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When I think about the American New Wave, I’m always traveling through the vast open roads of North America, its forever-changing landscapes and mythical American dreams, with all its bittersweet promise. Sonically speaking, I’m in that space, too. So much of the New Hollywood cinema is vast Americana; Death Valley and desert-hot gas stations, the ultimate nihilistic road movie. But so much of it is everywhere else too; sleek Manhattan apartment blocks, the old Wild West, and the outer regions of space. In my head it’s a mixtape of philosophical and artistic ideas, one of cinema’s counter-culture melting pots where more questions are raised than answered and the plot is not driven by a desire for resolution.This mix was dreamed up as a mixtape: driving across state lines, re-adjusting the radio station on the dashboard as the trip moves further towards a destination that is unknown.

Chicago – It’s rare that I feel comfortable using this kind of hyperbole in a Blu-ray review but here it goes — having watched it again on Criterion Blu-ray, after not seeing it in years, I’m more convinced than ever that John Cassavetes’ “A Woman Under the Influence” is one of the best films ever made. Maybe it’s because I’m older now and have a family of my own, but my most recent viewing of this masterpiece was heartwrenching in a totally different way. It’s stunning.

And the Criterion remaster of it, accompanied by four other of the most important films in the history of the independent film movement in “Cassavetes: Five Films” is a beauty. Oh, yeah, “Shadows,” “Faces,” “The Killing of a Chinese Bookie,” and “Opening Night” are damn good too. This is one of the best possible gifts you could pick up for the...

Blu-ray Release Date: Oct. 22, 2013

Price: Blu-ray $124.95

Studio: Criterion

John Cassavetes—genius, visionary, and the progenitor of American independent film—receives some high-definition respect from Criterion in the John Cassavetes: Five Films collection.

A former theater actor fascinated by the power of improvisation, Cassavetes brought his search for truth in performance to the screen. The five films in this anthology of dramas—all of which the director maintained total control over by financing them himself and making them outside the studio system—are electrifying and compassionate creations, populated by all manner of humanity: beatniks, hippies, businessmen, actors, housewives, strippers, club owners, gangsters, children.

Cassavetes has often been called an actor’s director, but this body of work—even greater than the sum of its extraordinary parts—shows him to be an audience’s director.

Here’s a breakdown of the movies:

Lelia Goldoni and Anthony Ray star in John Cassavetes' 1959 directorial debut Shadows.

John Cassevetes fans have much to celebrate this July. As New York's BAMcinematek continues its month-long retrospective of the pioneering American director's work, his go-to composer Bo Harwood has just made 20 previously unreleased tracks from Cassevetes' films available for download on his personal website. Peter Rinaldi posts an excellent, in-depth piece about Harwood over at Mubi's Notebook, which is a great read for Cassavetes fans and neophytes alike. In his prologue to the downloadable tracks, Harwood posts a disclaimer: "Warning: The twenty music tracks that may be downloaded from this website have never been exposed to the public before. This is film music in the raw, as rough and unpolished as Cassavetes' movies, with the lyrics pouring straight out of John's heart, conjuring melodies that flowed through Bo's fingers onto guitar strings and piano keys." Though these are mostly scratch recordings, "warning" is the wrong word. Harwood's music is as much essential to the.

"Warning: The twenty music tracks that may be downloaded from this website have never been exposed to the public before. This is film music in the raw, as rough and unpolished as Cassavetes’ movies, with the lyrics pouring straight out of John’s heart, conjuring melodies that flowed through Bo’s fingers onto guitar strings and piano keys." These words spread across the homepage of BoHarwood.com, where the talented composer has released 20 songs, scores and musical improvisations he recorded for and with John Cassavetes. A warning might be necessary for those unfamiliar with Cassavetes’ films, but for those who have come to appreciate the brilliance behind the “rough” and “unpolished” work of this American master it is a glowing invitation.

Above: Bo Harwood and John Cassavettes. Photo by Joan Almond.

Like the films of John Cassavetes, the music that Bo Harwood recorded is very special for reasons hard to explain.

Update: We now have both the front and back DVD art for Happy Birthday To Me . Check 'em out below! Come October 13th, "slasher" fans will have plenty to be happy about when Anchor Bay Entertainment releases the 1981 cult classic Happy Birthday To Me . Below you'll find the DVD cover, which (thankfully) maintains the original infamous VHS box and poster artwork. (Sure, the "John will never eat shish kebab again" tagline is absent, but the at least the image remains intact!) The disc sports a sticker that reads "Now with the score fans have begged for!" That's right. The original Bo Harwood and Lance Rubin score has been restored for this DVD release. Happy Birthday to Me was directed by Academy Award nominee J. Lee Thompson ( The Guns of...

It’s time to blow out the candles and sharpen the shish-kebab spears, because the classic 1980s’ slasher favorite Happy Birthday to Me is coming to DVD, courtesy Anchor Bay Entertainment on October 13, 2009. This edition of the film, however, has something missing from the previous DVD release does not – the film’s haunting orchestral score, as composed by Bo Harwood and Lance Rubin, which was Not included on the first DVD release and which fans have been clamoring for. It is yet another example of why Anchor Bay Entertainment is the undisputed leader in cult...

We've all used the expression "they just don't make 'em like they used to," but in the case of Happy Birthday to Me, it's more than just a cliche. And now that the film is being re-released with the full restored score, we can hear it just like it was intended to sound.

Bo Harwood and Lance Rubin composed the film’s haunting orchestral score. Happy Birthday to Me was directed by Academy Award® nominee J. Lee Thompson (The Guns of Navarone, 10 to Midnight, Murphy’s Law) and stars Emmy Award® nominee Melissa Sue Anderson (“Little House on the Prairie,” “Midnight Offerings”) and Golden Globe Award® winner and Hollywood legend Glenn Ford (3:10 to Yuma, Blackboard Jungle, The Big Heat, Superman), along with such familiar co-stars as Lawrence Dane (Scanners, Of Unknown Origin, Bride of Chucky), Daytime Emmy Award® winner Tracy Bregman (“The Bold and the Beautiful,” “The Young and...

Anchor Bay is re-releasing the '80s Canadian slasher Happy Birthday to Me on September 10. It was previously distributed through Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, however, there's a reason to double-dip. This edition of the film has something missing from the previous DVD release does not . the film's orchestral score, as composed by Bo Harwood and Lance Rubin, which was not included on the first DVD release. Happy Birthday to Me was directed by Academy Award nominee J. Lee Thompson ( The Guns of Navarone ) and stars Emmy Award nominee Melissa Sue Anderson and Golden Globe Award winner and Hollywood legend Glenn Ford ( 3:10 to Yuma , Superman ). Anchor Bay is also issuing their release with the original poster art! Shish-kebab, anyone?...