Unusual Mr.Arkadin presentation on Italian TV

[dkovacev]

Last saturday night, Italian TV channel Rai Tre had an unique and extremely unusual all night long presentation dedicated to "Mr.Arkadin". It was the part of "Fuori Orario" show, which in the past had featured various Welles films and rarities (for example, they broadcasted "In the land of Don Quixote" five months ago). In this presentation, they tried to include almost every available variation or different version for most of the scenes of the film. I don't think that anybody attempted to do something similar on TV.

I recorded the whole show, and haven't yet found time to watch everything properly, so here are some brief impressions from what I've seen so far.
The length of the whole Arkadin showing was five hours in total, with 15 minutes of introduction in studio. One participant was Ciro Giorgini, the author of "Rosabella" documentary, who did lot of research on Arkadin during last 20 years. Then they showed some examples of "scorpion and frog" story from various other films.
Finally, the film was presented in the way that most of sequences were consecutively repeated from different versions (Confidential Report, Corinth, Spanish version), and mixed with the various outtakes and rushes from the Luxembourg Cinematheque. Some of the unedited rushes without soundtrack were subtitled with dialogue from the original script. Also, some excerpts from Arkadin novel and radio show "Greek Meets Greek" were used in the beginning of the presentation (and possibly later too).

It is quite fascinating and unusual presentation, that borders with experimental cinema. They indeed managed to expand the film this way to gargantuan 280 minutes. The result is odd, perhaps not extremely enjoyable, but neverthenless unique and original. I'll post more info once I see the complete program.

[Roger Ryan]

Yes, this is the program that Jeff discussed in his latest news blog. After reading Jeff's description, I was wondering what they could do by combining the known versions that wouldn't have already been done to create Criterion's "Comprehensive Version". Now I know - I can't imagine anything so intensive being attempted on American television!

[Jeff Wilson]

Actually, it was dkovacev who told me about it, so all credit to him for letting everyone know about it. And Roger, I said the exact same thing to him about network TV here when he emailed me about it. No network here would even consider it, much less screen it.

[cirogiorgini]

With my work on the Arkadin night, aired by Fuori Orario (Rai3) last week, I only wanted to TRY to give back the idea of the many ways that a movie can walk, the several, different solutions – we can prefer one to another one of course – to tell a story through images. Mr Arkadin, in this sense, is a miracle that comprehends Welles’ sense of time, out of it into a movie apparently based on losing memory, and on another hand it is the complete catalogue of the so many choices that Orson Welles had in the most documented of his projects, from the script to the edition(s).
I hope to have underlined in this "Arkadin Night" the proof of Welles' particular freedom, expecially present in his unfinished, that I assume are unfinishable.
I want to add all my sincere admiration for Stefan Droessler’s and Claude Berthemes' work on Arkadin, soon releasing on dvd for Criterion Collection (all my best wishes for that!) and I think that, as soon as I will see it, I will add my compliments to the other's now coming from the Wellesnet.
Please forgive my terrible English in this little contribution to this Forum, that I love to read.

[ToddBaesen]

Ciro, it's great to hear from you on Wellesnet. I loved your Rossabella Documentary on Welles work in Italy... it was quite amazing for me to find out that Welles lived right near Fellini in Fregene.

And be sure to let us know what you think of the new comphrehsive version of MR. ARKADIN when you geta chance to see it.

[Tony]

Ciro:
Your documentary "Rosaballa" is my favourite documentary on Welles: thank you so much! Also, if you don't mind, I want to ask you 2 questions: Will "Rosabella" be released on dvd? and do you plan any more documentaries on Welles?

Again, thanks so much!

Tony

[cirogiorgini]

Many thanks for your kind words, Todd and Tony. It is possible that ROSABELLA, and even the new version presented in Locarno of NELLA TERRA DI DON CHISCIOTTE, will be released on dvd within 2006. Yes Tony, I am working at some new projects around Welles and I hope that something will happen! Happy Easter to you and all the Forum

Ciro

[Glenn Anders]

Ciro: Thanks to dkovacev, with your elegant work, and your gracious entry here, we seem to be entering yet another Wellsian Golden Age. Please, both of you, continue to visit with us.

Much success, Ciro, in your 2006 projects!

Has anyone recorded the formidable sounding Furori Orario Evening with Arkadin?

Glenn