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Today's film was a biopic of Orson Welles.

Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles (2014)

True to its lengthy title, this film documents a long distinguished career as an actor and director. Also, writer, producer, life artist and, probably, con artist.

I have seen most of the films clipped here. Nice memories. And, as it went along I thought I might want to rent some of them again.

But then, by the end, I lost that determination. There is something about Orson Welles that gives me a headache. Could it be his genius or his pretensions? I do not know but for awhile, he was fascinating and innovative and laid the groundwork for many other film makers.

He might have been the first true auteur, the term coined by Godard or someone for the guy who has the whole package in his head and can lay it out on the screen.

Author. But more.

I liked the film and was not bothered by the clippings of it. I am sure that they had to stay in the eight second rule to avoid royalties and some of the segments were probably pirated.

In his life, Welles was larger than life. Enormously fat. Huge ego. Very much like the guy in his film Citizen Kane.

In the end he was not quite a joke but he was definitely on his way down as a person. He died before he became tragic.

Labels: films