Is The Mr. Arkadin Criterion DVD still in print?

[krislandis]

Hello. This is my first post on these fine forums after lurking quite a while, and I was wondering if anyone knows the status of the Criterion Mr. Arkadin? I haven't been able to find it anywhere near where I live (and have also had trouble finding F For Fake as well. Maybe it's my town) and would be grateful for any assistance.

[Roger Ryan]

Both MR. ARKADIN and F FOR FAKE are available through Amazon.com and ARKADIN is available through the Criterion website (it looks like F FOR FAKE is on back order there).

Very few brick-and-mortar stores carry Criterion releases to begin with, but Barnes and Noble regularly stock these titles. However, since you have internet access, your best deal would be to order through Amazon - right now ARKADIN is available new for $25 and used starting at $14.

Welcome to the board, by the way.

[krislandis]

Well now I just feel dumb. Just a few days ago I searched for both of these and I SWEAR it said they weren't available. Maybe I'm just losing it. Thanks!

EDIT: Got them both together for roughly 50 bucks. I call that at win. Thanks for the help!

[RayKelly]

Welcome.
I was in a store in Boston on Tuesday. It had 2 shelves of Criterion titles.
Yet no F For Fake or Mr. Arkadin in stock. I have admit it gave me an uneasy feeling.
Glad to know they are still available.

[krislandis]

Received my DVDs yesterday, two days before they were scheduled. Nice surprise. Sadly, I see why Mr. Arkadin is generally considered amongst Welles' worst work. The restoration couldn't cover up the fact that this movie was just not well made (at least according to the obscenely high standards Orson made for himself). I do, however, still need to watch the version with commentary. Hopefully it's entertaining.

F For Fake, though, was as good as I remember (I rented it once on a whim). Watched it with Ms. Kodar's commentary and was quite happy. Today I'll watch One Man Band again. I understand there's some controversy around One Man Band? Is the version on this DVD different from the original or something?

[Roger Ryan]

...Today I'll watch One Man Band again. I understand there's some controversy around One Man Band? Is the version on this DVD different from the original or something?...

Nothing too controversial. The version included on the second disc of the F FOR FAKE set is the original version. Peter Bogdanovich did a re-edit which was shown on Showtime; the re-edited version contained added biographical information at the beginning giving viewers a review of the film work that Welles did leading up to the late 60s/70s/80s efforts. If I recall correctly, Bogdanovich also added the screening room scene from THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND; notably, this was taken directly from the tape of the 1975 AFI AWARDS telecast as you can hear the AFI audience laughing throughout the clip. Overall, there is not a significant difference between the two versions in regards to showcasing Welles' unfinished films.

There's no getting around that MR. ARKADIN is a weak film, but the Criterion set is fascinating despite this. For years, I only saw a mutilated public domain "American edit" that was in worse shape (both print-wise and editing-wise) than any of the three versions Criterion included. Going from that to the "Comprehensive Version" (my preferred edit) was a real revelation. It's interesting to see how seemingly minor deletions and a slight re-ordering of scenes start to tip the film into becoming incomprehensible which is what begins to happen with the CONFIDENTIAL REPORT version and continued with the (now) unavailable American edit. Still, it's a film that has some interesting set-pieces and very good performances from the supporting characters. If Welles had some assistance in the screenwriting and the three leads were recast (yes, even him!), I think ARKADIN would be closer to the quality of something like THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI.

[mteal]

It's not easy to argue with those who consider Arkadin to be a fiasco, but as Joe Dante put it, "Orson Welles's films that don't work are more interesting then most director's films that do work."

[krislandis]

Very true. It's also nice (as a film maker just starting out myself) that even the greatest film maker ever made a dud every once in a long while.

Today I'm going to watch the version with the commentary track. Hopefully that will shed some light on what went wrong with this one.