Cassavetes on Cassavetes

Since his death in 1989, John Cassavettes has become increasingly renowned as a cinematic hero--a renegade loner who fought the Hollywood system, steering his own creative course in a career spanning thirty years. Having already established himself as an actor, he struck out as a filmmaker in 1959 withShadows, and proceeded to build a formidable body of work, including such classics asFaces,Woman Under the Influence,The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, andGloria. InCassavettes on Cassavettes, Ray Carney presents the great director in his own words--frank, uncompromising, humane, and passionate about life and art. Ray Carneyis Professor of Film and American Studies and Chairman of the Film Studies Program at Boston University. He is the author of over ten books, including the critically acclaimedThe Films of John Cassavetes. Since his death in 1989, John Cassavettes has become increasingly renowned as a cinematic heroa renegade loner who fought the Hollywood system, steering his own creative course in a career spanning thirty years. Having already established himself as an actor, he struck out as a filmmaker in 1959 withShadows, and proceeded to build a formidable body of work, including such classics asFaces,Woman Under the Influence,The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, andGloria. InCassavettes on Cassavettes, Ray Carney presents the great director in his own wordsfrank, uncompromising, humane, and passionate about life and art. "[Cassavetes on Cassavetes] is a labor of love, scholarship, and detective work. From a chaotic mountain of primary and secondary sources, Ray Carney has shaped the story of John Cassavetes' life and work-using the words of the great director himself, and also calling on his colleagues and friends to supply their memories and revelations. 'This is the autobiography he never lived to write,' Carney says, but it is more: Not only the life story, but history, criticism, homage, lore. Like a Cassavetes film, it bursts with life and humor, and then reveals fundamental truths."Roger Ebert "[Cassavetes on Cassavetes] is a labor of love, scholarship, and detective work. From a chaotic mountain of primary and secondary sources, Ray Carney has shaped the story of John Cassavetes' life and work-using the words of the great director himself, and also calling on his colleagues and friends to supply their memories and revelations. 'This is the autobiography he never lived to write,' Carney says, but it is more: Not only the life story, but history, criticism, homage, lore. Like a Cassavetes film, it bursts with life and humor, and then reveals fundamental truths."Roger Ebert "Thank God for Ray Carney'sCassavetes on Cassavetes.It captures the man I knew--the most vivid, colorful, intriguing, infuriating, fertile, man, child, artist, actor, friend. It's all there. The passion, the craziness, the complexity, the mystery. There'll never be another like him. It's a terrific book."Peter Falk, star of Cassavetes'HusbandsandA Woman Under the Influence "What a great gift you've given to young filmmakers everywhere. Your book,Cassavetes on Cassavetes,made me miss him even more. I didn't think it possible."Ben Gazzara, star of Cassavetes'Husbands and The Killing of a Chinese Bookie "I got my hands on a proof copy of your book on Friday, and have been poring over it all weekend. What can I say? I'm staggered by the depth and detail of your research. The book is a tremendous achievement. It absolutely justifies your comment in the Introduction, that even a Cassavetes buff will find something new and surprising, probably on every page. I think you do him justice. I can't offer higher praise than that."<

Ray Carney is Professor of Film and American Studies and Chairman of the Film Studies Program at Boston University. He is the author of over ten books, including the critically acclaimed The Films of John Cassavetes.