The disintegration of a marriage is dissected in John Cassavetes' searing Faces. Shot in high-contrast 16mm black and white, the film follows the futile attempts of captain of industry Richard (John Marley) and his wife, Maria (Lynn Carlin), to escape the anguish of their empty marriage in the arms of others. Featuring astonishingly powerful, nervy performances from Marley, Carlin, and Cassavetes regulars Gena Rowlands and Seymour Cassel, Faces confronts suburban alienation and the battle of the sexes with a brutal honesty and compassion rarely matched in cinema.

Previously available only as part of the John Cassavetes 'Five Films' Collection, Faces will be released by Criterion as a 2-disc set in February 2009 (exact date to be confirmed) at the SRP or $39.95. The film was transferred in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1 from a 35mm duplicate negative, blown up from the original 16mm A/B original. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, and scratches were removed using the MTI Digital Restoration System. The soundtrack was mastered at 24-bit from a 35mm magnetic audio track, and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss, and crackle.

The extra features, all on the second disc, are as follows:

• Seventeen-minute alternate opening sequence, from an early edit of the film;
• Cinéastes de notre temps (1968), an episode from the French television series dedicated to Cassavetes, featuring rare interviews and behind-the-scenes footage;
• Making Faces, a 2004 documentary including interviews with actors Lynn Carlin, Seymour Cassel, Gena Rowlands, and director of photography Al Ruban;
• Lighting and Shooting the Film, a short 2004 documentary Ruban explains how he and the crew achieved the distinct look of Faces;
• An essay by Stuart Klawans.