Why are there so few good documentaries about artists? Either they focus on the life and ignore the work; or they turn into The Lives of the Saints--his struggle from depression and drugs into Nirvana. This film is a bit on the Hollywood Hagiography side. Cassavetes is idolized. And we never really get his soul OR his life. Just a series of interview clips with others. Still it's better than nothing.
If you really want to know about Cassavetes' life and art, his heart,soul, mind, and blood, sweat, and tears, you'll have to buy a book called Cassavetes on Cassavetes by Ray Carney. It's Cassavetes' real spiritual autobiography. The unknown story in his own words, told in his own voice. It's more than five hundred pages for very little money. And it has great photos too.
And there are also some terrific web sites, especially one by Carney the guy who wrote the book. His site has extensive quotes from the filmmaker and excerpts from his statements about his films--just what is missing from this documentary. You can find it with Cassavetes name in any search engine. Read the Cassavetes on Cassavetes book before or after you view this documentary and you'll get a deeper view of Cassavetes the man and the artist. But alone this is a little on the thin, and gushy, side.
If you really want to know about Cassavetes' life and art, his heart,soul, mind, and blood, sweat, and tears, you'll have to buy a book called Cassavetes on Cassavetes by Ray Carney. It's Cassavetes' real spiritual autobiography. The unknown story in his own words, told in his own voice. It's more than five hundred pages for very little money. And it has great photos too.
And there are also some terrific web sites, especially one by Carney the guy who wrote the book. His site has extensive quotes from the filmmaker and excerpts from his statements about his films--just what is missing from this documentary. You can find it with Cassavetes name in any search engine. Read the Cassavetes on Cassavetes book before or after you view this documentary and you'll get a deeper view of Cassavetes the man and the artist. But alone this is a little on the thin, and gushy, side.