- John Cassavetes's - Shadows - DVD Review Cassavetes Collection Criterion Optimum John Cassavetes Shadows DVD Review Cassavetes Collection Criterion Optimum John Cassavetes Shadows DVD Review Cassavetes Collection Criterion Optimum John Cassavetes Shadows DVD Review Cassavetes Collection Criterion Optimum John Cassavetes Shadows DVD Review Cassavetes Collection Criterion Optimum John Cassavetes Shadows DVD Review Cassavetes Collection Criterion Optimum John Cassavetes Shadows DVD Review Cassavetes Collection Criterion Optimum John Cassavetes Shadows DVD Review Cassavetes Collection Criterion Optimum John Cassavetes Shadows DVD Review Cassavetes Collection Criterion Optimum John Cassavetes Shadows DVD Review Cassavetes Collection Criterion Optimum John Cassavetes Shadows DVD Review Cassavetes Collection Criterion Optimum

USA 1959

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John Cassavetes has been called a genius, a visionary, and the father of independent film. But all this rhetoric threatens to obscure the humanism and generosity of his art. The five films included here represent his self-financed works made outside the studio system of Hollywood, on which he was afforded complete control. While about beatniks, hippies, businessmen, actors, housewives, strippers, club owners, gangsters, and children, all of them are beautiful, emotional testaments to compassion. Cassavetes has often been called an actor's director.

*****

John Cassavetes’ directorial debut revolves around an interracial relationship 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. Their relationship crumbles when Tony meets Lelia’s brother Hugh (Hugh Herd), a talented dark-skinned jazz singer who struggling to find work, and discovers that Lelia is actually black. Shot on location in Manhattan with an amateur cast and crew, Cassavetes’ Shadows is a visionary work and a landmark in the history of American independent film.

Posters

Theatrical Release: November 11th, 1959 - USA

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DVD Comparison:

Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Optimum (6-disc - The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion Boxset (8 discs - Cassavetes- 5 Films) - Region 0 - NTSC

(Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE vs. Criterion (Cassavetes 5 Films) - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers		Only available in the Boxset listed below:	Only available in the Boxset listed below:
	The 6 - disc John Cassavetes Collection from Optimum includes: Shadows, Faces, A Woman Under The Influence, The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie, Opening Night with THESE LISTED EXTRAS.
	The 8 - disc Criterion John Cassavetes - Five Films includes - Shadows, Faces, A Woman Under The Influence, The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie, Opening Night with THESE LISTED EXTRAS.
Distribution	Pioneer Video Region 0 - NTSC	Optimum Region 2 - PAL	Criterion Collection - Boxset- Spine # 250 / Individual Spine # 251 Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime	1:21:09	1:18:31 (4% PAL speedup)	1:22:03
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.99 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.10 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.87 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Pioneer
Bitrate: Optimum
Bitrate: Criterion
Audio	English (Dolby Digital mono)	2.0 Dolby Digital English	English (Dolby Digital Mono)
Subtitles	None	None	English, and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Pioneer Video Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1 Edition Details: • None DVD Release Date: March 24th, 1998 Keep Case Chapters 10	Release Information: Studio: Optimum Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Audio commentary by Seymour Cassel and Tom Charity • 16mm Silent Footage of Acting Worksop (4:15) • 36 page booklet with articles and interviews Boxset has THESE LISTED EXTRAS. DVD Release Date: September 12, 2005 Digipack Box Chapters 12	Release Information: Studio: Criterion Collection / Home Vision Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Part of Boxset that also includes 'A Constant Forge' (Documentary on Cassavetes by Charles Kiselyak) , 'A Woman Under the Influence', 'Faces', 'The Killing of a Chinese Bookie', 'Opening Night', and includes THESE LISTED EXTRAS. • Video interviews with actress Lelia Goldoni and associate producer Seymour Cassel • Rare silent 16mm footage of John Cassavetes and Burt Lane’s acting workshop rehearsals • Restoration demonstration • Stills gallery featuring dozens of behind-the-scenes production photos Trailer DVD Release Date: September 24th, 2004 Packaging - (See below photos) Chapters: 12

Comments:

ADDITION: Optimum - Cassavetes Collection (September - 05) -

We disregard the early Pioneer disc. It is Open Matte. It has boosting but is not fatally poor (well, not as bad as the others). No digital extras but the included liner notes essay by Ray Carney is, again, excellent.

In direct comparison the Optimum looks very good - almost a duplicate of the Criterion. It is impossible to say which is most accurate but they both look strong. The Optimum has the commentary track, but each boxset is stacked with extra features (see listing above). The Optimum has no subtitles, where the Criterion does (optional). As both only come with the entire collection, one should judge by looking at all the comparisons and possibly price may be a factor.

****

Optimum: "Shadows" (Cassavetes' release version, 1959) has been restored from the original 16mm negative, a 35m duplicate negative and a 35mm positive print.

The original elements are in extremely poor condition. This print integrates selected sequences utilizing digital picture restoration tools. An alternate has been made using solely analog picture restoration methods.

****

The Criterion is brighter, sharper and shows a lot of film grain. Easily the better of the two discs. It is really quite striking, but its hard to fault the early Pioneer discs, at least they put the Cassavetes films on DVD before superior technology and high-level standardization had set-in. The Pioneer is cropped most significantly on the sides. The Criterion contrast is exceptional. Obviously the Extras of the Criterion outweigh not only the Pioneer version (which had none) but most DVDs produced today. We don't have to tell you to buy the Criterion Boxset...

- Gary W. Tooze

CRITERION BOXSET - CLICK TO ENLARGE

DVD Menus

Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC only has one menu screen - BELOW

(Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Criterion (Cassavetes 5-Films) - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

Subtitle Sample

(Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - NOTE: Pioneer/Optimum editions has no subs)