Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Husbands Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 4, 2020

John Cassavetes' "Husbands" (1970) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include vintage trailer for the film; new video interview with producer Al Ruban; new video interview with actress Jenny Runacre; archival episode of The Dick Cavett Show with John Cassavetes, Peter Falk, and Ben Gazzara; and a lot more. The release also arrives with an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by filmmaker Andrew Bujalski as well as technical credits. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

We'll go to London

My impression is that the long drunken party either makes or breaks Husbands for a lot of people. Its intensity is such that it is awfully difficult not to respond to it, and this particular response then effectively determines how the rest of the film is perceived. This is the first time where the three grieving friends -- Harry (Ben Gazzara), Archie (Peter Falk), and Gus (John Cassavetes) -- are seen completely unleashed, shooting their mouths off with such unbridled energy that you begin to wonder if they are in fact acting. Could it be that they might be every bit as wasted as their characters are supposed to be? Cassavetes definitely isn’t sober. During the singing competition the camera catches him downing two glasses of beer, extremely fast, and you can tell that he is already completely gone. Gazzara and Falk look fresher and more restrained, but only because Cassavetes is right next to them. During close-ups you can almost smell the alcohol in their heavy breaths.

There is another pretty good test later in the film. Now the three friends have landed in London and are about to have a good time. In a fancy hotel in the heart of the city they rent separate rooms and then arrange to go gambling in a popular casino. Getting laid is also part of their plan – so long as they manage to pick up dates that would have fun with them. They are willing to spend money, American money, so how hard could it be? But Falk’s game is so bad that you begin to feel sorry about him. Gazzara hits a big wall too. Only Cassavetes begins a decent conversation but ends up with a date that is so insecure that later on he literally has to fight with her to get a kiss. The London trip isn’t as intense as the drunken party, but it leaves the same impression that a lot that happens there did not come from a script. Some of the girls are just going with the flow, not entirely certain whether there is an end destination that they are supposed to reach.

Are these examples of really, really bad filmmaking or the purest form of cinema?

It is how Cassavetes tells a story, so to enjoy his film you must feel comfortable spending well over two hours in the company of its three leads. Frankly, the order of the events that are chronicled in the film is largely irrelevant because they don’t support the formation of meaningful character arcs that are part of a conventional story. You either like how these guys talk and behave or you don’t. Cassavetes invites you to meet and hear a few bits about their lives, but they may not be your type, and if they are not, the film won’t work for you.

The film’s greatest strength is its uncompromising rejection of any filters. (Yes, it is hardly surprising because this is the key quality of Cassavetes’ work). So, there is plenty of crude language that produces refreshingly hilarious moments but also uncharacteristically dull moments of the kind a professional editor would never allow in a conventional film. The pacing and lensing are equally fluid, working to preserve a moment as it occurs, not as it should be ‘properly’ captured on film.

When the final credits roll it is impossible not to ponder how much better this film could have been with a stronger script. Or perhaps the real issue with the film is Cassavetes’ unwillingness to better control the situations in which its characters are ushered, which would instantly make any ‘stronger’ script utterly irrelevant. Or maybe the film is exactly as it was conceived, unbridled and slightly irritating but also uncharacteristically thought-provoking. After all, it would be a classic Cassevetes concept for a film, wouldn’t it?

Husbands Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Husbands arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The following text appears inside the leaflet that is provided with this Blu-ray release:

"This new digital restoration was undertaken by Sony Pictures Entertainment. A new digital transfer was created at Cineric in New York on the facility's proprietary 4K high-dynamic-range wet-gate film scanner from the 35mm original camera negative and the best available alternate elements for sections of the negative that required replacement. Restoration services were provided by L'Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, Italy. The original monaural soundtrack was restored from the 35mm original soundtrack negative and a 35mm DME magnetic track.

Transfer supervisor: Grover Crisp/Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Audio restoration supervisor: Bob Simmons/Deluxe, Hollywood.
Colorist: Sheri Eisenberg/Roundabout Entertainment, Santa Monica, California."

The release is sourced from a very beautiful new 4K master. There is only one short segment from the toilet sequence, where the drunk friends are shown throwing up, which has the light reflection producing a few blocky-esque patterns, but the rest looks terrific. Obviously, because of the nature of the fluid photography there are segments where grain over/underexposure produces small density fluctuations. Plus, occasionally some visuals can be slightly out of focus, but this is again an inherited stylistic limitation. The color temperature and balance are great. The primaries are solid, but not boosted, and there are lovely ranges of healthy supporting nuances. Image stability is excellent. Finally, the entire film looks very, very healthy. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Husbands Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit). Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

All of the dynamic contrasts that emerge throughout the film are part of the organic environment the main characters are placed. Also, the film does not have a conventional music score, which further limits their effectiveness. But this is how the film was conceived. The dialog is clean and stable, but occasionally slightly uneven. There are no transfer-specific anomalies to report in our review.

Husbands Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - a vintage trailer for Husbands. In English, not subtitled. (4 min, 1080p).

• Al Ruban - in this new video interview, producer Al Ruban recalls his involvement with Husbands and addresses John Cassavetes' desire to properly portray middle-class America in his films. Mr. Ruban also discusses Cassavetes' acting career and the impact it had on his directing preferences. The interview was conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2020. In English, not subtitled. (25 min, 1080p).

• Jenny Runacre - in this new video interview, actress Jenny Runacre recalls how she was cast to play one of the female characters from the London segment and discusses John Cassavetes' working methods. Mrs. Ruancre also has some very interesting comments about her work with Michelangelo Antonioni on The Passenger. The interview was conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2020. In English, not subtitled. (25 min, 1080p).

• John Cassavetes on Acting - presented here is a new video essay by filmmaker Daniel Raim which features audio recordings of John Cassavetes discussing his directing style and preferred ways of engaging actors. The essay was created exclusively for Criterion in 2020. In English, not subtitled. (13 min, 1080p).

• The Story of "Husbands" - A Tribute to John Cassavetes - in this vintage program, actor Ben Gazzara, cinematographer Victor J. Kemper, and producer Al Ruban recall what it was like to work with John Cassavetes during the filming of Husbands. The program was produced by Greg Carson in 2008, and initially appeared on the R1 DVD release of Husbands that Sony Pictures produced. In English, not subtitled. (30 min, 1080p).

• The Dick Cavett Show - John Cassavetes, Peter Falk, and Ben Gazzara appeared in this archival episode of The Dick Cavett Show to discuss the theatrical release of Husbands. An absolutely hilarious episode. It was taped on September 21, 1970. In English, not subtitled. (34 min, 1080i).

• Commentary - this archival audio commentary was recorded by John Cassavetes biographer Marshall Fine in 2009.

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by filmmaker Andrew Bujalski as well as technical credits.

Husbands Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I would be the first to agree that there are some things in Husbands that could have been managed better, and I would also immediately agree that if they were it would have been a very different film. A better polished version of it would have lacked the unbridled energy that ultimately makes it thought-provoking, which is where the Cassavetes-esque edge comes from as well. So, it is true, because it is 'imperfect' the film could be rather difficult to embrace and enjoy, but I personally think that as it was conceived and shot it is quite effective. Criterion's upcoming release is sourced from an excellent new 4K master, and features a great mix of exclusive new and vintage bonus features. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.