The Other Side of the Wind

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Mr. Reindeer
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The Other Side of the Wind

Post by Mr. Reindeer »

Orson Welles’s most famous lost film, The Other Side of the Wind, finally got a wide release on Friday thanks to Netflix. A few months ago, IcedOver was expressing displeasure at the streaming model displacing theaters. As a former movie theater manager I get that perspective, but when Netflix gives the world access to a forty-odd year old film by one of the medium’s preeminent directors that otherwise might have only screened at a few film festivals and art house theaters, I have to be grateful that we live in the streaming age. Welles is a hero of mine, and I’ve personally been waiting for close to two decades after first reading about this movie, and even with that expectation, it surpassed anything I could have hoped for. In the accompanying documentary They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead (also phenomenal), Welles talks about the fact that to him the core of great film is “divine accidents” (think Silva/Bob in the mirror in the TP pilot), and he wanted to build this film on those. What we ended up with is a beautiful, messy, scathing indictment of old and new Hollywood, a surprisingly timely deconstruction of the “difficult male creator” mythos, and a house-of-mirrors self-appraisal of Welles himself, through the prism of a powerhouse John Huston performance. Anyone who loves film should check it out.
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Leo K
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Re: The Other Side of the Wind

Post by Leo K »

Thanks for the heads up on this - I didn’t realize that had happened and it’s streaming now! My holy grail Ambersons Blu should be in my hands next week and I can’t wait!


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bowisneski
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Re: The Other Side of the Wind

Post by bowisneski »

I had no idea this was a thing. Hopefully I'll get to check it out tonight and if not over the weekend.
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bowisneski
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Re: The Other Side of the Wind

Post by bowisneski »

Mr. Reindeer wrote:In the accompanying documentary They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead (also phenomenal), Welles talks about the fact that to him the core of great film is “divine accidents” (think Silva/Bob in the mirror in the TP pilot), and he wanted to build this film on those.
Did you see the second documentary, A Final Cut For Orson: 40 Years in The Making, that's hidden away in the trailers section? I can't believe they didn't just list it as something separate, but it's about the process of getting the negative and making the movie. I've started with that and am watching the movie then the other documentary tonight.
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Leo K
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Re: The Other Side of the Wind

Post by Leo K »

bowisneski wrote:
Mr. Reindeer wrote:In the accompanying documentary They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead (also phenomenal), Welles talks about the fact that to him the core of great film is “divine accidents” (think Silva/Bob in the mirror in the TP pilot), and he wanted to build this film on those.
Did you see the second documentary, A Final Cut For Orson: 40 Years in The Making, that's hidden away in the trailers section? I can't believe they didn't just list it as something separate, but it's about the process of getting the negative and making the movie. I've started with that and am watching the movie then the other documentary tonight.
Wow didn’t even know that second documentary was there - thanks for the heads up Image


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bowisneski
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Re: The Other Side of the Wind

Post by bowisneski »

I really enjoyed the film and both documentaries. I'd actually only ever heard about this in passing and hadn't done much research, so the shorter documentary did a great job of setting it up.

The beauty from the use of different cameras and film stock can't be understated and the unfinished film within a real unfinished film where both the fictional director and the real director die at 70 creates an impactful and truly multilayered work. While that's coincidental, I feel it fits in with Welles view of "divine accidents".

I'd recommend all three pieces to everyone who enjoys film.
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