Criterion F For Fake DVD

[Wilson]

The link to my review of F for Fake is below, for what it's worth. Criterion did a fine job, all things considered. I would have been happy with a simple anamorphic transfer, to be honest. And I would agree about the people discovering the picture via this set. It's too bad there isn't a wider array of Welles' work available for them to move on to, at least in R1. Kane and Shanghai are really the only easily obtainable, quality editions of his work over here, if we don't include pub domain garbage.

F for Fake Review

[Roger Ryan]

Superb review, Jeff. But tell me, did you forget to include the "Touch Of Evil" DVD in your post, or is that one not a "quality edition"?!

[Wilson]

Yeah, that one slipped my mind. Make it three then!

[Bantock]

The Milestone DVD edition of The Trial is pretty good too. And the recent It's All True DVD if you want to stretch things a bit. But from your review it appears the Fake Disc may be the best R1 Welles disc yet.

[Glenn Anders]

A fine job all around, Jeff.

Perhaps, as close to happy ending as we may see.

Glenn

[Wilson]

I left out the Milestone Trial disc because it's out of print, as I understand it. It's certainly good compared to the other versions out there in R1. If i had to choose the better package, I would choose the Fake set over the Kane set, as it has better extras and better picture, given the Kane disc's overbright picture. But others may well disagree.

[Fredric]

Hmmm. I wonder why One Man Band doesn't have an English dub?

[Jaime N. Christley]

They didn't use Bogdanovich's version, and Criterion doesn't use alternate-language audio tracks unless they were integral to the film to begin with, as in the case of Visconti's The Leopard. Unlike most DVD producers, Criterion doesn't make new language tracks or "false" sound mixes.

[Fredric]

I figured as much, but the pre-Bogdanovich version that I have on 7th generation VHS had a british narrator. I wrongly assumed that this was the original.

Thanks!

[Fredric]

Not to complain, because I opened this DVD with trembling hands last night, but didn't I hear that they had found a color version of the trailer a year or two ago? I've got a b/w one on my disc.

I've been gone for a while. Nice to hear that the Corinth Arkadin is in the works over at Criterion.

[Wilson]

As I recall, there was a British version of OMB called The Lost Films of Orson Welles or something similar. I would imagine that's what you have. Don't know if they differ in content. As for why Criterion didn't include the color Fake trailer restoration, it doesn't make much sense, as it was on the Italian disc, from what someone posted here a while back.

[Jaime N. Christley]

Ja, shame about the trailer. I didn't much care for it (as a trailer or as a film) until I saw the restorated deal at Film Forum, projected from (excellent) video. Maybe not major Welles, but the colors make it.

[Christopher]

Here's an excerpt from a review of Criterion's "F for Fake" DVD set that appeared in the April 21-27 issue of "The River Reporter", an upstate New York weekly, and was passed along by a friend who lives in the area.

"F for Fake" is now presented in a lovely two-disc set from the Criterion Collection, due for release into stores on April 26. Save for a few hairs and dirt specks here and there, the wide-screen image and mono sound are both clear as a bell (disregarding the purposely grainy 16mm footage, which was blown up to 35mm by Welles). Welles' old friends seem more than happy to shed some light on "F for Fake." A video introduction by his old friend and fellow director Peter Bogdanovich wistfully recalls a brief history of the film's making. Also included is an audio commentary shared by Oja Kodar and director of photography Gary Graver. The commentary reveals fascinating anecdotes -- artistic, personal and technical -- about de Hory and Welles, painted not as the egomaniac of public opinion but as an artistic perfectionist. A bizarre nine-minute trailer directed by Welles (with footage that's not even in the final film, naturally) completes the first disc.

The second disc operates more or less like a retrospective on all the men involved with "F for Fake." The priceless documentary, "Orson Welles: A One-Man Band," chronicles the filmmaker's troubled later years and shows engaging clips of the films he never completed for lack of funds. It's amazing and sad to watch; at one point, Welles performs Shylock and the "if you prick us" monologue from his never-finished version of "The Merchant of Venice." One may doubt that all the tears he sheds are the product of acting.

"Almost True" correctly described by the disc as "F for Fake played straight" (if also a bit dull) explores the life of Elmyr de Hory; a documentary crew travels the globe in search of the man's cloudy past, also forcing embarrassed museum curators to admit that they've carried some of Elmyr's forgeries at one time or another.

A curious eight-minute segment from "60 Minutes II" presents Mike Wallace interviewing Clifford Irving in 1972 and 2000 -- the 1972 interview has Irving describing his encounters with Howard Hughes, and the 2000 interview has him apologizing and explaining himself. (Interestingly, the archive footage shows a confident, believable man, but Irving describes his past self as frightened and extremely lucky.) Finally, audio excerpts from the 1972 press conference with Howard Hughes are present, where the billionaire refutes Irving's story via telephone.

Though everyone may not be immediately enthralled by the special features, one viewing of "F for Fake" will pique a viewer's interest in the subject; overall, Criterion brings its usual panache to a lesser-known must-have film that is finally on DVD.

[tony williams]

My students loved F FOR FAKE when I showed it at the end of the class last semester. So I'm hoping for a similar reaction from this group which will confirm the film's appeal to a younger generation who admire the fun and spontaneity within this experimental work.

[Wilson]

Can anyone provide me with a screen capture from Criterion's DVD, at the same point as shown on the DVD comparison page here? MY DVD-Rom drive won't read the disc for some reason, though it reads the second disc. Annoying. Shoot me an email if you can assist. Thanks...