Don't know how much of this was scripted. I think there may have been an outline that Cassavetes wanted to stick to but let the actors do what they wanted. Improv is great when it works and it did in many parts of this film but I think in other parts it detracted from the story and was boring.
I gotta give Cassavetes an A for having the guts to make this film though.
Cassavette's movies being improv is mostly myth. All of his films had a script. He would often revise the script during filming and in conglomeration with the actors, but rest assured when the camera was rolling, there was usually a script to go by. Only in very few scenes were the actors ever allowed to just make up what they were doing.
The only true improvisation was the way the lines were delivered, or in more subtle mannerisms. The term Cassavettes used was "emotional improvisation".
"It's just you and me now, sport"-Manhunter
Well, the movie comes across as improvised, which probably isn't a compliment to the filmmaking.
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