Simon Callow new Welles documentary

[philly]

I hope BBC productions are available in the U.S, in this weeks UK tv listings magazine Radio Times it mentioned in a section of xmas teasers that there will be an Orson Welles season on BBC4 at christmas,included will be several welles films, the 3 part Arena documentary and a brand new documentary made by Simon Callow.

[mido505]

Thanks, Philly, please keep us updated, I'd like to see that doc. Any idea if BBC America will broadcast the tribute?

[Magentarose67]

Hmm....I am not sure about this. If it's anything like his "Road to Xanadu" book, I think I'll pass. We'll see, though. Keep us posted.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving !

[ToddBaesen]

I believe Simon Callow is simply serving as host for the upcoming BBC documentary on Welles, which will be focusing on his European years, between 1948 and 1975.

Here is the brief teaser from The Radio Times:

The Orson Welles Season (BBC4)

One for the cineastes: BBC4 brings us a biography of the monumental (in every sense) director, starring Simon Callow, plus repeats of three classic Arena documentaries and a selection of Welles's films.

[Store Hadji]

Christmas 2009 on BBC Four

A Child's Christmases In Wales. Ruth Jones stars in a deeply nostalgic, funny adaptation of Dylan Thomas's classic portrayal of how the routine of Christmas brings out the best and worst in a family.
_____________________________________________________________

Corsets, Carriages And Christmas At Cranford takes a peek behind the scenes of Cranford.
_____________________________________________________________

The Truth About Carols follows composer Howard Goodall as he uncovers the often turbulent and uncomfortable relationship between carols and the celebration of Christmas.
_____________________________________________________________

Orson Welles at Christmas

[Store Hadji]

Could this be the "Orson Welles at Christmas?"

http://www.lastminute.com/site/entertai ... 12-01.html

[Glenn Anders]

Once again, Hadji, I think you have illuminated the truth of a Wellsian matter.

Christian McKay starred in Rosebud at the Edinburgh Festival in 2004, and from that well-received production there developed a train of events which led to further performances and his starring in ME AND ORSON WELLES. An interesting account of that odyssey is contained in a recent (November 26, 2009) article in the Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film ... rview.html

It would be logical and fitting, at this point, with the release of ME AND ORSON WELLES, that the BBC would turn for part of its Christmas programming to various Welles' TV projects, and the original theatrical event which began McKay's rise as a thespian.

Remembering that the third volume of Simon Callow's Orson Welles biography will need a locus, Callow may find, too, particular interest in the BBC project because Welles' full bravura entry into British culture would have taken place in 1954-55, when he was for one last moment at once a star of stage, screen, radio, and for the first time,producer of a television series of his own. In just about a year's time -- already well known for THE THIRD MAN in Alexander Korda's hit movie, and British Radio with The Adventures of Harry Lime and The Black Museum -- Orson Welles returned to the Movies, acting a Latin Scotsman in TROUBLE IN THE GLEN, playing Father Mapple in Huston's MOBY DICK, making CONFIDENTIAL REPORT/MR. ARKADIN, adapted Moby Dick for the stage in Moby Dick Rehearsed, and appeared to the British TV public in six episodes of his own BBC Orson Welles Sketch Book. It should provide Simon Callow with rich material to illustrate Orson Welles' brave and tragic arc, here perhaps at its apogee.

In the Fall of 1954 through the Summer of 1955, the time period of these accomplishments, I had a romance, as related elsewhere, with Rosemary H., a smart, beautiful, blonde model, a bit of a debutante, a graduate of Teatro Conti, who slummed as a phonograph record salesperson, downstairs in the Baker Street Keith Prowse theatrical booking ticket agency. She was crazy about all the Arts and considered Orson Welles the American Messiah. It was she who kept me up on Welles' activities, whenever I managed a weekend or a three-day pass from washing down 40mm Anti-Aircraft Guns in East Anglia. It was she who raved about the Orson Welles Sketchbook, which for BBC Television Production, she considered revolutionary in its sheer simplicity.

I never saw any of the episodes at the time [they being shown during the week when I was off defending (unbeknownst to me, and illegally) the atom bombs buried at Lakenheath Air Base, assuring mutual destruction of Western and Soviet Civilizations.] Thanks to Ray Kelly's gift to us, my son Guy and myself have been watching all six of those episodes this past afternoon, between bouts of Second Day Turkey.

What power Orson Welles had!

Even throughout an hour and half of varied subjects, meant to be seen in segments over several months, Welles rivets our concentration, looking directly into our eyes as he charms, entertains, and educates us.

I can only imagine what Simon Callow and the BBC producers will make of Christian McKay's ROSEBUD, maybe these Sketch Books, and associated materials.

Perhaps, our own estimable Larry French will learn more from McKay on Tuesday evening at the Frisco Premiere of ME AND ORSON WELLES, if the Hollywood PR people will allow them a decent amount of time to complete the interview they began so amiably last week.

Meanwhile, thank you again, Ray Kelly for the gift, and Rosemary H. for your inspiration -- wherever you are.

Glenn

[Store Hadji]

The BBC 4 Welles Christmas schedule (with summaries) can be found here:

http://filmjournal.net/john/2009/12/04/ ... christmas/

The Beeb are repeating the Sketchbook series, perhaps for the first time in 50 years, if not the first ever repeat (though lamentably the missing sixth episode is still missing,) and this will probably be the chance to see a better copy of that elusive overseas edit of Journey into Fear.

[Glenn Anders]

Thanks, Terry: The BBC is giving Britons a marvelous introduction and reprise to the film and TV work of Orson Welles.

Let's sit under an imaginary Christmas tree and imagine PBS, a major TV Network (ha!), a movie channel, or even TCM devoting that much concentrated time and space to probably the greatest theatrical, motion picture, radio, potentially TV genius America ever produced.

Oh, well, I guess this marked-down sled made of discarded packing crates will have to do.

Glenn

[Magentarose67]

Let's sit under an imaginary Christmas tree and imagine PBS, a major TV Network (ha!), a movie channel, or even TCM devoting that much concentrated time and space to probably the greatest theatrical, motion picture, radio, potentially TV genius America ever produced.
Glenn

Let's hope they do someday...and Amen, my brother, Amen !

[Store Hadji]

The first of the Sketch Book episodes has aired and is available online (in the UK only) on the BBC's iplayer (and there will be no digressions here into the evils of naming products or services after egoism, beyond mentioning that I prefer the second-person "youtube.")

Surprisingly, it is the missing first episode that was aired, with Welles talking about props, a fortuitous and apocryphal Californian earthquake, his audition at the Gate Theatre and subsequent premiere (with sketches of the characters he played,) the malevolent pranks of Opening Night gremlins, and the revelation that he began his professional career by falling on his head.

Piratical means must needs be resorted to in order to access and record this content outside of Merrie Olde England, but I know nothing about such practices nor would I ever endorse their usage.

[ToddBaesen]

On the Wellesnet facebook page you can find the missing intro to the first episode from ORSON WELLES SKETCHBOOK:


Orson Welles on props, from Episode One of the BBC's 1955 show, ORSON WELLES SKETCHBOOK:

ORSON WELLES: A prop is a stage term, it’s an abbreviation of the expression "stage property." Anything that you see up on stage besides an actor and the scenery is likely to be a prop. For example Yorick’s skull is a prop, Romeo’s vial of poison and the telephone in DIAL M FOR MURDER -- they are all props. There are props in real life when we our self-conscious -- we put our hands to our neckties or light a cigarette, all that sort of thing. In other words, a prop is just what it means in the dictionary. It is something to prop us up with. It’s a crutch to lean on. So the sketchbook is exactly that, it’s a prop, something for me to turn to when I lose the thread of what I’m talking about and it’s something for you to look at besides my face which ought to come as a nice break in the horrid monotony.

[Alfred Willmore]

For the next few days, Rosemary H. and any wellesnet members in Briton can watch the first episode here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pgv42

[Store Hadji]

The BBC Four ident with Welles digitally inserted into a warm Christmassy living room and giggling at clips of Kane on a little television was certainly a surprise. Perhaps untrue of the man who refused to watch his own films but most effective and amusing nonetheless.

[mido505]

Go over to YouTube and type in Orson Welles sketchbook and discover something nice...