#252: CASSAVETES, John: Faces (1968)

JOHN CASSAVETES: FIVE FILMS {Spine #250}

CASSAVETES, John (United States)

Faces [1968]

Spine #252
DVD

The disintegration of a marriage is dissected in John Cassavetes' searing Faces. Shot in high-contrast 16mm black and white, the film follows the futile attempts of captain of industry Richard (John Marley) and his wife, Maria (Lynn Carlin), to escape the anguish of their empty marriage in the arms of others. Featuring astonishingly powerful, nervy performances from Marley, Carlin and Cassavetes regulars Gena Rowlands and Seymour Cassel, Faces confronts suburban alienation and the battle of the sexes with  brutal honesty and compassion rarely matched in cinema.

130 minutes
Black & White

Monaural

1:66:1 aspect ratio

Criterion Release 2004

Director/Writer

John Cassavetes was 39 when he wrote and directed Faces.

Other Cassavetes films in the Collection:

#251: Shadows (1959)
#1029: Husbands (1970)
#253: A Woman Under The Influence (1974)
#254: The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie (1976)
#255: Opening Night (1977)
#721: Love Streams (1984)

The Film

Film Rating (0-60):

60

The Extras

The Booklet

Sixty-eight page booklet featuring essays by Cassavetes, Stuart Klawans, and tributes by Martin Scorsese, Elaine Kagan, and Jonathan Lethem.

Commentary

None.

Alternate opening sequence

17 minutes, from an early edit of the film.

Cinéastes de notre temps

(1968, 48 mins.): an episode from the French television series dedicated to Cassavetes, featuring rare interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.

Making Faces

Documentary including interviews with actors Carlin, Cassel, Rowlands, and DP Al Ruban.

Lighting & Shooting the Film

Ruban explains how he and the crew achieved the distinct look of Faces, illustrated with specific sequences from the film.

Extras Rating (0-40):

39

60 + 39 =

99

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