Director Joe Dante (Gremlins, The Howling) weighed in on The Other Side of the Wind in a nearly five-minute YouTube video from Trailers From Hell.
Dante is well-versed in the project having been a friend of the late cinematographer Gary Graver and worked with The Other Side of the Wind actor Joseph McBride (Mr. Pister) on the film Rock and Roll High School. He also appears in the unsold pilot for the Orson Welles Show as an audience member.
Having seen Welles’ 40-minute workprint some 25 years ago — which he described as a “knockout” and “phenomenal” — Dante gave high marks to the producers and editor Bob Murawski for the finished movie.
“I was extremely disappointed that the Academy did not recognize any of the efforts that went into resurrecting this film,” Dante said.
Dante has previously discussed such Welles films as Mr. Arkadin, The Stranger and The Trial for Trailers From Hell. (He has called Touch of Evil one of his favorite movies.)
The full YouTube video can be seen below:
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