SYNOPSIS: John Cassavetes’ directorial debut revolves around an interracial romance between Lelia (Lelia Goldoni), a light-skinned black woman living in New York City with her two brothers, and Tony (Anthony Ray), a white man. The relationship crumbles when Tony meets Lelia’s brother Hugh (Hugh Hurd), a talented dark-skinned jazz singer struggling to find work, and discovers the truth about Lelia’s racial heritage. Shot on location in Manhattan with a cast and crew made up primarily of amateurs, Cassavetes’ Shadows is a visionary work that is widely considered the forerunner of the American independent film movement.
| Ben | Ben Carruthers |
| Leila | Lelia Goldoni |
| Hugh | Hugh Hurd |
| Tony | Anthony Ray |
| Dennis | Dennis Sallas |
| Tom | Tom Allen |
| David | David Pokitillow |
| Rupert | Rupert Crosse |
| Director | John Cassavetes |
| Producer | Maurice McEndree |
| Cinematography | Erich Kollmar |
| Editing | John Cassavetes and Maurice McEndree |
| Associate producer | Seymour Cassel |
| Saxophone solos | Shafi Hadi |
| Additional music | Charles Mingus |
| Lighting | David Simon |
| Assistant to lighting | Cliff Carnell |
| Assistant to camera | Al Ruban |
| Supervising film editor | Len Appelson |
| Sets | Randy Liles and Bob Reeh |
By September 20, 2004
As a film star, John Cassavetes embodied the kinetic, wild-eyed, insanely grinning villain. He seemed born to the role, with his volatile energy and dynamic outbursts, luminous yet curiously Read more »
July 01, 2010
Anyone in the market for a cinematic vacation might consider Brussels this summer. Belgium’s Cinémathèque Royale is pulling out all the stops in July and August, hosting multiple meaty retrospectives Read more »
November 11, 2009
“If American independent cinema could be said to have a birthday, November 11 is as good a date to celebrate as any,” writes Elbert Ventura in a terrific new article in Slate. The occasion is the fortieth Read more »
