Features across the set include:
High definition digital transfers
Audio Commentaries from Peter Bogdanovich, Seymour Cassel, Producer Al Ruben, critic Tom Charity, sound recordist Bo Harwood and cameraman Mike Ferris
Audio interviews with Cassavetes
Filmed interview with Seymour Cassel
Booklet containing interviews with Gena Rowlands and Cassavetes, biogs
Faces alternate opening, which features 17 min of footage not included in the final cut
Two versions of The Killing of A Chinese Bookie Cassavetes' original 135 minute cut as well as his subsequent 108 minute re-edit


Shadows (1959/B&W) Running time 81 mins approx
Audio Commentary by Seymour Cassel and Tom Charity
Silent rehearsal footage

Faces (1968/B&W) Running time 124 mins approx
Alternative Opening sequence
Audio commentary on alternative opening sequence by Peter Bogdanovich and Producer Al Ruban
Interview with Seymour Cassel

A Woman Under The influence (1974/Col) Running time 140 mins approx
Interview with Elaine Kagan (Cassavetes' assistant)
Audio interview with John Cassavetes

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976 Original Version/1978 Re-release version/Col) Running time 135 (1976) & 108 mins (1978)
Two versions of the film, Version 1 1976 and Version 2 1978
Audio interview with John Cassavetes
Audio commentary on selected scenes by Peter Bogdanovich and Al Ruban

Opening Night (1977/Col) Running time 137 mins approx
Audio interview with Cassavetes
Audio Commentary by Tom Charity, cameraman Mike Ferris and sound recordist Bo Harwood

UK gets audio commentaries on all the films except WOMAN while Criterion has a commentary only on WOMAN.
well, this will be out Sept 12 for £49.99

Why, wasn't the Criterion box in high definition?

The CC Cassavetes Box also came with HD Digital Transfers like all their latest releases.

...and not a Ray Carney in sight.

You can find individual reviews for each of the discs in the Cassavetes collection at DVD Times.

I e-mailed Optimum and asked about an individual Bookie. I was told they would put them out separately in the future, but were pushing the boxset for now.

On Beaver now...

Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC "Shadows" vs. Optimum (6-disc - The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion Boxset (8 discs - Cassavetes- 5 Films) - Region 0 - NTSC

Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL "Faces" vs. Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC

Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL "A Woman Under the Influence" vs. Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC (*DVD10) vs. Criterion Boxset (8 discs) - Region 0 - PAL

Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection - Long) - Region 2 - PAL "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie" vs. Criterion (Cassavetes - 5 Films) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC

Optimum (The John Cassavetes Collection) - Region 2 - PAL "Opening Night" vs. Pioneer - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Criterion (John Cassavetes: Five Films) - Region 0 - NTSC

The image quality of the Optimum's compares favorably with the Criterions and they have some different extras including scene select commentaries by Bogdanovich. But our 'bone of contention' is that Faces is stretched to suit anamorphicity from 1.66 ratio to 1.78. Our reliable source has backed this up.

Criterion (1.66)




Optimum - (stretched from 1.66 to suit 1.78)




We hardly ever point the finger at other reviewers as I'm sure we make a fair share of errors, but:

From DVDTimes:


This is probably more of a accolade for DVD comparisons than a jab at a fellow reviewer who obvioulsy missed this large flaw. I guess Optimum missed it too... (are there no quality controls?)

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/

Best,
Gary

That's a bit of a bummer, Gary.

I think I'll try and rent these discs, just to hear
Seymour Cassel on the commentaries!

...but Gena looks much friendlier in 1,78 : 1 !

(sorry for that unqualified remark, but that must have been the thought at the authoring facility.)

UK gets Bogdanovich. US is spared Bogdanovich.

For all of Carney's griping at Criterion for not taking his early version of Shadows, I wondered if he ever offered it to Optimum or anyone else for that for matter? I always found his fear of lawsuit quite silly.