?

Log in

No account? Create an account

The Past | The Previous

For All the Ugly, Unloved, and Fucked Up.

  • Feb. 14th, 2005 at 9:41 AM




If like me, you're one of the Ugly, Unloved, and Fucked Up, take some time today to tell a stranger to fuck off and die.


"You can get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than a kind word alone."
-- Al Capone (1899-1947)
  • Notes:Frenzal Rhomb - Looking Good

Comments

( 9 Soaking Up Bandwidth — Soak Up Bandwidth )
kixxa
Feb. 14th, 2005 02:49 am (UTC)
Oh, to see that film again. *chafes at lack of money vs all the delights in the world*
| Reply | Thread
benpeek
Feb. 14th, 2005 03:19 am (UTC)
it's one of my favourites. welles is just fantastic, and the scenes with marlene deitrich, especially that final one...
| Reply | Parent | Thread
kixxa
Feb. 14th, 2005 03:52 am (UTC)
You know, I saw that film so long ago now, that I can only remember a pervading sense of seedy hopelessness, Orson chewing on his cigar (and he is just brilliant in in this film) and the famous tracking shot at the beginning that makes the most of Janet Leigh's impossibly perky breasts.

I *must* see it again. *whimpers*
| Reply | Parent | Thread
benpeek
Feb. 14th, 2005 04:30 am (UTC)
if it weren't for welles' direction and his acting that showed a slow dissolve into a man of hate and jealousy and, at the same time, having a knowing sense of his downfall, the film probably wouldn't be very good, i think. i mean, heston is a mexican. but still. i love it.

i'm a big welles fan. one day i plan to write an orson welles novel.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
kixxa
Feb. 14th, 2005 04:56 am (UTC)
Welles is definitely on my list of ALL-TIME GREATS, which is different to my list of 'all-time greats', so I'll be buying your book...(and I want an autographed copy, just letting you know).

Actually, wasn't that a brave film to direct in the pervading unease of the times? Wasn't there still the dread hand of McCarthyism and anti-Americanism throttling everything? Or was that dying out by then? And is that why the film is set in a (Mexican?) bordertown?

Now you mention it, I do remember Heston playing a Mexican. I have no idea why he'd do that, unless he was great friends with Orson. As Orson was such a great raconteur (that voice!!) with a marvellous sense of humour, I should imagine he had quite a few good and loyal friends from all sides of the political spectrum.

Hee, seems like you really should get started on this book.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
benpeek
Feb. 14th, 2005 05:04 am (UTC)
from what i understand, it was heston who suggested welles as director. welles believed that TOUCH OF EVIL was going to be a film that bought him back into making films in america and at a big studio. indeed, he says that while he was making the film, he had nothing but this enthusiastic studio people standing round and telling him what a great job he was doing, and then, when they saw the film, that all stopped.

which is why the original released version of TOUCH OF EVIL was butchered and taken from welles hand before final cuts could be made. the version floating around now is close to welles vision, but seeing as he didn't work on it, you can't say it's truly what he wanted. indeed, the taking of final cut away from welles was quite a common thing--i believe he only got to see a couple of studio films thru till the end, those being CITIZEN KANE and THE TRIAL, which was made in europe.

i'm not sure about mccarthyism and all that at the time. i think it might have been after it, actually, but i can't be sure. certainly welles hadn't been making films in the states for a while when he came back for it.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
kixxa
Feb. 14th, 2005 05:38 am (UTC)
Another great loss was 'The Magnificent Ambersons' cut till it was just a mediocre film that no-one ever remembers. I hate to see genius curtailed.

Thanks for expanding a bit more on that wonderful film though. Welles really is a fascinating man, a brilliant director, and an under-rated actor.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
benpeek
Feb. 14th, 2005 11:25 am (UTC)
i've never seen the magnificent ambersons, but all the hacking of welles' films was a huge shame. i recently saw one of his films (confedential report, i think it was called) and it was pretty badly hacked up. the scene welles intended for the opening was over half way through.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
kixxa
Feb. 14th, 2005 12:09 pm (UTC)
Yeah, it's a bloody shame.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
( 9 Soaking Up Bandwidth — Soak Up Bandwidth )