Arguably the father of Independent Filmmaking, John Cassavetes is one of the best directors ever. Known for his uncompromising, deep character studies, long winded and revealing dialogue, a hand held documentary style, and gritty realism, Cassavetes is still
one of the most relevant and thoughtful Directors to ever live.
Also acted in many more mainstream films, such as Rosemary's Baby and
The Dirty Dozen. His great acting roles sometimes overshadow his amazing job as a Director, and his movies are something that need to be explored even more.
His movies do not necessarily leave you breathless like a great Spielberg film, but they explore man's
insecurities, there
delusions, there behavior, and above all, their weaknesses and how you, as the viewer, can learn from them and truly make your life better. Cassavetes work takes multiple viewing to understand, but once you do, you're life will change for the better.
Whether or not he's an actor or a Director, he was a truly thoughtful and insightful artist, who's work has been foreshadowed for far too long. Forget Psychoanalysis. Want to examine your own life and enlighten yourself a better way? Cassavetes is your answer.
"As an artist,
I feel that we must try many things - but
above all we must dare to fail."
-John Cassavetes
Cassavetes films include Shadows (1959), Faces (1968),
If you want to know more about Cassavetes' films, check out the books written by him by Cassavetes expert Ray Carney.
