Orson Welles' last film finally has a home. Netflix has acquired the global rights to Welles' "The Other Side of the Wind" and will finance its completion and restoration.
Netflix's announcement Tuesday brings to a close the decades-long mystery surrounding one cinema's greatest filmmakers. Welles never completed the film, which he began shooting in 1970. The "Citizen Kane" director died in 1985.
"The Other Side of the Wind" is a Hollywood satire about a filmmaker attempting a comeback. Its stars include John Huston, Dennis Hopper and Peter Bogdanovich, who has assisted in its editing.
Producer Frank Marshall will oversee the film's completion.
Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos says that having grown up worshipping Welles, releasing his last film "is a point of pride for me and for Netflix."
Back in '6, I was working in London for a tiny film company. Weeny, tiny. One afternoon I answered the phone and a very familiar and distinctive voice asked for my boss. Orson Welles. I was young and foolish (and American) and said before he announced his name, "Oh, wow! Is this Mr. Orson Welles?" Silence. He replied in his booming voice, "And YOU are?!" Silence on my side. Now I was scared I'd crossed the line. Told him my name and he said, "And from what Southern state are you from, my dear?" We were off and running. We talked for ten minutes before I realized he had called my boss. What a really nice man. The film deal never happened, but I got a chance to talk to greatness.
ReplyDeleteFall, '69.
ReplyDeleteMetallica's opening act on "Billions" will love this. She'd care.
ReplyDeleteI think it's really cool that they're doing this.
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