Shadows

Rating:
Summary: Cassavetes' debut film
Review: "Shadows" possesses a special place for many would-be film historians as the film that launched "independent film". If nothing else, it launched one of the most chronically misunderstood -- but utterly essential -- series of American film. Lots of small things happen in "Shadows" despite its short running length: this is due in part to the fact that the film combines half its material from an earlier film of "improvisation" with a collection of more scripted scenes shot two years later with the same cast. What's stunning about the completed film is how GORGEOUSLY it presents human behavior in all its fascinating, modern messiness. Cassavetes was perhaps the first filmmaker to deliberately -- and successfully -- attempt the feat, which he subsequently honed as a skill in his future masterpieces.

Like the others in this Pioneer series, the DVD is merely adequate: it presents the picture and sound. As in the others, Ray Carney provides a short analytic essay in the insert that is useful to anyone not already familiar with Cassavetes' art. We're lucky to have this film available in any form. Highly recommended.

[Incidentally, whatever other Amazon reviewer it was that thinks they found a racist agenda to this film completely missed the boat. However, racism is faced by the characters and plays an overt role in the narrative, and significantly, comprises much of the oldest material in the film. The original project was for an unrealized film ABOUT racism; the material added later was not, and the complexities of the resulting combination make the film what it is.]

Rating:
Summary: Be patient with "Shadows"--it will pay off.
Review: Cassavetes in again with another winner! Granted, a bit of patience is required to appreciate his super-realistic style, but by the end you will feel as though you are a part of this family, and this time in our history, regardless of what race you belong to. The scenes with the younger brother and his friends are so intimate and light-hearted you will wish you had friends like his. Cassavetes made this one with his own production company, which is something wonderful in a world (Hollywood) where selling out is the rule. A beautifully touching story of romance and family.

Rating:
Summary: Out from the Shadows
Review: Cassavetes was just warming up when he made this in the late '50s, but what a debut! He'd have better actors and more focused scenes in future movies, but the willingness to tackle intense subjects in unexpected ways is already here in full force. Race isn't so much the issue in "Shadows" as it is an occasion for exploring a whole range of folks uncomfortable in their own skins, from the 'racist' lover who wants Lelia back to the goofy hoods in Ben's gang. Cassavetes is especially sensitive to the way that people who are forced to conform to any of society's ideas--about the artist, the intellectual or the racial outsider--can be violent in turn towards others. A great taste of the films to come!

Rating:
Summary: Out from the Shadows
Review: Cassavetes was just warming up when he made this in the late '50s, but what a debut! He'd have better actors and more focused scenes in future movies, but the willingness to tackle intense subjects in unexpected ways is already here in full force. Race isn't so much the issue in "Shadows" as it is an occasion for exploring a whole range of folks uncomfortable in their own skins, from the 'racist' lover who wants Lelia back to the goofy hoods in Ben's gang. Cassavetes is especially sensitive to the way that people who are forced to conform to any of society's ideas--about the artist, the intellectual or the racial outsider--can be violent in turn towards others. A great taste of the films to come!

Rating:
Summary: Musicians;nightclub owners;race;comedy;brothers;virginity;
Review: Cassavetes' work has always not gone down the genre-driven, formulaic Hollywood studio system path. Rather, and Shadows is a fine example, he is ever asking the audience questions instead of providing cheap answers. The performances of the players are nothing short of brilliant for nonprofessional actors as are the New York locations. This is a bittersweet comedy which was supposed to be more of a comment on racism but later cutting and reshooting shaped the picture into more of a study on what drives us all: Emotion; instinct; stuff we don't even know about ourselves. I fell in love instantly with the Lelia character, played by Lelia Goldoni.

Rating:
Summary: Behind-the-scenes for Cass buffs
Review: For a fascinating behind-the-scenes info about Shadows and a list of books about Cassavetes' work, go to Ray Carney's website dedicated to John Cassavetes (found through any search engine).


Rating:
Summary: REBELS WITH A CAUSE
Review: If you love movies, you have to be curious. I'm well aware that it's not possible, even for the most resistant among us, to see, let's say, the whole american production of the year. So how could we find the time to admire the european, asiatic, african or south american movies presented each year ? Oh yes ! I forgot one thing. Most of us have a 50 hours working week to digest... How but how to make the right choice ? I'm pretty sure that everybody has his own answer to this question. Personally, I choose the movies I see by the name of the director. Because I'm convinced that the only movies that'll pass the test of time will be the movies shot by authors-directors.

John Cassavetes was one of these authors-directors and his movies are already classics. A few weeks ago, Pioneer has presented SHADOWS, the first movie of John Cassavetes, in the DVD standard. Shot in black and white, with unknown actors, in the streets of New-York, SHADOWS is a magistral first movie. An improvisation if we have to believe the final credits.

SHADOWS is the kind of movie which is going to make you love cinema once again and forget all the trashy images you have swallowed this year. It's not perfect but John Cassavetes was a movie lover and that's the only thing that matters. He was honest and he deserves respect.

A scene access and a two pages essay as sole bonus features. Sound and images are below average but I don't care. I'm curious.

A DVD dedicated to the independent ones.

Rating:
Summary: Director Cassavetes in Top Form
Review: In constrast to the sanitized images of 1950s television and motion pictures, SHADOWS is like a breath of fresh air. It's independent filmmaking at its best. You'll find no silly "Leave it to Beaver" and "Father Knows Best" plots here. Instead, you have characters that respond and speak like regular people. This is in large part because Cassavetes allowed the actors to improvise their dialog. This is particularly true for the black characters in the film, because they aren't constrained by an outsider's view of them.

There are several stories in the film, but perhaps the most interesting is that of Lelia (played by Lelia Goldoni). Living in a Manhattan apartment with her two brothers, she's somewhat naive of the world. At a party she meets Tony and they soon hit it off. Just as quickly, things start to sour between them. If it already isn't bad enough, all hell breaks loose, when Tony is unable to conceal his shock when he discovers that the olive complexioned Lelia is actually black.

In a Hollywood film, this scenario would have been thrown under the rug or handled in a stiff and artificial manner (like ISLAND IN THE SUN). Fortunately, we get a much more interesting and realistic view of the situation. Granted some of the dialog might be a bit on the nose at times, but when the improv works, it works fabulously.

One of the best scenes in the film involves Lelia on a date. Without revealing too much, her dialog is a killer. John Sayles couldn't have written it any crisper.

As the whole, the cast is very good. All of the major players have the same first names as their respective characters. Rupert Crosse (who later received an Academy Award nomination for his role in The Reivers) is very funny in this film. Hugh Hurd (father of Michelle Hurd on Showtime's "Leap Years") is very believable as a frustrated vocalist who is also the caring older brother of Lelia. Also look out for Lynn Hamilton (perhaps best known for her recurring role on "Sanford & Son") in a small role.

The film is raw, but like sushi there is much to savour here. Just sit back, relax and pop this movie into your machine. A little patience will go a long way with this gem. Check it out.

Rating:
Summary: FILM GOGGLES
Review: This intense, hysterical, loud, sweet and sour film was NOT an IMPROVISATION despite the end title! Neither were Cassavetes other films, in the classic sense of IMPROV. Improv was sparringly used in the writing of the scripts, but Cassavetes was a WRITER who knew what he was doing more than people give him credit for. This is a major crime against one of the greatest artists of the last 100 years (wha? no, seriously). To get the real scoop, and an exhaustive, loving take on this important first film by an American original, check out the BFI Film Series edition on SHADOWS, which just came out. It breaks it down and builds it back up, in a way you won't believe.

Rating:
Summary: AWEsome Film
Review: This is a great movie. Like it was made yeserday. Punk, beat in sensibility. About young people struggling on the fringes.

Also the review that follows mine is right. A guy named Ray Carney just wrote an amazing book about the movie that has incredible behind the scenes details that no one ever knew before. Cassavetes revealed them to Carney before he died in a Rosebud conversation. Check out the book titled Shadows and another titled Cassavetes on Cassavetes along with the film. It's available here if you type in Cassavetes' name under books. Also Carney has a web site that you should check out with lots of other Cassavetes material.

I love this movie! And the books about it.