Cassavetes Directs: John Cassavetes and the Making of Love Streams [Hardcover]

Michael Ventura (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2007

In 1983 visionary director John Cassavetes asked journalist Michael Ventura to write a unique film study - an on-set diary of the making of his film "Love Streams". Cassavetes laid out his expectations. He wanted 'a daring book, a tough book'. In Ventura's words, 'All I had to do for 'daring' and 'tough' was transcribe this man's audacity day by day.' "Cassavetes Directs" describes the creation of "Love Streams" shot by shot, crisis by crisis. During production, the director learned that he was seriously ill, that this film might, as it tragically turned out, be his last. Starring alongside actress and wife Gena Rowlands, Cassavetes shot in sequence, reconceiving and revising his film almost nightly, in order that "Love Streams" could stand as his final statement. Both an intimate portrait of the man and an insight into his unique filmmaking philosophy, "Cassavetes Directs" documents a heroic moment in the life of a great artist.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Ventura wrote and directed the documentary I'm Almost Not Crazy: John Cassavetes, the Man and His Work, and was curator of the Sundance Festival's 1989 Cassavetes retrospective. His screenwriting credits include Echo Park, directed by Robert Dornhelm. As a journalist, Ventura has received a USA PEN award, a Los Angeles Press Club award and the Sinclair Lewis Award. He has published three novels and several books of non-fiction. Since 1993 Ventura's bi-weekly column "Letters at 3AM" has appeared in the Austin Chronicle. Selections from his work can be found at www.michaelventura.org

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Oldcastle Books (July 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1842432273
• ISBN-13: 978-1842432273
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,919,657 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for Cassavetes fans, May 11, 2011

By 

Ryan Clark (PA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Cassavetes Directs: John Cassavetes and the Making of Love Streams (Paperback)

It's rare to find a book that allows you to experience what it's like to be on a film set. In fact, it's better than being on a film set, because all the delays and frustrations that go into making a movie are avoided (though they are mentioned briefly in the book). Luckily, the film in question is the final masterpiece of John Cassavetes, the man who started the independent film movement. He hired a journalist, Michael Ventura, to visit the set each day and write a book about the making of "Love Streams", and the result is extremely thorough without being tedious. It's an entertaining read that offers a rare, day-to-day glimpse of a genius at work and the various people who helped him bring his vision to life. If you're a fan, you will not be able to put this book down. It is a wonderful companion to Ventura's behind-the-scenes documentary "I'm Almost Not Crazy" (which contains a lot of the moments described in the book) and to Ray Carney's Cassavetes on Cassavetes, the definitive tome on the man's life and career. It's a shame that Ventura's book wasn't published in Cassavetes' lifetime, but at least now we have it to study and enjoy forever. I think he would be pleased.

4.0 out of 5 stars insightful diary, December 15, 2009

By 

Javier Carmona "Papillon" (Chicago) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cassavetes Directs: John Cassavetes and the Making of Love Streams (Paperback)

There are great nuts-and-bolts examples of Cassavetes filmmaking method, told by a person with an underlined admiration for this individual. The author really does work as the fly on the wall. I wish more of these types of journals existed for Cassavetes' other films.