list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Mr. Arkadin on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Mr_Arkadin/54324/default.aspx Title: Mr. Arkadin
Year: 1955
Director: Orson Welles
Plot: Also known as Mr. Arkadin, this flawed late effort by director Orson Welles recalls the structure of Citizen Kane, centering around an investigation into the past of a powerful millionaire. This time around, however, the millionaire is very much alive; in fact, it is Gregory Arkadin (Welles) himself who orders the inquiry, claiming to suffer from amnesia. The investigator soon gets a taste of the difficulty of his task, however, when several witnesses to Arkadin's past suspiciously turn up dead. Indeed, the closer he comes to the truth about Arkadin, the more he fears that he himself may be the next victim. While it aspires to intense suspense, Confidential Report suffers more than most of Welles' films from budgetary limitations and erratic shooting habits, with the final result often seeming choppy and needlessly confusing. Nevertheless, any Welles effort is by definition at least partially worthwhile, if only for further demonstration of his brilliant visual sensibility. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 1
Number of Lists: 7
Number of blog posts: 2
Number of discussion threads: 1
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Sat, 27 Sep 2008 04:11:13 GMTMr. Arkadin1955Orson WellesAlso known as Mr. Arkadin, this flawed late effort by director <a href="/players/P___116368/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Orson Welles</a> recalls the structure of <a href=/films/6239/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Citizen Kane</a>, centering around an investigation into the past of a powerful millionaire. This time around, however, the millionaire is very much alive; in fact, it is Gregory Arkadin (Welles) himself who orders the inquiry, claiming to suffer from amnesia. The investigator soon gets a taste of the difficulty of his task, however, when several witnesses to Arkadin's past suspiciously turn up dead. Indeed, the closer he comes to the truth about Arkadin, the more he fears that he himself may be the next victim. While it aspires to intense suspense, <a href=/films/321873/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Confidential Report</a> suffers more than most of Welles' films from budgetary limitations and erratic shooting habits, with the final result often seeming choppy and needlessly confusing. Nevertheless, any Welles effort is by definition at least partially worthwhile, if only for further demonstration of his brilliant visual sensibility. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide1Slightly Tagged (1-5)7213http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t73968z2oyg.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Mr_Arkadin/54324/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/quint/archive/2008/6/23/31582.aspx Post By: quint
Post To: An inordinate number of peppers
Post Date: 6/23/2008 11:38:46 PM
]]>Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:38:46 GMTquintAn inordinate number of peppers6/23/2008 11:38:46 PM http://www.spout.com/blogs/cinemarian/archive/2008/5/13/28898.aspx Post By: CinemaRian
Post To: CinemaRian Blog
Post Date: 5/13/2008 5:07:59 AM
Body: What a disapointment. To use Edwin's catchphrase, I was really jazzed up to see "The Comprehensive Version" of Mr. Arkadin, one of Orson Welles' hardest to find films. After all the effort, and years of waiting, this hardcore Welles fan discoverd out that its the director's worst movie. A "comprehensive", restored version of the film was long overdue. After he completed shooting the film, Welles (as was sadly often the case during his lifetime) was taken of the production and it was edited by others. Making the matter more confusing is that no less than five (you read that right) different versions of the film existsed. The restorers did their best to cut the film to Welles' wishes, but this was made problematic by the fact that he left no detailed written information about how the movie should edited, unlike Touch of Evil. The Critierian DVD freely admits that this cut of the film is a "best guess" and nothing more. Having seen none of the other versions, I can't compare it, but the movie is extreamly disjointed and confusing. Guy Van Stratten (Robert Arden) is a low-grade smuggler of illegal cigrattes in Italy when a man is shot by the police gives him the names of Spanish mult-millionare Gregory Arkadin (Welles) and a woman, Sophie (Katrina Paxinou). Van Stratten has no idea what the signifigance of the names are to the dead man, but he is strangley motivated to find out. He tracks down Arkadin's daughter Raina (Paola Mori), and she leads him to her father. Surprisingly, Arkadin doesn't mind the intrusian and gives Van Stratten a most unique job- to track down his own past, as he suffers from amnesia and can't remember how he made his fortune. The rest film follows Van Stratten following one lead after the other in an attempt to get at the truth, much like the reporter in Citizen Kane. There are lots of problems with the movie. The sound and dubbing is even worse than Othello and is very distracting. Although the restorers have done a valliant job, the movie's parts still don't fit together, some scenes are unnecessary and redundant while others don't explain enough. The movie is very, very hard to follow (I put it on a second time while writing this review and it's a little less confusing, but I still don't understand everything). The acting, which is almost a highlight in Welles movies, is poor. Arden is a weak lead and he and most of the rest of the cast come off as b-movie actors with shallow characterizations (although I did like Suzanne Flon in a small supporting role). This makes Welles look like he's overacting by comparison. Finally, the movie is just not very interesting after a while. The premise of the movie is certainly interesting but low-budget and editorial problem keep it from being so. Welles maniacs will want to check it out, but it's a minor work that is best left forgotten. Mr. Arkadin (1955)
]]>Tue, 13 May 2008 09:07:59 GMTCinemaRianCinemaRian Blog5/13/2008 5:07:59 AMWhat a disapointment. To use Edwin's catchphrase, I was really jazzed up to see "The Comprehensive Version" of Mr. Arkadin, one of Orson Welles' hardest to find films. After all the effort, and years of waiting, this hardcore Welles fan discoverd out that its the director's worst movie. A "comprehensive", restored version of the film was long overdue. After he completed shooting the film, Welles (as was sadly often the case during his lifetime) was taken of the production and it was edited by others. Making the matter more confusing is that no less than five (you read that right) different versions of the film existsed. The restorers did their best to cut the film to Welles' wishes, but this was made problematic by the fact that he left no detailed written information about how the movie should edited, unlike Touch of Evil. The Critierian DVD freely admits that this cut of the film is a "best guess" and nothing more. Having seen none of the other versions, I can't compare it, but the movie is extreamly disjointed and confusing. Guy Van Stratten (Robert Arden) is a low-grade smuggler of illegal cigrattes in Italy when a man is shot by the police gives him the names of Spanish mult-millionare Gregory Arkadin (Welles) and a woman, Sophie (Katrina Paxinou). Van Stratten has no idea what the signifigance of the names are to the dead man, but he is strangley motivated to find out. He tracks down Arkadin's daughter Raina (Paola Mori), and she leads him to her father. Surprisingly, Arkadin doesn't mind the intrusian and gives Van Stratten a most unique job- to track down his own past, as he suffers from amnesia and can't remember how he made his fortune. The rest film follows Van Stratten following one lead after the other in an attempt to get at the truth, much like the reporter in Citizen Kane. There are lots of problems with the movie. The sound and dubbing is even worse than Othello and is very distracting. Although the restorers have done a valliant job, the movie's parts still don't fit together, some scenes are unnecessary and redundant while others don't explain enough. The movie is very, very hard to follow (I put it on a second time while writing this review and it's a little less confusing, but I still don't understand everything). The acting, which is almost a highlight in Welles movies, is poor. Arden is a weak lead and he and most of the rest of the cast come off as b-movie actors with shallow characterizations (although I did like Suzanne Flon in a small supporting role). This makes Welles look like he's overacting by comparison. Finally, the movie is just not very interesting after a while. The premise of the movie is certainly interesting but low-budget and editorial problem keep it from being so. Welles maniacs will want to check it out, but it's a minor work that is best left forgotten. Mr. Arkadin (1955) http://www.spout.com/groups/FilmCouch/Re_FilmCouch_21/302/9802/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: paul
Post To: FilmCouch
Post Date: 5/31/2007 9:03:01 AM
Body: [quote user="joem18b"]"...For once, it'd be nice to sit back and enjoy the entire story without your concentration being interrupted by missing scenes (you know exists) that causes gaps in the narrative." [/quote] Appropration is different from reediting because it's editing a new movie out of a preexisting film shot for a different purpose. The GI Joe PSAs repurposed a few years ago are a hysterical example. But the point made above made me think of the Criterion box set for Mr. Arkadin, an Orson Welles picture hacked into a bunch of different versions that showed all over the world. This box set includes three different versions of the film, including what two editors and Welles scholars pieced together into the "Comprehensive Version." The documentary of how they tried to assemble this picture 20 years after Welles died is worth the price of the box set.
]]>Thu, 31 May 2007 13:03:01 GMTpaulFilmCouch5/31/2007 9:03:01 AM[quote user="joem18b"]"...For once, it&#39;d be nice to sit back and enjoy the entire story without your concentration being interrupted by missing scenes (you know exists) that causes gaps in the narrative." [/quote] Appropration is different from reediting because it&#39;s editing a new movie out of a preexisting film shot for a different purpose. The GI Joe PSAs repurposed a few years ago are a hysterical example. But the point made above made me think of the Criterion box set for Mr. Arkadin, an Orson Welles picture hacked into a bunch of different versions that showed all over the world. This box set includes three different versions of the film, including what two editors and Welles scholars pieced together into the "Comprehensive Version." The documentary of how they tried to assemble this picture 20 years after Welles died is worth the price of the box set. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/murder/MemberTagFilms.aspxmurder
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