Charles Foster Kane’s childhood sled is right up there with Dorothy’s ruby slippers and Dirty Harry’s .44 Magnum handgun in the pantheon of iconic film objects, according to a new book. In “Rosebud Sleds and Horses’ Heads: 50 of Film’s Most Evocative Objects,” Daily Telegraph critic Scott Jordan Harris looks at items ranging from the […]
Editor’s note: Todd Tarbox has generously agreed to share an excerpt from his acclaimed book “Orson Welles and Roger Hill: A Friendship in Three Acts” with Wellesnet.com readers. Written as a play, “Friendship” is based on recorded conversations between Welles and his mentor Hill, former headmaster at the Todd School for Boys in Woodstock, Illinois. […]
Magician David Copperfield recently talked about movies, magic and Orson Welles with Aint It Cool News. Much of the interview focused on Copperfield’s work as a technical consultant on the film “Now You See Me,” but he took time to talk about working with Welles. “Orson Welles hosted my first TV special, so imagine that. […]
Editor’s note: The hacking of our website in late April cost us several articles. Among the losses was a look at the book “When Mars Attacked,” which examines the legacy of Orson Welles’ “The War of the Worlds” radio broadcast. Author David Acord was kind enough to help us recreate the interview as it appeared. […]
By RAY KELLY “My Lunches with Orson: Conversations Between Henry Jaglom and Orson Welles,” written by Peter Biskind, arrives in stores on July 16. The book from Macmillan/ Metropolitan is based on conversations between the two filmmakers recorded in the final three years of Welles’ life. Wellesnet.com interviewed Henry Jaglom about the book back in […]
Despite the convincing evidence uncovered by film scholar Robert Carringer 35 years ago, the battle over who wrote “Citizen Kane” is not settled in the minds of Herman Mankiewicz’s family. Mankiewicz’s grandson, Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz, talks with his father, Frank, about the “Kane” authorship during a Father’s Day showing of the the […]
“Jane Eyre’ starring Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine will make its debut on Blu-ray this fall. Twilight Time, which specializes in limited edition classic films on home video, is listing the 1943 drama, directed by Robert Stevenson, for release on November 12. On the same day, Twilight Time will release the 1968 musical “Oliver!” (1968) […]
Wellesnet.com fields many questions from Orson Wellles’ fans, but our most recent query was quite intriguing. “I have located a 43-foot wooden sailing boat for sale in Croatia. The sellers say that the boat was used in the filming of an Orson Welles movie in early 70s… for some reason the film was never brought […]
For as little as $895 a night, you can live like Hollywood royalty in the home once shared by Orson Welles and his second wife, Rita Hayworth. The restored Orson Welles Luxury View Estate sits atop Sunset Boulevard. The 3,000 square-foot, four-bedroom Cape Cod style home was built in 1928 by Sidney Toller of the […]
By RAY KELLY For movie lovers in the Boston area, the Orson Welles Complex in Cambridge remains a cherished memory. The complex at 1001 Massachusetts Ave. housed a movie theater, restaurant, book store and film school. A documentary is underway to chronicle the history and legacy of the beloved complex, which opened in 1969 and […]
The June issue of Harper’s provides a first look at Peter Biskind’s upcoming book “My Lunches With Orson,” based on taped conversations between Orson Welles and friend Henry Jaglom. The excerpt in Harper’s, “Pitches and Moan,” recounts a disastrous lunchtime meeting in 1983 the pair had with an unidentified HBO executive. Welles pitched a story […]
Producer Michael Dawson brought a restored version of Orson Welles’ “Othello” to movie-goers in 1992. He has been actively working with Woodstock Celebrates Inc. to organize a proper 100th birthday celebration honoring Welles’ legacy in 2015. Dawson took time to discuss the 1992 restoration and future Welles projects with Wellesnet’s Mike Teal. By MIKE TEAL […]
“Jaded,” the 1989 cinematic effort by Orson Welles’ partner Oja Kodar has never been released on home video and has remained unseen by most Welles fans. Now, the trailer for the film, which was included in a Gary Graver documentary, is available online. The preview trailer heavily promotes her connection to Welles and utilizes scenes […]
The seldom seen British Arena special “The Complete Citizen Kane” has made its way to YouTube.com, courtesy of online video poster Citizen Welles. The 91-minute documentary opens with a faux, but effective, “Heart of Darkness” and includes BBC interviews with Orson Welles filmed in 1960 and 1982. Also interviewed are Peter Bogdanovich and Pauline Kael. […]
William Friedkin, who is making the rounds publicizing his memoir “The Friedkin Connection,” gave his picks for the five best books on directors to The Wall Street Journal. Among his picks was “This Is Orson Welles” by Peter Bogdanovich and Welles. Friedkin says of the book, “Peter Bogdanovich is a respected film historian and critic […]
Orson Welles’ infamous radio broadcast of “The War of the Worlds” will be recalled this fall on PBS. PBS announced its fall programming on Thursday. Among the highlights is an “American Experience” look at “The War of the Worlds.” It will air on Tuesday, October 29, at 9 p.m. ET – a day before the […]
By RAY KELLY The remake of Orson Welles’ 1946 thriller “The Stranger” is moving forward and the identity of the actors who will step into the roles played by Orson Welles, Loretta Young and Edward G. Robinson may soon be revealed. Scriptwriter Alanna Belak has indicated on Twitter that casting decisions may have already been […]
Cult filmmaker Jess Franco, director of more than 180 films, died today in Málaga,Spain, at the age of 82. Franco made his feature directing debut with “We Are 18 Years Old” in 1959. His final film, “Al Pereira Vs The Alligator Women,” opened last month in Spain. His other films include “Necronomicon,” (1967), “Count Dracula” […]
By RAY KELLY A half hour guide on gambling hosted by Orson Welles and filmed some 35 years ago for Caesars Palace has gone viral. The acclaimed actor-director provided a lively and colorful how-to on card playing, craps, baccarat, roulette, and slot machines for the famed Las Vegas casino. Why Welles? As he explains at […]
Inspired by the groundbreaking Federal Theatre Project’s production, The American Century Theater in Arlington, Virginia, is currently offering up its own take of “Voodoo Macbeth.” While the production is set in an era and location removed from Orson Welles’ landmark 1936 version, it is getting high marks for pushing the boundaries of theater – something […]
