Orson Welles at Work [Hardcover]

François Thomas (Author), Jean-Piere Berthomé (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2008

Welles is one of the legendary film directors whose persona has been created through a myriad of myths and legends. Enfant terrible of American cinema, his groundbreaking entry into Hollywood with "Citizen Kane" propelled him to fame as a young prodigy and unfailing genius. Many studies to date have focused on this aspect of Welles, highlighting his clashes with film studios to paint a turbulent picture of an artist repressed by his producers. In this book, however, by returning to the original works and analysing the primary sources, the authors strip back the myths and rumours (many of which were created and fanned by Welles himself) to draw a realistic portrait of this most remarkable filmmaker at work. Welles possessed an exceptional ability to adapt and radically change the stylistic choices of a film to suit his production conditions.His artistic vision was so intense that the various different methods he used from one film to another, and even during the same film, inescapably led to a work stamped with his seal. Whether in control of every detail or deliberately delegating to his team, meticulously prepared or urgently improvised, Welles delighted in working to extremes and was never afraid to challenge the seemingly insuperable. This book recounts the various stages (from conception and pre-production, through the filming and editing to critical reception) of each of his films from the 1940s to the 1970s, including the celebrated "Citizen Kane", "The Magnificent Ambersons", "Othello", "The Trial" and "Touch of Evil".Discussion of each film is supported by numerous illustrations of screenplays and scripts, contracts, sketches, storyboards, models, production reports, memos, letters and correspondence uncovered by new research in European and American archives. In June 2007, "Citizen Kane" was once again voted the 'best movie ever made' by the American Film Institute. A position it has held since the institution opened its poll in 1998. The film has also been hailed by renowned directors worldwide the best film ever made, repeatedly topping the famous ten-year poll of the British Film Institute decade after decade. It is evident that interest in Welles never wanes and his remarkable body of work continuously attracts new devotees.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jean-Pierre Berthome is professor in Film Studies at the University of Rennes 2. His other publications include studies on the directors Jacques Demy and Max Ophuls, and the history of set design. Berthome is a regular contributor to the French film journal Positif and, together with Francois Thomas, he has published numerous articles about Welles and his works and a book on Citizen Kane in 1992.Francois Thomas is professor in Film Studies at the University of Paris 3. Another regular contributor to Positif, Thomas has also written on the work of Alain Resnais and co-edited an anthology on the golden age of French short film.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Phaidon Press (January 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714845833
• ISBN-13: 978-0714845838
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,087,443 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every Orson Welles Fan Should Have This Book!, March 21, 2008

By 

Greg Hatfield "Greg Hatfield" (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Orson Welles at Work (Hardcover)

I saw this book and couldn't find out anything about it. I searched, but found no reviews anywhere. But, being a Welles fan (and in the midst of a renewed love affair with Welles' work, due in part to reading some new Welles material), I took a chance, even though it was an expensive book. I knew the quality of Phaiden, though.

I was glad I took a chance. This book is fantastic! Lots of photos, many never seen before, and intelligent commentary, this is a great book on the work of Orson Welles. The design and quality was everything I expected from the publisher and the content was wonderful, with a lot of new information, especially about Welles' ideas when he got to Hollywood. The Heart of Darkness chapter alone is worth the money. And for those of you who lost track of Welles' career late in his life, this will show that he was productive right up to the end.

I'd love to see The Other Side of the Wind, The Immortal Story (trying to find a copy), better footage of Don Quixote, Fountain of Youth (trying to find a copy), and The Deep.

I'd love to read a review of this book by Jonathan Rosenbaum.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, June 4, 2008

By 

J. Hinkson (Takoma Park, MD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Orson Welles at Work (Hardcover)

An amazing overview of Welles' work. It's well-organized (breaking his career down into phases) and nicely researched (with plenty of material on often overlooked masterpieces like The Trial and Chimes at Midnight). Packed full of gorgeous photos, stills, and sketches. This is a huge, brilliant book. The price tag is hefty, but for Wellesians it will be worth every penny. Goes on the shelf alongside This is Orson Welles by Welles and Bogdanovich, and Discovering Orson Welles by Rosenbaum.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable For Welles Fans, March 24, 2008

By 

Mr. Nowhere (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Orson Welles at Work (Hardcover)

Meticulously researched, wonderfully illustrated investigation of Welles' working methods -- dispels many myths but reaffirms the greatness of Welles' achievements.