In this episode, I explore Gena Rowlands's raw and uncompromising performance as Mabel Longhetti in John Cassavetes's 1974 film, "A Woman Under the Influence." Mabel is a woman struggling with mental illness and coming apart in the midst of family turmoil. I talk about why Cassavetes's work was so groundbreaking and provide details about his and Rowlands's relationship. The heart of the episode is my in-depth analysis of Rowlands's acting in the film and why I think she gives one of the greatest performances of all time. I also talk about my recent move, my own struggle with mental illness, the suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, and I expand on my previous ideas about a Cinema of the Unruly Woman.
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Original artwork by Dhiyanah Hassan
Full show notes:
Listen to Episodes Mentioned:
More about the HBO documentary, A Dangerous Son
John Cassavetes Interviews and Research:
Gena Rowlands Interviews:
Ken Loach's 'I, Daniel Blake' (2016)
Abbas Kiarostami's Koker Trilogy
Abbas Kiarostami's 'Where Is My Friend's House' (1987) and Mohammad-Ali Talebi's 'Willow and Wind' (2000)
Abbas Kiarostami's 'Taste of Cherry' (1997)
Claude Chabrol's 'La Cérémonie' (1995)
Christian Petzold's 'Phoenix' (2014)
Alan J. Pakula's 'Sophie's Choice' (1982)
Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy
Satyajit Ray's 'Pather Panchali' (1955)
Jean-Jacques Beineix's 'Locked-In Syndrome' (1997) and Julian Schnabel's 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly' (2007)
David Lean's 'Summertime' (1955)
Krzysztof Kieślowski's 'The Double Life of Veronique' (1991)
Satyajit Ray's 'The Big City' (1963)
João Dumans and Affonso Uchoa's 'Arábia' (2017)
Barry Jenkins's 'Moonlight' (2016)
Jennie Livingston's 'Paris is Burning' (1990)
Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott's 'Big Night' (1996)
How I Discovered Cinema and Why It's So Important to Me
Krzysztof Kieślowski's 'Dekalog'
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