'the magnificent ambersons' has lots of good in despite whatever.
'the lady from shaghai' is great. all around.
'the third man', yeah, is brilliant. mainly because of welles. erm. and anton karas. & shit.
'touch of evil' is too. how about charlton as a mexican? his accent?
― richard john gillanders, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― ethan, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
Orson Welles' late-in-life follies inspired one of the funniest bits shown on the most unfunny "Critic". (Something about frozen peas? It was funny.) His films are pretty good, too (even though _Touch of Evil_ seemed a bit ... disheveled. Or was that _Shanghai_? The one where he has a really fake beard? I saw one of those flicks in a film class after getting no sleep the night before.)
(_Shanghai_ had the funhouse mirror sequence, right?)
― David Raposa, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
Welles is classic all the way. His Macbeth is underrated and bizarre as well.
Did anyone read Simon Callow's biography? Seemed pretty snide in tone.
― Justyn Dillingham, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
Too bad Othello is kind of patchwork, that would have been another great one had he gotten backed fully & up front to film it. I can appreciate Kane historically and for its technical finesse, but I don't really relate to it.
― Joe, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Chris Barrus, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
Did he really put dye in his swimming pool to catch guests who peed while swimming?
― rosemary, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Momus, Saturday, 9 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― richard john gillanders, Saturday, 9 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Billy Dods, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― mark s, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
Has anyone read the Callow bk on OW(and did they ever publish his vol. 2)? The Thomson, of course, is superb - I love the way that DT swings between being incredibly tough-minded and adoringly effusive.
― Andrew L, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Robin Carmody, Sunday, 10 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
It is only 'good' when compared with Heather Graham's. It sounds kind of Australian, which who knows is maybe how eastenders sounded back then, seeing as how that's where the Australian accents derives from (so I'm told and it certainly sounds that way when you think about it). Apparently, the real life Depp character was from Dorset or somewhere but the studios vetoed this bit of obsessive detail-following on the grounds that it would be TOO WEIRD (for Depp or audiences, I'm not sure).
― N., Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― chris, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Honda, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Tracer Hand, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Robin Carmody, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Dada, Sunday, 7 December 2003 05:03 (twenty years ago) link
― Prude (Prude), Sunday, 7 December 2003 06:15 (twenty years ago) link
― g e o f f (gcannon), Sunday, 15 May 2005 08:29 (eighteen years ago) link
(uh, x-post by about a year and a half)
― joseph (joseph), Monday, 16 May 2005 03:53 (eighteen years ago) link
― retort pouch (retort pouch), Monday, 16 May 2005 04:18 (eighteen years ago) link
― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 16 May 2005 06:01 (eighteen years ago) link
― waxyjax (waxyjax), Monday, 16 May 2005 07:16 (eighteen years ago) link
― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 16 May 2005 07:24 (eighteen years ago) link
― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Monday, 16 May 2005 07:36 (eighteen years ago) link
Not that I know of, but Turner Classic Movies is showing the film THIS WEDNESDAY (May 18th) at 11:30pm Eastern.
Either get your VCR ready or find someone who has TCM.
― Eric von H. (Eric H.), Monday, 16 May 2005 16:10 (eighteen years ago) link
! I must get this.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 May 2005 16:13 (eighteen years ago) link
― Eric von H. (Eric H.), Monday, 16 May 2005 16:17 (eighteen years ago) link
― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Monday, 16 May 2005 16:36 (eighteen years ago) link
― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Monday, 16 May 2005 16:59 (eighteen years ago) link
― retort pouch (retort pouch), Monday, 16 May 2005 18:27 (eighteen years ago) link
― The Sensational Sulk (sexyDancer), Monday, 16 May 2005 18:39 (eighteen years ago) link
(Does his "sellout" material need any defense anymore? It's all priceless.)
― Eric von H. (Eric H.), Monday, 16 May 2005 18:48 (eighteen years ago) link
― slightly more subdued (kenan), Monday, 16 May 2005 18:59 (eighteen years ago) link
I wish someone would get on Falstaff/Chimes At Midnight quick. That's a great, great Welles film.
― Jay Vee (Manon_70), Monday, 16 May 2005 19:03 (eighteen years ago) link
Does anyone remember when Orson Welles was on Moonlighting?
― Scott CE (Scott CE), Monday, 16 May 2005 19:07 (eighteen years ago) link
― slightly more subdued (kenan), Monday, 16 May 2005 19:08 (eighteen years ago) link
Last I saw on Wellesnet, Rosenbaum was expressing disappointment that this wasn't the case. (Of course, that was months ago.)
― Eric von H. (Eric H.), Monday, 16 May 2005 19:12 (eighteen years ago) link
― Eric von H. (Eric H.), Monday, 16 May 2005 19:13 (eighteen years ago) link
― g e o f f (gcannon), Monday, 16 May 2005 19:31 (eighteen years ago) link
― Eric von H. (Eric H.), Monday, 16 May 2005 19:37 (eighteen years ago) link
― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Monday, 16 May 2005 23:50 (eighteen years ago) link
i was reading recently about how as soon as those really bombastic deep-focus shots became identified as "wellesian," he stopped using them.
― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Monday, 16 May 2005 23:52 (eighteen years ago) link
― RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 00:01 (eighteen years ago) link
I looked at their filmographies, and this checks out:
Something I've noted recently, the case of two previously workmanlike cinematographers--Russell Metty and Charles Lawton, Jr.--who both went Godmode after working with Welles, on The Stranger (1946) and The Lady from Shanghai (1947), respectively. The man elevated people's game!— πππΉπΌ ππΈβπ» βππ πππππ (@NickPinkerton) August 23, 2020
― flappy bird, Thursday, 27 August 2020 04:39 (three years ago) link
I don't remember The Stranger looking good but I probably watched a crappy public domain copy.
― wasdnous (abanana), Thursday, 27 August 2020 04:57 (three years ago) link
This thread never really got off the ground: TS Rudolph MatΓ© vs. Russell Metty
― Isinglass Ponys (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 27 August 2020 05:00 (three years ago) link
I actually haven't seen The Stranger, that may be the case, but some gems in Russell Metty's subsequent work:
Ride the Pink HorseMagnificent ObsessionAll That Heaven AllowsWritten on the WindA Time to Love and a Time to DieTouch of EvilImitation of LifeSpartacusThe Misfits
― flappy bird, Thursday, 27 August 2020 05:02 (three years ago) link
xp Hey now!
No love for his previous work such as Bringing Up Baby?
― Isinglass Ponys (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 27 August 2020 05:07 (three years ago) link
Good lord how the f did I miss that one
― flappy bird, Thursday, 27 August 2020 05:08 (three years ago) link
You and Nick Pinkerton both.
― Isinglass Ponys (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 27 August 2020 05:17 (three years ago) link
Interesting story I just saw about the studio bringing in Metty to shoot some additional scenes for The Magnificent Ambersons while Welles was out of the country. Welles was annoyed but liked his work which is why he hired him for The Stranger.
― Isinglass Ponys (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 27 August 2020 05:22 (three years ago) link
Orson Welles talks to Andy Kaufman about his character Latka on Taxi. pic.twitter.com/laMMceFhp6— Reconsidering Cinema (@coenesqued) September 27, 2018
Iβve watched this clip at least 20 times in the past week and the zinger welles lands on kaufman around the 20 second mark cracks me up every time. kaufman looked so wounded
― k3vin k., Thursday, 10 December 2020 20:02 (three years ago) link
That time Orson Welles almost made a noir thriller with Lucille Ball: https://crimereads.com/orson-welles-lucille-ball-and-the-greatest-thriller-that-never-was/
― edited for dog profanity (cryptosicko), Thursday, 4 February 2021 19:34 (three years ago) link
Some interesting tidbits in there about shared DNA between this script and Kane: As it happened, Mankiewicz didnβt hate everything Welles had dreamt up for Smiler. The script opened with a newsreel recounting the life of the Hughes-like heavy; Mankiewicz found the idea clever and kept it in Citizen Kane.
― nobody like my rap (One Eye Open), Friday, 5 February 2021 13:32 (three years ago) link
Examining the Magnificent Ambersons preview comment cards.
https://www.wellesnet.com/magnificent-ambersons-previews/
― Precious, Grace, Hill & Beard LTD. (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 11 March 2022 20:18 (two years ago) link
βWe do not need trouble pictures, especially nowβ¦ Make pictures to make us forget, not remember.β
O_o
― nobody like my rap (One Eye Open), Saturday, 12 March 2022 00:50 (two years ago) link
The David Thomson bio from '95 included several of them, including that comment. Ugh.
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 12 March 2022 01:21 (two years ago) link
Give the people what they want and you will most probably end up with crap.
― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Saturday, 12 March 2022 01:32 (two years ago) link
That theory was most recently discussed on the Kinks-post-1970 thread.
― Halfway there but for you, Saturday, 12 March 2022 02:10 (two years ago) link
RKO decided to preview the film in Pomona, a middle class community 30 miles east of Los Angeles at the Fox Theatre following a showing of the Dorothy Lamour musical The Fleets In.
i swear to god. what were these ppl thinking?
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Saturday, 12 March 2022 02:25 (two years ago) link
"Bury the bastard."
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 12 March 2022 02:26 (two years ago) link
Has this been posted anywhere yet?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOmYEssdXg8
― Johnny Thunderwords (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 5 May 2022 20:29 (one year ago) link
The Trial is getting Criterioned:
https://www.criterion.com/films/28115-the-trial
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 15 June 2023 15:58 (nine months ago) link
Finally! (Great, great movie.)
― fair but so uncool beliefs here (Eric H.), Thursday, 15 June 2023 16:21 (nine months ago) link
Indeed.
― the dreaded dependent claus (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 15 June 2023 16:21 (nine months ago) link
Eureka/Masters of Cinema coming out with a limited-edition 4K of Touch of Evil in September.https://eurekavideo.co.uk/movie/touch-of-evil-limited-edition-box-set-4k-ultra-hd/
― TO BE A JAZZ SINGER YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SCAT (Jazzbo), Thursday, 15 June 2023 16:28 (nine months ago) link
Oh and HERE'S a little tidbit from a friend yesterday on FB who would know:
Today I received the very good news from UCLA Film & TV archive that Paramount is scanning the remaining nitrate footage of It's All True so that it can be preserved! More updates to follow.
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 17 June 2023 17:16 (nine months ago) link
Saw this yesterday, Orson doing Shylock on the Dean Martin Show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59sNCF80C70
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 17 June 2023 18:01 (nine months ago) link
I've been watching Chimes at Midnight again in memory of Keith Baxter, and during Criterion's commentary, James Naremore mentions that one reason Welles probably left for Europe was his politics, something Hollywood would not have liked post-WWII and Naremore says he believes Welles would've been in a lot of trouble had he continued making films in Hollywood like he did at RKO during the height of the Red Scare. Never thought of it before, but he's probably right - brings to mind what people said about the Replacements in the wake of the new Tim reissue, in that things probably turned out for the best. (i.e. had Tim become a massive hit, it's doubtful the band members would've handled it well).
― birdistheword, Thursday, 19 October 2023 01:59 (five months ago) link
(He does add that J. Edgar Hoover did indeed have a file on Welles and kept an eye on him as well.)
― birdistheword, Thursday, 19 October 2023 02:00 (five months ago) link
On Talking Pictures just now, a 1972 version of "Treasure Island" starring Welles as Long John Silver - based on an unfinished screenplay by Welles, though he asked for his name to be taken from the credits. Story of the film here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_Island_(1972_film)
Didn't know this even existed tbh.
― Free Ass Ange (Tom D.), Saturday, 9 December 2023 18:06 (three months ago) link
... his voice was dubbed... by Robert Rietty!
― Free Ass Ange (Tom D.), Saturday, 9 December 2023 18:11 (three months ago) link
why the fuck was welles so into jesus franco anyway
seems like whenever the spanish were involved first thing welles said was "oh well we need to get jesus franco in on this, then, nobody knows more about spain than him"
i'm just saying he might have been better off with rich little. is all.
― Kate (rushomancy), Saturday, 9 December 2023 20:23 (three months ago) link