The godfather of independent cinema and one of the titans of forwarding film as a means of artistic expression, John Cassavetes is a filmmaker, I'm sorry to say, I'm just now diving into. I have been intrigued by the way in which Cassavetes went about his art, acting in films as a means to finance his own and remain independent from the studio system and every creative restriction that brings. Working as few filmmakers have the chance to, Cassavetes was able to take as long as he wanted with each of his films, shooting, editing, and reshooting until he was fully satisfied with the final product. I suppose being involved continuously in another film project coupled with the intimidation to begin watching his work; it's taken me much longer embark on a journey through Cassavetes filmography than I would have liked. In October of last year, I unreservedly fell in love with Brain De Palma's 1978 film THE FURY, and as odd as that bridge is, that film is what pushed me into seeing, at long last, the work made by Cassavetes. The gracefully imperfect feature film debut of Cassavetes' SHADOWS was, apparently, filmed twice. A nearly extinct version screened in 1957 was refilmed and replaced with the 1959 version which I watched. Completed with a minuscule budget using a crew of novice actors Cassavetes was so displeased with the audience reaction to the initial screening that he filmed the second version known today. A title card at the close of the film reveals that SHADOWS was an experiment in improvisation. The story of a family of musicians involved in the beat scene in Manhattan is told lyrically against a remarkable jazz score, flowing between the three family members brilliantly. Benny (Ben Carruthers) and Hugh (Hugh Hurd) vary in their in their commitment to their music and their belief that they can make it on their musical talents, but not in their love and protective instincts of their sister Lelia. Lelia (Lelia Goldoni) is also going through the motions of life until she meets Tony (Anthony Ray) and allows herself to believe this might be the love of her life. The prospect of beginning an inter-racial relationship scares Tony away, however, and her brothers must heal the hurt in Leila's heart. Filmed in beat to the music it is scored with; SHADOWS moves between each character in the film in Capriccio, giving the impression that each person is independent of the other, only for the ending to reveal that each is in sync with the other. Each principal has their individual motivation despite working as a unit. Leila seeks love, Benny is searching for purpose, and Hugh is pursuing confidence. Their family bond is strong, yet Cassavetes brilliantly illustrates the agency of each and their separate stories that beg to be told. The improvisational style and the nonprofessional actors lend to the realism and struggle of both racism and what it means to chase a dream. I was reminded throughout the film, especially during its opening, of Louis Malle's heavily jazz-inspired 1958 feature, ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS. The black and white photography of the light-drenched city streets with the dazzling jazz score and frenetic energy of a young filmmaker show just how radiant the debuts of two very different directors can be. Shadows may not have hit every note, but it is a film that acts as a sublime preview of the brilliance that Cassavetes' capability.

To be honest, I really didn't expected to like this movie, mostly since its entire premise and set-up sounded pretentious but as it often turns out with me; I'm actually quite fond of this 'different' and more art-house type of movie.The movie is an entirely improvised one, so that means that the acting is also being that way. It works refreshing, especially with all of its dialog but it makes it also obvious that not all of the actors in this movie are being very great ones.Still, the style of improvising for this movie is one that works out and makes this movie throughout a good one to watch. Not always an interesting one but a good one nevertheless. As often is the case with these improvised type of movie, it tends to drag on with certain sequences, though it can be argued that this is also actually being something that adds to the realism and rawness of the overall movie.But I really wont pretend as if this is the best example of what the genre is capable off. The movie still does plenty wrong. To be frank, some of the directing can get really sloppy in this movie and it often features sudden cuts and obviously later put in in-between shots. Another thing that the movie does a somewhat bad job with are its characters. It really isn't clear from the beginning on which character or characters are supposed to be the main ones. This won't became apparent until very late into the movie. You could definitely blame the improvisation style of the movie for this.But all in all, I still liked watching this different, little and honest movie, by John Cassavetes. It's well shot with some nice camera-work and it shows the atmosphere and environments of the late '50's New York. It's story also involves some good themes such as racism and interracial relationships, which was something that just didn't get featured very often in movies around that time.7/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

If you wish for the days when New York City was not overcrowded, filled with sleaze and more like the movies, then 1959's "Shadows" is not the vision of Gotham for you. This independently made feature from ground-breaking artist John Cassavettes uses real people to act out the drama of a city that in 1959 was no less complicated than it is today, only free of cell phones.With marquees of the Broadway musical "The Most Happy Fella" and the movie "The Ten Commandments" in the background, the lights of Times Square take on a role as a character in the film as much as the actors speaking the often improvised lines. The plot is similar to things you've seen in movies before (Boy wants girl & vice versa, but various obstacles stand in their way), but these people aren't speaking out of the minds of some Hollywood scriptwriter. They are speaking out of the minds of real people. They talk over each other at times, don't often make sense or have a direction in their communication, but it's dialog you can imagine actually hearing on the streets.The original 16mm photography (now re-mastered to 35mm) is rough and at first jarring to get used to. But once you're inside these character's lives, you feel you are on the streets with them, pushing through the crowds as they do. You also know you're not going to be snapping your fingers like the Sharks or the Jets. The editing is jerky, the background music is that of street sounds, and the camera moves like a turning head going back and forth from character to character. It's all a bit claustrophobic at times, but it's all too real. If there was an Off Broadway state of mind for cinema, this would be the quintessential example. Cassavettes' inventiveness paved the way for such future ground breakers as Francis Ford Coppolo, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg.As a recommended viewing co-features, take in the more family oriented "The Little Fugitive", "Lovers and Lollipops" and "Weddings and Babies" for a view of New York City that you won't get in the Bowery Boys movies or in "On the Town".

I would like to comment on how this movie exposes the lie that only the South had institutional racism, and also from my experience segregation was nationwide, it was not just in the South, this is historical revisionism. One of my first memories is as a child, I'm three years old, my grandmother who was a nurse, I was born in LA. She is holding my hand, and we are going to a Department store in Downtown LA, it has to be 1968..it was the first time I had seen a black person..I was entering the store with my grandmother, and in the corner of my left eye I saw this black figure,(apparently they had a separate entrance) it shocked me I had never seen a black person, or even knew that they existed...my grand mother rushed me into the store, and didn't tell me anything, she tried to act like I didn't see what I saw..in Los Angeles there was segregation of public restaurants, department stores etc..this is the truth..the Watts riots in LA county in 1965..erupted because black people were tired of being refused service in diners,..I didn't learn about this until years later..(they lied to us in school as a child) stores, etc...