The Other Side of the Wind (2018)

Orson Welles last movie "The Other Side of the Wind" was finally released back in November of 2018.   33 years after Welles' death in 1985 Netflix premiered it on it's platform.  The film had a limited run in theaters starting in October.  The film is a stunning piece of cinema due to it's editing and it's photography.  The film with-in the film concept is nothing new, and Welles denied that the film was autobiographical, but it is hard to say that it is not.  The film is about a director played by the legendary John Huston whose career is in decline and who dies in the end.  The film is about friendship, betrayal, and power.  It is in essence one long flashback into the director's last days, and who he was, and who he cared about.   Peter Bogdanovich plays a up and coming director who is friends with Huston's character.  In that way it is a personal film for Welles.  Being a friend to Welles was a challenge, and the film shows it. 

The companion piece to this film "They'll love me when I'm Dead" is about the making of "The Other Side of the Wind".  It is a real fascinating look at Welles at the end of his career and how he worked feverishly on projects that mostly were never complete.  His relationships with his family, and friends was a complex one, and when you see "the Other Side of the Wind" you'll notice that in his characters.

I find the film "The Other side of the Wind" a very interesting film, but it did not engage me as well as the documentary "They'll Love Me when I'm Dead".  The documentary was a lot more riveting then the actual film.

Orson Welles was himself a character.  No doubt he was a brilliant writer and director.  His films like "Citizen Kane", "Touch of Evil", and "Othello" are just some of his brilliance in the cinema.  He is a bigger then life character, and he is fascinating to watch and hear.  Just alone hearing his voice is something that makes the viewer sit up and pay attention.  He was an intelligent and creative human being who had presence.  Look at all the TV shows he appeared on.  Everyone was captivated with Orson, but like every human being we have our faults, and he had many.  Hollywood should have paid more attention to him, but he was ignored as a relic of the past.  Welles had his own problems as well, and he did not endear himself to the powers to be, but he was widely respected by his peers, and friends, which without them "The Other Side of the Wind" would not have been made.

I found the film a little dispassionate.  I could never find any love for John Huston's character.  The film flows well, and the film with-in the film is a shot in wide screen and looks beautiful, yet the film feels out of time.   Welles described the film as using several voices to tell the story.  Through conversations and interviews Welles uses many different voices to tell the story about John Hannaford the character played by John Huston.  I had no emotional investment in the character, yet the film is a must see for any of Welles' fans, or admirers.

Orson Welles pushed the boundaries of cinema, and in his last attempt he continued to push them.  The editing is flawless, and Gary Graver's cinematography is remarkable.  Their are so many styles in the film that mesh together quite well.

I do believe I'll sit down again and watch it because of it's techniques.  Orson always pushed cinema to it's limits and then threw out the rulebook, and did his own thing.  Through his work you could learn a lot.  It is sad that he died too early, and that their was more for him to teach us, yet I'm sure that Welles went out the way he wanted.  Planning, shooting, and editing future films, and for any filmmaker it's a good way to go out.  Going out doing what you do best, and Orson Welles did it better then anyone else.