John Cassavetes
Film director · 4 films (1968–1977)
John Cassavetes is a director whose work here spans Faces (1968) to Opening Night (1977), across drama and romance. 4 of those films were photographed by Al Ruban. The work runs close — 34% of frames across the 4 films indexed here, against 21% library-wide. All 198 frames from 4 films are indexed here, searchable by lighting, lens, shot size, colour and mood.
John Nicholas Cassavetes was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. First known as an actor on television and in film, Cassavetes also became a pioneer of American independent cinema, writing and directing movies financed in part with income from his acting work.
Born 9 December 1929 · New York City, New York, USA · died 3 February 1989
Directing style
Cassavetes prioritizes an intimate, psychologically tense atmosphere by favoring interior night settings lit primarily by practical sources, often rendering scenes in black-and-white or with a palette dominated by muted, earthy tones and bruised reds. His compositions rely heavily on medium shots and closeups captured strictly at eye-level, using a shallow depth of field to isolate characters within their immediate surroundings. This combination of naturalistic blocking and shallow focus emphasizes the emotional isolation of his subjects, turning domestic spaces into claustrophobic arenas for drama and crime.
Films directed by John Cassavetes
About John Cassavetes
When was John Cassavetes born?
John Cassavetes was born on 9 December 1929 in New York City, New York, USA and died on 3 February 1989.
What films has John Cassavetes directed?
FrameThrower holds stills from 4 of them: Faces (1968), A Woman Under the Influence (1974), The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976) and Opening Night (1977).
Search every frame of John Cassavetes’s films
All 198 indexed frames from 4 films directed by John Cassavetes — searchable by lighting, lens, shot size, mood or plain language.