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The disintegration of a marriage is dissected in John Cassavetes’ searing Faces. Shot in high-contrast 16mm black and white, the film follows the futile attempts of captain of industry Richard (John Marley) and his wife, Maria (Lynn Carlin), to escape the anguish of their empty marriage in the arms of others. Featuring astonishingly powerful, nervy performances from Marley, Carlin, and Cassavetes regulars Gena Rowlands and Seymour Cassel, Faces confronts suburban alienation and the battle of the sexes with a brutal honesty and compassion rarely matched in cinema. |
Poster
Theatrical Release: November 24, 1968
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC vs. BFI - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Big thanks to Henrik Sylow and Gregory Meshman for the DVD Screen Caps!
1) Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT 2) Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films) - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND3) Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD 4) BFI - Region FREE - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT
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Box Covers |
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Only available in Criterion John Cassavetes: Five Films Blu-ray set: |
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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. |
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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. |
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Distribution |
Optimum Region 2 - PAL |
Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films) Region 0 - NTSC |
Pioneer Region 0 - NTSC |
BFI (UK) Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Criterion
Collection - Spine #252 Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 2:04:33 (4% PAL speedup) | 2:10:00 | 2:09:56 | 2:09:53.827 | 2:10:15.390 |
Video |
1.78:1 Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
1080P Single-layered
Blu-ray
Disc Size: 22,668,834,262 bytes Feature: 22,241,362,368 bytes Video Bitrate: 20.00 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
1080P Dual-layered
Blu-ray
Disc Size: 47,541,263,253 bytesFeature: 29,539,565,568 bytes Video Bitrate: 26.49 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate:
Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection)
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Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films)
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Pioneer
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Bitrate BFI
Blu-ray |
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Bitrate Criterion
Blu-ray |
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Audio | 2.0 Dolby Digital English |
1.0 Dolby Digital English |
2.0 Dolby Digital English |
LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit | LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit |
Subtitles | No subtitles | English, None | No subtitles | English, None | English, None |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Optimum Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
Boxset has
THESE
LISTED EXTRAS.
Chapters 19 |
Release Information: Studio: Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films) Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
Boxset has
THESE LISTED EXTRAS.
DVD
Release Date:
September 21st, 2004 Chapters 19 |
Release Information: Studio: Pioneer Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
DVD
Release Date: March 24th, 1998 Chapters 23 |
Release Information: Studio: BFI Aspect Ratio:1.66 1080P Single-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 22,668,834,262 bytes Feature: 22,241,362,368 bytes Video Bitrate: 20.00 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: • DVD of Feature included
Blu-ray
Release Date: April 23rd, 2012 Chapters 23
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Release Information: Studio: Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films) Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 47,541,263,253 bytesFeature: 29,539,565,568 bytes Video Bitrate: 26.49 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details:
Boxset has
THESE LISTED EXTRAS.
Blu-ray Release Date:
October 22nd, 2013
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Comments |
NOTE: Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.
ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (September 2013): My comments will mimic the Shadows review. Very little difference. The Criterion is marginally more robust and the grain may be the beneficiary of that toggling between the two images. Same scratches - same source. Ditto for the audio - Criterion have a linear mono track. This five film set (Shadows, Faces, A Woman Under the Influence, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, Opening Night) shows incredible value. Extras appears the same as the previous Criterion DVD of this film - Making faces documentary, Al Ruban interview etc. This Blu-ray set is looking like the release of the year!
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ADDITION: BFI - Region FREE - Blu-ray (April 2012): The story here is all about `grain`. The 1080P transfer supports the 16mm textures and gives the image such richness - looking light years apart from its SD counterparts - this is most prevalent in-motion. Same source - same damage marks exist but the BFI Blu-ray image is intoxicating in its film-like qualities. Any noise is overwhelmed by the film grain.
The audio is linear PCM fully adhering to the original production mono roots. Imperfections in scattered dialogue are part of the presentation adding to the verité charms. I thought is sounded wonderfully authentic. There are optional English subtitles on the region FREE Blu-ray disc.
The single-layered Blu-ray disc as no digital supplements but a region FREE PAL DVD disc is included with both the feature and some extras including the alternative opening sequence running about 17-minutes (same as on the Criterion) and there is an optional audio commentary on this alternative sequence by Peter Bogdanovich and Al Ruban (associate producer of Faces). There is also a 47-minute Seymour Cassel interview with Tom Charity discussing Cassavetes and the film - the package contains a 30-page fully illustrated booklet with photos, essays and a Cassavetes interview.
I can honestly state that seeing Faces in the thick, heavy appearance was a revelation in appreciation of the film qualities. Some may think Blu-ray was made for film like Star Wars - but I think this 16mm masterpiece is more of a perfect match for true cinema fans. Our highest recommendation - BFI have given us a sterling package. Gary Tooze ***
ON THE DVDs: Again we pass on the early Pioneer disc. It is Open Matte. It is badly faded. No digital extras but the included liner notes essay by Ray Carney is, again, excellent. Criterion has removable subs, the Optimum doesn't. Obviously those sensitive to PAL speed-up will have this as an issue in the Optimum. NOTE: The Criterion disc has black borders on the sides typical of 1.66 anamorphic (capture 2). Looks like Optimum stretched the image to accommodate anamorphic enhancement filling the whole frame. We will investigate - if this is true Optimum have marred their boxset badly. Extras are listed above. - Gregory Meshman and Gary Tooze |
Menus
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- Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films) - Region
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BFI - Region FREE - Blu-ray
DVD included in the Blu-ray package
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Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920 X 1080 RESOLUTION
Screen Captures
1) Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP 2) Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films) - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND3) Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD 4) BFI - Region FREE - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP 2) Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films) - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND3) Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD 4) BFI - Region FREE - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL - TOP 2) Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films) - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND3) Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC - THIRD 4) BFI - Region FREE - Blu-ray FOURTH 5) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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Report Card:
Image: |
Blu-rays |
Sound: |
Blu-rays |
Extras: | Criterion Blu-ray |
Recommended Reading on Cassavetes (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
Cassavetes on Cassavetes by John Cassavetes |
Where Does It Happen: John Cassavetes and
Cinema at the Breaking Point by George Kouvaros |
The Films of John Cassavetes : Pragmatism,
Modernism, and the Movies (Cambridge Film Classics)
by Raymond Carney |
John Cassavetes: The Adventure of
Insecurity (Studies in Contemporary Film) by Ray Carney, Sam Shaw |
Shadows by Raymond Carney |
John Cassavetes: Lifeworks by Tom Charity |
Accidental Genius : How John Cassavetes Invented the
Independent Film by Marshall Fine |
Check out more in "The Library"
Box Covers |
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Only available in Criterion John Cassavetes: Five Films Blu-ray set: |
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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. |
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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. |
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Distribution |
Optimum Region 2 - PAL |
Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films) Region 0 - NTSC |
Pioneer Region 0 - NTSC |
BFI (UK) Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Criterion
Collection - Spine #252 Region 'A' - Blu-ray |