Some films truly exemplify the powerful visions of their directors -- such as one showing tonight, which will break through all of its viewers' preconceived constructions.
The late John Cassavetes' final film, "Love Streams" (1984), will play tonight in Loew Auditorium as part of the Film Society's 'Auteurs' Series.
Although he is more well known for his appearances in "The Dirty Dozen," "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Fury," for example, he made eleven films independently and earned his place among American auteurs.
His first film, "Shadows," made in 1960, an improvisation with dialogue, was hailed as a film manifesto by the New York independent film scene. "Love Streams," the last one he made before his death in 1989, won the 1984 Golden Bear in Berlin.
The film follows the parallel stories of two people -- a popular writer, Robert Harmon (played by Cassavetes), who is doing research on his new book on nightlife, and a recently separated, self-proclaimed very happy person, Sarah Lawson (played by Gena Rowlands).
The film explores complex familial relationships between mother and daughter, husband and wife, and sister and brother.
By his own admission, Cassavetes did not make films for light viewing. One can not sit and watch a Cassavetes film and fully understand it.
One could venture to say that a Cassavetes film cannot be fully understood. He said about his audience, "In my films there is a competition with the audience to keep ahead of them. I want to break their patterns. I want to shake them up and get them out of those quick, manufactured truths."
