Product Details

• Actors: Gena Rowlands, John Cassavetes, Ben Gazzara, Peter Falk, Ben Carruthers
• Directors: John Cassavetes
• Writers: John Cassavetes
• Producers: John Cassavetes, Al Ruban, Maurice McEndree, Michael Lally, Phil Burton
• Format: Anamorphic, Box set, Black & White, DVD, Full Screen, Special Edition, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 8
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Criterion
• DVD Release Date: September 21, 2004
• Run Time: 945 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0002JP2OS
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #20,943 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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• For more information about "John Cassavetes - Five Films (Shadows / Faces / A Woman Under the Influence / The Killing of a Chinese Bookie / Opening Night ) - Criterion Collection" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Improvised by the cast, shot in black and white, John Cassavetes's first independent feature, Shadows, looked like no other film of its time. Cassavetes, seeking to both deal with social issues and create a new kind of cinema, told a story about a family of black siblings in Manhattan trying to make ends meet. Though it meanders at times, it features the kind of spontaneous emotion Cassavetes most wanted to elicit in his films.

A sensation in 1968, Faces earned Oscar nominations for actors Seymour Cassel and Lynn Carlin. Improvised and shot in an edgy, hand-held fashion, the film examines the disintegration of the marriage of a couple in mid-life doldrums. Each seeks solace elsewhere: husband John Marley with prostitute Gena Rowlands, wife Carlin with a free spirit played by Cassel. But neither finds anything approaching the fulfillment they feel is missing from the marriage. Indeed, in Cassavetes's probe of raw emotions, these people discover that, just maybe, the problem lies not with their spouse but with themselves.

The long, free-form drama A Woman Under the Influence is best appreciated as a good showcase for Rowlands, playing a woman whose sanity literally appears to be shattering as different aspects of her personality eclipse others at various times. Peter Falk plays her struggling, blue-collar husband, trying to understand the phenomenon and sometimes losing his patience. As with most of Cassavetes's works as a director, one can't help but find one's attention drifting in and out, but Rowland's performance is a key reason the film has been declared a "national treasure" by the Library of Congress.

The title of The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is the only commercial element in this fascinating character study by writer-director Cassavetes, who once again finds his cinematic soulmate in actor Ben Gazzara. The film uses verité technique to tell the story of Cosmo Vitelli (Gazzara), a Hollywood strip-club owner whose growing debt to a local gangster can only be erased if he agrees to kill a rival Chinese gangster. As usual, Cassavetes employs his favorite actors (including Seymour Cassel and the fearsome Timothy Carey) and vivid improvisation to give Chinese Bookie a tense atmosphere of emotional urgency.

Gena Rowlands stars in Opening Night, Cassavetes's drama of an aging, alcoholic stage actress in the days leading up to her latest Broadway opening. Like all of her collaborations with her writer-director husband, Rowlands is a woman on the verge of collapse, this time a lonely alcoholic whose very life is a performance. Overlong at 144 minutes, the film's long, loose scenes build through uncomfortable small talk and slow, tentative confrontations. Some of the scenes are edgy and thrilling, though many find this facet of Cassavetes pretentious and self-indulgent. Ultimately it's a matter of taste: if you like his style, you'll love this discomforting drama.

The eight-disc Criterion Collection set is filled out with the 2000 documentary A Constant Forge: The Life and Art of John Cassavetes, plus numerous interviews, a second version of The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, a commentary track for A Woman Under the Influence, a 68-page book, and various other features.

Product Description

This boxed set includes the following titles: • Shadows (1959) 81 min. B&W. 1.33:1 aspect ratio • Faces (1968) 130 min. B&W. 1.66:1 aspect ratio • A Woman Under the Influence (1974) 147 min. Color. 1.85:1 aspect ratio • The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976) 135 min. Color. 1.85:1 aspect ratio • Opening Night (1977) 144 min. Color. 1.66:1 aspect ratio • A Constant Forge (2000) 200 min. Color. 1.33:1 aspect ratio John Cassavetes has been called a genius, a visionary, and the father of independent film. But all this rhetoric threatens to obscure the humanism and generosity of his art. The five films included here represent his self-financed works made outside the studio system of Hollywood, on which he was afforded complete control. While about beatniks, hippies, businessmen, actors, housewives, strippers, club owners, gangsters, and children, all of them are beautiful, emotional testaments to compassion. Cassavetes has often been called an actor's director, but this body of work—astoundingly, even greater than the sum of its extraordinarily significant parts—reveals him to be an audience's director. The Criterion Collection is proud to present Shadows, Faces, A Woman Under the Influence, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, and Opening Night in stunning new transfers. Includes Charles Kiselyak's A Constant Forge, a candid biographical documentary on the life and work of Cassavetes .

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Father of American Indie Cinema!, October 11, 2004

By	Cubist (United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

John Cassavetes was an artist who believed that filmmaking's salvation lay in "individual expression" and applied this belief to his own movies. He is often credited as the father of American independent cinema and to be sure without him there would be no Martin Scorsese, Jim Jarmusch or John Sayles. For years, fans of Cassavetes' movies have had to suffer with grainy copies and substandard transfers on DVD (or, quite often no availability at all). The folks at Criterion have answered their prayers with a fantastic box set with five of the man's movies and Charles Kiselyak's epic documentary.

The Shadows disc features an interview with one of the film's stars, Lelia Goldini, who talks about how she met Cassavetes and her impressions of the man. She also covers the improv exercises that he would stage and how they developed into the movie. There is also an interview with Seymour Cassel who reminisces about how he met Cassavetes and how he got a job on the crew making Shadows. A real find is never-before-seen silent footage of rehearsals for the film in Cassavetes' acting workshop. Also included is featurette examining the painstaking restoration process that transformed the original print into this new glorious version. Finally, there is an excellent behind-the-scenes still gallery and a trailer.

Faces features an alternate opening sequence that was originally screened in Toronto and rearranges the chronology of scenes. "Cineastes de Notre Temps" is a French TV program that interviewed Cassavetes in '65 while he was making Faces and then again in '68 after it had been screened. The first interview finds him in a playful mood as he jokes about making a musical of Crime and Punishment. In the second interview he claims that he's the worst director but tries to create an environment that allows the actors to express themselves honestly. "Making Faces" is a 42-minute featurette with new interviews with Gena Rowlands, Lynn Carlin, Seymour Cassel and editor/producer Al Ruban. Rowlands talks about how they financed the movie themselves so they'd have complete control while Cassel talks about how Cassavetes was his best friend and mentor. Finally, Ruban discusses the equipment he used to shoot the film in the "Lighting and Shooting the Film" featurette. He goes through specific scenes via text and clips from the movie providing excellent insight into how certain techniques were achieved.

A Woman Under the Influence features an audio commentary by cameraman Mike Ferris and sound recordist/composer Bo Harwood. This movie marked the first time they worked together and they would go on to collaborate with Cassavetes on The Killing of a Chinese Bookie and Opening Night. Next up, is an excellent conversation between Gena Rowlands and Peter Falk. They talk about Cassavetes' approach to filmmaking and fondly recount anecdotes about making the movie. There is also an audio interview done with Cassavetes in `75 that covers a wide variety of topics: improvisation, casting, directing and so forth. Rounding out the disc is a trailer and a rare collection of behind-the-scenes photos taken on the set of the movie.

Included on The Killing of a Chinese Bookie disc is the original 135 minute version released in `76 and the truncated 108 minute version that came out in '78. The first version was rush job and became a commercial and critical failure. It was pulled from theatres after a week and two years later Cassavetes cut almost 30 minutes out and re-released it. There is a fascinating interview with Ben Gazzara and Al Ruban. The actor recounts how the first audience to see the movie hated it and this broke his heart. Ruban also talks about the negative reaction and Cassavetes' desire to re-cut his movie as a result. There is another audio interview with Cassavetes where he talks at length about working in genres and how he got the idea for the movie. Finally, there is a collection of rare, behind-the-scenes photographs.

Opening Night features a conversation between Gena Rowlands and Ben Gazzara. They speak warmly and fondly about their experiences working on the movie, recounting several stories. There is also an interview with Al Ruban who talks about Cassavetes complete immersion in every aspect of his movies: sets, costumes and so on. There is another audio interview with Cassavetes where he talks about the play that occurs within the film and comparing movies to plays. Finally, there is a trailer.

Cassavetes fiercely believed that "to compromise an idea is to soften it, to make an excuse for it, to betray it." The five films that are included in this box set certainly adhere to these words and represent the man's pure and unfiltered artistic expression. This is an impressive box set that also includes a 68-page booklet with essays by Cassavetes and critics and interviews with the man that does a great job putting his movies and personal philosophy into the proper context.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keeping It Real, October 9, 2004

By	Will - See all my reviews

I find it both ironic and strangely appropriate that "John Cassavetes: Five Films" was released on the same day as "Star Wars Trilogy" by George Lucas. These represent two of the most diametrically opposed styles of filmmaking ever screened: the bloated, glitzy and ultimately shallow films of Lucas against the lean, scrappy and completely fulfilling films of Cassavetes.

For those who are not familiar with John Cassavetes, this set will introduce you to the work of one of film's greatest artists. The authenticity and honesty of Cassavetes' approach to filmmaking are apparent in every shot. These films are as cutting-edge and fresh today as they were thirty years ago and they will make you think and feel in ways you never have before.

For those who know and love the work of Cassavetes, this set is a much-welcome improvement over previous releases. I can't say enough about the quality of the transfers. The extras are generous and informative and they help give a better understanding of the man behind the camera and his revolutionary filmmaking techniques.

Although this set would have been further enhanced by the inclusion of the legendary first version of Shadows as well as commentary tracks and essays by Professor Ray Carney (the world's leading Cassavetes scholar), "John Cassavetes: Five Films" stands alone as the best introduction/compilation of Cassavetes' work and is an important addition to any film library.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Criterion's most amazing collection to date, June 4, 2006

By	Steward Willons - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

John Cassavetes - Five Films is, perhaps, Criterion's most ambitious project to date. The box set is absolutely amazing. Other reviews have done a good job of explaining the extras, so I won't repeat that information. The topic of Ray Carney has been the focus of much anger and frustration amongst Cassavetes fans and deserves some explanation. It is my understanding that Carney, the foremost Cassavetes scholar and author of "Cassavetes on Cassavetes", was almost solely responsible for the creation of this collection. He had a hand in everything and the set is the result of much hard work. His name was left off of the set at the last minute because of a dispute with Cassavetes' wife, Gena Rowlands. Ray Carney felt, as any scholar should, that the truth was important and did not make any attempt to hide any of the negative aspects of Cassavetes's life. This was completely unacceptable to Rowlands who threatened to kill the project unless Carney's name was removed completely. This also included the omission of several audio commentaries provided by Carney. What a shame! Contrary to the highly specious "documentary", A Constant Forge, Cassavetes was no saint. Who cares? Well, Gena Rowlands does.

Everything about this set is quite impressive. The book contains many thoughtful essays and insights into these complex and sometimes difficult films. The only weakness is the worthless "documentary". Don't be fooled - Charles Kiselyak is no Cassavetes scholar. Supposedly, he had never even heard of Cassavetes before he began filming. Again, Ray Carney provided all the factual information, which Kiselyak decided to discard in favor of crafting an "inspirational" narrative. A Constant Forge frequently feels more like a bizarre attempted beatification than an objective study of a real person. For those wishing to be disabused, check out Carney's excellent book, "Cassavetes on Cassavetes". Cassavetes never really sat down and wrote a lot about his life or work, but Carney spent years compiling every scrap of information available, forming a chronological narrative. He alternates Cassavetes's passages with what actually happened. Cassavetes was prone to exaggeration to the extreme. A lot of what he says is an outright fabrication, but that shouldn't diminish the importance of his films.

All this controversy really misses the point. These are amazing films that continue to influence filmmakers all over the world. Criterion did an excellent job and their handling of the Carney/Rowlands issue shouldn't hinder your enjoyment of this set in the slightest. It is a wonderful introduction to one of the most important American directors and belongs on every film connoisseur's shelf. Buy without hesitation.