Jesus God. How have we been missing the second (or third, depending on how you count) Arena program on Welles,
The Complete Citizen Kane, all these years? That's a wonderful chunk of documentary, which crosses over into and uses bits from
The Orson Welles Story, and then segues seamlessly into new and expanded material still narrated by Leslie Megahey. I'd thought the story of Ted Turner getting his crayons on Kane was just a looming threat - I didn't know the final reel had actually been colorized nor that I would be seeing extracts from it. And a faux opening reel of
Heart of Darkness, with Welles reading his narration accompanied by Benny Herrmann music over a reconstructed model shot planned by Welles originally? Oh my Jehosaphat.
"An Arena Special looking at Orson Welles and the production of the film CITIZEN KANE, considering the furore that accompanied it and the real life press baron William Randolph Hearst upon whom Kane is based, and his efforts to halt the film, destroy the negative and persecution of people involved with its production and showing. It includes BBC interviews with Welles made in 1960 and 1982, and film historian Robert Carringer looks at the scenes that never made it to the screen. American film critic Pauline Kael also analyses the film's enduring appeal.
In a nice touch, William Alland reprises his "News on the March" character from Kane to narrate the newsreel footage."
And several more surprises.
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http://bigarville.blogspot.com/2009/12/complete-citizen-kane.html