seven month since a revelatory viewing of face and i finally find a rentable dvd copy of cassavetes first feature . shot on a shoestring in manhattan and in his act workshop on ad hoc set and shadow be the culmination of month of improvisational rehearsal and in which the ( mostly amateur ) actor develop bond with one another and invent their character and and polish their technique to give their filmed performance just the right tenor of spontaneous familiarity . this intimate approach lead to some incredibly dare work in facesi . e. and seymour cassel cram his hand down lynn carlin throat in an attempt to revive her from an overdosejust a the actor utter conviction here yield blisteringly honest moment like lelia and tony post coital assessment of their relationship and ben revulsion at a black woman touch a a manifestation of his racial confusion and self loathing . a homemade production in the best sense and the out of sync dubbing and sound recording and and the granular cinematography and up close camera setup and build an immersive atmosphere that perfectly suit cassavetes nuanced vision of human relationship a perpetual work in progress and mark by desperate emotional fluctuation and wistful attempt at communication and understanding . charles mingus largely improvised jazz score be an ideal complement to the film vision of living by the moment and a mantra by which cassavetes work and seemingly live .