Blue Chips

MERRY SHAQMAS, EVERYONE! We hit pause on DePalmber: Part De this week and pick up our annual Christmas tradition of exploring the filmography of basketball player / actor Shaquille O'Neal, here making his acting debut in a Nick Nolte-helmed character drama loosely based on notorious college coach Bobby Knight. It's 1994's Blue Chips, directed by William Friedkin, and starring Nolte, Shaq, Mary McDonnell, Ed O'Neill, J.T. Walsh, Alfre Woodard, Penny Hardaway, Anthony C. Hall and Bobby Knight. This was Friedkin's return to the fold after 20 years of banishment at Paramount, following a serious falling out with the studio during the production of (previous episode fodder) Sorcerer, and while the movie is far more of a one-for-us more so than a one-for-you, the prolific director still brings so much more life to the sports drama genre than this sort of thing is typically infused with. Plus, contrary to what we were led to believe from watching Steel last year, Shaq actually can act, and shows star-quality comedy chops and an earnest vulnerability that he would snuff out in later years while leaning into cartoon shtick.

Sadly, Blue Chips is not available to stream on Paramount+, or anywhere for that matter, but can be rented for about $5 on YouTube. And it's worth checking out!

Other works discussed on this episode include The Last Voyage of the Demeter, Kraven The Hunter, The Producers (2005), The Producers (1967), Young Frankenstein, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Scrooged, Office Christmas Party, It's In the Game: Madden NFL, Ready or Not, Bad Boys: Ride of Die, V/H/S, Hustle and Civil War.

We'll be back next week to close out 2024 with our DePalmber: Part De canon consideration, as we put De Palma's 1981 show biz crime thriller under the microscope and finally dedicate an entire episode to John Travolta and Nancy Allen in Blow Out! Blow Out is currently streaming for free (in Canada at least) on the people's streamer, Tubi. Until then, we'll see you at the movies, and a happy Shaqmas to all!!