Harlem film festival to feature ‘Voodoo Macbeth’
“Voodoo Macbeth,” a film recounting the 1936 production, will be an official selection at the Harlem International Film Festival in May. It will be screened at the AMC Magic Johnson Harlem 9 Theatres.
WPA doc ‘New Deal for Artists,’ narrated by Orson Welles, to be released
The 1981 documentary “New Deal for Artists” is a look back at the WPA and the most ambitious government-supported arts program since the Italian Renaissance.
Christie’s auctioning off an original ‘War of the Worlds’ script
The prestige auction house expects the script, obtained more than 80 years ago by a newspaper reporter, to fetch between $15,000 and $25,000 when the last bid is accepted on April 22.
‘Frozen Peas’: The Full Story
Anyone interested in Orson Welles’ work has sooner or later chuckled along at ‘Frozen Peas’, the notorious out-take in which the actor-director tetchily took to task his director and sound engineer, whilst recording a series of commercials for Findus Frozen Foods. But what was the full story behind it?
Writer Seth Thévoz probes the history of this commercial.
‘What Ever Happened to Orson Welles?,’ updated by Joseph McBride, on its way
An updated paperback edition of Joseph McBride’s book “What Ever Happened to Orson Welles?: A Portrait of an Independent Career” has been announced for publication by the University Press of Kentucky.
In updating What Ever Happened to Orson Welles? for its first-ever paperback edition, McBride has included significant developments of the past decade, chiefly the surprise discovery of the 1938 footage shot for the stage show “Too Much Johnson” and the completion of Welles’ last major work, “The Other Side of the Wind.”
TCM funding September hunt for lost ‘Ambersons’ in Brazil
Two groupings of “Ambersons” reels (14 and 10), as well as 10 reels of “Journey Into Fear,” were shipped to Welles in Brazil so he could edit the film. Filmmaker Josh Grossberg hopes the footage, if it has survived the past 80 years, is in the hands of private collectors.
Orson Welles, Marlowe focus of online talk by Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
“How to Think Like Marlowe: Orson Welles’s Detour from Shakespeare” is one of the free online monthly Research Conversations offered by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. While Welles’ fascination with Shakespeare is well-known, he had a deep appreciation for Marlowe dating back to his youth.
‘The Great Lie’ chronicles life, struggles of Mary Astor
“The Great Lie: The Creation of Mary Astor” examines not only the Academy Award winning actress’ personal struggles, but her second career as an author.
PBS to air ‘Blinding of Isaac Woodard’ documentary
In 1946, Isaac Woodard, a Black army sergeant on his way home to South Carolina after serving in World War II, was pulled from a bus for arguing with the driver. A local police chief savagely beat Woodard, leaving him unconscious and permanently blind.
Cleveland International Film Festival to stream ‘Voodoo Macbeth’
The 45th annual Cleveland International Film Festival will stream the USC movie “Voodoo Macbeth” and many other selections on April 8-20.
Director says Orson Welles not drunk during infamous wine commercial
Veteran British commercial producer and director Peter Shillingford says Orson Welles not drunk during the infamous Paul Masson “French champagne” shoot, rather he had taken a sleeping pill before filming.
‘Ides of March’ fitting time to revisit Mercury Theatre’s ‘Caesar’
The Orson Welles-directed “Caesar” was described by one critic as “the most exciting, the most imaginative, the most topical, the most awesome and the most absorbing of the season’s new productions.”
Orson Welles’ ‘Too Much Johnson’ now online with score, commentary
Orson Welles’ long-believed lost footage shot for the 1938 stage comedy “Too Much Johnson” was preserved by the George Eastman Museum’s Moving Image Department and first shown in 2013.
‘Apres Welles’ book looks at legacy of Orson Welles
The French publishing house Éditions Mimésis has released Après Welles: Imitations et influences (After Welles: Imitations and influences) — a collection of essays in French on the impact Orson Welles has had on cinema. It was edited and compiled by Jean-Philippe Trias of the University Paul-Valéry Montpellier.
‘Voodoo Macbeth’ recounts landmark stage play (review)
Orson Welles fans who were left cold by “Mank” will find some relief in “Voodoo Macbeth,” a USC School of Cinematic Arts production that delves into an important moment in American theater and race relations.
Wellesnet at 20: Founder Jeff Wilson looks back at website’s start
To mark our 20th anniversary, Wellesnet founder Jeff Wilson looks back to March 2001 and recalls the birth and early days of the Orson Welles Web Resource.
Negative for ‘Citizen Kane’ may be lost forever
With the 80th anniversary of the Orson Welles masterpiece fast approaching, Nicolas Falacci, co-creator of the television series “NUMB3RS,” recently related a story about Turner Entertainment’s restoration of the RKO Pictures film for its 50th anniversary back in 1991.
‘Mr. Arkadin’ collection released on Blu-ray in Germany
A new Blu-ray release of “Mr. Arkadin” with three different cuts of the film has been released in Germany. It is coded as a Region B disc.
The release comes months after the Criterion Collection listed its similar DVD set as out of print.
‘Voodoo Macbeth’ to debut at Pan African Film Festival; trailer online
A trailer and four brief scenes from the forthcoming “Voodoo Macbeth” film have surfaced online.
‘Lady from Shanghai’ outtakes online (video)
What appears to be five and a half minutes of outtakes from Orson Welles’ 1947 film “The Lady from Shanghai” shot in San Francisco’s Chinatown and Acapulco can be found online.