Frequently Asked Questions - Answered here

[Jeff Wilson]

Given that we seem to see some questions pop up every so often, I've decided to finally put together a FAQ to provide some easy answers. Please feel free to suggest additions to this list; the more complete it is, the better. Without further ado, then...

PART ONE: RECOMMENDATIONS

I-VIDEO
The best currently available versions of Welles titles are:

FEATURE FILMS

Citizen Kane: The US R1 release is as of now the best available release, but is considered by some to be too digitally cleaned up.

The Magnificent Ambersons: The Criterion CAV LD is the best release of the film to date, but the French DVD is the best DVD version. No other DVD version is comparable yet. An R1 edition is forthcoming, though it will be 2004 at the earliest before we see it.

The Stranger: Roan R1 release is superior to the other releases, most of which are subpar pub domain junk. There is a Region 2 release from MGM that it said to better it, but I haven't yet had a look at it myself to confirm. See dvdbeaver.com's comparison's section for more details.

Macbeth: UK R2; no other DVD release yet.

The Lady From Shanghai: R1 is the best and only option; a port of this has been released in the UK..

Othello: The Criterion LD is the only unadulterated version of this in a quality format; the US R1 DVD presents the questionable restoration, as will the forthcoming R2 DVD in the UK.

Mr Arkadin: Plenty of pub domain releases of the non-Corinth cut of Arkadin; the UK R2 Confidential Report DVD release is the best in terms of picture quality.

Touch of Evil: The R1 DVD is tops in quality; you’ll have to get an LD or VHS release for the preview cut or a full-frame version.

The Trial: The R1 Milestone DVD release is solid, but the French R2 is better all around. The French edition will be ported for a UK release in May 2004.

Chimes at Midnight: The Spanish R2 DVD is the only current option here.

The Immortal Story: The Italian DVD release is the best (and only) version on disc.

F for Fake: The Japanese R2 DVD is the best option on disc, though the Criterion LD has the trailer. The French edition is of similar quality to the Japanese edition, but will suffer from PAL speed-up for those sensitive to such matters.

NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME COMMERCIALLY:
Filming Othello: bootlegs available
Fountain of Youth bootlegs available
Orson Welles Sketchbook bootlegs available
Orson Welles Show bootlegs available
One Man Band bootlegs, screener copies available
Arena: The Orson Welles Story bootlegs available

Portrait of Gina aka Viva Italia bootlegs unavailable
In the Land of Don Quixote bootlegs unavailable



II. BOOKS

Coming soon



Edited By Jeff Wilson on Mar. 04 2004 at 20:16

[evenswr]

I thought I'd add some information for some noteworthy DVD releases since this thread was last updated:

It's All True R1 NTSC DVD:


Paramount

Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime 1:25:29

DVDTalk.com review.

Video 1:33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
NTSC

Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0

Subtitles: English

Features:
None.

DVD Release Date:November 30, 2004

F for Fake R0 NTSC DVD:


Criterion Collection - Spine # 288

Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime 1:23:30

DVD Beaver review.

Video 1:61:1 Original Aspect Ratio
NTSC

Audio English (Dolby Digital 2.0)

Subtitles English, None

Features

• Video introduction by director Peter Bogdanovich
• Audio commentary featuring star Oja Kodar and director of photography Gary Graver
• Orson Welles: One-Man Band (1988), a feature-length investigation of Welles’s unfinished projects
• Almost True, a 1992 Norwegian Film Institute documentary on art forger Elmyr de Hory
• 9-minute trailer
• 60 Minutes interviews with Clifford Irving
• 16-page liner notes booklet with new essay by critic Jonathan Rosenbaum

DVD Release Date: April 26th, 2005
Double thick Keep Case
Chapters: 19

Macbeth R2 PAL DVD:


Wild Side Vidéo

Region 2 - PAL
Runtime 114/82 (4% PAL speedup)

DVD Beaver review.

Video

4:3 Original Aspect Ratio
PAL

Audio Dolby Digital 2.0 (Mono, English)

Subtitles French (non - removable)

Features

• Disc 1: Restored longer cut originally released in 1948
• Restoration Demo, Orson Welles Filmography.
• Disc 2: 1950 re-release version redubbed and with shorter running time.
• Disc 3: Extensive supplements including analysis of the differences between the two versions (26:47)
• Analysis of scenery design (13:43)
• A look at the cinematography (3:00)
• Analysis of the use of music in Macbeth (3:39)
• A discussion of Macbeth with actor Stuart Seide (13:50)
• A 4 min. film clip of the 1936 Harlem stage production of Macbeth directed by Welles featuring an African-American cast, introduced by Welles scholar Francois Thomas.
• 1940 Mercury Theatre radio adaptation of Macbeth (78:27).
• Production Stills and Promotional Art
• * All of the commentary is in unsubtitled French.
• 80 page illustrated booklet by Jean-Francois Buire in French

DVD Release Date: December 7, 2005
Fold out Slipcase

Chapters 14

Mr. Arkadin R1 NTSC DVD:


Criterion Collection - Spine # 322

Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime (3 versions) 1:39:54, 1:37:48, 1:46:12

DVD Beaver review.

Video 1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
NTSC

Audio English (Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono) English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)

Subtitles English, None

Features

• Audio commentary by scholars Jonathan Rosenbaum and James Naremore
• Interviews with Welles biographer Simon Callow, star Robert Arden, radio producer Harry Alan Towers, director Peter Bogdanovich, and film archivists Stephan Droessler and Claude Bertemes
• Three half-hour episodes of the radio program The Lives of Harry Lime, upon which the film is based
• On the Comprehensive Version, a new documentary featuring Droessler, Bertemes, and Bogdanovich
• Outtakes, rushes, and alternate scenes from the film
• Extensive stills gallery
• Mr. Arkadin, the novel, with a new preface by Robert Polito and a booklet featuring J. Hoberman; Rosenbaum, historian Francois Thomas and Droessler on the three versions

DVD Release Date: April 18th, 2006

4-tiered digipak inside slipcase with book

Chapters 28, 29 + 29

Touch of Evil 50th Anniversary Edition R1 NTSC DVD:


Universal Studios (US)

Region 1 - NTSC

Runtime (3 versions) 1:50:36, 1:48:48, 1:35:15

DVD Beaver review.

1.85:1 Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
NTSC

Audio English (Dolby Digital Mono 2.0)

Subtitles English (SDH), Spanish, French, none

Features:
Disc 1

• Commentary (Restored Version) with Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh and producer Rick Schmidlin
• Commentary (Restored Version) with producer Rick Schmidlin
• Bringing Evil to Life featurette (20:59, 4:3)
• Evil Lost and Found featurette (17:05, 4:3)
• Theatrical Trailer – (2:10, 4:3)

Disc 2

• Commentary (Theatrical Version) by critic F.X. Feeney
• Commentary (Preview Version) with journalist Jonathan Rosenbaum and James Naremore

Includes booklet recreation of the original 58-page memo from Welles to the Studio

DVD Release Date: October 7th, 2008
Keep Case

Chapters 18

[evenswr]

The Stranger R1 NTSC DVD:



MGM

Region 1 - NTSC

Runtime 1:35:06

DVD Beaver review.

Aspect ratio: 1:33:1

NTSC

Audio English (Dolby Digital 1.0)

Subtitles English, Spanish and none

Features:
• none

DVD Release Date: July 10th, 2007

Keep Case

20 Chapters