By RAY KELLY Orson Welles’ Othello, last seen in U.S. theaters in 1992, will be re-released to cinemas this spring. Carlotta Films has acquired the theatrical rights to Othello in the United States and France. A new digitally restored release of the 1992 “restored” version commissioned by the late director’s youngest daughter, Beatrice Welles, will […]
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 […]
By RAY KELLY The Library of Congress American Memory website contains a vast collection of scripts, internal documents and memorabilia related to the Federal Theatre Project and the works of a young Orson Welles. The website has a treasure trove of items from Welles’ 1936 production of “Voodoo” Macbeth and his 1937 staging of The […]
Dann Cahn, who worked as an assistant editor on Orson Welles’ 1948 film “Macbeth” and an editorial supervisor eight years later on “Fountain of Youth,” died Wednesday at his California home. Cahn, 89, was the last surviving member of the original creative team behind “I Love Lucy,” according to the Los Angeles Times. He began […]
Looking back at the trouble Orson Welles had in gaining commercial success for nearly all of his films, I was struck by how just one key review, preview, or threat from a powerful mogul (such as W. R. Hearst), could effectively destroy the commercial chances of a Welles movie. We know that on Citizen Kane, […]
Simon Callow had mentioned some time ago that he originally hoped to finish the third volume of his massive biography on Orson Welles by his 60th birthday. So I thought that today, on the occasion of his 60th birthday, I’d take the opportunity to wish him a very happy birthday on behalf of everyone at […]
Laurence Goldstein, the editor of The Michigan Quarterly Review, just also happens to be a great admirer of Orson Welles work, and he has certainly done a great service to Welles scholarship by inviting Catherine Benamou to put together a substantial collection of letters by Orson Welles about the editing and sound work that was […]
Many thanks to Greg Boozell who sent along this link to The Michigan Quarterly Review SITE where this exciting news is posted: Several years ago the University of Michigan Special Collections Library acquired two collections of materials relating to Orson Welles, including scripts, correspondence, memoranda, stills, programs, and much else. In this issue Catherine L. […]
4. The Play And The Script How can Macbeth, a tragedy written for the early seventeenth century audience, be presented in a photoplay for a twentieth century audience? This was the problem of (Orson Welles), the screenwriter. The film itself shows how well the writer and all others concerned with it succeeded. However, a […]
I recently came across the study guide issued for the 1948 release of Orson Welles photoplay adaptation of William Shakespeares MACBETH. Since both the film and the play are still studied in schools nationwide, students may now once again enjoy access to this interesting study guide. MACBETH was trade-shown in Hollywood on October 7, […]
If you’re in the UK, you may wish to venture to East Sussex to see Voodoo Macbeth, an exhibition at this year’s Brighton Photo Biennial, a festival dedicated to photography. As the web site summary describes it: “Orson Welles’ African-American theatre production of Macbeth forms the basis of a major exhibition, Voodoo Macbeth, at the […]
Robert Gitt is the senior film preservation officer at the UCLA film archive, who over the years has been responsible for many important film restoration projects, including the 1980 restoration of Orson Welles original 108-minute version of Macbeth. I talked with Mr. Gitt last year about both his original restoration of Macbeth, and thanks to […]
The UCLA FESTIVAL OF PRESERVATION at The James Bridges Theater, Melnitz Hall, UCLA campus. Info: (310) 296-FILM �The UCLA FESTIVAL OF PRESERVATION Presents on August 10th at 7:30 PM Orson Welles’ MACBETH (Sans�SHAKESPEARE) and � ORSON WELLES AND THE HOLLYWOOD SYSTEM W/� guest speakers Joesph McBride and Catherine Benamou +++++++++++++++++++ � By Kenneth Turan, LA […]
Thanks to Cat Burglar for pointing out the new features on the Treasures from The Library of Congress website. It is indeed a treasure trove of Wellesania. The site currently has many rare items from several of Welles Federal Theater Project productions of 1936 and 1937 on display. You can access it here: Federal Theater […]
