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Orson Welles on video-

A brief rundown

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1984 Criterion Release - 2 CAV LD discs, no commentary. Extras

included storyboards and a history of the films production.

The 1984 Criterion Collection edition of CITIZEN KANE was, along with a 2-CAV-disc edition of KING KONG, the premiere offering from that company, which has since gone on to become the touchstone for the highest quality video presentation of classic films. As an early convert to LD, and having nearby access to a store that would rent them, I was able to see both, and still have the VHS tapes I made from each. Both sets were a revelation at the time, and the KANE set, along with subsequent Criterion LD sets on THE THIRD MAN, THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS, OTHELLO, CONFIDENTIAL REPORT, and F FOR FAKE, did a lot to solidify the reputation of Welles as a leading part of that pantheon of great filmmakers worthy of such special treatment. The main drawback to the CAV sets was the fact that a CAV LD, because of the higher data density, could contain only 30 minutes on each side, which made it impossible to enjoy the whole film from beginning to end unless you transferred it to VHS tape (which I did for quite a few films). This inevitably led to some picture loss, but even transferred to VHS, the visual quality was still quite impressive. Watching the disc itself was nirvana in terms of the quality of visual texture, which seemed almost painting-like compared to most commercial VHS releases of the time. There is no commentary for the Kane DVD, but there are some nice extras, including a video essay on the making of the film and it’s release, with a few photos I’ve never seen anywhere else.

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1985 Image LD, 1 CLV disc, commentary by Paul Mandell

The 1986 Image LD, while not nearly as good visually as the Criterion, does present a very nice looking print of the film, and has an interesting commentary by Paul Mandell. Interesting, not necessarily for what is being said, which is routine CK factoids for the most part (as well as a few dubious ones at that), but for the fact that there is only about 45 minutes worth of it, spread out here and there over the course of the film. In between are long stretches of 5-10 minutes or more where there is nothing but dead air. Why? Ebert and Bogdanovich both had no trouble filling two hours worth of commentary for the 2002 Kane DVD. Did Image originally plan to fill those empty spaces with other commentary? A clue comes at the beginning of Roger Ebert’s review of THE TRIAL when a new print of that film was released to art houses a few years ago. Ebert says:

“I was once involved in a project to get Orson Welles to provide commentary for a laserdisc of CITIZEN KANE. Seemed like a good idea at the time, but not to the great one, who rumbled that he had made a great many other pictures besides Kane, and was tired of talking about it.”

From that statement, it seems likely that the long stretches of dead air were intended to be filled by Orson Welles himself. Which would provide a chilling extra layer of irony to the already ironic postscript at the end of Mandell’s commentary, in which he reveals the date it was recorded: October 10, 1985, the day Orson Welles died.

Criterion 1991 50th anniversary reissue, 3 CAV LD discs, with

storyboards, interviews with filmmakers and producers about Kane, video essay on the aborted Heart of Darkness production.

For KANE’s 50th Anniversary in 1991, Criterion issued a new LD edition, from a print restored by Robert Wise, the film’s editor. My memory may be faulty, as it’s been a long time since I’ve seen it, but I seem to recall that the visual texture was a shade less stunning then on the 1984 release, and seemed somehow darker, a bit less painting-like, and more contrasty between black and white. It still was a great-looking disc, however, and the extras were much more plentiful and impressive then on the 1984 disc, although each had a few things on it that the other did not. The extras for ’91 included a somewhat different visual essay on the film’s production and release, including a terrific section on HEART OF DARKNESS, with some beautiful sketches that I’d not seen before. The best copy I’ve ever seen of HEARTS OF AGE is also included, but the real piece de’ resistance among the extras is a section containing little 3-minute interviews with 20-30 of the day’s leading filmmakers, producers, actors, and associates of Welles, all talking about what CITIZEN KANE meant to them. Some of these you get on the 1991 VHS tape set, but here the interviews are much more extensive and numerous. 

1991 50th Anniversary VHS Tape Set

Image’s 1991 reissue, presumably the same as 1986 disc,

only without the Paul Mandell commentary

Japanese LD, year unknown, quality unknown.

Presumably with Japanese subtitles

2002 2-disc DVD set, with superb, restored visual and sound quality. commentaries by Roger Ebert and Peter Bogdanovich, Disc 2 features the documentary THE BATTLE OVER CITIZEN KANE, which was nominated for an Oscar, but remains controversial among Welles fans. Also features “Easter egg” interviews with Ruth Warrick and Robert Wise.

2 other VHS releases

UK DVD release, with commentary by Ken Barnes, plus short feature ANATOMY OF A CLASSIC, picture gallery, WOTW radio pgm.

2011 BluRay release

The film was restored with a 4K restoration, and the transfer is excellent. Kane has been looked after for a while, so I can’t call it that revelatory, but it looks better than its previous DVD release. The film comes with two commentaries, the first a dull one by Peter Bogdanovich, who falls into the trap of commenting on the action, but the second is a lively track by Roger Ebert, and it’s filled with great trivia about the film – which Ebert considers the best (or at least one of the best) film of all time. Also on the disc is footage from the film’s opening (1 min.), interviews with Ruth Warrick and Robert Wise (9 min.) a section marked production (15 min.), which offers storyboards, call sheets and stills, and one marked poster production (5 min.) which offers stills from the deleted scenes, the ad campaign, the press book, and notes from the filmmakers. The film’s inventive theatrical trailer is also included, which offers no footage from the film.

As a three disc set, this offers the documentary The Battle Over Citizen Kane (113 min.),

Achievers ‘08Lorem Ispum School

1985 2-CAV LD set, with commentary by Robert Carringer, original script, etc.

In 1986, THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS became the fourth release from the Voyager Company’s Criterion Collection, and overall it may be the most satisfying of all their Welles releases on Laserdisc, mainly because the film itself fits so much more neatly into the 30-minutes-per-side CAV format. The film, as eventually released by RKO, runs 88 minutes, and so takes up 3 sides of the 2-disc set almost perfectly. Even more uncannily, each 30-minute section ends at the end of a crucial scene. No splitting up of scenes or transitions is necessary, as in most LDs. The Ambersons LD was mastered from the film’s original negative, so not surprisingly, picture and sound quality are superb throughout. There is also a fine commentary by Robert Carringer, who wrote the indispensable books THE MAKING OF CITIZEN KANE (1988) and THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS: A RESTORED VERSION (1994). Side four of the LD set is a plethora of great and revelatory extras, including a visual essay on four missing scenes from the Cutting Continuity of the original version of the film, the complete original shooting script, the surviving excerpts from the first film version of Ambersons from 1925, called PAMPERED YOUTH, and the Mercury Theatre’s complete one-hour radio broadcast of Ambersons, from 1939. All in all, an amazing set that any DVD edition, if it ever comes out, will be hard pressed to surpass. Criterion also released a CLV disc of the film, with the Carringer commentary, but without any of the other extras. Picture quality is somewhat lesser on the CLV edition, but still very good.

2012 DVD release, No Extras

1988 Reissue of the CAV Criterion LD CLV verion of the Criterion LD, with no extras

Various other video editions, including Ted Turner’s wretched colorization on VHS (top right).

Image 1987 single-disc CLV LD, no extras or commentary, but picture and sound quality are excellent. Well worth getting if you can find it, as JOURNEY has never been released on DVD in America.

European DVD, no information available

American VHS release

British DVDNo information available

American VHS release 1988

2008 American DVD releaseCommentary by Joseph McBride and Margret O’Brien, Short film comparing directors Robert Stevenson and Orson Welles, original music cues isolated. Also, curiously enough, a Spanish language soundtrack with different

music score.

2006 MGM DVD, no extras or commentary, but easily the best-

looking and sounding version of THE STRANGER available on video in America. There are numerous public domain videos of the film that are of mediocre quality at best.

Avoid The Turner Company’s 1994 LD (shown left), a huge disappointment visually and sonically.

2011 Blue-Ray release, still inferior to the MGM DVD

Columbia Home Video 1986 CLV, single disc, no extras or commentary, but picture and sound quality are very good.

Columbia Classics 2002 DVD, with Commentary by Peter Bogdanovich, original trailer, Spanish-language version. Excellent picture and sound quality.

Makes the LD obsolete.

1987 Image CLV LD, no extras or commentary, dull packaging, but excellent visual and sound quality

1993 Republic Home Video “45th Anniversary” CLV disc, with beautiful packaging, and commentary by ?, but

disappointing visual quality compared to the earlier Image release above. The Commentary is also rather dull and uninformative.

2007 French 3-DVD set, featuring both versions of the film, and a third disc devoted to extras. Said to be of excellent quality, but with non-removable French subtitles.

UK DVD, Second Sight, no extras

German version of the same set, with removable subtitles.

From Arthouse Premium

VHS release, 1980s, BLACK MAGIC has never been released on DVD

2012 MACBETH Bluray from Olive Video,

no extras

Criterion 1 Disc CLV set, no extras or commentary, very good picture quality, but pre-restoration soundtrack is a bit dull and muddy.

Criterion’s 2000 “50th Anniversary” DVD, restored print and sound, loads of extras, superior in every way to the LD release

Criterion page:

http://www.criterion.com/films/236-the-third-man

2007 British DVD set containing Welles’ complete “Shakespeare Trilogy”. No information available

Criterion 1993 2-disc CAV LD, with the original pre-restoration soundtrack, many extras, commentary by Myron Miesel and Peter Bogdanovich,

AsidefromthesuperbvisualqualitytobeexpectedfromCriterion,andtheexcellentcommentarytrackbyBogdanovichandMiesel,theotherthingthatisspecialaboutthisLaserdiscsetisthefactthatitistheonlycommercialreleaseofthisfilmtofeatureWelles’originalsoundtrack,beforetheextensiveoverhaulgiventoitbythe’92CastleHillrestoration.Init’soriginalmonoform,thesoundtracksoundslesshigh-techandmorecrudeattimes,butalsomoresubtleandhomogenous,moredreamlike,andmoreatonewiththevisuals.Theoriginal’snotorious“badsyncjob”doesnotseemthatapparentonthisdisc.It’salsonicetoseeHiltonEdwards’RETURNTOGLENNESCAULasaveryappropriateextra.Atonly25minutes,ithardlyjustifiedit’sstandaloneVHSreleasewiththemisleadingre-title,ORSONWELLES’GHOSTSTORY,butit’sperfectlyathomeaspartoftheOTHELLOdiscset,especiallysincepartofit’sstorytakesplaceontheOTHELLOfilmset!JonathonRosenbaum’soriginallinernotesfortheLDarereprintedattheCriterionwebsitehere:

http://www.criterion.com/current/posts/810-othello

1993 VHS

2002 Image DVD release of Castle Hill’s

1992 restoration. Very good visual quality, sound is technically excellent, but aesthetically controversial, with music re-recorded in stereo. Includes a short feature on the restoration.

VHS edition of the ’92 restoration, with an introduction by Beatrice Welles not seen on the DVD

British DVD of the ’92 restoration, from Second Sight, No Extras.

Criterion 1988 CLV single disc

release of the European

version of Mr. Arkadin, no extras or commentary, but excellent visual and sound quality.

Criterion’s 2005 3-DVD set, with three different versions of the film, including CONFIDENTIAL REPORT, the “Corinth” version of MR. ARKADIN, and a new comprehensive version created by the Munich Film Museum. Also contains commentary by Jonathon Rosenbaum and James Naremore, and many other extras. Pretty much

leaves the LD in the dust.

2009 British

DVD release, no extras

Australian Madman R4 DVD with Commentary by Brian McFarlane, and Return to Glennescaul

British LD, presumably identical

1988 MCA CLV release of the 108-minute “Preview” version of TOE. This LD features the Full Frame (1.33) version which is not available on DVD.

2001 DVD of the ’98 restoration,

disappointing visual quality, only extra is the trailer. 1.85 aspect ratio. The VHS edition actually looks better and is full frame (1.33) which includes more picture.

2008 3-disc DVD set, with 3 different versions of the film, all in 1.85 aspect ratio. Three commentaries, many extras, much better visual quality then the 2001 DVD. Overall, an outstanding set, but the AR controversy remains.

Three versions of Welles' film: the 1998 reconstruction (in both 1.37:1 and 1.85:1 aspect ratios)the 1958 preview version rediscovered in the mid-1970s (in 1.85:1)and the 1958 theatrical version (in both 1.37:1 and 1.85:1).Original theatrical trailer for the film

A lavish, illustrated, 56-page book containing the words of Orson Welles - and much more.

2011 BluRay DVD, Region 2

1996 ROAN Group 2-CAV “Gold” LD set, with original preview and 5-minute Desilu promotion film. Very good picture and sound quality. This is the first time the film had been released on video in the 1.85 aspect ratio.

Milestone’s 1999 DVD release, same extras as the ROAN LD

European DVD from Studio Canal, also with the same extras as ROAN, but with the missing computer scene as well (alas, without sound). This 2-disc set also contains a mysterious shorter version of the film, and is reputed to have superior visual and sound quality.

Optimum R2 DVD with shorter version only

2012 50th anniversary Bluray from Studio Canal

1987 Japanese LD, with no extras or commentary. Japanese subtitles are not removable, but picture quality is excellent. FALSTAFF (CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT) has never been released on video in America. 1.85 aspect ratio.

2004 Spanish DVD release Suevia Studios, no extras. Picture quality said to be average.

2011 Italian DVD from Sinister Films, said to have excellent picture quality, with Lavignino’s isolated score as an extra.

Brazilian DVD release, all-region, No Extras

Hollywood!s Attic DVD, all-region, No Extras

British DVD, Region 2 PAL Format, from Mr. Bongo company, No extras

All-region PAL DVD, Cornerstone Media release, No Extras

Comparism between DVD editions:http://www.wellesnet.com/fake_video_comp2.htm

Japanese LD (Released 1986)

Very good picture quality, but with non-removeable Japanese subtitles.

1992 Criterion LD, with original trailer (in

workprint form), very good picture and sound quality

2005 Criterion 2-disc DVD set, includes the original trailer, commentary by Gary Graver and Oja Kodar, ONE MAN BAND, a documentary about Welles’ unfinished films, a video feature about Elmyr de Hory. An excellent set loaded with extras

Makes the LDs obsolete.

2008 European DVD, contains an all-color version of the trailer, whereas all other videos contain a partly black and white work print version of it. Surprisingly, this important and unique extra is hidden as an Easter egg!

R4 Madman DVD, commentary by Oja Kodar, Essay called

“Appetite for Deconstruction: Orson Welles' F for Fake” by Dr. Adrian Danks

TV Works by or about Welles

2004 Italian DVD with three different versions of the film.

THE IMMORTAL STORY has never been released on video in America.

British VHS release (PAL format)

1974 AFI Lifetime Achievement Award to Welles, released on VHS in 1989, not released on DVD.

French release from Gaumont, no extras

R4 Madman DVD, with commentary by Adrian Martin, and an essay, “The Immortal Story: Like the Sound of the Sea Deep Within a Shell”, by Dr Adrian Danks

Documentaries and posthumous assemblages of unfinished works

2004 DVD with no extras, but excellent picture and sound quality. Identical to the LD

1996 LD release

2003 DVDGary Graver directed this rather crudely made, but entertaining and affectionate tribute to his long-time boss. Interviews with many participants in Welles’s unfinished THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND. No extras. Previously released on laserdisc and VHS.

Long time Welles associate Richard Wilson produced this fine, comprehensive documentary about the fateful South American project that Welles was hired by the government to direct during WWII. Features a virtually complete assemblage )without sound) of the FOUR MEN ON A RAFT episode.

VHS release

Jess Franco’s controversial assemblage of Welles’s DON QUIXOTE footage

2 Spanish-language DVDs 2007 American DVD release (English-language version)

THE TRIAL - The full-frame (1.33) budget discs 

Whenthe3-discDVDsetofTOUCHOFEVILcameouttwoyearsago,therewassomecontroversyconcerningthedecisiontotransferallthreeversionsofthefilminwidescreenformat,ata1.85aspectratio,theratiothatthefilmwasshownintheatersat.Thisisnottheaspectratio(or“AR”)thatthefilmwasfilmedin,whichwouldbefull-frame(1.33),theratiothatWellesonseveraloccasionsexpressedhispreferencefor.Nottotakeanythingawayfromthe’08TOEset,whichisexcellentoverall,orevenfromthelegitimacyofthewidescreenTOE,butthereisunquestionablyasignificantamountofimageloss(about1/3rd)whenthefilmisshownthisway. It’samatterofpersonalpreferenceastowhichARservesthefilmbetter,butinthecaseofTOUCHOFEVIL,bothwidescreenandfullframeversionsmaintaingoodvisualcompositionthroughout,andIliketoseeasmuchofwhatWellesshotaspossible.Althoughthefullframedoescontainabrief,twosecondshotofamicrophonenearthebeginning,Ifindit’svisualcompositionsingeneraltobemorestrikingthroughout.

 

1.85 widescreen

1.33 Full frame

Thesamecontroversyexistsformanyotherclassicfilms;infact,foranyfilmthatwasshotfullframefortheold4X3TVs,buttruncatedatthetopandbottomoftheimageinordertobeshownwidescreenintheaters.WhichbringsustobothTHETRIALandCHIMESATMIDNIGHT,whichIpresumewerealsofilmedandexhibitedunderthesamecircumstances. TherewasaVHStapeofCHIMESthatwasavailableinthelate80’sthathada4X3image,butI’veneverseenit,soIdon’tknowwhetherthat4X3wasgenuinefullframe,ormerelytruncatedwidescreen(whichwouldbeatruncationofatruncation!).TheVHSwasalsoveryexpensive,eventhoughitwassaidtobeofratherpoorimagequality.TheJapaneseLDfromthemid-80swas1.85widescreen,andofexcellentquality,butwithnon-removableJapanesesubtitles.TherecentSpanishandFrenchDVDreleasesofthefilmareboth1.85widescreen.I’veseenCHIMEStwiceinatheatre,bothtimeswidescreen.Icanrecallthata4X3wasshownonBRAVOafewtimesinthe80’s,butagain,whetheritwasfullframeortruncatedwidescreenIdon’tknow.

CHIMEShasneverbeengivenanofficialvideoreleaseinAmerica,sotheopportunitytocomparedifferenteditionsintermsofaspectratioisscant.THETRIAL,ontheotherhand,wasinthepublicdomaininAmericaformanyyears,andsohashadseverallow-budgetVHSandDVDreleasesovertheyears.Intermsofimagequality,there’snoquestionthattheMilestoneandStudioCanalDVDsputallthepubdomainreleasesinthedust,butwhataboutaspectratio,whichdeterminestheimagequantity?TheMilestoneandStudioCanalTRIALDVDsareboth1.85widescreen,soisitpossiblethatoneofthese4X3pubdomainreleasesactuallycontainsmoreimage?IboughttheAlphaStudio’slowbudgetdiscsomeyearsago,butthenafterbuyingtheMilestoneandseeinghowmuchsharperthepicturequalitywas,IgotridoftheAlpha.NowIwishIhadkeptit,ifonlytocomparethetwodiscsforimagequantity.Maybeit’stimetostartgivingasecondthoughttothesecheapTRIALDVDs.It’salongshot,butoneofthemmightjustbearevelation.

* UPDATE: After checking most of the following pub domain releases, I have concluded that none of them are a revelation.

Released by DELTA STUDIO - 2000 (Also part of a 5-disc set pictured below right)Extras: Introduction by Tony Curtis, Original trailer for COMPULSION

CLEVER CO. STUDIO (Korean Import) NTSC full Screen, Extras unknown, No info AvailableCurrently unavailable

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Orson Welles - The Legend Collection Digipak-BOX Set [6 Discs, Imported, NTSC, ALL

Released by PASSPORT STUDIOS - 2006Extras: Welles reading poetry on the Will Steiner TV show of the mid-1950’s

Format: PAL, Black & White, Subtitled, Widescreen

Subtitles: English, Russian

Released 2002 by Miracle PicturesReview of this edition by Daniel DuPre “Zielwolf”:

It was only after I purchased this that I realized a copyright claim was never made on this film and it has always been in the public domain, meaning there are innumerable "bootlegs" floating around of inferior quality of which this is one, whereas in 2000 Milestone Film & Video released a restored version based on the original negative. While this DVD delivers the goods, the quality is pretty bad, there's not even a proper menu to the film, the sound and picture quality are very average and there are no extra features whatsoever. Considering this is just an inferior dub for which the DVD maker would have had to pay $0 in licensing fees, the list price of $15.99 is hefty indeed. I'd seek out the restored original and stay away from bootlegged copies like this

Released by DIGIVIEW ENTERTAINMENTExtras unknown, no info available

Released by FOCUS FILMS - 2001Commentary by Jeffery Lyons1.33 AR

Released by FOCUS FILMS - 2006Extras unknown, No information available

Released by Alpha Video - 2003No extras1.33 AR, but contains less picture image then the Milestone 1.85

Posted at Amazon by C. Waters on 08/08/08:

I rented this fascinating film via mail order from Blockbuster Total Access a few weeks ago and enjoyed it so much that now I want to buy it. Which version should I buy?

I've come across at least *four* different versions here on Amazon.com; however, the features on the version I rented don't seem to match any of these versions. Two of the versions seem to point to the same list of customer reviews (6305772061 (The Milestone Collection) and B00004YKQD, (Tony Curtis) both from 2000). The other versions don't currently have any customer reviews (B000C6NP9U (FOCUS) (from 2006) and B000E28P9C (from 2000)).

The version I rented had decent picture quality (but I had to change the aspect ratio on my widescreen TV to 4:3 to make the characters appear normal width), decent sound quality (no audio sync issues), an interesting featurette on Orson Welles' films (focusing on The Trial), a featurette on the work involved with restoring the film (I believe it had a copyright from the early-1990s), a trailer, and an audio commentary track by film reviewer Jeffrey Lyons. Could this be yet another version, perhaps from The Orson Welles' Collection (B000C6NP0E, also from 2006)?

For the rental, Blockbuster's web site shows the image from Amazon.com part number B00004YKQD, but the features on the disc don't seem to match Amazon.com's description. Since it was a mail-order rental, the snap case wasn't provided--so I can't determine the item that way, either. The disc was one-sided and had an image from the film that resembled B000C6NP9U.

Which version should I buy? Customer reviews seem to favor The Milestone Collection version (6305772061), but the description for the item doesn't mention what features it comes with (if any). B000C6NP9U was released two years ago--six years after The Milestone Collection version--and uses the most accurate-looking depiction of the actual movie, yet there are no customer reviews for this version.

Can someone help me figure this out? Thanks!

Various VHS editions

Discussion of the budget DVD versions of Welles’ THE TRIAL - and the issue of aspect ratio in general - can be found here at Wellesnet Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=97369402198&topic=13131