A CASE OF THE MONDAYS

OPENING NIGHT (1977)

Monday, September 1, 7 pm

In this haunting drama, Gena Rowlands delivers a powerhouse performance as an aging stage actress who begins to mentally disintegrate after witnessing a fan’s tragic death. Standing as one of Cassavetes’ most daring and psychologically probing films, Opening Night delves into trauma and identity, often slipping between reality and fiction.

THE KILLING OF A CHINESE BOOKIE (1976)

Monday, September 8, 7 pm

Gritty and poetic, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is a crime film that doesn’t follow noir traditions. Ben Gazzara gives a performance of simmering anger and stubborn pride as Cosmo Vitelli, a strip club owner in debt to the mob.  Forced to carry out a hit against an aging bookie, Cosmo suffers a crisis of identity, realizing his personal integrity means nothing in a world of cut-throats and enforcers.

SHADOWS (1958)

Monday, September 15, 7 pm

Cassavetes’ first feature is a landmark of American independent cinema. Set against New York’s Beat scene in the 1950s, the film follows the lives of three Black siblings (two struggling jazz musician brothers and their light-skinned sister) as they search for love and success in the Big Apple. Shot with handheld cameras, a non-professional cast, and a largely improvised script, the film pulses with jazz rhythms and emotional spontaneity.

HUSBANDS (1970)

Monday, September 22, 7 pm

In the wake of a close friend’s death, three middle-aged men (Peter Falk, Ben Gazzara, and Cassavetes himself) embark on a spontaneous, alcohol-fueled odyssey, abandoning their suburban lives in a desperate attempt to reconnect with something real. Part comedy, part existential crisis, Husbands is a bold, often uncomfortable examination of male friendship, grief, and emotional immaturity.

A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE (1974)

Monday, September 29, 7 pm

A searing and unforgettable portrait of mental illness, A Woman Under the Influence stars Cassavetes’ wife/muse Gena Rowlands as a devoted wife whose depression and anxiety begin to unravel life with her loving husband (Peter Falk) and their family. Nominated for Best Actress at the 1975 Oscars, Rowlands’ work as a woman collapsing under the weight of life stands as one the great screen performances of all-time.