Sunday, February 15, 2009
TOUCH OF GENIUS
Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was Orson Welles'
with Orson Welles, Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Akim Tamiroff (for the third time in three weeks), Marlene Detrich and other Welles' rep members, even Joseph Cotten in a short cameo.
The plot is thick and sometimes too contrived but the film noir aspect of it allows Welles to do all kinds of tricks of direction. The cinematography is breathtaking. You can see that it is a reference for many other directors. One, in particular, would be Hitchcock who stole liberally from the motel scenes for Psycho. It isn't very subtle stealing.
There is the famous three minute bomb scene as well as many other accomplishments. A lot of deep focus shots, his trademark, never quite equalled.
This all is very satisfying but it doesn't make a great movie. It is fun. It is very creative. It shows a touch of genius.
It was his last film. It was put out as a bottom of the bill double feature then later restored to his original vision which was set out in a 58 page letter to the studio. Others used it to make this restoration that Welles did not live to see.
A lot of drama around the drama.
I will give it a 3 out of Netflix5. While it is fun to watch the stage business, it is also a little tiring. Maybe someday a Welles Fest and that would make it a 4. Right now, no.
Labels: best films
