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• Region: All Regions
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0015DEHW8
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #271,193 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars O for a muse of fire... seen through the eyes of Eizenstein..., August 31, 2009

By 

Patrick Selitrenny (Switzerland a.k.a. Helvetia Felix) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Orson Welles Collection: Falstaff-Chimes At Midnight / Macbeth / Othello [3 DVD Set , Import, All Regions] (DVD)

When I ordered this title, together with Welles' "Macbeth" and "Falstaff (Chimes at Midnight)", I was highly suspicious and doubtful about the true quality potential, since I had read that "Othello" and "Macbeth" were a Korean pressed DVD, and "Chimes at Midnight" (as "Falstaff" was originally called by Welles himself) a Brazilian one.

Once I did receive the package, not only was I impressed by the excellent condition of the three, but once watched them on my top of the line system, I could not believe my eyes, nor my ears.

The images on all three were crystal clear and finally there were just very unnoticeable scratches and some very tiny specks, but really nothing to be compared with older and shabbier versions, including VHS tapes of yesteryear.

All three were filmed in Black and White and now the contrast and the Grayish shades have been finely restored to their original values as if they had been printed today.

The sound, in particular, and especially in "Othello" is in an unbelievable 2.0 Stereo Surround, of course completely reworked and minutely re-sychronized in the 1990s and the dialogues a finally sharp and clear.

On a scale from 1 to 3, I would say that the 1952 "Othello" restoration receives a 1 (for being the best one of the lot), followed by 2 "Chimes at Midnight" and 3 "Macbeth".

Mind you, all three have been fully restored in sound and picture quality and the DVDs honor the memory of a giant such as Orson Welles.
It is just that probably, due to the original sound material used on "Macbeth" in 1948, by today standards, although the sound is also very clear and
somewhat rounded up, it still sounds a bit shrill to the ears in some parts of the film.

But believe me, all three, starting with the masterpiece of the lot, "Othello", are well worth their price.

Amazing is only the fact, that although the restoration of all three was done in the United States, they never saw the light as regular Studio library DVD releases (perhaps too shy?), and only the Koreans and the Brazilians has the good taste and the guts to transfer them.

Of course, considering the treatment that Orson Welles received from the Studios back in those days, I doubt he would very much mind if some other Nation represents him more honorably than the Nation that owes him so many masterpieces such as "Citizen Kane". "The Magnificent Ambersons", "The Lady from Shanghai" and "Touch of Evil".

This only proves one thing, still nowadays.
No one is a prophet in his own homeland.

Pity, since the Studios these days, could really profit from people like Orson Welles or say, Stanley Kubrick.

They badly need such visionaries to work for them.

But alas, their corporate nature makes them blind, deaf and mute to such geniuses.

O for a muse of fire...

Highly recommended for all who love good and great Cinema as it should be done.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Orson Welles Collection, September 24, 2009

By 

Dorothy Mullen (Connecticut) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Orson Welles Collection: Falstaff-Chimes At Midnight / Macbeth / Othello [3 DVD Set , Import, All Regions] (DVD)

If you qualify for either one of the two following conditions, I think you will love this collection. If you love Shakespeare, either live on stage or captured on film -- and I do -- you will have to own this set. Or, if you are fascinated and bemused by Orson Welles and his legendary career -- and I am -- you need to have this set. I bought it primarily for Chimes at Midnight, which I read about maybe 25 years ago, but of course could never get hold of, and sadly thought I would never be able to view. Well, now I have! Thanks to, I believe, the Koreans, who produced this set. I have given it five stars, even though I have quibbles, the picture is sort of dark, and the sound isn't all it could be, but hey, after all this time, I love it anyway! You're probably wondering what the movies are like, well, they are fabulous. Quibbles, again -- they should be in color, except maybe for MacBeth. Othello would be breathtaking to look at in color, but even in black and white, the setting is gorgeous. Another quibble -- I wasn't too crazy about the actor's interpretation of Iago (I can't spell his name or I'd put it in.) I saw Christopher Plummer do this onstage once, and he is my gold standard for Iago. I was also underwhelmed by the performance of the actor playing Hotspur in Chimes at Midnight. I have seen a couple of thrilling Hotspurs, and this one didn't measure up. Never mind! Orson Welles as Falstaff! Could there be more perfect casting? I once saw the comedian Mickey Shaughnessy play Falstaff for Shakespeare in the Park, and he was very funny, but not poignant. Anthony Quayle for the BBC TV production was touching and poignant, but not funny (I didn't think.) Orson? He goes for the heart, not the funnybone. Doesn't quite nail the tavern scene. But the encounters with Doll Tearsheet (Jeanne Moreau) are to die for. Anyway, I could go on, but buy this for yourself and make your own judgments...who knows, they might disappear again, and wouldn't you be sorry?

3.0 out of 5 stars Worth it for Chimes, May 10, 2010

By 

Alien Reg (Japan) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Orson Welles Collection: Falstaff-Chimes At Midnight / Macbeth / Othello [3 DVD Set , Import, All Regions] (DVD)

The reviews I read made it sound like an unlikely but dedicated transcontinental team of Korean and Brazilian boffins have been feverishly working on creating pristine versions of these three Welles gems just for our delight. The truth, I think, is that these three discs are just standard print-outs with a bit of repackaging. However, it's the only legit release of Chimes at Midnight that I can find, and the quality is more than passable. Othello looks as soft-edged and woozy as the early 90s release, and if that version of Macbeth has been digitally remastered I'll eat eye of newt and wing of bat!