Orson Welles
Miranda Garcia-Mann
March 12, 2012
3rd Film Crit
Word Count 801
Orson Welles
"A film is never really good unless the camera is an eye in the head of a poet."
Orson Welles Welles was born on May 6, 1915, in Kenosha, Wisconsin; he began his career as a stage actor before going on to radio. His stage debut was made at the Gate Theatre in Dublin, Ireland in autumn of 1931, where he acted in Hamlet. Welles tried to enter the London and Broadway stages but was rejected. Thus sending him on a trip around Europe including Spain, Morocco. Soon after his trip ending Welles came back to the United States where he stared in many plays but was offered a radio gig.
His radio career began early in 1934. He began reading revised versions of the play Panic. After much success Welles was offered to do The March of Time news series. He was the Morgan Freeman of his time known around the states for his deep unique voice. Welles paired with friend John Houseman and together the pair made the Mercury Theatre in 1937. A year later in 1938 the two produced "The Mercury Theatre on the Air. Their radio show became most famous when it broadcasts it's version of H.G. Wells "War of the Worlds."
Citizen Kane was his first of his films of Welles to be seen by the public eye. It was known as a huge loss for RKO losing about 150,000 for the studios. Although ironically the film is known as the best film ever made today. Many of his films that continued also bombed at the box office. "He is widely thought of as having made one masterpiece." (Ebert)
After such negative press on his films he exiled himself back to Europe. Then again after a few years in solitude Welles was back in action filming Touch of Evil in 1958. Again to the U.S. the film was a disaster although it won a few awards in Europe. Welles quoted "Create your own visual style... let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others." Which is quite laughable if you take the time to think about it, many of
March 12, 2012
3rd Film Crit
Word Count 801
Orson Welles
"A film is never really good unless the camera is an eye in the head of a poet."
Orson Welles Welles was born on May 6, 1915, in Kenosha, Wisconsin; he began his career as a stage actor before going on to radio. His stage debut was made at the Gate Theatre in Dublin, Ireland in autumn of 1931, where he acted in Hamlet. Welles tried to enter the London and Broadway stages but was rejected. Thus sending him on a trip around Europe including Spain, Morocco. Soon after his trip ending Welles came back to the United States where he stared in many plays but was offered a radio gig.
His radio career began early in 1934. He began reading revised versions of the play Panic. After much success Welles was offered to do The March of Time news series. He was the Morgan Freeman of his time known around the states for his deep unique voice. Welles paired with friend John Houseman and together the pair made the Mercury Theatre in 1937. A year later in 1938 the two produced "The Mercury Theatre on the Air. Their radio show became most famous when it broadcasts it's version of H.G. Wells "War of the Worlds."
Citizen Kane was his first of his films of Welles to be seen by the public eye. It was known as a huge loss for RKO losing about 150,000 for the studios. Although ironically the film is known as the best film ever made today. Many of his films that continued also bombed at the box office. "He is widely thought of as having made one masterpiece." (Ebert)
After such negative press on his films he exiled himself back to Europe. Then again after a few years in solitude Welles was back in action filming Touch of Evil in 1958. Again to the U.S. the film was a disaster although it won a few awards in Europe. Welles quoted "Create your own visual style... let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others." Which is quite laughable if you take the time to think about it, many of