Magnificent Ambersons

[Policar]

It's not availible on DVD, but I'm sure some people have seen it on laserdisc (how I saw it) or vhs or something. I'm curious what people thought.

I found it very...odd. The first part is somewhat brilliant, then it falls apart, and yet I'm not convinced Welles is the film genius we all give him credit for despite some mind blowing sequences. Gregg Tolland did a better job as DP with Kane, although this is somewhat more polished in the same aesthetic, just less creative perhaps.

The way it was destroyed is tragic but pretty fascinating, too. I'd love so much to get to see the original cut, but I suppose it's been destroyed.

 

[Super Trooper]

I saw it on TCM a few months ago. I really loved it. Agreed though, it lost a bit of steam during the second act. Still, overall it a beautiful film and I enjoyed watching it. I wish I would have taped it off TV though. Worth a few subsequent viewings IMO.

 

[Policar]

Yeah, it's too bad, too, since rumors were that the original was truly amazing. There are a few sequences in the movie which are just mind-blowing and back up the possibility that it really was good before the studio cut it.

In fact, I enjoyed the first 1/3 more than I enjoyed the first 1/3 of Citizen Kane, but it got so incoherent and bizarre by the end that I could barely sit through much of it.

One thing that really interested me was that Welles would often have the most amazing long take sequences (the ball at the beginning was incredible), but sometimes he'd have long take sequences with no camera movement. Just five minutes of two people talking at a table. No camera movement, next to no figure movement. Kind of odd.

Laserdisc and VHS are availible so you can probably find one if you try hard enough. I wish they'd get a DVD out since the laserdisc came from an excellent and clean print so I figure the source material is there.