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.
Cast
| Ben | Ben Carruthers |
| Leila | Lelia Goldoni |
| Hugh | Hugh Hurd |
| Tony | Anthony Ray |
| Dennis | Dennis Sallas |
| Tom | Tom Allen |
| David | David Pokitillow |
| Rupert | Rupert Crosse |
Credits
| 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 |
Disc Features
- Restored high-definition digital transfer
- Video interviews with actress Lelia Goldoni and associate producer Seymour Cassel
- Rare silent 16 mm footage of John Cassavetes and Burt Lane’s acting workshop
- Restoration demonstration
- Stills gallery featuring rare behind-the-scenes production photos
- Theatrical trailer
- English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired
- PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Gary Giddins and a 1961 article by Cassavetes
From the Current
Shadows: Eternal Times Square
by Sep 20, 2004As 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 deadened eyes, wide gaping mouth (David Thomson likened it to a shark’s). From the moment he shows up, he...
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