Is Cassavetes good or not? I can't tell.
I don't find his style particularly endearing
You'll probably like him if you like slice of life dramas where the emphasis is on the characters rather than plot or dialogue
>>70221818
He's unique and he gets a lot of credit for that. Don't be bullied into liking his films, they're definitely not for everyone.
>>70221909
It's slice of life but it tries to make a grand statement about humanity by having the characters come through some earth-shaking revelation. Whatever, I liked AWUTI but Husbands was crap.
>>70221958
>but it tries to make a grand statement about humanity by having the characters come through some earth-shaking revelation.
Huh?
>>70221818
this is the only film i've seen of his and judging by this film and this film alone I would put him up with Bergman and Teshigahara.
He's great yes, an enormous talent and influence. This is an especially intense film with one of cinemas great performances. But the rest of this box set, along with Love Streams, his goodbye to the medium, his family, and life, as he knew he was terminally ill, make for an exemplary body of work.
Shadows has an amazing, youthful, kinetic energy reminiscent of the FNW. Faces is a singular film, about marital life and changing of generation. Opening Night is psychological horror in the vein of Black Swan, Killing of a Chinese Bookie is grimy neo-noir.
The man was a driven artist and personality, a genius.
Cassavetes is good but his fanbase is made up of annoying wanks. Don't overlook Husbands and Opening Night.
>>70221909
>slice of life dramas
Braindead post.
>>70221988
You can't tell me that epic fight between Peter Falk and Gena Rowlands at the end wasn't meant to be an epic scene where both characters come out changed. Or the depressing party with the whores in Husbands.
>>70221958
>Husbands was crap.
You're not wrong. It was a noble, failed experiment. It doesnt gel. They don't gel.
>Ebert: "Husbands," which Cassavetes takes a writing credit for, sounds improvised in the worst sort of way.
>There are long passages of dialogue in which the actors seem to be trying to think of something to say. This in situations where the words should flow naturally (is a drunk ever at a loss for words?). There are lines like: "You know what you are? You're a ... you're ... I'll tell you what you are ... you're ... I wish I could think of what you are." Followed by the actors breaking up and slapping each other's backs, etc. I said "actors" deliberately, because characterization is destroyed by all this messing around.
Watching Cassavetes is much better than /tv/ trying to discuss Cassavetes.
>>70222114
You need to grow up in life or watch more cinema. Nearly all domestic disputes, or disputes feel, in the moment, earth shattering.
>>70222098
>his fanbase is made up of annoying wanks
lol this, see
>>70222082
>>70222216
I liked the movie, idiot. I'm just saying it's a slice of life that builds to a climax.
>>70222114
The fact that Cassavetes' films are never about grand questions on humanity but about everyday characters facing everyday problems with no grand resolution or grand meaning to life or any deeper subtext behind them is exactly what some people love about his films.
>>70222114
I would actually disagree with this completely. At the end of A Woman Under the Influence the family ends up right back where they started. The point of the film is that neither husband nor wife needed to changes despite what every when else said about them, their madness complimented one another and the result was a happy (albeit strange) and functional family.
>>70222170
Ebert was a funny dude but his opinions on films can be taken with a grain of salt. What he says here is a non-criticism.
Husbands is one of the best Cassavetes films.
>>70222275
His films are not slice of life. You colossal tard.
>>70222423
>Husbands is one of the best Cassavetes films.
I can't agree, but as I genuinely love the man and his films i'm glad you and others think so. Maybe one day it will gel for me. My boy Brody loves it as well.
Shadows and Bookie are cool films.
>>70222509
>Maybe one day it will gel for me.
It's not supposed to gel. It's supposed to be difficult to sit through.
>>70222373
That guy ever give Rappaport back his films?
>>70222612
>It's not supposed to gel. It's supposed to be difficult to sit through.
lol I know dude. I mean it will come together for me, i'll see it's genius, etc.
>>70222697
>I mean it will come together for me
It's not supposed to come together, it's supposed to be a challenge, jesus.
As an actor, he's alright.
As a director, he's really good. He's not afraid to do things differently, but he doesn't just rely on that difference to make his movies good.
I really liked Gloria. It's not his best work, but it's the one that I can rewatch the most.
>>70222839
I hate you so much.
>>70222697
Even if you don't like the film, that ending is undeniably brilliant.
>>70222839
Hilarious slice of life post.
>>70222919
>I hate you so much
What did you mean by this?
>>70222919
You're not supposed to not hate him. You're supposed to hate him.
Feel with me now, bros
https://youtu.be/KBZT-K1LgZs
>super handsome and charming
>great actor
>acclaimed and groundbreaking director
>hailed as a legend
some people just win the fucking jackpot don't they
>>70224843
While I agree, his work ethic was insane, and he sunk all his money and then some into his films.
>>70224925
>those stories about him selling his house just so that he could make his own films
One of the few Hollywood people who did it for the love of it
Paul Fieg should follow up his hit Bridesmaids with a reboot of Husbands, with an all female cast.
>>70222170
>Ebert
A Woman Under The Influence
Faces
Opening Night
Love Streams
Killing of a Chinese Bookie
are all 10/10
I can respect his independence and his work ethic, but his films always come across as half baked. Too often Cassavetes makes his characters do illogical and random things to make them unique, same thing with the uneven dialogue in his films. He went overboard with his desire to break tropes and formula to the point of absurdity.
