Shadows (1959) is an improvisational film about interracial relations during the Beat Generation years in New York City, and was written and directed by John Cassavetes. The film stars Ben Carruthers, Lelia Goldoni, Hugh Hurd, and Anthony Ray. Many film scholars consider Shadows one of the highlights of independent film in the U.S.
Wunderkind horror novelist Stephen Grimes is hard at work coming up with new ways to kill people when, on a late-night drive, he hits a young man and rushes him to the hospital. A tentative friendship between the two men erupts into a heated affair. Stephen is soon trapped in a dangerous plot, as Emett and Emett's friends reveal a sinister side that could be a storyline from one of his own novels. Written by Anonymous
King Baggott played six roles in one scene, requiring a sextuple exposure.
It all started one night as Teri bent over her desk to finish her taxes. A mysterious woman in black stuck up behind her, bound her wrists and left her hogtied. The next night, the intruder returned and tied Teri in another stringent position. And the next night, and the next night, and the next night.... Written by Anonymous
A house with a murderous past... A parapsychology class hunting ghosts... What they find is love, fear and jealousy... And perhaps their own desires... Each student has a hidden agenda... Even hidden from themselves... And the teachers have their own plans... Eveyone has something to hide... In SHADOWS. Written by Dan Donley
On the surface, Shadows is about a group of parapsychology students who spend two nights in a house haunted by a ghost with a very large knife. But Shadows is really about love, fear and jealousy, with a little humor thrown in. Richard (Alex Pertovitch) is using the class as a weekend getaway with his new conquest Stevie (Victoria De Mare), but his plans go awry when his fiance, Debbie (Nadia Valenzuela), surprises him and takes the class. Another couple has their relationship tested when John (Shawn Barber) has to leave the house because of a sense of doom. John's long-time girlfriend Heather (Rai Alexandra) stays at the house and begins to innocently flirt with Bobby (Derrick Wayne Smith), one of the instructional aides. Two of the classmates, Angel and Benny (Jenna Allen and Robyn August), start to fall in love. And Star (Erinn Koch) is in a world of her own. The two teachers were once romantically involved...Julie (Shellah Garrett) believes in parapsychology, but Paul (Adam Fleck), the other instructor, is more than skeptical. Both of them were at the house 13 years ago when there was an "incident." Julie plans to use the weekend to prove there was a psychic element. But Paul has his own plans. All of them should be careful of how they treat each other. Lady Jane (Monika Qoshja), the original owner of the house, found her husband (Matt Holbrook) and sister (Kim Balcerzak) in bed and killed them in a fit of jealousy. Since then, Lady Jane's ghost roams the house at night with her knife, looking for cheating couples (Rebecca Wilkins & Vinnie Bilacio). The house may look safe and inviting, but everyone has something to hide...in Shadows. Written by Dan Donley
Yen Sin, a humble Chinese, is washed ashore after a storm and finds himself an outsider in the deeply Christian fishing community of Urkey. Yen Sin elects to stay, despite his status as a despised 'heathen', only to reveal hypocrisy amid the self-righteous township. Written by Kieran Kenney
A young woman finds her life is disrupted when her unpleasant past is made known. Nevertheless she determines to regain her place of respect in society. Written by Jim Beaver
This story is about a young woman 'Marie Collier', living alone, and adapting to the independence of her new life. She has recently moved into a new house, so recent, moving boxes are still stacked in several rooms. One unsettled night, as she sleeps, she is awakened by the cries of a baby. The sounds begin to vary in stages of growth, from new born, to adolescence, to young adult. Her level of fear increases as she investigates the origin of these sounds throughout the house. Feeling very frightened, she is drawn to one of the stacked moving boxes. She does not recognize the strange box or the handwriting on the box. Inside are items that are also unfamiliar to her. A photo album found in the box, contains old newspaper articles that tell of a murder suicide involving a mother and her daughter. Overwhelmed with fear, this leads to a terrifying confrontation between the young woman and her own psyche. Written by Midian Films
Some of Karl Jenkins' music for Shadows later became known as "Diamond Music" and "Shadow Music" because it was used in the famous De Beers Diamond Shadow Ad campaign.
What horrors are cloaked behind the darkness of shadows?
Benny's a hipster, moving in and out of Manhattan's beat scene, aimless, maybe close to trouble. His sister Lelia, who looks less African-American than White, is vulnerable and about to fall in love. Hugh, their older brother, is a struggling singer whose agent, Rupert, may be the only person with faith in his talent. The story moves back and forth, like jazz, among the three of them and what seems at first to be separate lives. Lelia meets Tony, and lets herself hope this is true love. Then he meets Hugh and prejudice gives Tony an excuse to cut and run. Can family and friendship bring solace for her hurt, purpose for Benny, and belief in Hugh? Is life more than shadows? Written by
Joshua and his father are among the Jewish prisoners in a concentration camp. When the assistant leader of their work crew is gunned down by mistake, the sadistic leader offers Joshua his place. He takes it, but at what price to his heritage and family? Written by Jon Reeves
