OW at the Magic Castle (1978)

[Wellesnet]

Just in time for Halloween, The Museum of Classic Chicago Television has uncovered ORSON WELLES AT THE MAGIC CASTLE, a 1978 TV special featuring Orson Welles performing magic tricks.

Video: ‘Orson Welles at the Magic Castle’ – Lost TV special
https://wellesnet.com/magic-castle/?fbc ... 2EqsIriWpg

[JMcBride]

I'm glad to finally have a chance to see this elusive
special. In my article "All's Welles" in the November-December 1978 issue
of Film Comment, a somewhat overly optimistic
account of Welles's recent creative activities, the editors somehow managed
to garble my mention of ORSON WELLES AT THE MAGIC CASTLE by conflating it with
my discussion of ORSON WELLES' MAGIC SHOW. Somehow the title came
out as "ORSON WELLES' MAGIC SHOW, CASTLE." And
the article made it sound as if Welles was
doing the Magic Castle show himself with Gary
Graver. It was embarrassing.

But I have a question about Abb Dickson's account of
ORSON WELLES AT THE MAGIC CASTLE.
In what part of the show is he doubling Orson, if
that's what he means? The opening shows Orson from the front and looks
like Orson all the way into the building. And
it's Welles's voice.

(By the way, I wonder
why can't see all the material Welles shot
for ORSON WELLES' MAGIC SHOW. Given its episodic
nature, its uncompleted state should not matter. I've
seen a good amount of it, and it is a lot of fun and
looks terrific.)

[JasonH]

It’s exciting that a new Welles rarity seems to get unearthed at a fairly regular interval. It really underlines how busy he stayed in the last fifteen years of his life despite the (happily, less repeated now) canard that he was more or less sitting idle.

I’m sorry that the publicized intention of the Welles Estate to license out the talk show pilot and THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH in good quality has yet to materialize. I hope it’s not a case where they’re demanding an unreasonable amount of money. I’m not sure what their designs on ORSON WELLES’ MAGIC SHOW are or if they even have a claim to it, but it would sure be nice if the version the Munich Film Archive cut together could be made available to a wider audience. I could make the same statement about a couple of other unfinished works.

[Roger Ryan]

... But I have a question about Abb Dickson's account of
ORSON WELLES AT THE MAGIC CASTLE.
In what part of the show is he doubling Orson, if
that's what he means? The opening shows Orson from the front and looks
like Orson all the way into the building. And
it's Welles's voice...

Since the story goes that the only footage needed was a shot of Welles walking into the Magic Castle as the doors magically opened for him (I believe it's safe to assume that the other exterior shots of Welles were not shot on location at the Castle), I think the producers decided to substitute a POV shot of the camera moving towards the Castle's front doors instead of trying to use a double. This also makes Welles' decision not to show up for the second day of shooting that much more reasonable. He had already shot all the interior scenes as well as the other exterior scenes, making one medium wide shot of him walking into the Castle strictly a "second unit" effort, the kind that director Welles would have likely used a double for if needing a lead character to do a similar action.

[Le Chiffre]

I wonder if Welles had a hand in those exterior shots. They have a nice sense of atmosphere. At the end, Welles is given credit for the "filmed scenes", so this program might fall in the category of being partially a Welles film.

Delightful show. I never thought I would see it. What a nice Halloween surprise.

[JMcBride]

I agree with JasonH about how ORSON WELLES' MAGIC SHOW
could and should be released. The entertaining short version the Munich Film
Archive has shown at festivals is just part of what exists
of this project, though. All the episodes Welles filmed should be released.
It holds together as an episodic spectacle. A suitable opening
title and credits would suffice to put it in context. I gather
a good one-hour version could be put together, and it
would be enjoyable for various audiences
and would further understanding of what Welles was doing in his later years.

I used to urge Stefan Drössler to put together a boxed set
of his excellent compilations of Welles's unfinished films.
He kept saying that was up to the rights holders (sigh). I told
him people in Omaha and elsewhere in the world should
be able to see all this material, not only people who go
to film festivals and archives, mostly European. I gave up imploring him
after a while. Ray Kelly keeps the focus on this
material with this excellent website, though.

One night at the Munich Film Archive a few years ago, I watched a public show of several hours (!) of raw footage
from THE ORSON WELLES SHOW, his TV talk show pilot.
They have all the footage from the multiple cameras
and showed parts of it, though there is much more. It was
fascinating to see, although watching raw footage is more for Welles scholars
than the public, and since my eyes get dry when I watch
movies for more than three hours or so, I literally had to hold my eyelids open
for part of that evening.

[Le Chiffre]

All the episodes (of THE MAGIC SHOW) Welles filmed should be released. It holds together as an episodic spectacle. A suitable opening title and credits would suffice to put it in context. I gather a good one-hour version could be put together,

One hour would be great, coincidentally the same length as the Magic Castle show. At the end of it, Welles as host says "We hope you'll join us again", implying that he may have wanted Magic Castle to become a series. Having done a filmed episode for this show, Welles could have easily gotten other Magic episodes ready or even used what he had already shot - perhaps years before - to alternate with other magicians' acts, if that series had happened. Considering the Talk Show pilot that didn't sell also included a filmed magic act with Angie Dickenson, one can envision a Wellesian variety show that might have combined talk show, filmed shorts by Welles, and video of guest magicians, a fascinating mix of film and video. We'll never know.

[RayKelly]

I’m sorry that the publicized intention of the Welles Estate to license out the talk show pilot and THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH in good quality has yet to materialize. I hope it’s not a case where they’re demanding an unreasonable amount of money.

Sadly, there has been a lack of serious interest from streamers or physical media labels in those TV projects.

[tonyw]

I heartily agree with Joseph McBride here over his post concerning greater access to the Munich material. It appears ironic that I've been able to access virtually all of the films of Aleksander Sokurov but other Welles treasures remain frustrating inaccessible unless one can afford to travel to the archive. But, then again, the major problem is not getting there but returning. Even with the relevant documents, some of us could be re-routed to El Salvador especially with alarming focus on dual nationality recently. Could not the Museum set up a private subscription you tube service that would, at least, calm the minds of copyright holders?

[JasonH]

Does “the rights holders” mean the Welles estate, or is this the familiar situation where it’s more complicated than that? Whether it’s one entity or multiple, I’d certainly grant them the assumption that they aren’t motivated to suppress Welles’s work. I don’t see what it could be about besides money.

I would doubt that anyone here is inclined to sympathize with the producers of THE BATTLE FOR CITIZEN KANE, but in their unconvincing defense of the documentary’s slant, one can find an interesting complaint from Richard France, a historical advisor on the project, that may be relevant here:

France also criticized the Welles’ estate and the payment of $200,000 which it demanded from the documentary’s producers for access to footage and research material for the program.

And that was in the nineties. This may give us an idea of what potential licensees are up against when it comes to the business side of making Welles related material available outside of a coterie. Part of the reason THEY’LL LOVE ME WHEN I’M DEAD came out so well is because of the extraordinary access to archival footage, but then they had Netflix lending a hand with clearances.

Does the lack of “serious interest” to distribute some of these unreleased projects mean no labels want them, or that they find the criteria they're expected to satisfy onerous? I understand wanting to hold out for the best deal, but as time marches on and "the fellow with the scythe" continue to make good time for some of the folks most interested in seeing the vaults opened, the distinction between the present situation and actively suppressing the material starts to feel negligible.

[Le Chiffre]

If it's a case of not wanting to offer much money for the rights, then that is slightly understandable about the 1978 talk show pilot, which comes across as one of Welles' strangest creations: a kind of fake, or meta talk show. One can see where streaming services and DVD companies might be baffled by it, although it would be nice for it to be seen in better quality than it is now. FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH, probably Welles' finest work for TV, should definitely be a no-brainer for a high quality 4K. Welles also directed parts of the MAGIC CASTLE, so that might be worthy of a higher quality availability on disc or streaming as well. Hard to understand why Netflix is not interested, since they did so much to rescue Wind. Maybe that experience left them with little taste for more of the Wellesian snake pit.