broadway and film actor turn director john cassavetes ( from rosemary baby ) create a masterpiece with this 1977 film . it star gena rowlands and john cassavetes himself and ben gazzara and joan blondell and paul stewart and zohra lampert and laura johnson and there be a cameo by peter falk . the premise of the film represent an aging stage and film actress ( gena rowlands ) re evaluate her life after an obscessed fan dy in a car accident try to get her autograph . the movie have a slow pace and a dark and moody and frightening quality . it have a 60 cinematic look and it even remind me of polanski rosemary baby without the supernatural horror . the fear here be the one every successful actress have she be get old and she will become useless in her career . furthermore and she feel she have live a life that lack any true spirituality and humanity and merit . she have live only for her career she have no child and doesn not do charitable deed and etc . the gradual disintegration of her personality be the meat of this film . she be fall apart . she in a crisis . gena rowlands really get into the character torment psyche and act the part quite well . she be a terrific actress and this 70 film be a refresh contrast to the often violent film of the period and or the disaster movie or adventure thriller . it a movie with lot of deep seated emotion but have a cold and cynical feeling and a if cassavetes be criticize the mainstream movie and actor of the 70 generation . either that or this movie be a product of the 70 which be itself cynical in many aspect nixon deception and watergate and vietnam and etc . although the production value be not great and and this film be not well know and it a very haunting film with haunt mood . kudos to the underrated and late director cassavetes who die in the late 80 .