Orson Welles

[Kirestananderson01]

but Welles's film, while maybe not as strong overall in some of the casting, is a towering achievement from a singular visionary.

 

[TM2YC]

I did get to see 'Touch of Evil' last weekend in London . It's something else to see on the big screen with an audience. I had never realised how funny it was before. At home you get all the amazing camera work and the macabre noir atmosphere but the humour really flys with a packed cinema audience laughing along.

I also sat down and watched the 'Magician' documentary blu-ray. It's very good and has quite a few little anecdotes I hadn't heard before. It does have to rush a bit to get his whole life into 90 minutes but this gives it an exciting pace. It's a shame that many of the source clips weren't as good quality as they could have been, probably down to complicated rights issues (A few are just YouTube grabs). The best bit was Orson recounting when Spielberg was excitedly telling him he'd just purchased the actual sled from 'Citizen Kane' for $55k, and Orson laughing as he said something like "But Steven we burned it!" :lol:.

 

[Kirestananderson01]

but Welles's film, while maybe not as strong overall in some of the casting, is a towering achievement from a singular visionary.

 

[Neglify]

but Welles's film, while maybe not as strong overall in some of the casting, is a towering achievement from a singular visionary.

but Welles's film, while maybe not as strong overall in some of the casting, is a towering achievement from a singular visionary.

 

[TM2YC]

Got the new restoration boxset of 'The Third Man' through the post this morning. A super lovely looking boxset that probably needs put in a crystal display case, rather than on my normal DVD racking :-D. The image quality is fantastic. My original 2010 Blu-Ray looked good but this is even better (Click images below to see full res screengrabs)...





^ There's an extra twinkle in Orson's eye and you just about count the eyelashes on his right eye.

The disc has a reasuringly boring 20-minute video with the restoration geeks going into way too much detail about the meticulous work that went into this transfer. It's almost a tutorial on how to operate the pro software they used :-D.

The set also comes with a soundtrack CD, so I can rock out to that Zither theme...

It's a shame that it doesn't feature all of the variant extras from the Criterion Blu-Ray, but you can't have everything.

 

[hebrides]

but Welles's film, while maybe not as strong overall in some of the casting, is a towering achievement from a singular visionary.

You're actually seeing triple, Neg...since he quoted me both times. That's a first, AFAIK!

That transfer of The Third Man really does look stunning. While I had shown Mrs. Heb that film before, I introduced her this weekend to the beauty, the mystery, and the strangeness that is The Lady From Shanghai.

While I'd remembered many of the key moments from earlier in the film, and of course the truly astonishing beauty of Rita Hayworth -- Welles really did know exactly how to frame and draw a fantastic performance out of his ex-wife -- I'd forgotten about the brilliant absurdity of the courtroom scene, as well as all the little bits of acting/mannerisms Welles gave to his extras. There's everything from a woman trying to decide what to do with her hard candy before eventually dropping it on the floor to the juror who keeps blowing his nose during testimony to the two young women who talk about the trial in Chinese until one says to the other in perfect English, "You ain't kidding!" Not to mention that Mike O'Hara's best friend Goldie reveals earlier in the film that his given name is the supremely ridiculous Chaim Goldfish. So, so brilliant, and I think I fully appreciated for the first time how much the film must have influenced the Coen Brothers.

And BTW, Mrs. Heb loved it -- in case there was any doubt, I married very well indeed ;-)

 

[TM2YC]

It's just been announced that 'The Immortal Story' will get a Blu-Ray release from Mr.Bongo next month ...

I hoping it's a good transfer because the French DVD I own now...

...has a quite muddy sub-VHS image. Which is a real shame for Welles' only colour narrative film.

This means that now 'Ambersons' and 'Mr. Arkadin' are the only Welles films left, not to be available in HD, but since Criterion distribute the later, surely an HD upgrade will come sometime soon.

 

[Gaith]

A fascinating Welles primer from the December 7 New Yorker...

 

[TM2YC]

A fascinating Welles primer from the December 7 New Yorker...

That was a terrific read, thank you. I didn't know that the fate of Welles' last movie somehow got embroiled in the Iranian Revolution!

The BFI have kindly uploaded Welles' biographer Simon Callow's recent lecture...

 

[TM2YC]

One of my Christmas presents was Mr.Bongo's new Blu-Ray of Orson's only colour narrative film 'The Immortal Story'. I'd seen no screenshots online, so I was just crossing my fingers this wouldn't be a cheap transfer... but oh boy it looks astounding! The disc's opening titles are in french but clearly mention a restoration and they really have done a great job.

Here is a comparison (Almost the same frame) of the earlier Madman PAL-DVD release (Which I believe was the best transfer available until this year)...

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/155682

It's not just the detail and grain but look how much more of the image is present! The colour timing is different but better to my eye.

Sadly there are no special features like the nice commentary included on the Madman DVD. Also that DVD contains two cuts of the movie. One longer English-Language cut and one shorter French-Language cut.

This Blu-Ray is in English but is a different length to both. Perhaps it is the shorter cut slowed down to 24fps? Also I think both cuts feature different takes. I'll have to investigate further. Whatever the outcome, I suspect I'll be doing some fanediting on this one. As I'd like to have both cuts in as close to HD as possible.

 

[TM2YC]

Having now converted all 3 of the versions of 'The Immortal Story' I own into the same speed/framerate (23.976023fps). A comparison shows they are quite different...

- New Blu-Ray cut = 00.57.38
- English language DVD cut = 01.02.40
- French language DVD cut = 00.50.38

So, sadly the new transfer is missing a whole 5-minutes, but is 7 minutes longer than the French version. The English DVD cut is described as a full/extended Theatrical release and the French cut was for broadcast on the French TV channel that financed the movie. I've no idea what the new Blu-Ray cut was supposed to be though?

I'll probably edit the Blu-Ray into the other two cuts to have versions of them in the highest quality.

Also, apparently Criterion are busy carefully restoring 'Chimes at Midnight' for release next year. As I noted on the last page, the current release is pin-sharp but it looks totally unrestored, cleaned or graded. So it'll be nice to have an alternate version looking fresh and perfect.

 

[hebrides]

Also, apparently Criterion are busy carefully restoring 'Chimes at Midnight' for release next year. As I noted on the last page, the current release is pin-sharp but it looks totally unrestored, cleaned or graded. So it'll be nice to have an alternate version looking fresh and perfect.

Wow...good to know! I no longer study, teach, and write about Shakespearean film adaptations professionally, but I've waited for a really good copy of this for a very long time (probably about 20 years at this point).

As a side note, I found myself unexpectedly a few months ago in the building that Criterion is apparently based in. It's just a short drive away, and I never knew until recently!

 

[Vultural]

NPR (National Public Radio) covers Chimes At Midnight.

http://www.npr.org/2015/12/29/461377151/-chimes-at-midnight-gives-weight-to-a-shakespearean-knave

 

[TM2YC]

The Criterion restoration of 'Chimes At Midnight' has been confirmed and has a release date of 30th August. It's got a new commentary track too! Another great way to celebrate this Shakespeare anniversary year. The film's co-star Keith Baxter did a little interview for the Criterion youtube channel...

What's more is that Criterion have suddenly revealed they are also releasing a 4K restoration of the shorter English language cut of 'The Immortal Story' on the same day. Again it's got a commentary track (But not a new one) and the French language cut as a bonus (Hopefully in equal quality). It's a shame they haven't restored the longest cut but you can't have everything.

I'm crossing my fingers that both get a simultaneous Region-B release. However, it's entirely possible that as Mr.Bongo have recently released both in Europe that they have exclusive rights.

 

[hebrides]

What a great interview! I only have the Spanish DVD, and all the interviews there are either in Spanish or dubbed into Spanish. I speak it, but not well enough to keep up.

Also, I think this is the first time I've seen Keith Baxter in anything other than Chimes itself. It's remarkable how much he sounds like John Hurt...

 

[TM2YC]

Earlier today...

Netflix Acquiring Legendary Filmmaker Orson Welles Last Film The Other Side Of The Wind

Note the word used is "Acquiring" and not "Acquired", so I'll believe this when I see it but it seems unlikely Netflix would announce this on their website if they weren't sure it was going to happen.

At first I was of course thrilled but then soon turned to thoughts of Netflix being only a streaming service (and not a blu-ray selling and film distribution company) and of my and others backers investments in the production two years ago (See post #8 of this thread)...

The crowd funding for Orson's last film continues slowly (10%) and they've added a T-Shirt to sweeten the deal. I've gone for the $150 Blu-Ray/T-Shirt/Art-Book deal.

...but their was also a simultaneous announcement on the crowd funding page by the same guy involved with the Netflix deal...

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/finish-orson-welles-last-film#/updates

in a rare move, Netflix is honoring our commitment to you by allowing the production of a limited-edition DVD/Blu-ray, just for our contributors.

There is no mention of the other perks we all paid for as of yet but if the 2859 backers are the only people in the world to own a copy, that'll be fun (Wish I'd ordered a second copy now as an investment ).

It says here...

http://www.thedrum.com/news/2017/03...nal-orson-welles-film-the-other-side-the-wind

the team have confirmed that a 35mm version will be made available for cinematic release.

...which sounds great too. I've not read what Peter Bogdanovich's (pictured above) involvement will be in the new Netflix deal but hopefully he'll still be in the editing suite.

 

[TM2YC]

Netflix documentary on Welles also to also be produced alongside the new movie

Netflix are putting the doc on the DVD as a bonus feature too... nice!

 

[TM2YC]

I notice that the forthcoming October Criterion blu-ray release of 'Othello' will include two original cuts of the film rescanned in 4K. The original version in any cut has been largely suppressed until now by Welles' daughter in favour of her own 1992 version. I've got her version on a French import blu-ray but it'll be interesting to see it uncut for the first time in HD.

Whats more it will also feature Welles documentary/essay 'Filming Othello' as a bonus. It has never been released before in cinemas or on home video (Just a few film festival showings).

https://www.criterion.com/films/28621-othello

 

[TM2YC]

Couple of recent progress updates from the team completing Orson Welles' last film:

Earlier this month, we finally locked picture. We’re now out of editorial and into dust-busting, restoration and color-timing… and the sound teams... have been hard at work for months.

I’m enclosing a photo from a color-timing session earlier this week... color-timing a shot from the ‘film within the film.’

Greetings from Malmedy, Belgium, where we’re recording the orchestral part of Michel Legrand’s score for "The Other Side of the Wind."... Michel has been writing since December and it's exhilarating to hear his score come to life.

 

[Dr. Chim Richalds]

Awesome news... Criterion is releasing The Magnificent Ambersons on Blu-Ray on 11/20! [Previously the only HD version was on digital release - i.e. iTunes.]...

Per their website:
SPECIAL FEATURES

• New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• Two audio commentaries, featuring film scholars Robert Carringer and James Naremore and critic Jonathan Rosenbaum
• New interviews with scholars Simon Callow and Joseph McBride
• New video essay on the film’s cinematographers by scholar François Thomas
• New video essay on the film’s score by scholar Christopher Husted
• Welles on The Dick Cavett Show in 1970
• Segment from Pampered Youth, a 1925 silent adaptation of The Magnificent Ambersons
• Audio from a 1979 AFI symposium on Welles
• Two Mercury Theatre radio plays: Seventeen (1938), an adaptation of another Booth Tarkington novel by Welles, and The Magnificent Ambersons (1939)
• Trailer
• PLUS: An essay by critic Molly Haskell and (Blu-ray only) essays by authors and critics Luc Sante, Geoffrey O’Brien, Farran Smith Nehme, and Jonathan Lethem, and excerpts from an unfinished 1982 memoir by Welles

[Thanks to thedigitalbits.com for the heads up]

Though he's probably asleep right now, I hope this inspires TM2YC to re-construct the original film with some sort of awesome video montage and various text/audio!