The first time I saw a Cassavetes directed film was my freshman year in college. I wandered into a midnight showing of Husbands I think or some other film. I remember immediately disliking it! Jarring, unsettling, loud talking and grating laughter, no music or soundtrack, clanging and banging of dishes and glasses, black and white photography. Ugh. These people up on the screen were ugly and unpleasant!! By the end of the night I was mesmerized. I still wasn't sure if I hated what I had just seen but for the rest of the week I kept thinking about it. I eventually went to the film library on campus and began watching everything Cassavetes had made or was in. Ha ha. Life long fan ever since.
We are watching all of Cassavetes films on Criterion streaming and many have been uploaded on youtube. It's an incredible experience. I highly recommend it. A Woman Under the Influence is incredible.
I still have yet to see a single film directed by Cassavetes, but just this year I watched Elaine May's Mikey and Nicky (1976) starring him and Peter Falk. Truly one of the greatest and most underrated films of all time.
Thank you for making this. Love his work, I can watch Shadows on a loop, killing of a Chinese bookie has more tension than majority of the studio thrillers these days. Wonderful artist & human being.
Great into to Cassavetes. Love his focus on humanity-today we encounter so many grand narratives in films that we simply forgot to engage with the fluid reality around us through the lens of movies and characters. Amazing video!
I really enjoyed this. I think you got to the heart of his work very well. As a filmmaker its good to be reminded not to get bogged down in aesthetics, but to just let that be natural biproduct of telling a good story with strong characters.
Excellent work on a true artist. Thank you for this! Faces is one of my all time favorites. His ability to direct and balls to dig into particularly the female experience is so raw. It will scar you in a good way. Your pull quotes really distill his genius nicely.
I think it takes a few attempts as a filmmaker to hear your own voice and to create honest work, and I believe Cassavetes is one to study. This was a breath of fresh air.
Came after watching Malcolm & Marie, for me a clear homage to the Cassavetes style and simplicity. It's crazy how was Sam Levinson, a guy who made his name using color and effects extravagance (euphoria) that was the one to try to bring this kind of cinema proposal back.
I'm actually a fan of David Washington and Zendaya, but those two hammed it up a bit too much in M&M. Maybe Levinson was afraid to push them or needle them, or they "workshopped" each scene a bit too much, but I didn't get enough of that tense, awkward, edge that Cassavetes would have definitely extracted from them if HE had directed M&M.
Some films are style over substance. Cassavetes was PURE SUBSTANCE...his style was almost a "lack-there of". Stripped down to its core. A Woman Under the Influence showed me what directing actually is.
Side note: Falk said the first time he worked with John he "had no idea what John meant when he gave direction" And then he saw the natural quality it brought to the final cut and was immediately blown away by the genius of John. A genius that at the time he couldnt understand. So he asked John a bit later if he could "get another try" at working with him and BOOM, we have A Woman Under the Influence. He said "working with john that first time was like tossing away a winning lottery ticket. but luckily John gave me another shot and im eternally in his debt"
Sorry earlier quotation was incorrect. In honor a great film maker here it is verbatim - “A movie tries to pacify people by keeping it going for them to be sheer entertainment. Well, I hate entertainment.”
I wouldn’t have been able to pick up on his stylistic choices which frustrate me. Any tips on how I could improve on that? Also how did you make this video essay?
There's a lot of good advice here, but I'm also a student of a Cassavetes-taught director. I'm still trying to figure out how to direct in his style. I can see what he does on the surface but what is the step by step technique?
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
“Most films just want to be entertaining. Well, I hate entertainment.”
Rosemary's Baby is one of my very favorite films, and I've always been captivated by Cassavetes's performance in it.
The first time I saw a Cassavetes directed film was my freshman year in college. I wandered into a midnight showing of Husbands I think or some other film. I remember immediately disliking it! Jarring, unsettling, loud talking and grating laughter, no music or soundtrack, clanging and banging of dishes and glasses, black and white photography. Ugh. These people up on the screen were ugly and unpleasant!! By the end of the night I was mesmerized. I still wasn't sure if I hated what I had just seen but for the rest of the week I kept thinking about it. I eventually went to the film library on campus and began watching everything Cassavetes had made or was in. Ha ha. Life long fan ever since.
Awesome story, man! I had a similar first reaction to his movies. But obviously his material got under my skin and turned me into a huge fan.
Weren’t you on your way to a party but had some time to kill?
We are watching all of Cassavetes films on Criterion streaming and many have been uploaded on youtube. It's an incredible experience. I highly recommend it. A Woman Under the Influence is incredible.
I still have yet to see a single film directed by Cassavetes, but just this year I watched Elaine May's Mikey and Nicky (1976) starring him and Peter Falk. Truly one of the greatest and most underrated films of all time.
Thank you for making this. Love his work, I can watch Shadows on a loop, killing of a Chinese bookie has more tension than majority of the studio thrillers these days.
Wonderful artist & human being.
This is an outstanding analysis video. Thanks for posting!
Great video. Great director. I’ve only just discovered John Cassavetes, and this was a great introduction to him and his work. Thank you :)
Great into to Cassavetes. Love his focus on humanity-today we encounter so many grand narratives in films that we simply forgot to engage with the fluid reality around us through the lens of movies and characters. Amazing video!
Excellent presentation, thank you so much for sharing. Great work. Looking forward to catching up on your other videos.
Being a Columbo fan yields a rich tapestry of undiscovered treasures
dude i just discoverd ur channel u shoukd do more introduction video nice job
Loved it! Don't stop making videos ever❤
Great video man
I like your point about how stylised films are now, even low budget and how it often misses the core of film.
I really enjoyed this. I think you got to the heart of his work very well. As a filmmaker its good to be reminded not to get bogged down in aesthetics, but to just let that be natural biproduct of telling a good story with strong characters.
Awesome video!
The greatest filmmaker to ever live
I wish he lived longer to see more from his art
Excellent work on a true artist. Thank you for this! Faces is one of my all time favorites. His ability to direct and balls to dig into particularly the female experience is so raw. It will scar you in a good way. Your pull quotes really distill his genius nicely.
I think it takes a few attempts as a filmmaker to hear your own voice and to create honest work, and I believe Cassavetes is one to study. This was a breath of fresh air.
He was & still is simply brilliant.
This is a wonderful and concise tribute.
brilliant video, more people need to watch this.
fantastic overview and intro ... straight to the heart, ty
This is a great essay. A great intro, or if you're already familiar, a nice overview. I'm into this channel now
Thank you Alex.
Amazing video
French guy here,Cassavetes’s fan here....bookie für immer....
You spoke soo well.... good job 👏👍
thanks for this
Nice video!!
Thanks for the great work. 👍
Hey just discovered your channel!! good stuff!
very good, thank you
Cool video thanks for sharing
8:08 I actually coughed at this point and he says, "Bless you." Did he hear me through the screen thinking i sneezed?
Great video!!!
Good job 👏👏
Came after watching Malcolm & Marie, for me a clear homage to the Cassavetes style and simplicity. It's crazy how was Sam Levinson, a guy who made his name using color and effects extravagance (euphoria) that was the one to try to bring this kind of cinema proposal back.
Please don't compare streaming trash. Cassavettes used 16mm and would hate any sort of digital video
I'm actually a fan of David Washington and Zendaya, but those two hammed it up a bit too much in M&M. Maybe Levinson was afraid to push them or needle them, or they "workshopped" each scene a bit too much, but I didn't get enough of that tense, awkward, edge that Cassavetes would have definitely extracted from them if HE had directed M&M.
Nice work!
Thank you!
How you not gonna mention the safdie brothers inspo it's the most direct
Thanks for the tip. I’m on it!
A true great.
Good on you man! Nice job.
The husband of Gena Rowlands, one of the best movie stars! He died at 59...sad.
helpful! thanks
Came here because of Harmony Korine
Some films are style over substance. Cassavetes was PURE SUBSTANCE...his style was almost a "lack-there of". Stripped down to its core. A Woman Under the Influence showed me what directing actually is.
Side note: Falk said the first time he worked with John he "had no idea what John meant when he gave direction" And then he saw the natural quality it brought to the final cut and was immediately blown away by the genius of John. A genius that at the time he couldnt understand. So he asked John a bit later if he could "get another try" at working with him and BOOM, we have A Woman Under the Influence. He said "working with john that first time was like tossing away a winning lottery ticket. but luckily John gave me another shot and im eternally in his debt"
I have been straight with you …Have I not?
Sorry earlier quotation was incorrect. In honor a great film maker here it is verbatim - “A movie tries to pacify people by keeping it going for them to be sheer entertainment. Well, I hate entertainment.”
A brilliant man who evidently could only find peace in a bottle, and it killed him
I wouldn’t have been able to pick up on his stylistic choices which frustrate me. Any tips on how I could improve on that? Also how did you make this video essay?
There's a lot of good advice here, but I'm also a student of a Cassavetes-taught director. I'm still trying to figure out how to direct in his style. I can see what he does on the surface but what is the step by step technique?
I feel like the Safdie brothers must get most of their influence from Cassavetes.
Contact me to do a great voiceover for your videos - your content is great as is your writing. But you need a better VO and I’m trying to break in!
Woody and Mia weren’t married
I don't buy Cassavetes like I used to, charming, charismatic actor makes boring films and is hailed as the saviour of American film.
Idk hes just like good lol
That's most definitely not what the word philosophy means
Great video !