Are there any films by Cassavetes, (esp. A Woman Under the Influence, Shadow) available on DVD? If so, they are somehow hard to find.
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Shadows (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6304864248/qid=1061067025/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-2867209-0104861?v=glance&s=dvd)
A Woman Under The Influence (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6304864159/qid=1061067025/sr=1-9/ref=sr_1_9/002-2867209-0104861?v=glance&s=dvd)
Gloria (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000083C8N/qid=1061067025/sr=1-10/ref=sr_1_10/002-2867209-0104861?v=glance&s=dvd)
Faces (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000IC1I/qid=1061067025/sr=1-7/ref=sr_1_7/002-2867209-0104861?v=glance&s=dvd)
Opening Night (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000I1L2/qid=1061067025/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-2867209-0104861?v=glance&s=dvd)
Minnie and Moskowitz (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6305759332/qid=1061067185/sr=1-11/ref=sr_1_11/002-2867209-0104861?v=glance&s=dvd)
Killing Of A Chinese Bookie (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000IC1G/ref=pd_sim_dv_2/002-2867209-0104861?v=glance&s=dvd)
geez mac, u should work for the elderly.
Thanks a lot, MacGuffin.
here is my take on him
overrated
in the wrong hands, people just rip him off wholesale and their films are even more duller then his
in the right hands, you can take elements from his films and add to them others and create something great
marty took howard hawks and cassavetties, and blended the two and added all sorts of other shit from all over the place
but some people just copy cassavetties, and they are too snooby to add anything differnt to the mix, and they just suck
now cassavetties films, i think the imporv caused the films to be awkward, im not a fan of imporv in the wrong hands
christopher guest can do it, john couldnt i think, but he did some new ideas that he brought to the table and people like marty took them and added his own shit and people like myself get influenced by marty so in directlly cassavetties has influenced me
I watched Murder of a Chinese Bookie a few days ago, and the film had quite some impact on me. I had never seen anything else by Cassavetes before, unfortunately.
Ben Gazzara was just perfect in it, and the movie was, in my opinion, very intense, and "discreet", too.
Quote from: chriskelvinI watched Murder of a Chinese Bookie a few days ago, and the film had quite some impact on me. I had never seen anything else by Cassavetes before, unfortunately.
Ben Gazzara was just perfect in it, and the movie was, in my opinion, very intense, and "discreet", too.
that was his best film, and a example of what i mean in taking elements of his and tweaking them
i would never copy his work or study it, but he did have a few interesting ideas
WOW -- read this (http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,4120,1152722,00.html) and marvel at the amazingness of it all.
Quote from: GhostboyWOW -- read this (http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,4120,1152722,00.html) and marvel at the amazingness of it all.
I actually have Cray's Cassavetes book.
But he wrote or said something in
Film Comment once, calling
Mulholland Drive as "smart-ass," that makes me take everything he says with a grain of salt. Plus, I'm rather ambivalent about Cassavetes (as a filmmaker, by all accounts he was a marvelous man) and find Cray's unequivocal admiration of Mike Leigh and Carl T. Dreyer easier to share.
Yea, Ray Carney's writing is what got me into John Cassavetes and really made me see his films in a new light. Now he is one of my favorite filmmakers. Despite what most people think, his films were not imporvised. They were planned and directed by Cassavetes. Every detail of his films were thought out and planned to an almost perfectionist degree in fact. Even Shadows which has the disclaimer at the end that it was improvised. Only the first version that Carney talks about in that article was improvised. Then he reshot everything. And that's how he worked ever since. He encouraged impovisation but then that just inspired him to re write and re shoot everything based on the actors imporvisation. He is a true auteur and he created one of the most original styles in film ever. That whole grainy, amateur, seemingly unplanned and improvised look was his style.
Back to Carney, I really like his writing. I find it incredibly reshreshing and almost chathartic to read him actually. Yes, he hates David Lynch and many other filmmakers that I like. But that's just because he has a very extreme point of view on what independant filmaking should be. And it's great to read his stuff when there are so many film critics out there who see things in the exact opposite way he does. We kind of some one like him out there who only sticks up for the underdogs in filmaking.
"I know men, I know all their hypocrisies, and what a pregnant woman means to a man, and what sports or non-sports mean, or philosophy, or culture, or what happens, and when it's interesting to talk about, when it brings tears to the eyes, and when it means nothing. The complexities of men are like the complexities of women. But they're definitely not the same."
- John Cassavetes, Cassavetes on Cassavetes
I'm reading this book and I love it. I love it because of many different things.
It's about a filmmaker's take on life but not just that. It's about a man's take on life. I feel it's as much about philosophy of life as it is about the philiosophy of filmmaking.
It's a story about a passionate man told by himself.
Read it!
Quote from: kotte"I know men, I know all their hypocrisies, and what a pregnant woman means to a man, and what sports or non-sports mean, or philosophy, or culture, or what happens, and when it's interesting to talk about, when it brings tears to the eyes, and when it means nothing. The complexities of men are like the complexities of women. But they're definitely not the same."
- John Cassavetes, Cassavetes on Cassavetes
I'm reading this book and I love it. I love it because of many different things.
It's about a filmmaker's take on life but not just that. It's about a man's take on life. I feel it's as much about philosophy of life as it is about the philiosophy of filmmaking.
It's a story about a passionate man told by himself.
Read it!
yes! i'm so happy you like it
Quote from: ewardyes! i'm so happy you like it
I love it! :)
Cassavetes is one of my other heavy favorites. A few months ago I saw a double feature of 'Minnie and Moskovitz' and 'Love Streams'. Quite a whirlwind of passion involved in the filmmaking, but Cassavetes has always had that. 'Love Streams' is pure him, you can feel his cinematic presence throughout this epic portrait of a writer on his last legs mentally. It might now be his best but it might be his most personal. I have seen 'shadows', 'faces', and 'a woman under the influence', which I think is his best. Do not have a favorite so far. I have not seen 'Killing of a Chinese Bookie' or 'opening night' but when I do I'll check in with you.
Opening Night stuck with me so much that now instead of a closet door, I now have a red stage curtain.
I saw 'Gloria' and maybe its just me but I was severely surprised at how weird, over the top and desperately out of place the scenes in this film were. It came down to, as Just Withnail said, the kid and how he acted with Gena Rowlands. Like JW was saying if this is a parody or satire on the gangster genre it certainly is not a conventional one. The acting is fantastical as is with most cassavetes's pictures that I was going back and forth whether it was a parody or not. It certainly doesn't help with the sweeping score. I can picture buck henry as accountant for the mob but maybe its just me but he seems out of place with the rest of the family he has at the very beginning. Despite everything in it thats so sublimely awkward it comes out the other side as something unique and spellbinding, even in the worst ways. I will purchase this if it is really cheap someday for like 3 or 4 bucks, but not going to pay more than that. Gena Rowlands can really do no wrong anywhere. I've always had an affinity for her and I'll tell you one thing about this film it never gets boring.
Maybe this should be in the funny people thread but since this is here...I really felt like the latter part of funny people felt like a cassavetes movie. The awkward dinner conversation, the dialog down to the camera work felt like faces or a woman under...that is part of the reason i really respect and appreciate funny people but didn't really love it. I am really diggin on apatow's ideas but it seemed like he was expected to deliver another "bromance" but tried to squeeze in as much film school as he could. I wish it were two movies. I wish the whole thing between sandler and his ex and bana could've been a wonderfully awkward picture on its own. It would seem like a logical step away from his former films.
haven't seen opening night but killing of a chinese bookie, faces, shadows, and a woman under the influence are some of my favorite movies even though at first viewing I was put off by every one of them. It i s only upon reflection of the experience that i've come to really appreciate them (i saw a woman...in the theater and its something i don't think i'll ever forget)
Love Streams (1984) is on YouTube in full. It's my favorite Cassavetes movie outside of Killing of a Chinese Bookie. For my money, I can't think of an American film with better dialogue.
Fuck it, I'll just say it: This is one of the best films ever made.
If you haven't already seen it, skip to the 8 minute mark for the custody battle scene PT royally ripped off for Boogie Nights.
!!!! naming your fav cassavetes is tough biz. this is a seducer. great news wilderesque! laughed at and enjoyed the pt reference (here) :)
What do you folks think of Cassavetes in his technical filmmaking ability?
you mean like technological techniques? yeah, he was a little wacky with some boom poles and camera movements, etc. sure. but his technical acting goals were like, idk, thank you
His technical ability is kind of beside the point. In Cassavetes movies the camera is submissive to the actors, and the quality of acting takes precedence above all else. It's meant to serve the performances. Love Streams is different than the rest of his films in that it's all locked down instead of handheld...it's good. In general, camera movement and shooting styles are meant to bring you into a movie and help you believe the reality a story is attempting to create. With some levels of acting, though, which Cassavetes and his actors are obviously near the top of, the performances are so real and so specific that believability is pretty much established regardless if the technical aspects are completely out of whack. See Shadows, Faces... There comes a point where it just doesn't matter.
What I mean is that the technical aspects are the way they are to allow the actors freedom. Emulating his technical style (at least in his films pre-Love Streams) with mediocre actors wouldn't make sense. It wouldn't work. It's backwards. You learn from his acting and that dictates the camera, not the other way around.
I love LOVE STREAMS. Definitely my favorite Cassavetes film. I saw it at the New Beverly for the first time, on a pretty good print. At the end of it, as the credits rolled, a voice started speaking from the back of the theater. It was Seymour Cassell , walking slowly down the aisle, and beginning a running monologue about Cassavetes that then turned into a long, perfectly rambling Q&A (without many Qs).
oh great la story! that's when/how i saw the movie first. cassel was around for hilarious stories from minnie and moskowitz. i remember being kinda surprised he was also in faces. this was like three-four years ago right? or am i thinking of a wrong/different viewing? know when i went it was like a theatrical wish finally granted. mmm, good times story :)
Yeah, double feature of Minnie + Moskowitz and Love Streams, summer of '09.
sorta wanta relive that night, but i won't, no point i guess. glad you brought it up though :)
Quote from: wilderesque on April 16, 2013, 07:07:55 PM
His technical ability is kind of beside the point. In Cassavetes movies the camera is submissive to the actors, and the quality of acting takes precedence above all else. It's meant to serve the performances.
...
There comes a point where it just doesn't matter.
I agree with this, but I actually think the messy technique adds a lot to the performances. It becomes as unpredictable as them. Even the messy grain gives some extra emotion to the portrayal of his messy characters.
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dvdbeaver.com%2Ffilm3%2Fblu-ray_reviews56%2Fcassavetes_faces_blu-ray_%2Flarge%2Flarge_faces_blu-ray_x01.jpg&hash=9b921852f6e98c00c96fba2c56fe25d19324aa25)
Fair point.
Quote from: squints on August 04, 2009, 02:09:34 AM
haven't seen opening night
Saw this. It ruled. One of my favorites.
Haven't seen Love Streams.
Maybe I'll tell you all how much it ruled in another four years.
A Woman Under the Influence is great, one of the best films I've ever saw. Last week I felt an impulse to watch Opening Night and was still amazed by its power and the camera work is way more balanced, missing a better word. How did he achieved that ? Did he dimmed the improv factor ? There was still a lot of power on that film.
Would love to get my hands on Cassavetes on Cassavetes.
Quote from: DBeyond on April 17, 2013, 07:26:32 PMWould love to get my hands on Cassavetes on Cassavetes.
I read this maybe five years ago and don't really remember details, I've been meaning to have at it again, but it and Kieslowski on Kieslowski are among the most inspiring film books I've ever read. If you've been hesitant to jump on it I'd certainly recommend it.
Quote from: wilderesque on April 17, 2013, 07:52:03 PM
Quote from: DBeyond on April 17, 2013, 07:26:32 PMWould love to get my hands on Cassavetes on Cassavetes.
I read this maybe five years ago and don't really remember details, I've been meaning to have at it again, but it and Kieslowski on Kieslowski are among the most inspiring film books I've ever read. If you've been hesitant to jump on it I'd certainly recommend it.
I've been searching for it. Here in Portugal is almost obsolete. I read Cronenberg on Cronenberg and Lynch on Lynch and loved it. Maybe I'll buy it from Amazon. I love reading these things. Thanks for the recommendation though :)
John Cassavetes: The Art of Feeling - Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/65820796#)
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Oops.
I watched Minnie and moskowitz recently. Why did no one tell me? I love cassavetes. I look for movies that are "cassavetes like" and yet somehow I'd never seen m & m? Weird.
While watching I hated EVERY male in this movie. The next day I forgave them. I also think everyone in this movie (and possibly every cassavetes movie) should win an Oscar.
I also know he was crazy.
m & m is set in los angeles so everyone in los angeles loves the movie. i'm glad it's getting mentioned. and you forgave seymour moskowitz!! if you want to ditch nasa, you can cruise a convertible with cassavetes through the hollywood hills in 1965
interviewer: you like jazz.
cassavetes: yeah, i like all music.
interviewer: good.
cassavetes: makes you feel like living. silence is death. (husky chortle)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcgWO-hxZls
What a cool motherfucker. I think Cassavettes is my new best friend after watching that video.
Kind of ashamed I haven't seen a Cassavettes film besides 'A Woman Under The Influence,' and I don't even remember how that ended so it doesn't count. I liked what I saw though, I dig his realist, (no pun intended) documentary style of shooting and the intense peformances he gets out of his actors. 'The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie' I hear thrown around a lot as one of his best, so I think I'll start there.
great movie for a man to watch, and it's also set in los angeles(!). there's a scene where he's trying to pay back money he owes, and he mentions his golden gas credit card. cracks me up, always
Ben Gazzara says this in a retrospective interview on the DVD, which was recorded a few years before his death. This thing he said lodged in my mind when I first watched the movie and never left:
"Quite frankly I felt really cold about Killing of a Chinese Bookie in the beginning. I felt that it was not 'fun'. I wasn't having any fun. It was...too "professional". And I called Al Ruban (the producer) and said "I'm not having fun here". He said "I don't think anything's the matter." And I said "Well, what am I gonna do? Go to work. See if it'll get better."
And the next day, it was a scene where John was in a limousine, as a director with a handheld camera, and I'm taking the three girls to the gambling joint. I drop off the three girls after the scene at the gambling joint. I drop them off one by one. And after I drop the third one, the last one off, the black girl, the one who was 'my girl', John took the handheld camera away from his eyes and he was crying. He started talking about people who are..."nuisances.". People who...kill the dream. That...the gangsters, in effect, were robbers of people's souls. And he was telling me that Cosmo, this man, this ordinary man, his dream, his art, is his club. His show, those girls, everything. And these "gangsters" epitomize all the people...in anyone's life, who interfere with your dream. Who kill it. And I saw that this picture was not a gangster picture at all. This picture was a about John."
awww. always the winning emotions