In the Land Of Don Qujiote (tv series)

[andrej]

At my knowledge the serie of 9 documentaries shot and directed in the early sixties by OW for italian tv has never been aired in other part of the world. There were plans for an american and english release, and I have read some extras for a commentary he made for a possible spanish version. But never seem to be happened.
I would like to have confirm from the Forum if all this is right and eventually is it at anybody's knowledge that IN THE LAND OF DON QUJIOTE has ever been aired in any other part of the world in the sixties or later. I am even interested in knowing something about the commentary, in case somebody has the tapes. Thanks for your help and sorry for my english.

[Terry]

Anyone have the script for Welles' (lost?) narration for the 5 episodes of this series? They have a wonderful musical score, and if the scripts exist, it would be nice to record a narration track as well.

[Clive Dale]

What's the status of the effort to get Orson's Don Q out of the Leaky Italian Garage?

[ToddBaesen]

Did Welles actually write a narration for the IN THE LAND OF DON QUIXOTE episodes? It seems clear if he did, it was never recorded. And according to the post by Juan Cobos, Welles wanted to re-edit the 9 episodes with his narration, but never had that chance!

It's also very interesting to note that while Welles was living in Spain, he was living in a country under the control of a man who he must have greatly despised, Generalissomo Franco!

[cirogiorgini]

During 2005 I have worked at IN THE LAND OF DON QUIXOTE for Italian RAI3 channel. I have worked on the original negative and made a beta sp for transmission directly from it. Unfortunately it was not possible to have a new 16 mm print. At the time (I was going to present it in Locarno during the excellent Welles’ retrospective directed by Stefan Droessler) I have looked around for a possible comment read by OW, and the only thing I have found was in two pages of the book by Juan Cobos Espana Como Obsession, in which he refers some lines of the commentary that Welles would have written and probably read. But in his book there are no sources of that, and all seem to be a personal remember of Cobos’ friendship with Welles.
What I have done is known: assuming that the commentary by Callegari was something good only for a touristic tour, I have found that, as a miracle, that the original sound was in perfect sync with the scene, and the music by Serrano was a fantastic underline to the 9 episodes. I have shown the result to Roberto Perpignani, at the time assistant to Welles in the editing room in Fregene, and he was enthusiastic to say that the result “was the exactly the way in which Orson left the material and gave it to Rai in 1962”. I think that IN THE LAND OF DON QUIXOTE is not a simple travelogue home movie, but a great occasion for Welles for a continuos experimental use of television, with all his fast language of editing. I have shown it recently in Italy in a Festival, and at a new view Perpignani and me have had the impression that was possible that OW would have left the material in this way assuming that it was the better one he had not having the control for an his own commentary.
I can post, if someone is interested in it, the titles of the first five episodes missing in the opening Feed. I am trying to convince Rai that the edition of a dvd could be a good operation in cultural terms. The rights are entirely owned by RAI and there are not so many television channels in the world that have had the honor (or the weight?) to produce a film directed by Orson Welles. What do you think?
Thanks for your attention and forgive me for my poor English, which is the reason I do not write so much in the Forum, that I follow every day with a great interest

[Glenn Anders]

Welcome, cirogiorgini: You came across beautifully and clearly to me.

I'm sure many of us would love to see your version of IN THE LAND OF DON QUIXOTE, if it will not get you in trouble, or encumber the rights.

Perhaps, your informative post will inspire others who may have material from the series tucked away to come forward.

Glenn

[tulip]

During 2005 I have worked at IN THE LAND OF DON QUIXOTE for Italian RAI3 channel. I have worked on the original negative and made a beta sp for transmission directly from it. Unfortunately it was not possible to have a new 16 mm print. At the time (I was going to present it in Locarno during the excellent Welles’ retrospective directed by Stefan Droessler) I have looked around for a possible comment read by OW, and the only thing I have found was in two pages of the book by Juan Cobos Espana Como Obsession, in which he refers some lines of the commentary that Welles would have written and probably read. But in his book there are no sources of that, and all seem to be a personal remember of Cobos’ friendship with Welles.
What I have done is known: assuming that the commentary by Callegari was something good only for a touristic tour, I have found that, as a miracle, that the original sound was in perfect sync with the scene, and the music by Serrano was a fantastic underline to the 9 episodes. I have shown the result to Roberto Perpignani, at the time assistant to Welles in the editing room in Fregene, and he was enthusiastic to say that the result “was the exactly the way in which Orson left the material and gave it to Rai in 1962”. I think that IN THE LAND OF DON QUIXOTE is not a simple travelogue home movie, but a great occasion for Welles for a continuos experimental use of television, with all his fast language of editing. I have shown it recently in Italy in a Festival, and at a new view Perpignani and me have had the impression that was possible that OW would have left the material in this way assuming that it was the better one he had not having the control for an his own commentary.
I can post, if someone is interested in it, the titles of the first five episodes missing in the opening Feed. I am trying to convince Rai that the edition of a dvd could be a good operation in cultural terms. The rights are entirely owned by RAI and there are not so many television channels in the world that have had the honor (or the weight?) to produce a film directed by Orson Welles. What do you think?
Thanks for your attention and forgive me for my poor English, which is the reason I do not write so much in the Forum, that I follow every day with a great interest

Agree with your post, you really cleared to my point as well. Well this is the way to expose your ideas.
Keep it up.

[Wellesnet]

Thanks to Matthew Asprey Gear for alerting us to this. Somebody has put the full original version of "Nella Terra di Don Chisciotte" (In the Land of Don Quixote") on Youtube - the full nine episodes, with original Italian commentary and titles. This is the pre-2005 RAI version that removed the commentary. I don't think every episode has been available on youtube before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jd5r8W ... DN&index=1

[Joe G]

It's a pity that the television series In The Land Of Don Quixote is not available on DVD. I saw a few episodes on YouTube and I thought they were very good. A new English language commentary would have to be written for them. I was thinking maybe they could get a famous actor to do the voice over. Hopefully someday they will be available on DVD and Blu Ray.