's for a month to have a look see.

[Shaun]

Or you could wait till a bit later after i have downloaded the first episode, then i could upload it to share.

[Shaun]

Do you know what a torrent is, i can provide the torent link then you can download it using a program called Utorrent.

[Shaun]

Nice fast download 18 minutes and my internet speed is not all that fast.

[jose]

Not that clued up Shaun.
But having said that, I am keen to learn. (I am a MAC user, if that makes any difference)
Cheers.

[Shaun]

Here is a youtube vid on how to do it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XXW199Rsno

He explains about the mac so you can search the program to use on the mac, after you have the program and installed it i can provide the torrent files so you won't need to search them, i have the first 6 episodes and have watched the first 2.

I don't recommend this for anyone on a connection slower then 1500kb or 1.5mb connection as the time it takes to download will be 4 or 5 hours per episode.

Same if you have a limited download limit less than 10gig a month as each episode is about 600mb.

i use almost all of my 200gig downloads a month on these things getting movies and such.

I won't post any more info here if you need help e-mail me as shaun2166 at hotmail dot com

[jose]

Hey thanks for that shaun, I may take you up on that offer, but it will have to wait for a couple of weeks until I get back from a trip to Adelaide, if that is OK with you of course.
Will get back in touch then.
Cheers.

[lomaca]

i have the first 6 episodes and have watched the first 2.
Hi there Shaun.

After you have watched it would it be too much trouble to give us a one or two sentence synopsis?
Nothing elaborate just the gist.
In our household we do not have any TV let alone Foxtel.
If too much bother forget it ta!
Cheers

[Shaun]

Np

[jose]

Surely you jest iomaca!

[Shaun]

I would mate but don't want to spoil it for those that have not watched it yet, i have watched all 6 episodes now and find the show interesting.

[lomaca]

Surely you jest iomaca!Not at all jose.
My wife can't have it in the house
I used to have an old 12 in one just for myself to watch the news but now it's all digital I can't be bothered.

My interest in horse racing is purely mercenary, only interested in winning.
If there were decent car or mbike races every day, I wouldn't do horses at all.
God knows I mucked out enough stables when a boy on our farm in the old country, had enough of the filthy animals for a lifetime.

Cheers

[lomaca]

I would mate but don't want to spoil it for those that have not watched it yet, i have watched all 6 episodes now and find the show interesting.Not a problem Shaun
Thanks

[Shaun]

The fact you have a PC would be good enough to watch it if you have all the resources to download it, if you have any other questions e-mail me.

[norisk]

do yourself a favour lomaca, its been very enjoyable so far

[jose]

fair enough iomaca.
Couldn't do it personally, but more power to you.

[Shaun]

Did you hear they cancelled the series after 3 horses were killed.

It was cancelled after the 2nd episode of the 2nd series.

[UselessBettor]

From wikipedia:

The safety of the series' working environment was called into question by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which criticized Luck over the injury and euthanization of two horses during filming for the pilot and the seventh episode. The American Humane Association (AHA) said both racehorses "stumbled and fell during short racing sequences" and that "the horses were checked immediately afterwards by the onsite veterinarians and in each case a severe fracture deemed the condition inoperable." HBO pointed out that precautions had been taken: Each horse was "limited to three runs per day and was rested in between those runs."<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference">[7]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference">[8]</sup> On March 13, 2012, HBO agreed to suspend all filming involving horses while investigations took place over the death of a third horse.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference">[9]</sup> The AHA insisted the stoppage remain in effect until a comprehensive investigation was completed; it also noted the horse's injury did not occur during filming or racing.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference">[10]</sup> The following day, HBO canceled the series, saying that while it "maintained the highest safety standards throughout production ... accidents unfortunately happen and it is impossible to guarantee they won’t in the future."<sup id="cite_ref-cancel_10-0" class="reference">[</sup>

[lomaca]

From wikipedia:

The safety of the series' working environment was called into question by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which criticized Luck over the injury and euthanization of two horses during filming for the pilot and the seventh episode. The American Humane Association (AHA) said both racehorses "stumbled and fell during short racing sequences" and that "the horses were checked immediately afterwards by the onsite veterinarians and in each case a severe fracture deemed the condition inoperable." HBO pointed out that precautions had been taken: Each horse was "limited to three runs per day and was rested in between those runs."<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference">[7]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference">[8]</sup> On March 13, 2012, HBO agreed to suspend all filming involving horses while investigations took place over the death of a third horse.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference">[9]</sup> The AHA insisted the stoppage remain in effect until a comprehensive investigation was completed; it also noted the horse's injury did not occur during filming or racing.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference">[10]</sup> The following day, HBO canceled the series, saying that while it "maintained the highest safety standards throughout production ... accidents unfortunately happen and it is impossible to guarantee they won’t in the future."<sup id="cite_ref-cancel_10-0" class="reference">[</sup>I take their word for it but there are thousands of races every week with a minuscule number of horse fatalities.

How come they had suffered this unprecedented misfortune while not even under pressure of racing?
Strange to say the least, but life is always stranger than fiction.
Ce la vie.

[norisk]

bummer

[norisk]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2012/03/hbos-luck-cancelled-because-horse-deaths-unacceptable.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ShowTracker+(L.A.+Times+-+Show+Tracker)

Reasonable balanced article here on the cancellation & state of US racing - as I suspected the producers employed the use of (for want of a better description) 'broken down hacks' & then probably all stand around scratching their heads when they breakdown wondering where they went wrong...

Pity all-round, really enjoying the show so far

[Shaun]

Kentucky’s Turfway Park installed the first Polytrack in 2005 after a meet in which 24 horses died. The next year, running on rubber, only three horses broke down. Arlington Park, outside Chicago, cut fatalities in half with a synthetic surface. On the other hand, 12 horses died during last year’s 37-day Del Mar meet.

This seams high number i don't know what our statistics are.

[norisk]

Very high, I doubt we would be anything near those dirt tracks, I find it bewildering that they haven't been forced to convert to synthetic.

Having unfortunately witnessed a few breakdown hopelessly at the races over the years, it really does/can put you off & to imagine race meetings losing as many as quoted in that article, it's no wonder people in the US are staying away in droves, doubt I would be going.

[Shaun]

I remember back 10 years ago i used to go to the Sunday Warwick Farm races that were promoted as a family picnic day on the grass.

I know i wouldn't be taking the kids if there were that many horses breaking down.