Shadows

John Cassavetes, directorial debut follows the relationship between a mixed-race woman and a white man.

Set amongst the lively milieu of artists and jazz musicians in bohemian 1950s New York, John Cassavetes’ directorial debut follows the doomed relationship between a young mixed-race woman Lelia (Lelia Goldoni) and Tony (Anthony Ray), a white man who betrays his prejudice when he meets Lelia’s brother, a struggling jazz singer. Shot on location with a cast and crew largely made up of amateurs and featuring a swinging, improvised score by Charles Mingus and Shafi Hadi, Shadows gave birth to a radical new film language grounded in authenticity, and is widely considered the first truly independent American film.

Special features

  • Presented in both high definition and standard definition.
  • Audio commentary with Cassavetes collaborator Seymour Cassel and film critic Tom Charity.
  • Falk on Cassavetes: the early years (DVD only, 13 min).
  • 16mm footage of John Cassavetes and Burt Lane’s acting workshop (DVD only, 4 min).
  • Theatrical trailer (DVD only, 4 min).
  • Fully illustrated booklet featuring new essays and notes from Michael Atkinson, Brian Morton and Tom Charity.

Product information

    • Certificate

      PG

    • Colour

      Black/white

    • Sound

      Sound

    • Subtitles

      English for the hard-of-hearing

    • Original aspect ratio

      1.33:1

    • DVD region

      • 2 Europe (except Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus), Middle East, Egypt, Japan, South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Greenland, French Overseas departments and territories

    • Blu-ray region

      • B - Includes most European and Middle-Eastern countries, all of Africa, Australia and New Zealand

    • Catalogue number

      BFIB1125

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