Nice to see you wanting to get into more of Welles’ work. His overall body of work is still a little under-appreciated so it’s good to see people interested.
I would say watch his film in chronological order if you can, really gives you a sense of his progression (though some would say regression) as a film-maker. I’d consider the following to be some of his better works (my favorite are Ambersons, Touch of Evil and Chimes)
Notables:
The Magnificent Ambersons
The Lady from Shanghai
Othello
Mr. Akadin
Touch of Evil
Chimes at Midnight
David is right: The best way is in chronological order. Do it if you can.
My favs: “Citizen Kane”, “The Lady from Shanghai” and “Touch of Evil”.
If you can, watch “Jane Eyre” (1944), directed by Robert Stevenson, some people thinks there is a strong influence of Welles in the first part of that film.
Cool thanks and, yea, I plan to watch them in order. That’s what I’m doing with Bergman and it is rewarding. What about Mr. Arkadin? I know there’s 3 versions, which one should I watch? I know there’s like the original version but now there’s a “comprehensive” one. Any suggestions on which I should watch first or which is, now, considered the "definitive?
From what I hear, I heard the Criterion compilation is the one to watch as it combines material from the versions originally seen. But I don’t own the 3-disc set and have seen 2 of the 3 versions.
I also agree with the chronological Welles – and do it in a weekend, if you can.
F For Fake is truly one of a kind and hilarious – I think no other film has played with the editing process like this one, and it fits the film perfectly. It’s my favorite Welles aside from Kane.
The comprehensive Arkadin is the only version I’ve seen, and it’s great. It has a nicely brisk pace, and any Welles fan will love his character.
I have seen F for Fake…although I’m sure another viewing wouldn’t hurt…and I did love it. It is really something else and while I don’t know if I’d call it one of my favorite “films”…I’m not sure how you’d classify it…I wouldn’t hesitate to say that it is a mandatory viewing for any film fanatic. Thanks for all your input everyone and if you’re interested I’ll tell you the other directors I’m attempting. Some are obviously the “classics” and others are just personal favs who I’ve seen a film or two of and just wanna see all the others.
Bergman (in the middle)
Welles
Fellini
Kurosawa
Lumet
Cassavettes
and I’m not sure where to go after that. I may do Woody Allen, but I can say that I’m not a huge fan. As much as I love Annie Hall and Manhattan..I have seen just as many Allen films I’ve detested. Any other directors and/or just classic films I should see? Just a stand alone or two from a director you love perhaps.
Oh, and if you’re completely hardcore, check the radio plays he did with the Mercury Theatre of the Air and The Campbell Playhouse:
http://www.mercurytheatre.info/
Dracula is awesome.
I learned about that stuff from this bio on him, which I recommend:
http://www.amazon.com/Orson-Welles-1-Road-Xanadu/dp/0140254560/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228164934&sr=1-3
Martin: You a Stanley Kubrick fan at all? I would go with Kurosawa, then Fellini next if I were you.
oh yea Kubrick..he’s on there. I’ve seen his famous films, but haven’t seen em all. I forgot about Hitchcock too. I’ve only seen a couple of his but wanna tackle em all. I’m putting Fellini first because I love 8 1/2, so I’m dying to see the rest of his stuff. But I’m more anxious to see Welles. I’m not really sure why I started with Bergman, cause I had never seen one of his films until I started. Have to say..he’s great but so far the only film I really, really loved was Wild Strawberries. Not to say I didn’t think Seventh Seal, Sawdust and Tinsel and Through a Glass Darkly were all great..but Wild Strawberries is the only one so far that I’ve personally connected with. I’m onto Winter Light now and Ive got maybe like 7 or 8 left? But thanks for the recommendations..keep em coming I love this
Martin: Yeah Wild Strawberries is definitely by far one of my favorite Bergman films. Victor Sjöström is very good in that film. Hitchcock is also a great director to do this exercise with, his body of work is very strong. It seems to me that you enjoy these more defined, older artists so I bet you would really enjoy Kurosawa.
I think I will. My fav films tend to be ones that I can watch and rewatch and still find new things. Thats why PT Anders is my fav director and why I love Charlie Kaufman. I like films like 8 1/2 that are really enjoyable the first time I watch them..but that I can watch 20 times and its new everytime. I think this is why I don’t like Mullholand Drive. Most people assume I would love that..but I didnt enjoy it. I’m really a classicist at heart. I like plot and I like cinematography. But plot is relative…it doesnt have to be linear and Magnolia barely has what you could call a single plot. Still Judd Apatow is one of my fav directors and I love Knocked Up. I like films that don’t take themselves too seriously. PT Anderson and Wes Anderson are able to make great, serious films that are still humorous..but you wouldnt necessarily call them a comedy (well maybe in Wes’ case). Wild Strawberries fell under this category for me. It had a bit of humor, but it was also immediately accessible without giving away everything upon first viewing. Does that make sense? If that is how Kurosawa is (I haven’t seen any of his) then yes, I will like him.
I would watch “the Trial”.
“The Comprehensive Arkadin” is my favorite of the three. everyone has suggested his good directing works. Try “The Stranger” and “The Third Man” some Welles films he didn’t direct, but his acting was really solid in.
D. Wilkerson is right, The Trial is where it’s at.
One of his most ignored films, but my favorite from him. His classics are classics, of course, but The Trial just has that little something extra that makes me melt as a lover of cinema.
Mr. Arkadin is great, too, and I recommend watching all the versions available in one massive block of Welles. The fact that there are alternate versions of the film is both ironic and wonderful, considering that the movie is entirely about the different versions of Gregory Arkadin that exist. For me, part of watching and appreciating the movie is taking it all in, the plot of the movie itself, the alternate cuts, and the history behind it.
It wasn’t intentional, but it all plays out like a symphony of cinema that was composed by a master and played to perfection.
Chimes At Midnight!
The Stranger has some very good acting.
I tend to like it more than most people do.
I’ve always had quite a liking for F for Fake as well
Othello if you’re a completist.
In this order: 1. Citizen Kane, 2. Chimes at midnight, 3. Touch of Evil
Can you get “Chimes at Midnight” on DVD? I’ve never seen this one.
Chimes At Midnight is only available in Spain and Brazil, I think. Certainly not in North America. Best bet is ebay.
Thanks. I could never understand why some movies are unavailable here in the U.S. I’ve had this strange obsession to see Carol Reed’s “Odd Man Out” but can’t get it here. I’m pretty sure that I have seen it in Europe and some Asian countries. Is it a distribution thing? What gives?
Soybean, “Odd Man Out” is terrific. I’ve only seen it in video (and I’m in Israel so that doesn’t help at all). Martin, re: Bergman, don’t forget “The Virgin Spring.” I don’t know whether “Shame” holds up any longer (it was made during the War in Vietnam) — but I would guess, it’s still very powerful. And try to see the TV series of “Scenes from a Marriage,” not the movie — since it was originally made for television. “The Magic Flute” may be the best opera ever put on film (at least in my opinion — but I’m a Bergman fan, although unlike people here, I never liked “Wild Strawberries”). I would love to see “The Magician” again. As for Orson Welles, “Chimes at Midnight” is very much worth seeing. I’ve never seen “The Trial.” Thanks for the recommendations.
I saw The Virgin Spring, it was good but it’s not something I’d necessarily revisit like Wild Strawberries. I actually heard that Scenes from a Marriage was better as a movie…I’m gonna check out the movie first (cause it’s shorter) and if I like it, revisit the TV series.
Othello is such an amazing film. I highly suggest it to anyone who likes Shakespeare even a little bit. Othello is my favorite Shakespeare play though so I might be bias, but no matter it is a great film.
The Lady From Shanghai remains my favorite Welles, followed by F for Fake, so give it a try. There are moments where you can tell Welles was experimenting with his camera wizardry just for the hell of it – the mirror scene – but it never feels forced to me, plus Hayworth as a blonde, nice.
There’s this one movie he did a while back, its got some guy and a sled…
“Touch of Evil” is a good one though, as long as you don’t put your faith in Charleton Heston playing a Mexican.
F For Fake
Mr. Arkadin
Touch of Evil
Citizen Kane
The Trial
Chimes at Midnight
Lady From Shanghai
Othello
Tron
Ok…so a lot of you are probably going to laugh at me, but I haven’t seen most of Welles’ films despite Citizen Kane being my favorite film for years now. Actually, I haven’t seen many of the “classic” cinemaphile films. Again, 8 1/2 is one of my favs, but thats the only Fellini I’ve seen. So, I have decided to enlist the help of Netflix and finally go through and watch these guys, among others. Currently, I’m in the middle of Bergman and its so amazing. Welles is my next director and I’m looking for your recommendations. I’ll prob end up watching all of his films, although I haven’t done that with Bergman. I scoured a few sites like allmovie.com and www.theyshootpictures.com to compile a best of list for each director I’m doing.
I guess my question about Welles is films like Arkadin have like 3 versions…what’s the best version to see at the moment? I’m sure I’ll end up buying them all on Criterion or regular DVD, but for now I just want to get through each film and not watch 2 or 3 versions. So what are your suggestions?