Posted on Thursday, 10 November 2011

MR. ARKADIN (Welles, 1955) - It might be because my immune system’s finally given up the battle to stave off BF’s cold, but this movie felt like a fever dream: logical from one step to the next but disjointed as a whole, never quite in focus, and certainly never still. Welles’ voice stands out above all else - not his weird wig and beard, not even his back story, but that voice, ridiculous accent and all. It chases you even in scenes where it’s not present, looming over you like the sword of Damocles: the question’s not if it will fall, but when. Everything adds to the atmosphere, even the sometimes ramshackle sets, the acting of varying quality, the odd quality of the sound. I’m not sure if it’s good. But - like with pretty much all Welles’ films - it’s certainly fascinating. 

MR. ARKADIN (Welles, 1955) - It might be because my immune system’s finally given up the battle to stave off BF’s cold, but this movie felt like a fever dream: logical from one step to the next but disjointed as a whole, never quite in focus, and certainly never still. Welles’ voice stands out above all else - not his weird wig and beard, not even his back story, but that voice, ridiculous accent and all. It chases you even in scenes where it’s not present, looming over you like the sword of Damocles: the question’s not if it will fall, but when. Everything adds to the atmosphere, even the sometimes ramshackle sets, the acting of varying quality, the odd quality of the sound. I’m not sure if it’s good. But - like with pretty much all Welles’ films - it’s certainly fascinating. 

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