Watch: John Cassavetes’ Cinematography Is the Key to His Work

Interestingly, when watching Cassavetes’ work, the first thing I notice is the cinematography, as his films always represent an example of the idea that artfulness lies not so much in the story being told, but in the way it is told. In films like ‘Love Streams,’ ‘A Woman Under the Influence,’ or ‘Shadows,’ Cassavetes presents images of individuals in the midst of life being lived–and in so doing, may show actions onscreen that are not, in and of themselves, captivating. This is where the camera comes in, and our experience becomes more about how we see something than what we are seeing. Kevin B. Lee, in his latest video essay for Fandor, takes a close look at one of Cassavetes’ more close-up films, ‘Shadows,’ to show us, explicitly and with energized clarity, how Cassavetes’ angles, approaches, and recessions show us a mind at work showing other minds at work, in the process of growing, changing, and perpetually departing.