Pre-Revised Othello - Othello

[tonyw]

[B Does anyone know whether it is possible to obtain a VHS copy of the earlier version of OTHELL0, the one shot before the restoration?

I've tried amazon.com in England since I heard it was available there but have only found the "reconstructed"] version.

Thanks

[maxrael]

hi tonyw,

alas i've searched quite a few places in europe but have yet to have any success in tracking the original othello down...

i'd be grateful if any other wellesnetter can point us in the right direction...

atb,
max!

[R Kadin]

Here's the closest I've gotten to the answer: a reference to what appears to be just the thing in the audio-visual library of Bond University, outside Brisbane on Austalia's Gold Coast. The precise listing is as follows:

Othello [videorecording]
[U.S.] : Castle Hill Productions, c1992.
Held at: main library - videocassette - AV PR3093 .O73 1992

The above seems promising, because the same library catalogue includes this separate and distinct listing:

Restored version.
Chatsworth, CA : Distributed exclusively by Image Entertainment, c1999.
Held at: main library - digital versatile disc - AV PR3093 .O73 1999

On the strength of those distinctions and the earlier copyright date (1992), I have sent an email inquiry to an address that's supposedly Castle Hill Productions in New York City to find out if the company knows of any possible sources for copies of that particular product. I had luck once before with Corinth Films in getting a VHS copy of its unique version of Welles's Mr. Arkadin for non-commercial use; so, let's see if lightning feels like a second strike.

I'm concerned in advance, however, that it might have since entered into an arrangement with Image Entertainment (a distributor of the restored version) that precludes it from dealing in any way with the earlier title.

While it's rare that such inquiries receive so much as an acknowledgement, let alone an answer, nothing ventured = nothing gained. If I get lucky and hear back, I'll post it here.

Wish me luck and stay tuned...

[jbrooks]

I believe the version put out on video by Castle Hill is the "restored" version. 1992 was the year that the "restored" version was released in theaters, and I believe that Castle Hill was one of the company's invovled in that release. I also seem to recall that the first video version of the restoration had a "soft" look about it -- it looked much worse than the sharp, high-contrast film prints released in theaters in 1992.

The best bet for the pre-restored version would be to find a copy of the Criterion Laserdisc and make a copy of that on VHS. Does the laserdisc ever surface on EBay? (By the way, the Criterion version of the Welles' original version has great picture quality -- very sharp, high contrast -- and the "unrestored" sound is fine.

[R Kadin]

Thanks, jbrooks. I noticed that but was hoping there might be some luck left out there for us poor Welles enthusiasts.

The laserdisc does surface periodically on eBay. The last 2 were sold for prices in the $100 - $125 range, for those with the hardware, of course (which turns up on eBay, too).

[jbrooks]

$125 wouldn't be too bad. I think it originally sold for $99 (or was it $49?). In any event, I found it to be one of the best laser discs ever put together. (It has excellent picture quality, a great commentary track -- Bogdanovich and Myron Meisel (each recorded seperately and then edited together) and all of Return to Glenescaul (or however you spell that) and lengthy excerpts from "Filming Othello."

Of course, if you don't have a laserdisc player, that is an obstacle. As great as the "Othello" disc is - I don't think it alone would justify that investment.

[R Kadin]

Just to close the loop on an earlier posting, I heard back from Castle Hill about the version of Othello referencing its 1992 copyright. As suspected, it's the "restored" version, such as it existed at that time - and since reworked some more by the restoration team, I am led to believe, which accounts for the current DVD edition.

So, folks, it seems it's either the Voyager/Criterion laserdisc (or a bootleg thereof), a visit to the Library of Congress, a lucky find in some film vault or library, somewhere - or nothing when it comes to viewing this work in its earlier (some might say "unmolested") form.

I guess one could say that, in some respects, Orson Welles's Othello is almost as lost today as it ever was. Blessed all the more, then, are those who are working to preserve at least as much of it as they can.

[Jarpie]

Has anyone on this forum made DVD from Criterions LD-release of Othello? it's very hard to find original Othello anywhere, even on vhs.

I got last week "restored" Othello from KoreanDVDS.com, only 11.08 USD to the Finland with postage so its very cheap but i haven't watched it yet.