Customer Reviews

John Cassavetes: The Adventure of Insecurity (Studies in Contemporary Film)

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Ray Carney's writing is so different from most film criticism. It reads so clearly. You won't find any jargon, or fancy-schmancy film-book theories here. He doesn't attempt to explain the films or their characters by offering simplified psychological or sociological understandings. Instead, Carney shows how valuable it is to stay with the complex experiences offered in the films, to allow yourself to let the films teach you something new. Carney argues that all great art can give us new powers of understanding, more perceptive eyes and ears. (I highly recommend you check out his website, Ray Carney on Life and Art, which features his writing about other indie filmmakers, masterwork paintings and American culture.) Carney's deep belief in the importance of art comes through in his writing as the most radical, original and hopeful statements on art that I've ever read. The Films of John Cassavetes: The Adventure of Insecurity has changed the way I now look at all film.

Ray Carney's The Films of John Cassavetes: The Adventure of Insecurity has become my essential viewing guide to Cassavetes' films and it has changed the way I now look at all film.

Carney's writing is so different from most film criticism. It reads so clearly. You won't find any jargon, or fancy-schmancy film-book theories here. He doesn't attempt to explain the films or their characters by offering simplified psychological or sociological understandings. Instead, Carney shows how valuable it is to stay with the complex experiences offered in the films, to allow yourself to let the films teach you something new. Carney argues that all great art can give us new powers of understanding, more perceptive eyes and ears. Carney's deep belief in the importance of art comes through in his writing as the most radical, original and hopeful statements on art that I've ever read. I highly recommend you check out his web site at http://people.bu.edu/rcarney which features his writing about other indie filmmakers, masterwork paintings and American culture.

This insightful book about Cassavetes by Ray Carney will open up a new way of seeing and knowing film. Carney is most persuasive about the importance of film as the newest art form. Gone are the canned, predictable experiences of current day studio films. Cassavetes' films are about life as we all experience it, in all its complexity, richness and craziness. Carney's easy-to-understand text will open up Cassavetes' films to you as a way to embrace life and art through film. Cassavetes wrestled with the questions we all wrestle with and allows you to form your own answers and understanding. A wonderful book about this film giant!

If you want to know more about Cassavetes and his films, Ray Carney has a MEGA-WEBSITE. Search on Cassavetes on any search engine to find it. You won't be sorry! It includes great background information on how Cassavetes made his movies, along with terrific photos of the genius at work. A must for indie film lovers and aspiring directors...

Ray Carney's The Films of John Cassavetes: The Adventure of Insecurity has become my essential viewing guide to Cassavetes' films and it has changed the way I now look at all film.

Carney's writing is so different from most film criticism. It reads so clearly. You won't find any jargon, or fancy-schmancy film-book theories here. He doesn't attempt to explain the films or their characters by offering simplified psychological or sociological understandings. Instead, Carney shows how valuable it is to stay with the complex experiences offered in the films, to allow yourself to let the films teach you something new. Carney argues that all great art can give us new powers of understanding, more perceptive eyes and ears. Carney's deep belief in the importance of art comes through in his writing as the most radical, original and hopeful statements on art that I've ever read. I highly recommend you check out his website (Ray Carney on Life and Art) which features his writing about other indie filmmakers, and American culture.