My name is Orson Welles.....

This article is quite good. And I love this film so much, even though it was butchered at Harry Cohn's request and was not what Welles intended, it is still a remarkable film. Crackling dialogue, and unforgetable scenes and characters abound.

Ten Shades of Noir (http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue02/infocus/shanghai.htm)

I suppose this clip is a spoiler, but it is so famous, and perhaps this will make somebody who hasn't seen this movie want to watch it.

The Crazy House (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_p66HjTweo)

And here's another fantastic sequence from an Orson Welles film: Chimes At Midnight, in this case:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX9-9ae0ymI

. . . oh, and here's another clip he'd probably pretend, wherever he is now, to forget about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9SfI-k3azk

And here's another fantastic sequence from an Orson Welles film: Chimes At Midnight, in this case:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX9-9ae0ymI

. . . oh, and here's another clip he'd probably pretend, wherever he is now, to forget about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9SfI-k3azkMan oh man, I have never seen Chimes At Midnight, but of course I must now...

and the other clip...Mwah-hah, the French... :p :rolleyes:

The US title for Chimes is Falstaff. It's not easy to get your hands on, but it's my favourite Orson film.

Presumably Paul Masson was paying him in bottles.

The US title for Chimes is Falstaff. It's not easy to get your hands on, but it's my favourite Orson film.

Presumably Paul Masson was paying him in bottles.I do have to watch that again...

Mwah-hah, the French.....I think Orson is fermented in the bottle too!!

I hope I can find Falstaff sometime.

Here's some stills to be going on with:

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t222/psionovore/0chimes01.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t222/psionovore/0chimes02.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t222/psionovore/0chimes03.jpg
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t222/psionovore/0chimes04.jpg
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t222/psionovore/0chimes05.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t222/psionovore/0chimes06.jpg

Man they are HUGE, much like Orson himself.

I hope I can find that movie one day.

The famous Frozen Peas commercial.

Frozen Peas (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V14PfDDwxlE&feature=related)


Ah this is priceless.....and Dave Thomas as Liberace is excellent.

John Candy as Orson (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLsW3Itt4V8&feature=related)

You may or may not know (or even care) that the voice of 'The Brain' (supplied by Maurice La Marr) in the Ananimaniacs cartoon 'Pinky And The Brain' is based on Welles...

http://bioethics.net/podcast/images/pinky_and_the_brain.jpg
Pinky and The Brain

You know what? I believe you might just have something there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQT5-zx_M-0&feature=related

You know what? I believe you might just have something there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQT5-zx_M-0&feature=relatedHahaha, how cool is that!

I watched The Lady From Shanghai again yesterday and kept thinking what the movie must have been like before about 1 hours of it was cut. I wish somebody would find that missing footage, and also the original soundtrack.

On a serious note, Jonathan Rosenbaum's Discovering Orson Welles (http://www.amazon.com/Discovering-Orson-Welles-Jonathan-Rosenbaum/dp/0520251237/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206977178&sr=8-1)is one of the more interesting books about Welles I've read.

"Of the dozens of books written about Orson Welles, most focus on the central enigma of Welles's career: why did someone so extravagantly talented neglect to finish so many projects? Film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum has long believed that to dwell on this aspect of the Welles canon is to overlook the wealth of information available by studying the unrealized works. Discovering Orson Welles collects Rosenbaum's writings to date on Welles--some thirty-five years of them--and makes an irrefutable case for the seriousness of his work, illuminating both Welles the artist and Welles the man. The book is also a chronicle of Rosenbaum's highly personal writer's journey and his efforts to arrive at the truth. The essays, interviews, and reviews are arranged chronologically and are accompanied by commentary that updates the scholarship. Highlights include Rosenbaum's 1972 interview with Welles about his first Hollywood project, Heart of Darkness; Rosenbaum's rebuttal to Pauline Kael's famous essay "Raising Kane"; detailed essays and comprehensive discussions of Welles's major unfinished work, including two unrealized projects, The Big Brass Ring and The Cradle Will Rock; and an account of Rosenbaum's work as consultant on the 1998 re-editing of Touch of Evil, based on a studio memo by Welles."

On a serious note, Jonathan Rosenbaum's Discovering Orson Welles (http://www.amazon.com/Discovering-Orson-Welles-Jonathan-Rosenbaum/dp/0520251237/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206977178&sr=8-1)is one of the more interesting books about Welles I've read.

"Of the dozens of books written about Orson Welles, most focus on the central enigma of Welles's career: why did someone so extravagantly talented neglect to finish so many projects? Film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum has long believed that to dwell on this aspect of the Welles canon is to overlook the wealth of information available by studying the unrealized works. Discovering Orson Welles collects Rosenbaum's writings to date on Welles--some thirty-five years of them--and makes an irrefutable case for the seriousness of his work, illuminating both Welles the artist and Welles the man. The book is also a chronicle of Rosenbaum's highly personal writer's journey and his efforts to arrive at the truth. The essays, interviews, and reviews are arranged chronologically and are accompanied by commentary that updates the scholarship. Highlights include Rosenbaum's 1972 interview with Welles about his first Hollywood project, Heart of Darkness; Rosenbaum's rebuttal to Pauline Kael's famous essay "Raising Kane"; detailed essays and comprehensive discussions of Welles's major unfinished work, including two unrealized projects, The Big Brass Ring and The Cradle Will Rock; and an account of Rosenbaum's work as consultant on the 1998 re-editing of Touch of Evil, based on a studio memo by Welles."
That sounds like a great book. I am just today actually picking up Orson Welles: Hello Americans, by Simon Callow, I hear it is a great read as well.

Yeah, Oz, in my opinion, though it's a bit of a task to get through both, Callow's two volumes on Welles, The Road to Xanadu and Hello Americans comprise far and away the best biographies written about Welles.

Yeah, Oz, in my opinion, though it's a bit of a task to get through both, Callow's two volumes on Welles, The Road to Xanadu and Hello Americans comprise far and away the best biographies written about Welles.I haven't read either one, so this will be alot of fun. I'll have to find The Road to Xanadu when I am done with Hello Americans.

Callow certainly goes over every known fact with a fine-tooth comb. It's hard tack but worth the effort.

Welles gets to put his own case in Peter Bogdanovich's This Is Orson Welles, though, inevitably, he comes over best when he had his voice to rely on, here:

http://uk.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=D415C5EEA41F7149

You may or may not know (or even care) that the voice of 'The Brain' (supplied by Maurice La Marr) in the Ananimaniacs cartoon 'Pinky And The Brain' is based on Welles...

http://bioethics.net/podcast/images/pinky_and_the_brain.jpg
Pinky and The Brain


Pinky and the Brain was the reason I started watching Orson Welles's films (backwards, eh?)

Narf!

Pinky and the Brain was the reason I started watching Orson Welles's films (backwards, eh?)

Narf!That's ok Lola, my love of classical music comes from watching Warner Brother cartoons as a kid.

The Magic World of Orson Welles by James Naremore is an excellent book too.

The Magic World of Orson Welles by James Naremore is an excellent book too.

Thanks for the recommendation, Matt. I've just taken delivery of the Rosenbaum opus and mean to get into that very soon.

Also I bought myself a DVD of F For Fake. Hadn't watched it in years. It really is a wonderfully tricky film, like a batch of Chinese boxes: every time you watch it you uncover another layer of trickery.

My pleasure, Byron. I hope you enjoy the books.

In case you missed it, Universal is releasing a 50th anniversary box set of Touch of Evil (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CC7PQ2?ie=UTF8&tag=cinephobia-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001CC7PQ2)which for the first time collects all three principal versions of the film (the preview version, the theatrical version, and the reconstructed version).

In case you missed it, Universal is releasing a 50th anniversary box set of Touch of Evil (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CC7PQ2?ie=UTF8&tag=cinephobia-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001CC7PQ2)which for the first time collects all three principal versions of the film (the preview version, the theatrical version, and the reconstructed version).Oh sure, I already have the Restored To Orson Welles version one.

Yeah, the reconstructed version has now become the definative version--mostly by virtue of being the only version available on DVD for a number of years now. Which, according to Jonathan Rosenbaum, was never really the intention of those who worked on the reconstruction. I do think it's the best available version, though. I imagine it's fascinating to see all three of them side by side, though.

I'd like to see someone tackle Mr Arkadin and present it as Orson intended. The only available version over here (Confidential Report) is hopelessly confused. I swear two of the South American scenes are presented in the wrong order.

There's a three-disc set available in the US from Criterion called The Complete Mr. Arkadin (aka Confidential Report) (http://www.criterion.com/asp/release.asp?id=322). It contains the "Corinth Version", Confidential Report, and a new "comprehensive version." It has commentary by James Naremore and Jonathan Rosenbaum. The title of the set is a bit of a misnomer though, since there are at least eight existant version of the film. I haven't seen the "comprehensive version," but the set is impressive, and it's something that's definately on my wish list.

Thanks, Matt; sounds fascinating. I'll try not to die of old age before it becomes available on Region 2.

Here's a snippet of sheer trivia.

Back in the 70s, Orson Welles guested on the BBC's Michael Parkinson Show. In the course of the chat, Michael P (now Sir Michael) turned naturally to the subject of Citizen Kane. Orson pretended outrage. "Why do you have to bring up that film?" he thundered. "I've made other films, you know! Why does nobody ever mention my masterpiece, Charlie Chan In Panama?"

Poor Parkinson was nonplussed. "You . . . er . . . you never directed a film called Charlie Chan In Panama . . . er . . . did you?"

"No of course I didn't!!!" Orson roared, bringing the house down.

I'd always assumed he made the title up. But today I've discovered there actually was a Charlie Chan In Panama, starring Sidney Toler. And the odd thing is, it was directed by Norman Foster, who'd earlier directed the Mr Moto films. It was made in the same year as Citizen Kane. Norman Foster went on to make Journey Into Fear, the first film in which Welles acted but didn't direct.

There are deep secrets under the surface here, I think.

Here's a snippet of sheer trivia.

Back in the 70s, Orson Welles guested on the BBC's Michael Parkinson Show. In the course of the chat, Michael P (now Sir Michael) turned naturally to the subject of Citizen Kane. Orson pretended outrage. "Why do you have to bring up that film?" he thundered. "I've made other films, you know! Why does nobody ever mention my masterpiece, Charlie Chan In Panama?"

Poor Parkinson was nonplussed. "You . . . er . . . you never directed a film called Charlie Chan In Panama . . . er . . . did you?"

"No of course I didn't!!!" Orson roared, bringing the house down.

I'd always assumed he made the title up. But today I've discovered there actually was a Charlie Chan In Panama, starring Sidney Toler. And the odd thing is, it was directed by Norman Foster, who'd earlier directed the Mr Moto films. It was made in the same year as Citizen Kane. Norman Foster went on to make Journey Into Fear, the first film in which Welles acted but didn't direct.

There are deep secrets under the surface here, I think.And Kane's middle name was Foster.

And Kane's middle name was Foster.

And Norman Foster's real name was Hoeffer! Makes ya think . . .

You may or may not know (or even care) that the voice of 'The Brain' (supplied by Maurice La Marr) in the Ananimaniacs cartoon 'Pinky And The Brain' is based on Welles...

http://bioethics.net/podcast/images/pinky_and_the_brain.jpg
Pinky and The Brain
I did know! And that was one hilarious cartoon. We've affectionately named the dogs next door (golden retriever and chihuahua) "Pinky and the Brain".

Did anyone else watch Turner Classic Movies last night? They were honoring Welles. I watched The Lady From Shanghai and The Magnificent Ambersons.

I actually prefer not to watch Orson as an actor - his narration and direction, however, is very entertaining.

I did know! And that was one hilarious cartoon. We've affectionately named the dogs next door (golden retriever and chihuahua) "Pinky and the Brain".

Did anyone else watch Turner Classic Movies last night? They were honoring Welles. I watched The Lady From Shanghai and The Magnificent Ambersons.

I actually prefer not to watch Orson as an actor - his narration and direction, however, is very entertaining.I have seen them both many many times. Have you ever watched Touch of Evil? It is one of his best movies, he wrote, directed and starred in it, an Orson tri-fecta.

It is a damn shame, a crime I say, that the studio always edited and screwed up Orson's films. I'd give my eye teeth to see his original cut of The Lady From Shanghai, and with the musical score he intended.

I love this story about Touch of Evil and Orson.

Despite popular speculation, Orson Welles is wearing make-up throughout the film. For hours every night, they'd add pounds and pounds onto him, and use prosthetics for his face. He once said that he was late going to a dinner party at his house during the filming, and arrived with his make-up still on. A famous actress approached him when he entered and in all seriousness said: "Orson! You look wonderful!"