The Eyes Of Orson Welles is a love letter to one of the Director Mark Cousins’ major influences. Whether you’re familiar with Welles’ work or not, there are some fascinating things to learn from Cousins’ narrative documentary.
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Rating 3 out of 5
Premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, The Eyes of Orson Welles was awarded a Special Distinction documentary prize. It has also enjoyed a largely positive reception during its festival run ahead of its UK release scheduled for August 17th.
The featured image is a motif that Cousins returns to numerous times throughout this film, for reasons that aren’t particularly clear. But what is clear is that Cousins has a deep admiration for Welles’ personally and professionally. The film follows a narrative thread exploring Welles’ life and work through a series of his drawings and paintings. I’d been unfamiliar with Welles’ artistic tendencies previously and it’s possibly the most interesting facet of this film.
Welles’ would sketch everything from scene lighting setups to sequences and when creating love letters. With the permission of his daughter Beatrice Welles’ the great man’s artworks are used to tell stories of his life and politics as well as his work in theatre and film. Cousins’ does a brilliant job of bringing these sketches to life and linking them to moments in Welles’ life through free association. Riffing on what he feels Orson may have been dealing with or thinking at the time. Cousins reveals that Welles’ vivid imagination is the key to understanding his pioneering work and approach to filmmaking.
The Eyes of Orson Welles – Verdict
The major downside for me was that the film at times borderlines on self-indulgent and at others completely tramples beyond the border into effusive absorption. What this film needed was some ruthless editing and tighter writing to maintain its pace and entertainment value. I enjoyed the insight. But I could have done without the often masturbatory narration from Cousins’. However, if you’re a student of filmmaking or enjoy insights into the creative process of masters, this film is worth enduring.
The Eyes of Orson Welles is scheduled for UK release this August. Check out the trailer above and head to www.theeyesoforsonwelles.com for more information.
