Above: Official poster by Yves Tinguely for the 12th New York Film Festival in 1974.The twelfth edition of the New York Film Festival, which took place 50 years ago this week, in September 1974, could have been convincingly called the New York European Film Festival. Out of the seventeen new feature films playing, all but two were European: seven French, three German, two Italian, two Swiss, and one British. Though festival director Richard Roud wrote in the program that “one of the most exciting developments in world cinema these past two years has been the re-emergence of the American film,” there was in fact only one American film in the main lineup (the world premiere of John Cassavetes’s A Woman Under the Influence) though there was also a program of four American shorts by Mirra Bank, Martha Coolidge, William Greaves, and an exciting upstart named Martin Scorsese. There was just one...
- 9/27/2024
- MUBI
Natalie Erika James’ “Apartment 7A” is at once a prequel to “Rosemary’s Baby” — the book by Ira Levin and the film by Roman Polanski — and the latest entry in Hollywood’s new wave of pregnancy horror, born in the wake of Roe v. Wade’s 2022 repealing. Other examples from this year include “Immaculate” and “The First Omen” (the latter also being a prequel), but James’ mostly-solid film more succinctly captures the anxieties of the current moment.
The movie is largely entertaining, despite being pulled constantly in two directions: as a predecessor to an iconic work and as a distinct beast, with its own gripes against patriarchal norms. Set in the mid-1960s, it follows struggling stage actor Terry Gionoffrio (Julia Garner), a minor role previously played by Angela Dorian in Polanski’s film, and it details how she came to live in Bramford, the wealthy New York apartment building where “Rosemary’s Baby” is set.
The movie is largely entertaining, despite being pulled constantly in two directions: as a predecessor to an iconic work and as a distinct beast, with its own gripes against patriarchal norms. Set in the mid-1960s, it follows struggling stage actor Terry Gionoffrio (Julia Garner), a minor role previously played by Angela Dorian in Polanski’s film, and it details how she came to live in Bramford, the wealthy New York apartment building where “Rosemary’s Baby” is set.
- 9/20/2024
- by Siddhant Adlakha
- Variety Film + TV
By the time Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby concludes, we’re hardly left hankering for backstory. It’s the rare horror film that wholly explains itself without diluting the tension that it carefully builds. What, if anything, can a prequel bring to the table? If Natalie Erika James’s Apartment 7A is any indication, apparently not much, because aside from a few inventive dream sequences, the film’s potential never crystallizes outside of one 10-minute stretch that, unfortunately, is immediately followed by the credits.
The film follows Terry Gionoffrio (Julia Garner), a bit character in the original who appears in just two scenes—one of them as a corpse splattered on the pavement in front of the Bramford apartment building (a.k.a. the Dakota in real life). While Apartment 7A works hard to recreate the setting of Rosemary’s Baby, it isn’t beholden to the exact details of Polanski’s film.
The film follows Terry Gionoffrio (Julia Garner), a bit character in the original who appears in just two scenes—one of them as a corpse splattered on the pavement in front of the Bramford apartment building (a.k.a. the Dakota in real life). While Apartment 7A works hard to recreate the setting of Rosemary’s Baby, it isn’t beholden to the exact details of Polanski’s film.
- 9/20/2024
- by Steven Scaife
- Slant Magazine
How well do you know your “Rosemary’s Baby“? In Roman Polanski’s 1968 film and in Ira Levin’s novel published the year before, new Bramford tenant Rosemary Woodhouse meets a young woman in the basement laundry room, Terry Gionoffrio, who says the Castavets rescued her from drug addiction and homelessness. Smash cut to the next day, and her mangled corpse is found in a pool of her own blood outside the Bramford apartment complex, having jumped to her death.
“Apartment 7A,” the atmosphere-drenched, classed-up new film directed by talented “Relic” filmmaker Natalie Erika James, is a direct prequel to “Rosemary’s Baby” that focuses entirely on Terry’s story and the events that led to her suicide. It doesn’t blow open or reinvent the “Rosemary’s Baby” mythology, but it’s a decent primer to attract younger audiences back to the 1968 classic film. Terry is played by the ever superb “Ozark” triple Emmy winner Julia Garner,...
“Apartment 7A,” the atmosphere-drenched, classed-up new film directed by talented “Relic” filmmaker Natalie Erika James, is a direct prequel to “Rosemary’s Baby” that focuses entirely on Terry’s story and the events that led to her suicide. It doesn’t blow open or reinvent the “Rosemary’s Baby” mythology, but it’s a decent primer to attract younger audiences back to the 1968 classic film. Terry is played by the ever superb “Ozark” triple Emmy winner Julia Garner,...
- 9/20/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. To keep up with our latest features, sign up for the Weekly Edit newsletter and follow us @mubinotebook on Twitter and Instagram.NEWSChicken Run.After earlier claims that they were “not in jeopardy,” the 29-location Landmark Theatre chain now faces foreclosure, though IndieWire reports that may not be such a bad thing.After releasing a trailer for Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis that included phony, apparently AI-generated pull quotes attributed to real film critics, Lionsgate has issued an apology and ceremonially fired a marketing consultant.The fast-food chain Chick-Fil-a plans to launch a streaming service, which will apparently include game shows and reality programming.FESTIVALSAhead of its premiere this weekend at the Toronto International Film Festival, we are pleased to share the first poster for Sofia Bohdanowicz's Measures for a Funeral (2024), designed by Charlotte Gosch of studio other types.
- 9/5/2024
- MUBI
Why Gena Rowlands’ Performance in ‘A Woman Under the Influence’ Is One of Cinema’s All-Time Greatest
When Gena Rowlands passed away last month at the age of 94, New Yorker critic Richard Brody referred to her as the greatest artist of all the actresses he had ever seen onscreen. It’s an assertion that might come across as hyperbole to someone who had never seen Rowlands’ collaborations with her husband John Cassavetes on “Faces,” “Minnie and Moskowitz,” “A Woman Under the Influence,” “Opening Night,” “Gloria,” and “Love Streams,” but even a cursory viewing of any of those performances quickly validates Brody’s claim. And while Rowlands’ work with Cassavetes is her most exalted (and properly so), she achieved great depths of emotional expression for other filmmakers like Woody Allen (“Another Woman”), Paul Schrader (“Light of Day”) and Paul Mazursky (“Tempest”) — not to mention her son Nick, who cast her in a beautiful late-career role in his tearjerker “The Notebook.”
This month both the American Cinematheque and the...
This month both the American Cinematheque and the...
- 9/3/2024
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
Before we dive into Winona Ryder’s picks from the Criterion Closet, we have some breaking news that takes precedent. In a stunning reveal this week, a poster on Reddit shared a photo with the Criterion community showing that their famous closet wasn’t an actual closet, but rather a set placed within a van.
The closet, is actually a van.
byu/throgmortal incriterion
A spokesperson for Criterion responded to IndieWire’s request for comment by confirming that its videos are actually filmed in a closet in Criterion’s office in New York City. Nevertheless, this photo may imply Criterion has plans of taking their closet on the road and social media is abuzz with intrigue.
Iconic actress Ryder stopped by the closet ahead of her film “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” premiering at Venice Film Festival and spoke of the space as if it were a holy sanctuary.
“I am so lucky...
The closet, is actually a van.
byu/throgmortal incriterion
A spokesperson for Criterion responded to IndieWire’s request for comment by confirming that its videos are actually filmed in a closet in Criterion’s office in New York City. Nevertheless, this photo may imply Criterion has plans of taking their closet on the road and social media is abuzz with intrigue.
Iconic actress Ryder stopped by the closet ahead of her film “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” premiering at Venice Film Festival and spoke of the space as if it were a holy sanctuary.
“I am so lucky...
- 8/31/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
Julia Garner’s character appears to be pregnant with a demon baby in the new trailer for Apartment 7A, the Rosemary’s Baby prequel coming to Paramount+ on September 27th. Watch it below.
Garner doesn’t play the younger Rosemary in Apartment 7A, but rather her neighbor, an ambitious young dancer named Terry Gionoffri whose dreams of fame and fortune are dashed by a devastating injury.
Per the official synopsis, she gets taken in by an older, wealthy couple (played by Dianne Wiest and Kevin McNally) into their luxury apartment building, the Bramford. “When fellow resident and influential Broadway producer (Jim Sturgess), offers her another chance at fame, it seems that all her dreams are finally coming true. However, after an evening she can’t fully remember, disturbing circumstances soon have her second-guessing the sacrifices she’s willing to make for her career as she realizes that something evil is...
Garner doesn’t play the younger Rosemary in Apartment 7A, but rather her neighbor, an ambitious young dancer named Terry Gionoffri whose dreams of fame and fortune are dashed by a devastating injury.
Per the official synopsis, she gets taken in by an older, wealthy couple (played by Dianne Wiest and Kevin McNally) into their luxury apartment building, the Bramford. “When fellow resident and influential Broadway producer (Jim Sturgess), offers her another chance at fame, it seems that all her dreams are finally coming true. However, after an evening she can’t fully remember, disturbing circumstances soon have her second-guessing the sacrifices she’s willing to make for her career as she realizes that something evil is...
- 8/29/2024
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Film News
The trailer for “Apartment 7A,” a prequel to Roman Polanski’s 1968 horror classic “Rosemary’s Baby,” has dropped.
“Inventing Anna” and “Ozark” star Julia Garner leads the movie, directed by Natalie Erika James from a script by Skylar James and Christian White. The film will premiere exclusively on Paramount+ on Sept. 27, ahead of the Halloween season.
In “Apartment 7A,” Garner plays Terry Gionoffrio, who in “Rosemary’s Baby” is a recovering drug addict played by Victoria Vetri. The prequel is set in 1965 New York City, and details what happened in the Bramford building before Rosemary (played by Mia Farrow in the 1968 film) moved in. Per the official logline: “When a struggling, young dancer suffers a devastating injury, she finds herself drawn in by dark forces when a peculiar, well-connected, older couple promises her a shot at fame.”
The cast is rounded out by Dianne Wiest (“Mayor of Kingstown”), Jim Sturgess (“Across the Universe...
“Inventing Anna” and “Ozark” star Julia Garner leads the movie, directed by Natalie Erika James from a script by Skylar James and Christian White. The film will premiere exclusively on Paramount+ on Sept. 27, ahead of the Halloween season.
In “Apartment 7A,” Garner plays Terry Gionoffrio, who in “Rosemary’s Baby” is a recovering drug addict played by Victoria Vetri. The prequel is set in 1965 New York City, and details what happened in the Bramford building before Rosemary (played by Mia Farrow in the 1968 film) moved in. Per the official logline: “When a struggling, young dancer suffers a devastating injury, she finds herself drawn in by dark forces when a peculiar, well-connected, older couple promises her a shot at fame.”
The cast is rounded out by Dianne Wiest (“Mayor of Kingstown”), Jim Sturgess (“Across the Universe...
- 8/29/2024
- by Selena Kuznikov
- Variety Film + TV
It had been over two decades since Hong Kong director John Woo stunned audiences with his hyper-stylized action classic, The Killer. Released in 1989, the film pushed boundaries with its balletic gunplay and tragic melodrama. Chow Yun-fat gave an unforgettable performance as a dedicated assassin struggling between his deadly profession and humanity. With influences like Jean-Pierre Melville, Sergio Leone, and John Cassavetes, Woo pioneered what became known as “Heroic Bloodshed.” He brought swift-paced action and complex character drama together in a wholly unique way.
Hollywood soon came calling for Woo to export his brand of mayhem stateside. Films like Broken Arrow, Face/Off, and Mission Impossible 2 dazzled worldwide crowds with the director’s expertly staged set pieces. However, it had been 20 years since Woo last delivered a stand-alone Hong Kong production. Fans wondered if he’d ever return to the wellspring of his signature style.
In 2024, that question was answered. With a...
Hollywood soon came calling for Woo to export his brand of mayhem stateside. Films like Broken Arrow, Face/Off, and Mission Impossible 2 dazzled worldwide crowds with the director’s expertly staged set pieces. However, it had been 20 years since Woo last delivered a stand-alone Hong Kong production. Fans wondered if he’d ever return to the wellspring of his signature style.
In 2024, that question was answered. With a...
- 8/24/2024
- by Arash Nahandian
- Gazettely
Carol Kane probably deserves her own closet filled with classic films she’s been a part of, from “Dog Day Afternoon” to “The Princess Bride,” but for now, the Criterion Closet will have to do. In Criterion’s latest closet video, Kane reflects on influences like Bette Davis, as well as past collaborators like John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands, who she describes as a “queen and a goddess.”
“I’m Carol Kane, I’m an ac-tor, and I am so moved to be in this room — this closet — with all these extraordinary films, movies — I don’t know what you’re supposed to call them — but all the creativity. It’s breaking my heart in a good way,” said Kane at the beginning of the video.
As her first pick off the shelf, Kane grabbed “All About Eve” and discussed the effect the lead of the film, Bette Davis, had...
“I’m Carol Kane, I’m an ac-tor, and I am so moved to be in this room — this closet — with all these extraordinary films, movies — I don’t know what you’re supposed to call them — but all the creativity. It’s breaking my heart in a good way,” said Kane at the beginning of the video.
As her first pick off the shelf, Kane grabbed “All About Eve” and discussed the effect the lead of the film, Bette Davis, had...
- 8/23/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
A peerless actress was Gena Rowlands. She was also the muse of actor and rightly renowned avant-garde filmmaker John Cassavetes (†1989), to whom she was married from 1954. It was an inspiration that was mutual. A number of great Cassavetes films are unthinkable without Rowlands. They married and had three children. Children who would also become filmmakers themselves. She started acting young and continued to act into old age, consequently having a career that spanned some seventy years from her first roles in films such as Shadows to later films such as 2004's The Notebook directed by her son Nick Cassavetes in which she plays a woman with dementia, the condition that would also affect her in old age. You could say she...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 8/20/2024
- Screen Anarchy
In a tangential sense, no filmmaker working from 1960 onward would have gotten anywhere without the influence of John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands. But in a very real sense, Martin Scorsese has said he would have likely left film entirely had it not been for the support Cassavetes and Rowlands showed toward him early on in his career. Following the death of Rowlands last week, Scorsese released a statement paying tribute to her.
“Up there onscreen, there was no one else quite like her. That’s the kind of observation that’s often made about people after they’re gone, but in Gena’s case it happens to be true,” Scorsese wrote. “She had an extremely unusual combination of qualities. Her talent, which was extraordinary. Her bravery and commitment to her art formn— equally extraordinary. Her presence… this was someone who could hold a room by just walking in and standing there.
“Up there onscreen, there was no one else quite like her. That’s the kind of observation that’s often made about people after they’re gone, but in Gena’s case it happens to be true,” Scorsese wrote. “She had an extremely unusual combination of qualities. Her talent, which was extraordinary. Her bravery and commitment to her art formn— equally extraordinary. Her presence… this was someone who could hold a room by just walking in and standing there.
- 8/19/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
The 2004 romantic drama “The Notebook” pays tribute to filmmaker John Cassavetes through its portrayal of intimate relationships that transcend time. While known for its love story between characters played by actors Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, the film is also deeply connected to John Cassavetes and his wife and frequent collaborator Gena Rowlands.
Rowlands herself appears in “The Notebook” as the older version of the character Allie Calhoun. Her role serves to honor both her acclaimed prior work with Cassavetes as well as his legacy of independent filmmaking focused on authentic emotional depth.
One of Cassavetes’ most renowned films is 1974’s “A Woman Under the Influence,” which earned Rowlands an Oscar nomination for her raw and intimate performance as a housewife struggling with mental illness. Like “The Notebook,” it tackles complex themes of love, family, and the human experience.
“The Notebook” director Nick Cassavetes is the son of John and Gena,...
Rowlands herself appears in “The Notebook” as the older version of the character Allie Calhoun. Her role serves to honor both her acclaimed prior work with Cassavetes as well as his legacy of independent filmmaking focused on authentic emotional depth.
One of Cassavetes’ most renowned films is 1974’s “A Woman Under the Influence,” which earned Rowlands an Oscar nomination for her raw and intimate performance as a housewife struggling with mental illness. Like “The Notebook,” it tackles complex themes of love, family, and the human experience.
“The Notebook” director Nick Cassavetes is the son of John and Gena,...
- 8/18/2024
- by Naser Nahandian
- Gazettely
In the midst of their press tour for Zoë Kravitz’s feature directorial debut, “Blink Twice,” starring romantic partner Channing Tatum, the duo took a not-so-brief pit-stop at the Criterion Closet to score a bevy of cinematic treats. Many of their choices outlined their shared eclectic taste and emphasized a relationship largely based around a love for films of all kind.
“We’re so excited to be here, this is like a dream come true,” Kravitz said as she and Tatum began their shopping spree. “I grew up in video stores, so this is also just a nice feeling cause that’s not really a thing anymore, sadly.”
Though the video was shot prior to the death of Gena Rowlands and posted on the day the news broke, there’s a serendipitous homage to the late actor, as well her husband and collaborator John Cassavetes.
“We love Cassavetes,” Kravitz said...
“We’re so excited to be here, this is like a dream come true,” Kravitz said as she and Tatum began their shopping spree. “I grew up in video stores, so this is also just a nice feeling cause that’s not really a thing anymore, sadly.”
Though the video was shot prior to the death of Gena Rowlands and posted on the day the news broke, there’s a serendipitous homage to the late actor, as well her husband and collaborator John Cassavetes.
“We love Cassavetes,” Kravitz said...
- 8/18/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
Straight off the plane from New York, where he is mid-production on the Netflix series “Black Rabbit,” director Justin Kurzel debuted his new documentary “Ellis Park” at the Melbourne International Film Festival.
“Ellis Park” follows the eventful life of composer Warren Ellis and the wildlife sanctuary he co-founded on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Combining Ellis’ irreverent humor and unbounded creativity with the moving story of the sanctuary’s role as a home for animals rescued from the black market, “Ellis Park” is set to be one of the most impactful Australian documentaries of recent years.
Following the film’s premiere at Melbourne’s Astor Theatre, Kurzel said making the documentary has profoundly influenced his forthcoming productions. Alongside “Black Rabbit” these include “The Order” — a wintry thriller starring Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Jurnee Smollett, and Marc Maron set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival — and the series...
“Ellis Park” follows the eventful life of composer Warren Ellis and the wildlife sanctuary he co-founded on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Combining Ellis’ irreverent humor and unbounded creativity with the moving story of the sanctuary’s role as a home for animals rescued from the black market, “Ellis Park” is set to be one of the most impactful Australian documentaries of recent years.
Following the film’s premiere at Melbourne’s Astor Theatre, Kurzel said making the documentary has profoundly influenced his forthcoming productions. Alongside “Black Rabbit” these include “The Order” — a wintry thriller starring Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Jurnee Smollett, and Marc Maron set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival — and the series...
- 8/18/2024
- by Andy Hazel
- Indiewire
by Cláudio Alves
Gena Rowlands in Opening Night (1977) John Cassavetes
Two days ago, cinephiles worldwide were met with some sad news, tragic beyond belief. Gena Rowlands died at the age of 94 after a few years battling with dementia, as her son, Nick Cassavetes, had previously revealed to the public. It's a loss that defies comprehension because Rowlands' talent was just the same, a generational marvel whose importance can't be overstated. Cinema, especially independent American film, is what it is today because of her contribution. The same can be said about the art of screen acting, in general. So much so that even those who don't gel with her mercuriality must contend with Rowlands' place in the annals of history.
Even as I loathe to use the term 'undeniable,' Rowlands is the exception to the rule. Consider her undeniable influence on countless artists. Consider the undeniable mark she left on...
Gena Rowlands in Opening Night (1977) John Cassavetes
Two days ago, cinephiles worldwide were met with some sad news, tragic beyond belief. Gena Rowlands died at the age of 94 after a few years battling with dementia, as her son, Nick Cassavetes, had previously revealed to the public. It's a loss that defies comprehension because Rowlands' talent was just the same, a generational marvel whose importance can't be overstated. Cinema, especially independent American film, is what it is today because of her contribution. The same can be said about the art of screen acting, in general. So much so that even those who don't gel with her mercuriality must contend with Rowlands' place in the annals of history.
Even as I loathe to use the term 'undeniable,' Rowlands is the exception to the rule. Consider her undeniable influence on countless artists. Consider the undeniable mark she left on...
- 8/17/2024
- by Cláudio Alves
- FilmExperience
In the history of American movies, and, arguably, of movies in general, there has never been a partnership between a husband and wife as consequential as that of director John Cassavetes and actress Gena Rowlands.
Not only did the two make several masterpieces together, among them Faces, A Woman Under the Influence and Opening Night. They managed to create a whole body of deeply personal features — shot completely outside of the studio system and often inside their own family home in the Hollywood Hills — that would usher in the era of what we now call “independent film.”
Surely, there had been some memorable director-actress duos before them, mostly in Europe: Roberto Rossellini and Ingrid Bergman, Federico Fellini and Giulietta Masina, Jean-Luc Godard and Anna Karina, Michelangelo Antonioni and Monica Vitti. But in those cases, which definitely yielded their share of masterpieces as well, the director was the auteur and the actress his muse.
Not only did the two make several masterpieces together, among them Faces, A Woman Under the Influence and Opening Night. They managed to create a whole body of deeply personal features — shot completely outside of the studio system and often inside their own family home in the Hollywood Hills — that would usher in the era of what we now call “independent film.”
Surely, there had been some memorable director-actress duos before them, mostly in Europe: Roberto Rossellini and Ingrid Bergman, Federico Fellini and Giulietta Masina, Jean-Luc Godard and Anna Karina, Michelangelo Antonioni and Monica Vitti. But in those cases, which definitely yielded their share of masterpieces as well, the director was the auteur and the actress his muse.
- 8/15/2024
- by Jordan Mintzer
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Martin Scorsese remembered Gena Rowlands on Thursday as an “extraordinary” actress and celebrated her formative independent film work with John Cassavetes for being “inspirations to generations of filmmakers and actors.”
“There was no one else quite like her,” Scorsese said in a statement to press. “That’s the kind of observation that’s often made about people after they’re gone, but in Gena’s case it happens to be true.”
Rowlands died Wednesday after years of living with Alzheimer’s disease, a condition that her son and “The Notebook” filmmaker Nick Cassavetes only revealed two months prior. While commercially known best for playing the older, coincidentally Alzheimer’s-stricken version of the character played by Rachel McAdams in the 2004 romance, Rowlands will be remembered for her fearless, transformative performances through the 1970s and ’80s, including her Oscar-nominated leading roles in Cassavetes’ “A Woman Under the Influence” and “Gloria.”
“She had...
“There was no one else quite like her,” Scorsese said in a statement to press. “That’s the kind of observation that’s often made about people after they’re gone, but in Gena’s case it happens to be true.”
Rowlands died Wednesday after years of living with Alzheimer’s disease, a condition that her son and “The Notebook” filmmaker Nick Cassavetes only revealed two months prior. While commercially known best for playing the older, coincidentally Alzheimer’s-stricken version of the character played by Rachel McAdams in the 2004 romance, Rowlands will be remembered for her fearless, transformative performances through the 1970s and ’80s, including her Oscar-nominated leading roles in Cassavetes’ “A Woman Under the Influence” and “Gloria.”
“She had...
- 8/15/2024
- by Benjamin Lindsay
- The Wrap
Every great screen performance expands the medium in its own way, giving audiences something to respond to, while offering fresh ideas to future actors. A select few can be said to have redefined the craft entirely: Orson Welles in “Citizen Kane,” Marlon Brando in “On the Waterfront,” Toshiro Mifune in “Rashomon” and Gena Rowlands in “A Woman Under the Influence.”
Rowlands died Wednesday at age 94, half a century after “A Woman Under the Influence” premiered at the New York Film Festival in 1974. Rowlands was the last to go from among a tight clique of titans — actors who transformed modern cinema: Peter Falk, Seymour Cassel, Ben Gazzara and, of course, Rowlands’ late husband, actor-director John Cassavetes.
Younger audiences who know Rowlands only as the memory-challenged older woman in “The Notebook” (directed by her son Nick Cassavetes) or for her Emmy-winning turn in “Hysterical Blindness” owe it to themselves to investigate her most important work,...
Rowlands died Wednesday at age 94, half a century after “A Woman Under the Influence” premiered at the New York Film Festival in 1974. Rowlands was the last to go from among a tight clique of titans — actors who transformed modern cinema: Peter Falk, Seymour Cassel, Ben Gazzara and, of course, Rowlands’ late husband, actor-director John Cassavetes.
Younger audiences who know Rowlands only as the memory-challenged older woman in “The Notebook” (directed by her son Nick Cassavetes) or for her Emmy-winning turn in “Hysterical Blindness” owe it to themselves to investigate her most important work,...
- 8/15/2024
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Gena Rowlands, a celebrated actress with a career spanning over six decades, is best known for her compelling performances in a series of films that have left a mark on American cinema.
As previously reported on Monsters and Critics, Rowlands died at 94.
The legendary actress had Alzheimer’s disease, but her cause of death has not been disclosed.
Her collaborations with her husband, the acclaimed independent filmmaker John Cassavetes, resulted in some of their era’s most powerful and critically acclaimed films.
Following her death, many film watchers are wondering which of her films to stream.
Below is a ranking of five of Rowlands’ best movies based on their critical acclaim and lasting impact on film history.
Gena Rowlands’ best movies to watch
A Woman Under the Influence (1974) is often regarded as Rowlands’ most iconic role; the movie profoundly explores mental illness and domestic life.
Directed by John Cassavetes, the...
As previously reported on Monsters and Critics, Rowlands died at 94.
The legendary actress had Alzheimer’s disease, but her cause of death has not been disclosed.
Her collaborations with her husband, the acclaimed independent filmmaker John Cassavetes, resulted in some of their era’s most powerful and critically acclaimed films.
Following her death, many film watchers are wondering which of her films to stream.
Below is a ranking of five of Rowlands’ best movies based on their critical acclaim and lasting impact on film history.
Gena Rowlands’ best movies to watch
A Woman Under the Influence (1974) is often regarded as Rowlands’ most iconic role; the movie profoundly explores mental illness and domestic life.
Directed by John Cassavetes, the...
- 8/15/2024
- by Frank Yemi
- Monsters and Critics
Gena Rowlands, the celebrated actress and muse of John Cassavetes, whose raw talent in films like Faces, A Woman Under the Influence, Opening Night, and Gloria secured her place among the greats of cinema, passed away on Wednesday at 94.
The actress died at her home in Indian Wells, California, surrounded by her family.
Rowlands was a groundbreaking actress renowned for her intense and emotionally charged performances.
Her portrayal of complex, often troubled women in films like A Woman Under the Influence and Opening Night earned her critical acclaim and multiple award nominations.
Rowlands’ fearless approach to acting broke new ground in portraying raw, unfiltered human emotions on screen.
Beyond her work with Cassavetes, she also enjoyed a successful career in television and other films, leaving a lasting legacy that includes her children.
Gena Rowlands’s children are all Hollywood stars
Nick Cassavetes is perhaps the most well-known among her children.
The actress died at her home in Indian Wells, California, surrounded by her family.
Rowlands was a groundbreaking actress renowned for her intense and emotionally charged performances.
Her portrayal of complex, often troubled women in films like A Woman Under the Influence and Opening Night earned her critical acclaim and multiple award nominations.
Rowlands’ fearless approach to acting broke new ground in portraying raw, unfiltered human emotions on screen.
Beyond her work with Cassavetes, she also enjoyed a successful career in television and other films, leaving a lasting legacy that includes her children.
Gena Rowlands’s children are all Hollywood stars
Nick Cassavetes is perhaps the most well-known among her children.
- 8/15/2024
- by Frank Yemi
- Monsters and Critics
Gena Rowlands, the acclaimed actress known for her captivating roles in A Woman Under the Influence and The Notebook, passed away at the age of 94.
Rowlands died in the afternoon at her home in Indian Wells, California, on August 14, surrounded by her family.
While no official cause of death was provided, it is known that the retired actress had been battling Alzheimer’s, a poignant connection to her role as the elder Allie in The Notebook.
Per Variety, her passing was confirmed by the office of her son’s agent.
According to NPR, in 1950, Rowlands moved to New York to study acting at the American Academy of the Dramatic Arts, where she met fellow student John Cassavetes.
However, she eventually left the academy and started her professional acting career, making her stage debut in a minor role in Paddy Chayefsky’s Middle of the Night on Broadway.
Gena Rowlands’ son...
Rowlands died in the afternoon at her home in Indian Wells, California, on August 14, surrounded by her family.
While no official cause of death was provided, it is known that the retired actress had been battling Alzheimer’s, a poignant connection to her role as the elder Allie in The Notebook.
Per Variety, her passing was confirmed by the office of her son’s agent.
According to NPR, in 1950, Rowlands moved to New York to study acting at the American Academy of the Dramatic Arts, where she met fellow student John Cassavetes.
However, she eventually left the academy and started her professional acting career, making her stage debut in a minor role in Paddy Chayefsky’s Middle of the Night on Broadway.
Gena Rowlands’ son...
- 8/15/2024
- by Frank Yemi
- Monsters and Critics
Yesterday, the world said goodbye to classic Hollywood actress Gena Rowlands. Rowlands was known for films like A Woman Under the Influence, Gloria, The Skeleton Key and The Notebook. According to Deadline, Rowlands had passed at her home in Indian Wells, California. The cause of death was not yet announced; however, it is said that she was surrounded by family at the time of passing. The actress had been battling with Alzheimer’s disease for some time.
Rowlands debuted on the film scene with her first film in 1958, The High Cost of Living. She would have numerous titles on her resume that came from both movies and television. She would notably collaborate with her husband, director John Cassavetes, on a number of projects. The star would even garner a couple of Academy Award nominations for her work in the films A Woman Under the Influence and Gloria, which were directed by Cassavetes.
Rowlands debuted on the film scene with her first film in 1958, The High Cost of Living. She would have numerous titles on her resume that came from both movies and television. She would notably collaborate with her husband, director John Cassavetes, on a number of projects. The star would even garner a couple of Academy Award nominations for her work in the films A Woman Under the Influence and Gloria, which were directed by Cassavetes.
- 8/15/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Beloved actor Gena Rowlands has died at the age of 94, it has been confirmed. The star – best known for films like A Woman Under The Influence and Gloria, directed by her husband John Cassavetes – was renowned for her raw and uncompromising performances, making an indelible impact on cinema often while working outside of the Hollywood studio system. Rowlands passed away at home, following a previous diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.
While Rowlands made her big-screen debut in 1958’s The High Cost Of Loving, her cinematic collaborations with Cassavetes as director began in 1963 with A Child Is Waiting – and continued through the likes of 1968’s Faces, 1971’s Minnie And Moskowitz, 1974’s A Woman Under The Influence, 1977’s Opening Night, 1980’s Gloria, and 1984’s Love Streams. Their work together marked early examples of independent cinema. A Woman Under The Influence – for which Rowlands won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar...
While Rowlands made her big-screen debut in 1958’s The High Cost Of Loving, her cinematic collaborations with Cassavetes as director began in 1963 with A Child Is Waiting – and continued through the likes of 1968’s Faces, 1971’s Minnie And Moskowitz, 1974’s A Woman Under The Influence, 1977’s Opening Night, 1980’s Gloria, and 1984’s Love Streams. Their work together marked early examples of independent cinema. A Woman Under The Influence – for which Rowlands won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar...
- 8/15/2024
- by Ben Travis
- Empire - Movies
Actress Gena Rowlands, winner of three Emmy Awards and an Honorary Academy Award in addition to two nominations, died on Wednesday as confirmed by the office of her son, filmmaker Nick Cassavetes. She had been living with Alzheimer’s Disease for five years and was 94 years old.
Rowlands began her career on Broadway in the 1950s, appearing in productions of “The Seven Year Itch” and “Middle of the Night.” She worked in early television, including revered anthology programs like “Studio One” and “The United States Steel Hour.” She also appeared on the jazzy detective program “Johnny Staccato” opposite her husband John Cassavetes.
It was with Cassavetes and his troupe, including Peter Falk, Ben Gazzara, and Seymour Cassel, that pretty much invented the prestige American independent film, with groundbreaking collaborations like “Faces,” “Minnie and Moskowitz,” and “Opening Night.” This led to Oscar nominations for her leading roles in “A Woman Under The Influence...
Rowlands began her career on Broadway in the 1950s, appearing in productions of “The Seven Year Itch” and “Middle of the Night.” She worked in early television, including revered anthology programs like “Studio One” and “The United States Steel Hour.” She also appeared on the jazzy detective program “Johnny Staccato” opposite her husband John Cassavetes.
It was with Cassavetes and his troupe, including Peter Falk, Ben Gazzara, and Seymour Cassel, that pretty much invented the prestige American independent film, with groundbreaking collaborations like “Faces,” “Minnie and Moskowitz,” and “Opening Night.” This led to Oscar nominations for her leading roles in “A Woman Under The Influence...
- 8/15/2024
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Gena Rowlands, known for her fearless film performances and collaboration with husband John Cassavetes, died on October 26th at her home in Indian Wells, California. She was 94 years old. Rowlands’ son Nick Cassavetes, a film director, confirmed her passing. Earlier this year, Rowlands had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Over a career that spanned six decades, Rowlands established herself as a versatile actress capable of complex, challenging roles. Her breakout role came in 1974 with A Woman Under the Influence, directed by John Cassavetes. Rowlands played a housewife struggling with mental illness, earning her first Oscar nomination for the raw, emotionally charged performance. Film critic Janet Maslin praised Rowlands’ “physical and emotional elasticity” in navigating her character’s shifting moods.
Rowlands went on to collaborate with Cassavetes in ten films, helping define independent cinema in the 1970s and 1980s. They included Faces (1968) and Opening Night (1977). Her role in Gloria (1980) earned a second Oscar nomination.
Over a career that spanned six decades, Rowlands established herself as a versatile actress capable of complex, challenging roles. Her breakout role came in 1974 with A Woman Under the Influence, directed by John Cassavetes. Rowlands played a housewife struggling with mental illness, earning her first Oscar nomination for the raw, emotionally charged performance. Film critic Janet Maslin praised Rowlands’ “physical and emotional elasticity” in navigating her character’s shifting moods.
Rowlands went on to collaborate with Cassavetes in ten films, helping define independent cinema in the 1970s and 1980s. They included Faces (1968) and Opening Night (1977). Her role in Gloria (1980) earned a second Oscar nomination.
- 8/15/2024
- by Naser Nahandian
- Gazettely
Subtle yet tough and fearless, the actor blazed a trail through American movies in the 70s – in particular in close collaboration with her husband John Cassavetes
• Gena Rowlands, star of A Woman Under the Influence and Gloria, dies at 94
‘I was always a Broad! I can’t stand the sight of Milk!” This is Gena Rowlands at her awe-inspiring toughest in John Cassavetes’ extraordinary drama-thriller Gloria from 1980. She is sexy, smart, a match for any man. Rowlands was a strong, passionate heroine in the tradition of Barbara Stanwyck, Bette Davis and Lauren Bacall. In fact, her director-husband John Cassavetes was in some ways Bogart to her Bacall. Rowlands staked a claim to the male prerogative of being sensual, dangerous and damaged; a natural survivor. In Gloria, and also in Woody Allen’s Another Woman (1988), in which she plays a severe philosophy professor, Rowlands wears a belted trenchcoat, the kind that Bogart would wear.
• Gena Rowlands, star of A Woman Under the Influence and Gloria, dies at 94
‘I was always a Broad! I can’t stand the sight of Milk!” This is Gena Rowlands at her awe-inspiring toughest in John Cassavetes’ extraordinary drama-thriller Gloria from 1980. She is sexy, smart, a match for any man. Rowlands was a strong, passionate heroine in the tradition of Barbara Stanwyck, Bette Davis and Lauren Bacall. In fact, her director-husband John Cassavetes was in some ways Bogart to her Bacall. Rowlands staked a claim to the male prerogative of being sensual, dangerous and damaged; a natural survivor. In Gloria, and also in Woody Allen’s Another Woman (1988), in which she plays a severe philosophy professor, Rowlands wears a belted trenchcoat, the kind that Bogart would wear.
- 8/15/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Gena Rowlands was remembered far and wide on film Twitter Wednesday as one of “the greatest actors to ever do it.”
News of the 94-year-old icon’s death came Wednesday evening, two months after her son and “The Notebook” director Nick Cassavetes revealed she had been living with Alzheimer’s disease for five years. Aside from contemporary commercial successes like “The Notebook,” the actress’ body of work included a string of formative John Cassavetes collaborations including “A Woman Under the Influence” and “Gloria,” both for which she received an Academy Award nomination. She was also a four-time Emmy Award winner for her work in television.
As news of her death broke, tributes from fans poured in on X. Actor and comedian Michael Rapaport described Rowlands as “gorgeous and gritty.” He said wrote, “The Great Gena Rowlands has passed. Absolutely a game changing actress.”
The Great Gena Rowlands has passed. Absolutely a game changing actress.
News of the 94-year-old icon’s death came Wednesday evening, two months after her son and “The Notebook” director Nick Cassavetes revealed she had been living with Alzheimer’s disease for five years. Aside from contemporary commercial successes like “The Notebook,” the actress’ body of work included a string of formative John Cassavetes collaborations including “A Woman Under the Influence” and “Gloria,” both for which she received an Academy Award nomination. She was also a four-time Emmy Award winner for her work in television.
As news of her death broke, tributes from fans poured in on X. Actor and comedian Michael Rapaport described Rowlands as “gorgeous and gritty.” He said wrote, “The Great Gena Rowlands has passed. Absolutely a game changing actress.”
The Great Gena Rowlands has passed. Absolutely a game changing actress.
- 8/15/2024
- by Stephanie Kaloi
- The Wrap
Sad news in the land of Hollywood, as TMZ is reporting that Gena Rowlands, who played ‘Allie’ in The Notebook died the afternoon of Wednesday, August 14 at her Indian Wells, CA home. She was 94 years old.
As per reports, she was surrounded by family, including her husband Robert Forrest and daughter Alexandra Cassavetes. Reports also reveal that her director son, Nick Cassavetes, had been at the house quite frequently the week leading up to her passing.
Gena Rowlands, “The Notebook” Star – Cause Of Death
As of this writing, no official cause of death has been listed for the actress; however, she had been fighting Alzheimer’s.
Nick announced his mother’s condition on the 20th anniversary milestone of The Notebook, a movie he directed. Rowland’s character Allie in the film also battled the same illness.
Gena’s mother, actress Lady Rowlands, was also diagnosed with Alzheimer’s before her passing.
As per reports, she was surrounded by family, including her husband Robert Forrest and daughter Alexandra Cassavetes. Reports also reveal that her director son, Nick Cassavetes, had been at the house quite frequently the week leading up to her passing.
Gena Rowlands, “The Notebook” Star – Cause Of Death
As of this writing, no official cause of death has been listed for the actress; however, she had been fighting Alzheimer’s.
Nick announced his mother’s condition on the 20th anniversary milestone of The Notebook, a movie he directed. Rowland’s character Allie in the film also battled the same illness.
Gena’s mother, actress Lady Rowlands, was also diagnosed with Alzheimer’s before her passing.
- 8/15/2024
- by Dorathy Gass
- Celebrating The Soaps
The three-time Emmy winner has been celebrated for her vivid portrayals of strong, troubled women, including in 10 films directed by her first husband John Cassavetes
• Peter Bradshaw on Gena Rowlands: the fiercest, most incandescent star of US indie cinema
Gena Rowlands, the Oscar-nominated actor best known for the string of films she collaborated on with her husband, the director John Cassavetes, has died aged 94 her son, Nick Cassavetes, said on Wednesday. In 2024 Nick revealed that she had Alzheimer’s.
A successful actor before and after her films with John Cassavetes, it is nevertheless the string of films she made with her actor-turned-director husband that came to define her career. In Faces (1968), Minnie and Moskowitz (1971), A Woman Under the Influence (1974), Opening Night (1977), Gloria (1980) and Love Streams (1984), Rowlands played a series of groundbreaking roles as damaged and yearning women in emotionally committed performances of a kind all too rare in American cinema of the period.
• Peter Bradshaw on Gena Rowlands: the fiercest, most incandescent star of US indie cinema
Gena Rowlands, the Oscar-nominated actor best known for the string of films she collaborated on with her husband, the director John Cassavetes, has died aged 94 her son, Nick Cassavetes, said on Wednesday. In 2024 Nick revealed that she had Alzheimer’s.
A successful actor before and after her films with John Cassavetes, it is nevertheless the string of films she made with her actor-turned-director husband that came to define her career. In Faces (1968), Minnie and Moskowitz (1971), A Woman Under the Influence (1974), Opening Night (1977), Gloria (1980) and Love Streams (1984), Rowlands played a series of groundbreaking roles as damaged and yearning women in emotionally committed performances of a kind all too rare in American cinema of the period.
- 8/15/2024
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Gena Rowlands, the legendary actress who became one of the first major faces of American independent film through her collaborations with her late husband John Cassavetes, has died at the age of 94.
Rowlands, who had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, died on Wednesday, August 14 in the afternoon at her home in Indian Wells, California, according to multiple media reports. No cause of death was given.
Born in Cambria, Wisconsin in 1930, Rowlands began acting in stage productions in the 1950s, gradually working her way up from regional theater to Broadway before becoming a regular presence on television. By the end of the decade she was frequently leading TV movies and making guest appearances on major network shows.
In 1954, Rowlands married John Cassavetes, who would go on to become her most important collaborator. Rowlands starred in ten films written and directed by Cassavetes, many of which were self-financed and quickly shot...
Rowlands, who had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, died on Wednesday, August 14 in the afternoon at her home in Indian Wells, California, according to multiple media reports. No cause of death was given.
Born in Cambria, Wisconsin in 1930, Rowlands began acting in stage productions in the 1950s, gradually working her way up from regional theater to Broadway before becoming a regular presence on television. By the end of the decade she was frequently leading TV movies and making guest appearances on major network shows.
In 1954, Rowlands married John Cassavetes, who would go on to become her most important collaborator. Rowlands starred in ten films written and directed by Cassavetes, many of which were self-financed and quickly shot...
- 8/15/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Gena Rowlands, whose illustrious career saw her star in A Woman Under the Influence, Gloria, and The Notebook, died Wednesday at the age of 94.
The actress died at her home in Indian Wells and her death was confirmed by the office of her son’s agent, Variety confirmed. In June, her son, The Notebook director Nick Cassavetes, shared the news that his mother had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. In the film, Rowlands famously played the older version of Allie, Rachel McAdams’ character, who was also suffering from dementia.
The actress died at her home in Indian Wells and her death was confirmed by the office of her son’s agent, Variety confirmed. In June, her son, The Notebook director Nick Cassavetes, shared the news that his mother had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. In the film, Rowlands famously played the older version of Allie, Rachel McAdams’ character, who was also suffering from dementia.
- 8/15/2024
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
Actress Gena Rowlands, who earned four Emmys and two Oscar nominations in a long and decorated Hollywood career, has passed away at the age of 94.
Rowlands died on Wednesday at her California home surrounded by family, our sister site Deadline reports. No official cause of death has been released, but she had been battling Alzheimer’s disease for the past five years, according to her son Nick Cassavetes.
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After studying...
Rowlands died on Wednesday at her California home surrounded by family, our sister site Deadline reports. No official cause of death has been released, but she had been battling Alzheimer’s disease for the past five years, according to her son Nick Cassavetes.
More from TVLinePeter Marshall, Emmy-Winning Host of Hollywood Squares, Dead at 98Patti Yasutake, Who Played Star Trek: Tng's Nurse Ogawa, Dead at 70Former NCIS Showrunner George Schenck Dead at 82
After studying...
- 8/15/2024
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
Whenever an actor passes away, the expression "greatest to ever do it" is often tossed around. In the case of four-time Emmy and two-time Golden Globe winner Gena Rowlands, the legendary star of the stage, television, and film with a career spanning nearly seven decades, the expression feels somewhat inadequate. Her presence on screen was unwavering and incomparable, a captivating presence who could express a character's entire life story with the lift of an eyebrow or the lighting of a cigarette. She was the type of performer that actors aspired to be more like, and displayed an authentic sense of vulnerability that few have come close to matching. Her passing was first reported by TMZ. She was 94.
Rowlands was graced with an honorary Oscar in 2015, a year after her final on-screen performance. She had been nominated twice before, and one could easily argue that she should have taken home the statue both times.
Rowlands was graced with an honorary Oscar in 2015, a year after her final on-screen performance. She had been nominated twice before, and one could easily argue that she should have taken home the statue both times.
- 8/15/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Gena Rowlands, the wife and muse of John Cassavetes whose unvarnished abilities found in such films as Faces, A Woman Under the Influence, Opening Night and Gloria put her in the pantheon of acting legends, died Wednesday. She was 94.
Rowlands died surrounded by family members at her home in Indian Wells, California, according to TMZ. A spokesperson for WME, where her son, writer-director Nick Cassavetes, has representation, confirmed her death. She had battled Alzheimer’s since 2019.
Rowlands received Oscar nominations for her performances in A Woman Under the Influence (1974), where she played an isolated, emotionally vulnerable housewife who lapses into madness, and Gloria (1980), where she sparkled as a pissed-off child protector who rails against the Mob.
She lost out to Ellen Burstyn of Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and Sissy Spacek of Coal Miner’s Daughter in those Academy Award races. Her greatness wasn’t formally acknowledged by the Academy...
Rowlands died surrounded by family members at her home in Indian Wells, California, according to TMZ. A spokesperson for WME, where her son, writer-director Nick Cassavetes, has representation, confirmed her death. She had battled Alzheimer’s since 2019.
Rowlands received Oscar nominations for her performances in A Woman Under the Influence (1974), where she played an isolated, emotionally vulnerable housewife who lapses into madness, and Gloria (1980), where she sparkled as a pissed-off child protector who rails against the Mob.
She lost out to Ellen Burstyn of Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and Sissy Spacek of Coal Miner’s Daughter in those Academy Award races. Her greatness wasn’t formally acknowledged by the Academy...
- 8/15/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Gena Rowlands, whose seminal and fearless performance in “A Woman Under the Influence” inspired a generation and who starred in many other John Cassavetes features as well as the romance “The Notebook,” died Wednesday at her home in Indian Wells, Calif. She was 94.
Her death was confirmed by the office of her son’s agent. In June, Nick Cassavetes, who directed his mother in “The Notebook,” shared that the three-time Emmy winner and two-time Oscar nominee had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Rowlands’ role as Mabel Longhetti in the 1974 drama “A Woman Under the Influence,” written for her and directed by husband John Cassavetes, landed the actor the first of two Academy Award nominations. The other nom was for “Gloria” (1980), also directed by her husband. In November 2015, she was awarded an honorary Academy Award at the annual Governors Awards in recognition of her storied career.
“Working this long? I didn...
Her death was confirmed by the office of her son’s agent. In June, Nick Cassavetes, who directed his mother in “The Notebook,” shared that the three-time Emmy winner and two-time Oscar nominee had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Rowlands’ role as Mabel Longhetti in the 1974 drama “A Woman Under the Influence,” written for her and directed by husband John Cassavetes, landed the actor the first of two Academy Award nominations. The other nom was for “Gloria” (1980), also directed by her husband. In November 2015, she was awarded an honorary Academy Award at the annual Governors Awards in recognition of her storied career.
“Working this long? I didn...
- 8/15/2024
- by Rick Schultz
- Variety Film + TV
Gena Rowlands, the award-winning actress known for her roles in films such as A Woman Under the Influence, Gloria, and The Notebook, has died at the age of 94.
Rowlands died Wednesday, August 14th, at her home in Indian Wells, California, according to TMZ. She had been battling Alzheimer’s disease.
Hailing from Cambria, Wisconsin, Rowlands originally got her start in theater, studying drama at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. Upon graduating, she starred in several repertory productions before making her Broadway debut in The Seven Year Itch. She later starred in the Broadway play Middle of the Night.
Beginning in the mid-1950s, Rowlands transitioned to a career in television. She starred in the syndicated television series Top Secret and made guest appearances on shows including Laramie, Riverboat, 77 Sunset Strip, and Dr. Kildare. She also appeared on several episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
However,...
Rowlands died Wednesday, August 14th, at her home in Indian Wells, California, according to TMZ. She had been battling Alzheimer’s disease.
Hailing from Cambria, Wisconsin, Rowlands originally got her start in theater, studying drama at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. Upon graduating, she starred in several repertory productions before making her Broadway debut in The Seven Year Itch. She later starred in the Broadway play Middle of the Night.
Beginning in the mid-1950s, Rowlands transitioned to a career in television. She starred in the syndicated television series Top Secret and made guest appearances on shows including Laramie, Riverboat, 77 Sunset Strip, and Dr. Kildare. She also appeared on several episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
However,...
- 8/15/2024
- by Scoop Harrison
- Consequence - Film News
Gena Rowlands, a multiple Emmy winner whose captivating work in A Woman Under the Influence and as the elder and dementia-ridden Allie in The Notebook also moved moviegoers, died Wednesday surrounded by family at her home in Indian Wells, CA. She was 94.
No cause of death was given, but the retired actress had been battling Alzheimer’s disease, ironic in light of her famous film role.
She retired from Hollywood in 2015 after earning four Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes and two Oscar nominations. Her Oscar noms included A Woman Under the Influence and Gloria, both borne of collaborations with her late husband, John Cassavetes. The duo made an indelible mark on American independent film, not just for the often revelatory end product, but also for the DIY way they made their movies.
A Woman Under the Influence was prompted by Rowlands, who wanted to delve into the difficulties faced by...
No cause of death was given, but the retired actress had been battling Alzheimer’s disease, ironic in light of her famous film role.
She retired from Hollywood in 2015 after earning four Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes and two Oscar nominations. Her Oscar noms included A Woman Under the Influence and Gloria, both borne of collaborations with her late husband, John Cassavetes. The duo made an indelible mark on American independent film, not just for the often revelatory end product, but also for the DIY way they made their movies.
A Woman Under the Influence was prompted by Rowlands, who wanted to delve into the difficulties faced by...
- 8/15/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Gena Rowlands, the iconic actress known for her role as the older Allie in “The Notebook” and a formative career in John Cassavetes classes like “A Woman Under the Influence” and “Gloria,” has died at the age of 94, according to media reports.
The honorary Oscar winner famously portrayed the elderly version of Rachel McAdams’ character in her son Nick Cassavetes’ 2004 romantic drama opposite the late James Garner. News of her death came two months after Cassavetes revealed his mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis — the same disease her character suffers from in “The Notebook.”
“I got my mom to play older Allie, and we spent a lot of time talking about Alzheimer’s and wanting to be authentic with it, and now, for the last five years, she’s had Alzheimer’s,” he told EW. “She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it...
The honorary Oscar winner famously portrayed the elderly version of Rachel McAdams’ character in her son Nick Cassavetes’ 2004 romantic drama opposite the late James Garner. News of her death came two months after Cassavetes revealed his mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis — the same disease her character suffers from in “The Notebook.”
“I got my mom to play older Allie, and we spent a lot of time talking about Alzheimer’s and wanting to be authentic with it, and now, for the last five years, she’s had Alzheimer’s,” he told EW. “She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it...
- 8/15/2024
- by JD Knapp
- The Wrap
Gena Rowlands, best known for her collaborations with husband John Cassavetes and her role in The Notebook, has died. She was 94. The retired actress died Wednesday afternoon, according to TMZ. She had been battling Alzheimer’s disease. Rowlands was born on June 19, 1930, in Cambria, Wisconsin. Her mother, Mary Allen, whose stage name was Lady Rowlands, was an actress. Her father, Edwin Myrwyn Reynolds, was a state senator and legislator. Rowlands attended the University of Wisconsin before moving to New York City to study drama at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. While a student at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she met and fell in love with Cassavetes. They married in 1954. Rowlands made her television debut that same year in an episode of Top Secret. Her first film role was in the 1958 comedy The High Cost of Loving. Her early TV career included appearances on Johnny Staccato, Alfred Hitchcock Presents,...
- 8/15/2024
- TV Insider
TMZ reports today that the award-winning actress Gena Rowlands has died. Best known for the films she made with her late husband, John Cassavetes, Rowlands was an immensely talented performer with incredible range who acted on the stage, in television, and in more than 40 films. No cause of death has been revealed.
- 8/14/2024
- by Laura Adamczyk
- avclub.com
Alfonso Cuaron wants to make a horror movie inspired by films like 'Rosemary’s Baby' and 'The Babadook'.The 62-year-old Mexican director includes sci-fi films 'Gravity' and 'Children of Men' as well as dramas 'Roma' and 'A Little Princess', but he is yet to turn his cameras to the horror genre.Cuaron - who also helmed 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' - insists it is his next ambition to create film that will fascinate and terrify audiences like those two horror classics.Speaking at the Locarno Film Festival, in Switzerland, he said: "My aspiration is to one day do a horror film."I love 'Rosemary’s Baby', and the other Polanski films, and films like 'The Babadook'. They’re so grounded in reality and in character so I love those."Cuaron has been trying to write...
- 8/13/2024
- by Philip Hamilton
- Bang Showbiz
At the premiere of her directorial debut Blink Twice on Thursday, Zoë Kravitz took a moment for a special thank-you for the film’s star, and her fiancé, Channing Tatum.
Ahead of the screening at Los Angeles’ DGA Theatre, while Kravitz was thanking the cast and crew who worked on the project, she told the crowd she was “going to take just one second to talk about Channing fucking Tatum,” before reading a note she had written down in her notebook.
“From producing to performing to the pep talks to holding my head or my feet while I cried on the bathroom floor because I thought I fucked it all up, thank you for letting me be a complete Ocd psycho control freak. Thank you for your patience,” she said. “Making this film with you has been an awfully great adventure. Thank you for trusting me to female direct you.
Ahead of the screening at Los Angeles’ DGA Theatre, while Kravitz was thanking the cast and crew who worked on the project, she told the crowd she was “going to take just one second to talk about Channing fucking Tatum,” before reading a note she had written down in her notebook.
“From producing to performing to the pep talks to holding my head or my feet while I cried on the bathroom floor because I thought I fucked it all up, thank you for letting me be a complete Ocd psycho control freak. Thank you for your patience,” she said. “Making this film with you has been an awfully great adventure. Thank you for trusting me to female direct you.
- 8/9/2024
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Film directors acting in the films they make is neither rare nor new. Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton were doing it during the silent era, and as more artists like Orson Wells, Ida Lupino, John Cassavetes, and now Ben Affleck and Bradley Cooper got into the act (literally), it's hardly surprising for audiences to see a movie written by, directed by, and starring the same person.
However, there also exists the parallel concept of the director's cameo, which is distinguished from the acting directors because the concept of a cameo itself is an elastic idea — ranging from a brief, non-verbal appearance to an entire supporting role. Unlike a filmmaker playing the lead or a co-lead in their own feature, a director making a cameo appearance in their own film tends to have a meta aspect to it: they know you know who they are, so their appearance in and of...
However, there also exists the parallel concept of the director's cameo, which is distinguished from the acting directors because the concept of a cameo itself is an elastic idea — ranging from a brief, non-verbal appearance to an entire supporting role. Unlike a filmmaker playing the lead or a co-lead in their own feature, a director making a cameo appearance in their own film tends to have a meta aspect to it: they know you know who they are, so their appearance in and of...
- 8/2/2024
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
Following 2017’s You Were Never Really Here, we recently learned Lynne Ramsay would finally be embarking on her next feature in Canada in just a few weeks. An adaptation of Ariana Harwicz’s 2019 novel Die, My Love, the film follows a mother who struggles to maintain her sanity as she battles with psychosis in a remote rural area.
With Jennifer Lawrence set to lead the project, marking her first since last summer’s comedy No Hard Feelings, she now has a co-star. Robert Pattinson is in talks to join the film, according to Deadline, as his schedule has freed up with The Batman Part II shoot delayed to January.
Ramsay is prepping a shoot in Alberta, Canada from August through October, with cinematography courtesy of Seamus McGarvey, reteaming after We Need to Talk About Kevin, according to Ioncinema.
First photo from the set of Die my Love… I can't believe this is actually happening.
With Jennifer Lawrence set to lead the project, marking her first since last summer’s comedy No Hard Feelings, she now has a co-star. Robert Pattinson is in talks to join the film, according to Deadline, as his schedule has freed up with The Batman Part II shoot delayed to January.
Ramsay is prepping a shoot in Alberta, Canada from August through October, with cinematography courtesy of Seamus McGarvey, reteaming after We Need to Talk About Kevin, according to Ioncinema.
First photo from the set of Die my Love… I can't believe this is actually happening.
- 7/23/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
France’s Deauville American Film Festival has announced a retrospective gathering 50 U.S. features that have challenged perceptions of the world to mark its 50th anniversary.
The selection ranges from D. W. Griffith’s 1916 silent epic Intolerance to Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, and also includes Ida Lupino’s groundbreaking 1950 rape drama Outrage as well as Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing. (see full list below)
“Cinema has always made us dream, travel, desire, fantasize, laugh, cry. But how many films have been able to shake up our certainties, question our beliefs, question our prejudices and put our own views into perspective?,” said the festival.
“The Deauville American Film Festival wanted to highlight a selection of 50 films that have changed the way we look at the world,” it continued.
Launched in 1975, the festival unfolding in the swanky Normandy beach resort of Deauville, annually fetes Hollywood...
The selection ranges from D. W. Griffith’s 1916 silent epic Intolerance to Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, and also includes Ida Lupino’s groundbreaking 1950 rape drama Outrage as well as Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing. (see full list below)
“Cinema has always made us dream, travel, desire, fantasize, laugh, cry. But how many films have been able to shake up our certainties, question our beliefs, question our prejudices and put our own views into perspective?,” said the festival.
“The Deauville American Film Festival wanted to highlight a selection of 50 films that have changed the way we look at the world,” it continued.
Launched in 1975, the festival unfolding in the swanky Normandy beach resort of Deauville, annually fetes Hollywood...
- 7/9/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Gena Rowlands has spent her career avoiding formality, delivering performances ranging from the unbound to the ritualistically controlled — and to watch her onscreen is to face the unknown. Each role brings viewers to the edge of their seat, uncertain which direction they’ll be spun toward by her frenzied commitment to every role, from a mentally ill housewife in “A Woman Under the Influence” to a theater actress staring down the barrel of a fading career in “Opening Night,” or a divorcee pacing with a martini in “Love Streams.” And despite the often hectic material she covered with her husband John Cassavetes, who directed all those films, her performances are always grounded in reality.
With Rowlands, acting becomes a gateway into understanding all the foibles and eccentricities of humanity at its best and worst. Recently, Rowlands’ son, actor/writer/director Nick Cassavetes, announced that his mother has been struggling with...
With Rowlands, acting becomes a gateway into understanding all the foibles and eccentricities of humanity at its best and worst. Recently, Rowlands’ son, actor/writer/director Nick Cassavetes, announced that his mother has been struggling with...
- 7/6/2024
- by Harrison Richlin and Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Considering she’s only directed four features in the last quarter-century, any new film from Lynne Ramsay comes with quite the anticipation. Following 2017’s You Were Never Really Here, the director has circled no fewer than five potential projects. Now, one finally seems to be moving forward as a summer production has been confirmed in Canada.
An adaptation of Ariana Harwicz’s 2019 novel Die, My Love, which follows a mother who struggles to maintain her sanity as she battles with psychosis in a remote rural area, is eying a shoot in Alberta, Canada from August through October, as confirmed by Calgary Herald and the Director’s Guild of Canada. Thus far, only Jennifer Lawrence is attached to lead the project but expect more casting news soon. Die, My Love will mark Lawrence’s first project since last year’s summer comedy No Hard Feelings.
“It’s about mental health and the breakdown of a marriage,...
An adaptation of Ariana Harwicz’s 2019 novel Die, My Love, which follows a mother who struggles to maintain her sanity as she battles with psychosis in a remote rural area, is eying a shoot in Alberta, Canada from August through October, as confirmed by Calgary Herald and the Director’s Guild of Canada. Thus far, only Jennifer Lawrence is attached to lead the project but expect more casting news soon. Die, My Love will mark Lawrence’s first project since last year’s summer comedy No Hard Feelings.
“It’s about mental health and the breakdown of a marriage,...
- 7/2/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Gena Rowlands, whose stellar roster of film roles includes performances in A Woman Under the Influence, Faces and Gloria, has Alzheimer’s disease and is “in full dementia,” her son Nick Cassavetes says.
Cassavetes, the son of Rowlands and the late actor-director John Cassavetes, revealed the sad news in an interview with Entertainment Weekly on the 20th anniversary of the film The Notebook. Cassavetes directed the film in which his mother played Allie, a woman with dementia.
“I got my mom to play older Allie, and we spent a lot of time talking about Alzheimer’s and wanting to be authentic with it, and now, for the last five years, she’s had Alzheimer’s,” Cassavetes says. “She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.”
Shortly after the film was released in 2004, Rowlands, now 93, said in...
Cassavetes, the son of Rowlands and the late actor-director John Cassavetes, revealed the sad news in an interview with Entertainment Weekly on the 20th anniversary of the film The Notebook. Cassavetes directed the film in which his mother played Allie, a woman with dementia.
“I got my mom to play older Allie, and we spent a lot of time talking about Alzheimer’s and wanting to be authentic with it, and now, for the last five years, she’s had Alzheimer’s,” Cassavetes says. “She’s in full dementia. And it’s so crazy — we lived it, she acted it, and now it’s on us.”
Shortly after the film was released in 2004, Rowlands, now 93, said in...
- 6/25/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
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