Faces Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Faces Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 22, 2012

Winner of Best Film and Best Actor Awards at the Venice Film Festival, John Cassavetes' "Faces" (1968) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of the British Film Institute. The supplemental features on the disc include a video interview with actor Seymour Cassel and alternative opening sequence with audio commentary by Peter Bogdanovich and Al Ruban. The release also arrives with a 28-page illustrated booklet featuring writings by Tom Charity, Al Ruban, and Jan Dawson, as well as an interview with John Cassavetes conducted by David Austen. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Light my cigarette!

John Cassavetes' Faces tells the story of two people who desperately want to love and be loved again. They are married but live their lives as if they are single.

Richard (John Marley) is a wealthy businessman who is used to have things done his way. He drinks, at times more than he should, and sees other women when he feels lonely. Lately he has been spending a lot of time with Jeannie, a beautiful prostitute with a long blond hair. He likes her because she makes him feel alive, very much like the type of man he was before he got married.

Maria (Lynn Carlin) has been trying her best to be a good wife but has come to the conclusion that her relationship with Richard will never be the same. She has also realized that he sees other women, but has been reluctant to confront him because at this point it probably won't make any difference. She also feels that there was a time when they could have rebuilt their marriage but missed their chance.

The end comes when one night Richard tries to make love to Maria and she refuses. Slightly inebriated, he tells her that he wants a divorce for all the reasons she has already figured out on her own. After he leaves the house and heads to Jeannie's place, Maria calls a few of her best friends and they decide to go out drinking. She is not in a mood to party but can't stand being miserable.

At a nearby bar, Maria and her girlfriends meet Chet (Seymour Cassel), a young and handsome guy looking for trouble. They drink and Chet tries to dance with Maria. Later on they go back to her house to drink some more. In the early morning hours, Chet agrees to escort one of the girlfriends to her place, but returns to make love to Maria.

Meanwhile, Richard also decides to spend the night with Jeannie. At her place, they talk, drink, and then talk some more. But this is not the kind of talk Richard needs. Even though he knows that Jeannie truly likes him, and possibly even loves him, he feels like she treating him as a client.

It is difficult to explain precisely why but it feels like this is Cassavetes' most intimate film. The camera spends a great deal of time studying the faces of the main protagonists and the environment in which they exist and even though the visuals are raw and at times quite gritty the film exudes warmth and a certain kindness that touch the heart in a special way. Also, despite the fact that all of the characters are flawed, they are extremely easy to like.

There are plenty of terrific improvisations. The long opening sequence from Jeannie's place, for instance, oozes a type of energy which cannot be found in a Hollywood film from the same era. It is so intense that it almost feels like the film is about to self-destruct. Then there are the quieter and more subdued sequences that culminate with a simple look - there are no words, only a look that bares the soul, hurting because something precious has been irreversibly lost.

Shot in black and white in 16mm, Faces pulsates and breathes with its characters. Certain sequences are brighter, looking intense, while others have toned down contrast and restricted natural light. This creates the impression that one is viewing slices of real life, not scripted acts from a low-budget melodrama.

Marley is great as the rough businessman and Cassel definitely leaves a lasting impression as the young hunk. Carlin's inspired performance, however, is the reason why Faces lingers long after the final credits have rolled.

Note: In 1969, Faces earned Oscar nominations for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Lynn Carlin), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Seymour Cassel) and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen (John Cassavetes).

Faces Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, John Cassavetes' Faces arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of the British Film Institute.

The following text appears inside the booklet provided with this Blu-ray disc:

"The film was transfered in High Definition on a Spirit Datacine from a 35mm duplicate negative, blown up from the original 16mm A/B reels. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, and scratches were removed using the MTI Digital Restoration System. The soundtracks were mastered at 24-bit from a 35mm magnetic audio track, and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss, and crackle.

Telecine supervisor: Maria Palazzola.
Telecine colorist: Gregg Garvin/Modern Videofilm, LA.
Technical producer: Tim Everett.
Technical assistant: Douglas Weir."

Like the other two releases in The John Cassavetes Collection (A Woman Under the Influence, Shadows) Faces looks very strong on Blu-ray. The film has the appropriate raw look that it should have. Color grading is also solid - the blacks, grays, and whites are stable, never appearing boosted or flat. Grain has been gently and carefully toned down, but the integrity of the film has been preserved. Also, there are no problematic sharpening corrections. Predictably, the many close-ups look great, while the portions of the film where light is restricted (see screencapture #5) never appear flat. I noticed a couple of extremely small vertical lines popping up, which obviously digital tools could not remove without seriously destabilizing the image, but there are no large cuts, damage marks, warps, or debris. Lastly, there are no serious stability issues. Compression is also good. To sum it all up, this is a solid presentation of Faces which represents a good upgrade in quality over Criterion's R1 DVD release of the film. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location. For the record, there is no problematic PAL or 1080/50i content preceding the disc's main menu).

Faces Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray disc: English LPCM 2.0. For the record, the BFI have provided optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature.

There are some extremely minor dynamic and clarity fluctuations but they are indeed inherited limitations, not a byproduct of a serious technical issue on the lossless track. Generally speaking, the dialog is crisp, clean, and easy to follow. There isn't a prominent soundtrack. It is obvious that clicks, pops, and cracks have been removed as best as possible. Background hiss has also been suppressed or completely eliminated (occasionally, some extremely light hiss sneaks in).

Faces Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Note: All of the supplemental features are placed on a separate PAL-encoded DVD. Therefore, to view them in North America you must have a Region-Free DVD or Blu-ray player.

• Interview - actor Seymour Cassel talks about his relationship with John Cassavetes, the shooting of Faces, the film's reception and success, etc. The interview was conducted by Tom Charity. In English, not subtitled. (47 min).

• Alternative Opening Sequence - in English, not subtitled. (21 min).

• Alternative Opening Sequence - with audio commentary by Peter Bogdanovich and Al Ruban. This sequence changes the chronology of events from the original opening sequence. In English, not subtitled. (21 min).

• Booklet - 28-page illustrated booklet featuring Tom Charity's essay "Faces"; Al Ruban's essay "Looking Back"; a review of the film by Jan Dawson (originally published in Monthly Film Bulletin Vol. 35, No. 419, December 1968); and an interview with John Cassavetes conducted by David Austen (originally published in Films and Filming Vol. 14, No 12, September 1967).

Faces Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Faces is my favorite John Cassavetes film. It is raw and gritty yet so elegant, a truly perfectly composed film. Lynn Carlin is also so naturally beautiful it is absolutely impossible not to be moved while watching her struggle. Faces is now out on Blu-ray, courtesy of the British Film Institute, and looks great. Once again, I sincerely hope that together with the rest of the films in the John Cassavetes Collection it will soon be made available on Blu-ray in the U.S. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.