CRITERION John Cassavetes Box Set (Fall)

[Chaddoli]

John Cassavetes Box Set Slated for Fall 2004

Criterion is preparing a boxed set of five films by legendary American independent John Cassavetes. In addition to new high-definition transfers of Shadows, Faces, A Woman Under the Influence, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie and Opening Night, the set will include Charles Kiselyak’s award-winning 200 minute documentary, A Constant Forge, along with exclusive new interviews with Cassavetes collaborators Gena Rowlands, Peter Falk, Ben Gazzara, Seymour Cassel, Lelia Goldoni, and others. The set is slated for fall release. Watch this space for more details.

http://www.criterionco.com/asp/

Ok, I haven't seen any Caddavetes yet (I know, I know) because I didn't know where to start. Now I will, and I can't wait!

[Riedenschneider]

Originally Posted by Chaddoli

I haven't seen any Caddavetes

Chaddoli - Caddavetes, I get it... very funny.

This is one of the best Criderion news ever. I've seen 'em all except "Constant Forge" and what can I say? This certainly is a box set to get under the influence for.

[Lex M]

Yeah, I like Cassavetes.

Nick Cassavetes. You know, the good one. JOHN Q, baby!!!

Kidding aside, Cassavetes is one of those renowned American auteurs whose films are strangely MIA 99% of the time. Growing up in the 70s and 80s, these films, many of which fathered the independent movement, were NEVER shown on cable or broadcast television, and certainly weren't commonplace at even the hippest Ma and Pop video stores. While Ashby, Bodgonavich, Malick, Rafelson, etc.'s films played, albeit in hacked-up shoddy prints, on the late, late movie from time to time, I'm pretty sure that with the exceptions of GLORIA and BIG TROUBLE, none of these Cassavetes classics have ever been widely available outside of maybe the revival circuit, festivals, and in film classes. Therefore, all should be interesting to finally get a chance to see.

[Riedenschneider]

Originally Posted by Lex M

NEVER shown on cable or broadcast television, and certainly weren't commonplace at even the hippest Ma and Pop video stores.

Wow. The only time I ever was in the US was right in midst of New York's Paris theater's Cassavetes retrospective. So, that's very unexpected and interesting to hear. Also because, you've guessed it, he's huge over here in Europe.

[Chaddoli]

Originally Posted by Riedenschneider

Chaddoli - Caddavetes, I get it... very funny.

This is one of the best Criderion news ever. I've seen 'em all except "Constant Forge" and what can I say? This certainly is a box set to get under the influence for.

I feel even worse. I know what his name is, it was seriously just a typo. (The D and S are close).

ANYWAY, not only am I Cassavetes-ignorant, but I can't even proof read!

[manicsounds]

There already is a Cassavates in the Criterion Collection
that people seem to overlook!

On the Beastie Boys Anthology, watch the "Ciao LA" clip by Spike Jonze,
we all probably know by now that is Sofia Coppola
interviewing the Beastie Boys but whos the other girl?

It's none other than Zoe Cassavates,
daughter of (another) famous filmmaker.

some useless trivia there.....

[Marq]

This is perhaps the best Criterion announcement in years.
I've been dying to discover Cassavetes, the true pioneer of independent cinema, - but his films have been impossible to come by. I could never find a place that rented the VHS back when I first wanted to learn about him and buying them proved just as hard as so many seemed OOP or discontinued. On DVD, the existing copies are also mostly hard to come by and predominantly suspect in quality (aside from the already mentioned Big Trouble and Gloria).
This set, along with the also just-announced Scorsese set, will truly make this a banner year for inflencial and important American filmmakers. I'm so excited.

Note: Cassavetes' acting in Rosemary's Baby remains perhaps the sexiest male performance in history.

[cookieman]

Great news, but when will we see Love Streams? I've only ever seen it on grainy VHS...

[moviezzz]

Originally Posted by Lex M

Kidding aside, Cassavetes is one of those renowned American auteurs whose films are strangely MIA 99% of the time. Growing up in the 70s and 80s, these films, many of which fathered the independent movement, were NEVER shown on cable or broadcast television, and certainly weren't commonplace at even the hippest Ma and Pop video stores. While Ashby, Bodgonavich, Malick, Rafelson, etc.'s films played, albeit in hacked-up shoddy prints, on the late, late movie from time to time, I'm pretty sure that with the exceptions of GLORIA and BIG TROUBLE, none of these Cassavetes classics have ever been widely available outside of maybe the revival circuit, festivals, and in film classes. Therefore, all should be interesting to finally get a chance to see.

Actually, Disney released just about all of his films on VHS and laser 10 years ago. They had a big reissue. Cinemax had a big marathon, showing them all in order. So, I was able to see all of them (except for LOVE STREAMS which is the only film of his that I haven't seen. MGM announced it for DVD release 2 years ago, but it was never released).

Anchor Bay also issued many of them on DVD, including a few of the titles above.

His films are interesting from a historic perspective, but there aren't ones that I think you'd get a lot out of owning, rewatching over and over. They are dated and not all that groundbreaking when watched today.

FACES, SHADOWS and BREAKDOWN are his best but BOOKIE and OPENING NIGHT are not very good films.

[Mister Zob]

Originally Posted by moviezzz

BOOKIE and OPENING NIGHT are not very good films.

Well, let's say you don't like them...
Cause they are pretty good films to me.

LOVE STREAMS is also really great. It's supposed to be released soon on French R2. Maybe you guys will get a R1 release in a near future...

[NotaNumber]

Originally Posted by Lex M

were NEVER shown on cable or broadcast television,

Never say never: I've seen "Minnie and Moskowitz" on TV both in Seattle and Los Angeles on local stations in the late 70's early 80's...definitely not PBS. One of my favorite movies.

[manicsounds]

This is easily one of my most cherished sets in my collection now,
and also THE most expensive blind buy I have ever done.
Never seen any of these Cassavetes films before, and I am surprised how much I liked them, even though I bought them by gut instinct.

Big question:

On the "Making Of Faces" documentary, they refer to a 3hr 30min version of Faces that they originally screened in Toronto. Where is it? What happened to that print? And why wasnt it included?

[pharoahdance]

Originally Posted by manicsounds

On the "Making Of Faces" documentary, they refer to a 3hr 30min version of Faces that they originally screened in Toronto. Where is it? What happened to that print? And why wasnt it included?

Gena Rowlands probably refused to release it.

[moviezzz]

Originally Posted by manicsounds

On the "Making Of Faces" documentary, they refer to a 3hr 30min version of Faces that they originally screened in Toronto. Where is it? What happened to that print? And why wasnt it included?

There is a whole long saga about it that is actually more interesting than any of Cassavettes films.

There is a Cassavettes expert who is a Boston area college prof, Ray Carney. He has written extensively on Cassavettes and the alternate cuts of FACES and SHADOWS. He managed to track down the only existing prints of them and has them.

They were originally to be included in the Critierion box set, along with the standard cuts. The initial press releases included them, as well as extensive commentaries and liner notes by Carney.

But, for some reason, Rowlands didn't want to have anything to do with him. She said that if he was involved, she would block the DVDs release, sue them, and refuse to be involved. So, Criterion cut all ties with Carney.

Carney has a website about the whole saga, including his correspondences with Rowlands and her lawyers.

I've never been much of a Cassavettes fan. Seen all but one of his films and can't say, beyond a historical perspective, they really hold up all that well. But this story is very interesting.

[manicsounds]

Inside the outer box of the Cassavetes set,
there are 3 small woirds in white font under all the movie titles:

"Jimmy Crack Corn"

(I tried taking a picture but it's just too damn small,
and the camera can't focus on it.....)

anyone know what those words mean?