John Cassavetes

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Cassavetes, Ranked:

Opening Night

A Woman Under the Influence

Love Streams

Minnie and Moskowitz

Shadows

Husbands

Faces

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie

Gloria


Definitely one of my favorite directors now.
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"Puns are the highest form of literature." -Alfred Hitchcock



^For me, four of his films are a major cut above the rest: Faces, Woman, Opening Night, and Love Streams. I'm not entirely sure which one is my favorite.



Just watched Love Streams. WHAT A FILM!

Rarely have I seen such a daring and excessive view at both sides of the main balance of human relationships and love. It also has a gorgeous atmosphere and the use of colors is deliciously soft and yet very "present". LOVED IT!

This was my second Cassavetes film and I'm not sure if he'll be able to beat this, but I'm very much looking forward to his other work now.
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Cobpyth's Movie Log ~ 2019



I loved A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE, HUSBANDS, FACES, and OPENING NIGHT. And even though he didn't direct it, you might want to check out TEMPEST with Casavettes, Rowlands, and Susan Sarandon. Even though the film was directed by Paul Mazursky, Casavettes' style is all over this movie.



matt72582's Avatar
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I've been getting into Cassavetes lately. Someone recommended me "A Woman Under The Influence" and Gena Rowlands performance really was moving, the most moved I have been since Guileta Masina in "La Strada."

Yesterday, I saw Husbands and Minnie and Moskowitz (second time, didn't like it as much, as I couldn't stand Seymour at all)

I plan on watching "Shadows" - I like going chronologically, and have a few more to see.. There are some empty space in his films that don't have much relativity, but if you want to be realist, there is a lot of waste. Most directors put the cream, and leave out the unnecessary stuff, but I like anyone who has their own vision, as I don't like watching similar pictures by different directors, I like seeing things I haven't seen before.



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What a great thread. Is HitchFan still around? Casavettes is someone who I'm really looking forward to exploring more from. A Woman Under The Influence is an absolute masterpiece, one of the best and most powerful movies I've ever watched.
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A Woman Under the Influence

Minnie and Moskowitz

Gloria

Opening Night


I want to see Love Streams, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, Husbands, and Faces.

The movie I really love is Mikey and Nicky; it's not directed by him, but it feels like it is. It stars Cassavetes and Falk.



That's okay. Nobody's perfect!
Does anyone here recommend getting Criterion's Cassavetes Box Set? I'm considering asking for it as a 16th birthday present.

I have it and highly recommend it. There are 5 films and 8 disks. Also the following listed extras:

• More than two hours of new video interviews with Lynn Carlin, Seymour Cassel, Peter Falk, Ben Gazzara, Lelia Goldoni, Gena Rowlands, and Al Ruban
• Two versions of The Killing of a Chinese Bookie: Cassavetes’ original 135-minute, on home video for the first time, as well as his subsequent 108-minute re-edit
• Faces alternate opening: 17 minutes of footage not included in Cassavetes' final cut
• Cinéastes de notre temps: an episode from the French television series, dedicated to Cassavetes
• Workshop footage: rare silent clips from the Cassavetes-Lane Drama Workshop, from which Shadows emerged
• Audio commentary on A Woman Under the Influence by sound recordist and composer Bo Harwood and camera operator Mike Ferris
• Restoration demonstration for Shadows
• Audio interviews with Cassavetes by film historians Michel Ciment and Michael Wilson
• Lighting and Shooting the Film: a study of the techniques and equipment used on Faces by Al Ruban
• Stills galleries: rare behind-the-scenes photos, publicity shots, and posters
• Biographical sketches of the actors Cassavetes frequently cast in his films, written by Tom Chartity (John Cassavetes: Lifeworks)
• English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired
• Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition
• Plus: a 68-page book featuring new essays on Cassavetes and the films by writers/critics Gary Giddins, Stuart Klawans, Kent Jones, Philip Lopate, Dennis Lim, and director Charles Kiselyak, as well as reprinted writings by and interviews with Cassavetes, and tributes to Cassavetes by director Martin Scorsese, Cassavetes' secretary Elaine Kagan, and novelist Jonathan Lethem

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matt72582's Avatar
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I saw Love Streams for the first yesterday... I loved it so much, I had to watch "A Woman Under The Influence" again, just because I wanted something by Cassavetes. I just wish John would have played the leading character in "Minnie" (as I don't like it as much when I first saw it) and wonder how he'd be if he replaced Falk...

My ranking...
-A Woman Under The Influence
-Love Streams
-Opening Night
-Husbands
-Shadows
-Minne and Moskowitz
-Faces



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Anyone notice at the beginning when Mabel goes to the bar in the beginning of "... Influence" you can hear the same chords played on the piano to the song "Mind Games" by John Lennon? I think this is intentional, and was made right after the album "Mind Games"



Nice to see you gaining some appreciation for Cassavetes...a uniquely cinematic voice who was not for all tastes, but for my money, severely underrated. I also agree with you that A Woman Under the Influence is his masterpiece...saw it for the first time several months ago and was blown away...he and Rowlands should have both won Oscars.



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Nice to see you gaining some appreciation for Cassavetes...a uniquely cinematic voice who was not for all tastes, but for my money, severely underrated. I also agree with you that A Woman Under the Influence is his masterpiece...saw it for the first time several months ago and was blown away...he and Rowlands should have both won Oscars.
Have you seen all his films? I finally completed and can say faithfully I've seen ever film he's directed. Though I love his films, directing and acting, I think he's even more interesting in person (interviews, writing, etc.)



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
Have you seen all his films? I finally completed and can say faithfully I've seen ever film he's directed. Though I love his films, directing and acting, I think he's even more interesting in person (interviews, writing, etc.)

I saw him on an old episode of "Columbo" last week.